The Relationships between Birthweight and Arterial Blood Pressure

Wśród czynników wpływających na powstanie pierwotnego nadciśnienia tętniczego coraz większe zainteresowanie budzą warunki panujące podczas wewnątrzmacicznego rozwoju płodu, których wskaźnikiem jest urodzeniowa masa ciała. W licznych badaniach epidemiologicznych wykazano, że u osób z małą masą urodzeniową częściej dochodzi do nadciśnienia tętniczego w wieku dorosłym. Przyjmuje się, że w powstawaniu tego związku mogą odgrywać rolę następujące czynniki: wrażliwość tkanek na insulinę, aktywność układu współczulnego, funkcja nerek, funkcja układu podwzgórzowo-przysadkowo-nadnerczowego, podatność tętnic. Ten ostatni parametr był przedmiotem badania przeprowadzonego w Klinice Chorób Wewnętrznych i Nadciśnienia Tętniczego w Akademii Medycznej w Warszawie. Wśród przebadanych 119 zdrowych osób w wieku 19-24 lat nie znaleziono istotnej zależności pomiędzy urodzeniową masą ciała a podatnością dużych naczyń tętniczych.Low birthweight has been associated with increased prevalence of essential hypertension in adulthood. Numerous hypotheses tried to explain this association pointing into insulin resistance, activation of adrenergic system, disturbances of renal and adrenal function as potential mechanisms. Elastin - a major component which determines arterial wall elastic properties, is synthesized mostly during intrauterine period, and low birthweight may be associated with diminished compliance of arteries leading to increased blood pressure. We have investigated the relationship between birthweight and elastic properties of large arteries in 119 normotensive, healthy volunteers aged 19-23. However, in our data there seems to be no relationship between birthweight and elasticity of large arteries in adulthood

Age-dependent determinants of infectious complications profile in children and adults after hematopoietic cell transplantation : lesson from the nationwide study

Incidence and outcome of microbiologically documented bacterial/viral infections and invasive fungal disease (IFD) in children and adults after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) were compared in 650 children and 3200 adults in multicenter cross-sectional nationwide study. Infections were diagnosed in 60.8% children and 35.0% adults, including respectively 69.1% and 63.5% allo-HCT, and 33.1% and 20.8% auto-HCT patients. The incidence of bacterial infections was higher in children (36.0% vs 27.6%; p  21 days were risk factors for death from infection. In conclusion, pediatric patients have 2.9-fold higher incidence and 2.5-fold better outcome of infections than adults after HCT

Current status and achievements of Polish haemato-oncology

The number of newly diagnosed haematological malignancies in Polish adults and children is about 9,000 a year, which constitutes about 5.5% of all malignancies in the country. Adult patients with haematological malignancies are diagnosed and treated in 42 institutions in Poland. The scientific and educational support for this activity is provided under the umbrella of the Polish Society of Haematologists and Transfusiologists (PTHiT, Polskie Towarzystwo Hematologów i Transfuzjologów), the Polish Adult Leukemia Group (PALG), the Polish Lymphoma Research Group (PLRG), the Polish Myeloma Study Group (PMSG), the Polish Myeloma Consortium (PMC), and consultants in haematology. The aim of this position paper is to present the current status and progress in therapy of haematological malignancies in Polish haematology adult centres, focusing on the activity of PALG, PLRG, and PMSG. The achievements of Polish haemato-oncology at the beginning of the third decade of the 21st century are set out in this paper. Polish haemato-oncology today has an important international position based on contributions to the development of knowledge, international cooperation, and a high quality of patient care. In many instances, clinical trials run by Polish collaborative groups have influenced international standards. Polish haematologists have been the authors of treatment recommendations, and their research has indicated areas for further research

Does saddle embolism influence short-term prognosis in patients with acute pulmonary embolism?

Background: In some patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE) thrombi may lodge at the levels of the bifurcation of pulmonary trunk and extend into both main pulmonary arteries, forming so-called saddle embolism (SE).Aim: To assess the incidence of SE and whether it is associated with an increased risk of complicated clinical course.Methods: We studied 150 consecutive patients (94 females, 56 males) aged 63.6±16.7 years with APE confirmed with contrast enhanced spiral computed tomography or transesophageal echocardiography.Results: SE was detected in 22 (14.7%) patients. Mean age (SE vs N-SE) was 64.3±17.4 vs 63.5±16.6 years, heart rate 100.8±14.1 beats/min vs 97.8±21.1 beats/min, systolic blood pressure 126.2±20.1 vs 127.1±23.3 mmHg and blood pulsoximetry 92 (68-98) vs 91 (30-98) % (all differences NS). In patients with SE, echocardiographic signs of the right ventricular overload, defined as right to left ventricular end - diastolic ratio >0.6 with right ventricular hypokinesia and/or maximal tricuspid peak systolic gradient >30 mmHg with shortened acceleration time of pulmonary ejectio