Homocysteinemia and endothelial damage after methionine load.

Homocysteinemia increased significantly after a methionine load of 50 mg/kg in patients with peripheral artery occlusive disease but this load was insufficient to increase circulating endothelial cell count as a marker of endothelial damage. Only after an increased load of 100 mg/kg methionine circulating endothelial cells also increased markedly confirming the results of a previous experimental study. These data indicate a threshold concentration of homocysteine in blood necessary to induce endothelial lesions.

Lack of evidence for the interaction between renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and endothelin in vivo.

Aim of the study was to reveal the possible factors regulating plasma endothelin (ET) levels in vivo in patients with essential hypertension (EH) by the simultaneous determination of plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone (ALD). In addition, the possible relationship between ET and circulating endothelial cells as a marker of endothelial damage was also investigated. The postural test revealed a significant increase of ET levels (26.

[The antiphospholipid syndrome and atherothrombosis].

The antiphospholipid antibody syndrome is an autoimmune disease which attracts in recent years increasingly the attention of angiologists and cardiologists. Although it is manifested as regards laboratory indicators as a circulating anticoagulant, somewhat paradoxically clinicians observe only a marked tendency towards venous and arterial thromboses at different sites. The condition is frequently encountered in young people with idiopathic and recurrent diseases.

[Lipoperoxides and their clinical importance].

Background: Research and investigations in the sphere of lipid peroxides has been pursued so far for a relatively short time. Therefore every new finding is a great asset for this branch of medicine. An elevated lipid peroxide level signalizes pathological changes in the organism.

Homocysteine theory of atherosclerosis.

A short survey is presented of the homocysteine theory of atherosclerosis with the key role of endothelial injury. Hyperhomocysteinaemia is a newly emerging risk factor of atherosclerosis. Both hereditary and nutritional influences may contribute to its occurrence.