Acid-base and electrolyte disturbances in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis.

We undertook the present study to examine the acid-base and electrolyte disturbances in relation to hydration status in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). A total of 40 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients (22 male, 18 female), aged 18-61 years with DKA admitted to our hospital during the last 2 years, were studied. The duration of diabetes averaged 9 +/- 2 years.

The beneficial effect of tamoxifen on serum lipoprotein-A levels: an additional anti-atherogenic property.

It has recently been suggested that increased lipoprotein (a) levels are an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease. It has also been reported that tamoxifen can induce changes in blood lipid values. In this prospective study we investigated the long term effects tamoxifen on the lipid profile, focusing on lipoprotein (a) levels.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in normotensive pregnant women.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) provides a profile of blood pressure (BP) during daily activities and sleep and could uncover the inter-individual variability of BP. The aims of this study were to establish the normal values of the ABPM during the three trimesters of normal pregnancy, and to compare these values with those obtained in the office. ABPM was carried out on 22 normotensive pregnant women.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in hemodialysis patients.

The aim of our study was the detection of blood pressure (BP) variability during a dialysis session and in the interdialytic period in normotensive and hypertensive hemodialysis (HD) patients using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Twenty-two HD patients aged 54 (range, 33-78) years who were on HD for a mean of 17.7 (range, 1-70) months were studied.

PAF-acetylhydrolase activity of Lp(a) before and during Cu(2+)-induced oxidative modification in vitro.

In human plasma with no detectable lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) levels, platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) is associated with low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) with a distribution of 70 and 30%, respectively. We used a density gradient ultracentrifugation procedure to study the distribution of PAF-AH among lipoproteins in plasma containing Lp(a). Lp(a) was migrated as a broad band in the density region of d = 1.

Smoking habit in female students of northwestern Greece: relation to other cardiovascular risk factors.

(1) to detect the prevalence of cigarette smoking among female students in Northwestern Greece, and (2) to assess the relation of cigarette smoking with other harmful lifestyles (such as alcohol consumption, obesity, type of dietary fat), fasting lipids and blood pressure. A total of 590 female students in the last class of the local senior high schools was studied. Seventy-seven (13%) of the students were smokers.

Lp(a) levels in Greek patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

We undertook the present study to evaluate the lipid profile in 82 (51 male, 31 female) Greek individuals with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), aged 13-61 years from 22 families. FH heterozygotes had significantly elevated serum Lp(a) levels in comparison with 82 normal controls. Serum Lp(a) levels were also increased in FH probands compared to their controls.

Chronic hyponatremia due to reset osmostat in a patient with colon cancer.

A 62-year-old man with colon cancer who presented with hyponatremia is described. Volume depletion, renal failure, and cardiac, adrenal, hepatic, and thyroid diseases were excluded as causes of hyponatremia. The urine sodium concentration was repeatedly increased, suggesting the presence of the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion.

Pathogenetic mechanisms of hypomagnesemia in alcoholic patients.

The aim of our study was to describe the possible pathophysiologic mechanisms of hypomagnesemia in alcoholic patients. A total of 127 chronic alcoholic patients admitted to our university hospital for causes related to alcohol abuse were studied. Hypomagnesemia was the most common electrolyte disturbance observed in 38 patients (29.

Role of the spleen in lipid metabolism.

The frequency of ischaemic heart disease observed after splenectomy for trauma and the low cholesterol levels found in patients with hypersplenism are observations that suggest a possible role for the spleen in lipid metabolism and in the aetiology of atherosclerosis. The present study was designed to examine this role in experimental animals. Serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were determined in 32 rats.

alpha-Amylase and isoamylase levels in renal transplant recipients compared to uremic patients.

Hyperamylasemia is a common finding in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients. The present study was designed to evaluate the frequency, the type, and the hyperamylasemia levels in renal transplant recipients (RTR) compared to patients with renal failure with or without replacement of renal function. One hundred and forty-one subjects [42 with varying degree of renal insufficiency (group A), 74 on hemodialysis (group B), and 25 RTR (group C)] and 47 normal individuals were studied.

Lipid parameters including lipoprotein (a) in patients undergoing CAPD and hemodialysis.

Objective: Dyslipidemia possibly contributes to the vascular complications commonly afflicting uremic patients. Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] has been identified as an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic vascular disease. The aim of our study was to compare lipidparameters, including Lp(a), between hemodialysis (HD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients.

Prevalence of antibodies to human T-lymphotropic virus types I and II in volunteer blood donors and high-risk groups in northwestern Greece.

Background: In addition to human immunodeficiency virus, human T-lymphotropic virus types I and II (HTLV-I/II) is prevalent among blood donors in the United States. In Greece, there are no epidemiologic data regarding the prevalence of HTLV-I/II among volunteer blood donors and high-risk groups.

Study Design And Methods: To determine the prevalence of HTLV-I/II infections in northwestern Greece, a seroepidemiologic study was conducted among volunteer blood donors, multiply transfused patients, heroin addicts, and chronic hemodialysis patients.

Fractional excretion of potassium in normal subjects and in patients with hypokalaemia.

The aim of our study was the determination of fractional excretion of potassium (FEK+) in both normal subjects and hypokalaemic patients. Three hundred and twelve normal subjects aged 21-69 years and 84 hypokalaemic patients aged 36-72 years were studied. The mean FEK+ in normal subjects was 8% (range 4-16%).

Successful treatment of hyponatremia with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in patients with congestive heart failure.

Hyponatremia commonly complicates the clinical course of patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) and seems to be an ominous prognostic factor. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors improve the symptomatology of CHF patients. Moreover, it has been reported that these drugs can raise serum sodium in hyponatremic patients.

The value of alpha-amylase and isoamylase determination in chronic renal failure patients.

Hyperamylasemia is a common finding in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients. It has been suggested that the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis in these patients is confirmed when serum amylase activities are greater than three times the upper normal limits. In order to evaluate the frequency, the type, and the hyperamylasemia levels in patients with various degree of chronic renal failure, the total serum amylase (Ta), the pancreatic (Pa) and salivary (Sa) types of serum isoamylases, as well as the urine isoamylases (Tu, Pu, Su, respectively) have been determined by the Phadebas method.

Primary lymphoma of the pericardium: report on a "cured" case and review of the literature.

This report describes a 62-year-old man with a primary diffuse, immunohistochemically proven B-cell lymphoma of large non-cleaved cell (centroblastic) type of the pericardium. The patient responded completely to systemic chemotherapy and remains free of disease 30 months after diagnosis. The use of non-cardiotoxic drugs in divided doses as initial treatment is emphasized.

Lipid parameters including Lp(a) in hemodialysis patients.

Chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients have a high incidence and prevalence of atherosclerotic disease which may be related to numerous atherosclerotic risk factors. Among them dyslipidemia plays a significant role. Elevated Lp(a) levels, which are strongly associated with atherosclerosis, have been reported recently in uremic patients.

Effect of an acute oral protein load on microalbuminuria in uninephrectomized patients in relation to the time since nephrectomy.

To evaluate the effect of an acute oral protein load (OPL) on urinary albumin excretion (UAE) in uninephrectomized subjects with a negative Albustix test, in relation to the time since nephrectomy, the UAE was determined by a double-antibody 125I radioimmunoassay in 3-hour urine collections before and after 150 g OPL under conditions of moderate physical activity in 18 subjects who underwent unilateral nephrectomy more than 10 years (346.5 +/- 178.60 months) before evaluation and had a mean basal creatinine clearance (CCr) of 45.