Search NEL Online

Journal Article 2009; 30(3): 382-386 PubMed PMID: 19855364 Citation  Keywords:  Acromegaly:blood, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Biopsy, Fine-Needle, Chi-Square Distribution, Diagnosis, Differential, Female, Goiter, Nodular:blood, Human Growth Hormone:blood, Humans, Incidence, Insulin-Like Growth Factor I:metabolism, Male, Middle Ag.   

OBJECTIVE: The high prevalence of goiter in acromegalic patients is well known. Several studies revealed increased frequency of thyroid carcinoma in these patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of thyroid lesions, including thyroid cancer in acromegalic patients and to estimate possible factors influencing their occurrence, especially high IGF-1 level.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: 86 consecutive patients with acromegaly were retrospectively analyzed. 45 patients had been previously treated for acromegaly and 41 were newly diagnosed. In all subjects hGH, IGF-1, TSH, FT4 levels were determined. Thyroid gland was evaluated in ultrasound examination. Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) was performed in every solid or mixed thyroid nodule.

RESULTS: Thyroid morphology abnormalities were found in 75 patients (87.2%). 10 patients (11.6%) had diffuse goiter and 65 patients (75.6%) had nodular goiter. There were 5 cases of thyroid carcinoma (5.8%): 3 papillary carcinomas and two follicular variants of papillary cancer. Out of five cancers three were multifocal, one infiltrated thyroid capsule and one was diagnosed at the stage of metastases to four lymph nodes.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirmed common co-existence of acromegaly and thyroid lesions. Furthermore, it revealed considerably high occurrence of thyroid carcinoma in these patients. In view of this correlation, the potential role of IGF-1 in pathogenesis of benign and malignant thyroid neoplasms should be considered. Due to high frequency of thyroid cancer in acromegalic patients, we suggest to perform fine needle aspiration biopsy in each case of thyroid nodule....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2009; 30(3): 377-381 PubMed PMID: 19855363 Citation  Keywords:  Anthropometry, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Child, Humans, Male, Statistics, Nonparametric, Surveys and Questionnaires,.   

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to compare complex anthropometric characteristics in non medicated boys with ADHD and normal population.

METHODS: Complex anthropometric examination of non-medicated ADHD boys (n=46, average age 11.03 years), statistical and clinical comparison to the actual population growth norm. In contrast to the most of the previous studies, which analyzed mostly only BMI or basic signs of growth as height and weight, the presented study operates with a complex anthropometrical measurement and comparison with actual population norm.

RESULTS: The results of the study show significant differences in the signs of nutrition (percentage of fat) and growth indicators (lower values of height) between ADHD and non ADHD children. Further anthropometrical parameters show other possible but in the studied sample statistically non-significant differences.

CONCLUSION: Many studies analyzed growth relation to medication of ADHD children, but did not consider that the changes could appear also in non-medicated children and thus they might not be only a side effect of the treatment but a manifestation of the disorder itself. Growth changes in non-medicated children are not described well enough, so the presented study was performed to compare anthropometrics characteristics in ADHD boys with norm of nonclinical population and specify the differences. The results points to hypothesis that the growth changes are primarily caused by the disorder itself....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2009; 30(3): 373-376 PubMed PMID: 19855362 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Antioxidants:pharmacology, Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy, Hydroxyl Radical:metabolism, Laparotomy, Male, Oxidative Stress:drug effects, Pain:etiology, Rats, Rats, Wistar, Singlet Oxygen:metabolism, Tail:drug effects,.   

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to demonstrate that direct measurement of hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen in the tail of living rats is possible. The basic level of hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen were measured and the effects of antioxidants on their levels were studied in the tail of living anaesthetized rats after acute postoperative pain. Laparotomy was performed as the source of acute abdominal pain. After closure of the abdominal cavity, the animals began to awaken within 30-60 minutes. They were left to recover for 2-3 hours; then they were reanesthetized and the effect of antioxidants was measured on the numbers of hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen via blood in the tail.

METHODS: The laparotomy was preformed under general anesthesia (Xylazin and Ketamin) using Wistar rats. After recovery and several hours of consciousness they were reanaesthetized and free radicals and singlet oxygen were measured. An antioxidant mixture (vitamins A, C, D and Selenium) was administered intramuscularly prior to the laparotomy. All measurements were done on the tail of anaesthetized animals. In this particular article, the effect of antioxidants is only reported for hydroxyl radicals.

RESULTS: After laparotomy, which represented both somatic and visceral pain, hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen were increased. Antioxidant application prior to laparotomy decreased the numbers of hydroxyl radicals.

CONCLUSION: Results are in agreement with our previous finding regarding the increase in hydroxyl free radicals and singlet oxygen following nociceptive stimulation, in this case a combination of both somatic and visceral pain. The administered antioxidants mitigated the increase. This is further confirmation that direct measurement of free radicals and singlet oxygen represents a very useful method for the biochemical evaluation of pain and nociception....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2009; 30(3): 368-372 PubMed PMID: 19855361 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Androstenols:blood, Dehydroepiandrosterone:analogs & derivatives, Female, Humans, Hydrocephalus:blood, Male, Mass Spectrometry,.   

OBJECTIVE: Dehydroepiandrosterone is a long established neuroactive steroid. Some authors documented that 7-oxygenated derivatives of this steroid may be responsive at least by part for its physiological activity.

METHODS: In the ventricular cerebrospinal fluid obtained from 15 patients with hydrocephalus (8 postmenopausal women and 7 men) potentially neuroactive steroid 7-oxygenated derivatives of dehydroepiandrosterone were quantified using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

RESULTS: Besides free dehydroepiandrosterone 7-oxygenated steroids such as 7alpha- and 7beta-hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone, 5-androstene-3beta,7alpha,17beta-triol and 5-androstene-3beta,7beta,17beta-triol in picomolar concentration in serum and cerebrospinal fluid were found.

CONCLUSION: Dehydroepiandrosterone and its 7-oxygenated derivatives are present in ventricular cerebrospinal fluid in concentration 2 -100 times lower than in serum....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2009; 30(3): 363-367 PubMed PMID: 19855360 Citation  Keywords:  Aged, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation:adverse effects, Critical Care, Female, Heart Arrest:mortality, Humans, Hypothermia, Induced, Intensive Care Units, Male, Middle Aged, Quality of Life, Retrospective Studies, Survival Rate, Treatment Outcome,.   

OBJECTIVES: Sudden circulatory arrest is most often of cardiac origin. Our aim was to evaluate circulatory arrest etiology and treatment strategies in patients after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with persistent impairment of consciousness in relation to survival and the subsequent quality of life.

DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of patients after CPR treated according to the local protocol including mild hypothermia in the intensive cardiac care unit.

RESULTS: Over 2 years, we admitted 57 mechanically ventilated patients after CPR. 47 patients (82%) were resuscitated outside the hospital. In 33 patients (58%) the initial rhythm was ventricular fibrillation; in the remaining patients (42%) asystole/pulseless electrical activity. Urgent coronary angiography was performed in 36 patients and percutaneous coronary intervention in 25 of them. The admission APACHE II score was 32,4 +/- 3,4 with predicted mortality of 77,1%. The hospital survival rate was 54% and 47% of the patients were discharged home in a good state of health (Glasgow outcome score 4-5).

CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that comprehensive post-resuscitation care including therapeutic hypothermia and percutaneous coronary intervention in selected cases may have a positive impact on the prognosis of patients after CPR....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2009; 30(3): 357-362 PubMed PMID: 19855359 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Alleles, Catalase:genetics, Chi-Square Distribution, Depressive Disorder:genetics, European Continental Ancestry Group:genetics, Female, Gene Frequency, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genotype, Humans, Male, Oxidative Stress:genetics, Patient S.   

: Numerous studies have provided information indicating the involvement of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of depressive disorder (DD). The antioxidative system protects against the effects caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Catalase (CAT) is one of antioxidative enzymes observed to change their levels in the course of depression. The enzyme decomposes hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), whose overproduction is a result of many processes taking place in depression. Therefore, functional polymorphism of the CAT gene can be a candidate marker of the risk of depression. The presented study assessed the correlation between -262C>T polymorphism of the CAT gene, which influences the increase of CAT expression and activity, and the risk of depression development. The study, carried out on a homogeneous group recruited from the Polish population, enrolled 149 healthy subjects and 149 depressive patients. The groups were age-matched. The obtained results indicate no correlation between -262C>T polymorphism of the CAT gene (both with respect to genotype distribution and allele frequency) and the risk of depression. Nevertheless, further studies assessing the correlations between depression and polymorphism of the genes encoding antioxidative enzymes on larger groups of subjects should be undertaken....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2009; 30(3): 352-356 PubMed PMID: 19855358 Citation  Keywords:  Acetic Acid:toxicity, Analgesia, Analysis of Variance, Animals, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal:pharmacology, Celecoxib, Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Drug Synergism, Expectorants:administration & dosage, .   

OBJECTIVES: Previously, we found that guaifenesin enhances analgesia induced by paracetamol. The aim of the present study was to determine whether guaifenesin is able to also increase analgesic activity in the non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs ibuprofen, nimesulide and celecoxib. In addition we investigated the influence of guaifenesin on plasma levels of nimesulide.

METHODS: A model of visceral pain consisting of intraperitoneal injection of acetic acid (writhing test) was used. Levels of nimesulide in plasma were measured by HPLC. All drugs were given orally and tested in mice.

RESULTS: Guaifenesin alone did not produce any antinociceptive effect. Simultaneous administration of guaifenesin (200 mg/kg) and subanalgesic doses of ibuprofen (10 and 30 mg/kg), nimesulide (10 and 20 mg/kg) or celecoxib (1 and 5 mg/kg) resulted in a significant antinociceptive effects. The plasma levels of nimesulide were significantly higher in combination with guaifenesin at 30, 60 and 90 min after oral administration in comparison to nimesulide monotherapy.

CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that guaifenesin might enhance the analgesic activity of various non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2009; 30(3): 343-351 PubMed PMID: 19855357 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Age of Onset, Analysis of Variance, Body Height:genetics, Body Mass Index, Chi-Square Distribution, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genotype, Haplotypes:genetics, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide:genetics, Psych.   

OBJECTIVES: The 102T/C single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A (HTR2A) gene has been reported to be associated with schizophrenia. However, SNPs of the HTR2A gene other than the 102T/C have attracted only limited studies in relation to schizophrenia, and also on the whole SNPs of the HTR2A gene have been little studied in relation to clinical parameters in patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of main functionally characterized SNPs of the HTR2A gene on both the schizophrenia and clinical parameters.

METHODS: Ninety-four patients with schizophrenia and 57 control subjects were genotyped for the -1438A/G, -783A/G, 102T/C and His452Tyr SNPs of the HTR2A gene. The four SNPs were then investigated in relation to the schizophrenia and clinical parameters.

RESULTS: No differences were found in genotype-, allele- or haplotype frequencies between schizophrenia patients and control subjects. However, the 452Tyr variant of the His452Tyr polymorphism occurred more often in patients with a family history of schizophrenia compared with patients without heredity (p=0.028). The 452Tyr variant was also more common in female patients with paranoid schizophrenia than in those with non-paranoid schizophrenia (p=0.018). Moreover, the male patients carrying the A/A or T/T genotypes of the -1438A/G and 102T/C polymorphisms were shorter than those carrying the G/A or C/T genotypes (p=0.007; p=0.006).

CONCLUSION: The present findings bring further support to the view that the -1438A/G, 102T/C and His452Tyr polymorphisms of the HTR2A gene are connected with a constitutive cellular change that causes susceptibility to schizophrenia....

Read abstract  Full text PDF