[Carnosine in patients with type I diabetes mellitus].

Examination of carnosine in patients with diabetes mellitus type I, showed that the plasma levels of carnitine were non significantly increased compared to the levels in healthy population, while the levels in red cells were decreased Lowered levels of carnosine in red cells could point out similar deficit in other cells. Due to low levels in cells carnosine is less available for metabolic processes, like antioxidant reactions and its participation in antioxidants defense reactions is limited non-enzymatic glycosylation of proteins. Therefore it should be supplemented.

[Relation between metabolism of trace elements and the antioxidant defense system in chronic nephropathies].

Background: Trace elements--zinc, copper and selenium are part of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GHPx). In renal diseases changes in the trace element metabolism may influence the equilibrium in the antioxidant defence system and enhance the toxic effect of reactive oxygen molecules.

Methods And Results: The authors examined in 53 children with chronic neprophathies (34 with chronic glomerulonephritis, 11 with chronic renal failure and 8 children included in a chronic dialyzation programme) zinc and selenium in blood and urine and antioxidant enzymes SOD and GHPx in red blood cells.

[Present possibilities of improving the diagnosis of glomerular erythrocyturia].

Examination of glomerular erythrocyturia which proved useful in the differential diagnosis of haematuria faces in practice two serious problems--the necessity to examine fresh urine and differences as regards the interpretation of criteria of glomerular erythrocyturia (from 10 to 80%). The authors examined therefore the morphology of erythrocytes in urine of 65 children with different causes of haematuria, incl. 35 patients with different forms of glomerulonephritis.

[Are dietetic and non-immunologic therapies becoming deciding factors in the treatment of autoimmune diseases?].

Authors call attention to non-immunological therapy and its determining role for fate and final prognosis in patients with autoimmune diseases. A stress importance of the timely and rigorous antihypertensive and antiinfectious treatment. From the dietary measures is best known favourable effect of the low protein diet and pharmacological limitation of the phosphorus supply.