Microparticles (MPs) are phenotypically and functionally heterogeneous population of microvesicles. Although MP formation represents a physiological phenomenon. A multitude of pathologies, including inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, atherosclerosis, and malignancies, are associated with a considerable increase in circulating MPs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: To assess the prevalence of nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFLD) and the significance of some risk factors, such as obesity and glucose metabolism impairment, for two major ethnic groups of Kuwait: Arabs and South Asians.
Subjects And Methods: 143 adults (Arab: n = 81; South Asian: n = 62) were enrolled in the study. Anthropometric measurements including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC) and waist-to-hip ratio were performed along with abdominal ultrasonography.
Objective: The aims of the study were to compare obesity and its association with risk factors of atherosclerosis in Arabs and South Asians in Kuwait and to define which of the anthropometric parameters is best suited for clinical purposes in general.
Subjects And Methods: Two hundred eighty adults, patients of Al-Rashid Hospital, a private general hospital in Kuwait, were enrolled in the study. Of the 280 patients, 144 were Arab and 136 were South Asian.
Blood pressure measuring represents a routine investigation in general medicine. In the last decades large studies have determined average blood pressure values all around the world. Large clinical trials have shown that blood pressure reduction irrespective of the used type of therapeutic intervention reduces mortality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIt was believed for rather a long time that the only components of tumour tissue are transformed cells characterised by hyper-proliferation, invasivity and immortalisation. Therapeutic strategies thus focused on autonomous proliferation and tumour cell survival. These result from oncogene activation and inactivation of tumour-suppressor genes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDisorders of haemostasis and haemocoagulation are often seen in cancer patients as a part of the paraneoplastic syndrome. This study describes a novel compound that activates coagulation and also inhibits fibrinolytic system and fibrin degradation products in the gastric juice of 33 patients with gastric cancer. Similar, but less pronounced changes have been found in gastric juice of patients with gastric precancerosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDisorders of haemostasis and haemocoagulation are often seen in patients with cancer as a part of paraneoplastic syndrome. Thrombotic and/or haemorrhagic complications are the second most common cause of mortality in patients with cancer. The evaluation of the haemostatic parameters of 67 patients with gastric cancer have indicated tendency to thrombophilia and activation of intravascular coagulation, of which 31.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe authors aim to offer a holistic view on hypertension and its treatment. Their approach is fairly confrontational, particularly by suggesting that hypertension may play a role in optimizing the blood flow and enhancing oxygen delivery. An increase in blood pressure brings about a threat of catastrophes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiagnosis of essential hypertension is created per exclusionem--with exclusion of all, so called secondary hypertensions (nephrogenic, endocrine conditioned etc). Idea and the name-essential hypertension are unclear. We have a lot of hypotheses about mechanisms of hypertension but no one is explaining satisfactorily the "fixation" of hypertension.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground/aims: There is no established standard care of carcinoids as all experts agree. Endogenous somatostatin diurnal rhythm is influenced by administration of lanreotid. The purpose of this study is to evaluate efficacy of lanreotid on the clinical course in a group of patients with metastatic carcinoid.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Previous studies on gastrin levels in chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients have given conflicting results. These studies did not take into consideration the influence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection on gastrin release.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of our work was to develop a fast, reliable and sensitive PCR method to detect K-ras mutations in various clinical samples. There is a need for an unimpeachable method for early diagnosis and/or screening of pancreatic cancer (PC). We optimized and subsequently analyzed four methods based on mutant-enriched PCR for the sensitivity, cost and time expense.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBehcet's syndrome is a systemic illness of unknown etiology characterized by necrotising vasculitis originally described in Turkey. Typical manifestations include urogenital ulcerations, eye inflammation and migratory thrombophlebitis. An unusual course of this disease is described.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBratisl Lek Listy
May 2006
Background: Participation rates in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening are rather low. We evaluated the interest of first degree relatives (FDR) of CRC patients to participate in a colonoscopy screening and compared the findings to controls with a negative family history.
Methodology: There were 235 CRC patients diagnosed in our centre in 1984-2001.
Bratisl Lek Listy
January 2005
Colorectal carcinoma is a growing medical problem. Prevention represents the most effective approach for reducing the incidence and mortality. Population-based screening with subsequent colonoscopic polypectomy is the most common strategy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is an autosomal dominant inherited disease characterised by almost inevitable development of colorectal carcinoma and/or endometrium and other defined malignancies in affected individuals. HNPCC is caused by a germline mutation in a mismatch repair genes (MMR). The purpose of this review is to summarize current knowledge regarding HNPCC with the focus on recent data on genetic testing, surveillance guidelines and therapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFamilial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a well-defined autosomal dominant inherited disease characterised by a diffuse polyposis of the colon and rectum leading to inevitable colorectal cancer by 50 years. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current knowledge regarding this entity with the focus on recent knowledge on genetic testing, surveillance guidelines and therapy of FAP. Available medical databases were searched from 1998 to May 2003 using keywords "familial adenomatous polyposis", followed by further search for particular issues.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Carcinoid syndrome occurs in about 10% of patients with carcinoid tumors.
Objectives: The main objective of the present study was to determine the presence of the carcinoid syndrome in the group of patients with the carcinoid tumor.
Subjects And Methods: 43 pts.
Background: Carcinoid tumors have a neuroendocrine origin and endocrine activity is typical for them.
Objectives: The main objective of the present study was to determine differences in the levels of an endogenous somatostatin, a neuron specific enolase in serum and excretion of 5-HIAA in the urine in patients with carcinoid tumors and also to determine the changes of these parameters during the treatment with long acting somatostatin analogue--lanreotide.
Subjects And Methods: 30 pts with carcinoid tumors (20 pts with metastatic disease, 10 pts after resection of the primary tumor without known metastases at the time of the investigation) and 12 healthy probands were included in the study.
Background: The role of factors influencing the cerebral regulation of blood pressure must be considered in the etiopathogenesis of essential hypertension The aim of our work was to explore the possibilities for differentiating certain clinical, functional and electrophysiological signs in young and adult hypertensives. This could help us to determine whether centrally active antihypertensive drugs may be more suitable than others.
Material/methods: We examined somatosensory evoked potentials (latencies of wave deflections and amplitudes) in two groups of patients with essential hypertension.
Bratisl Lek Listy
August 2002
Background: The carcinoid syndrome occurs in about 10% of patients with carcinoid tumors.
Objectives: The main objective of the present study was to determine the presence of the carcinoid syndrome in a group of patients with carcinoid tumor.
Subjects And Methods: 35 pts with carcinoid tumors (group A--24 pts with metastatic disease, group B--11 pts after resection of the primary tumor with no metastases detected at the time of the investigation) were included into the study.
Aim Of The Study: Was to investigate the differences of the circadian rhythm of the endogenous somatostatin in patients with carcinoid and in healthy probands.
Methods: The group of 30 patients (16 men/14 women) was divided onto two groups. The group M of 20 (12/8) pts with metastatic disease and group B of 10 pts without known metastases at the time of investigation.
Carcinoid tumors are slow growing malignancies which occur most frequently in the gastrointestinal tract (about 74%). They can also be found in the bronchus, ovary, lung, thymus, kidney or thyroid gland. Carcinoid tumors are usually identified histologically by their affinity to silver salts, or more specifically by immunocytochemistry using antibodies against their specific cellular products.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOn the basis of historical development of internal medicine in Slovakia, the author attracts attention to basic questions as to the presence and future of general medicine and medicine per se. In the context of scientific and technical development, as well as in that of systemic changes in organisation and management of healthcare, the author suggests the basic principles of organisational, scientific as well as personnel solutions of the current crisis in healthcare and society. His work was presented as a lecture at the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Slovak Medical Society in Bratislava.
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