Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the exposure to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Intima-media complex thickness (IMT), selected metabolic parameters and health behaviors were assessed in the course of the study.

Methods: The study included study group, which consisted of 45 patients with JIA and 37 healthy age- and sex-matched children in the control group.

Why and How Should We Assess the Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis? A Single-Centre Experience with Carotid Intima-Media Measurements.

Background: Children diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) are thought to be more likely to develop cardiovascular disease in adulthood. The factors modulating the cardiovascular risk, involving exposure to secondhand smoking, sedentary lifestyle and abnormal body mass index, might have had a stronger impact during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of reliable prognostic markers for a higher probability of cardiovascular events might be solved by carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) measurement.

DNA variants in Helicobacter pylori infected patients with chronic gastritis, dysplasia and gastric cancer.

Purpose: The main scope of this study was to evaluate the importance of selected DNA variants for developing inflammation of gastric mucosa and carcinogenesis in gastrointestinal diseases in patients infected with Helicobacter pylori.

Patients And Methods: Patients subjected to analysis constituted a group of 131 consecutive cases, with control groups consisting of 100 healthy volunteers and 13 dyspeptic patients. Molecular analysis included the following genes: TP53 (c.

Myocardial dysfunction in children with intrauterine growth restriction: an echocardiographic study.

Introduction: The prevalence of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is about 3-10% of live-born newborns and can be as high as 20% in developing countries. It may result in the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases later in life.

Methods: The aim of this study was echocardiographic evaluation, with the use of conventional and tissue Doppler parameters, of cardiac function in children born with IUGR, and comparison with healthy peers born as normally grown foetuses.

Time domain parameters of heart rate variability in children born as small-for-gestational age.

According to metabolic programming theory, small-for-gestational age patients are at high risk of cardiovascular diseases also because of the possible malfunction of the autonomic nervous system. Autonomic disorders can be assessed by heart rate variability. The aims of this study were to compare time domain parameters of heart rate variability in children born as small-for-gestational age and appropriate-for-gestational age and to assess the correlation of the postnatal and current somatic parameters with the time domain parameters.

Serum Angiogenesis Markers and Their Correlation with Ultrasound-Detected Synovitis in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

Synovial angiogenesis is considered to be an important early step in the pathogenesis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). In this study we assessed levels of angiogenic markers in serum or synovial fluid and their possible relevance to disease activity or degree of ultrasound signs of synovial inflammation and angiogenesis in early JIA. The concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), its soluble receptors 1 and 2 (sVEGF-R1, sVEGF-R2), and angiopoietins 1 and 2 (ANG-1, ANG-2) were evaluated in 43 JIA patients and 23 healthy controls.

Influence of biologic therapy on growth in children with chronic inflammatory connective tissue diseases.

Objectives: Connective tissue diseases (CTD) are a heterogeneous group of chronic inflammatory conditions. One of their complications in children is the inhibition of growth velocity. Due to direct inflammation within the musculoskeletal system as well as glucocorticoid therapy, this feature is the most essential and is mainly expressed in the course of juvenile spondyloarthropathies and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Myocardial dysfunction measured by tissue Doppler echocardiography in children with primary arterial hypertension.

Background And Aim: To evaluate myocardial function with the use of tissue Doppler echocardiography in children with primary hypertension.

Methods: A total of 64 subjects (34 with hypertension, 30 control) underwent echocardiographic evaluation of systolic and diastolic function with the use of standard and tissue Doppler echocardiography parameters.

Results: The left ventricular myocardial performance index was higher in children with hypertension (0.

Intra-uterine growth restriction as a risk factor for hypertension in children six to 10 years old.

Introduction: Intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR) is present in about 3-10% of live-born newborns and it is as high as 20-30% in developing countries. Since the 1990s, it has been known that abnormalities during foetal growth may result in cardiovascular disease, including hypertension in adulthood.

Methods: This study evaluated blood pressure parameters (using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring) in children aged six to 10 years old, born as small for gestational age (SGA), and compared them to their healthy peers born as appropriate for gestational age (AGA).

Reactive oxygen species and serum antioxidant defense in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

In autoimmune inflammatory diseases, including juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), which leads to joint destruction, there is an imbalance between production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and their neutralization which, as a consequence, leads to "oxidative stress." The aim of the study was to assess the concentration of oxidative stress markers: nitric oxide (NO), a degree of lipid membrane damage, and total antioxidant plasma capacity in children with JIA. Thirty-four children with JIA were included into the study.

Imbalance of Th17 and T-regulatory cells in peripheral blood and synovial fluid in treatment naïve children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objectives: The imbalance between Th17 and T regulatory cells (Tregs) may be a key event in development of autoimmunity. The problem is poorly explored in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) so far. In this study, peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) Tregs and Th17 cells from were assessed in untreated JIA children.

Mixed connective tissue disease presenting with progressive scleroderma symptoms in a 10-year-old girl.

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is a systemic inflammatory disease affecting connective tissue with the underlying autoimmunological mechanism. The core of MCTD is an appearance of symptoms of several other inflammatory diseases of connective tissue - systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic scleroderma, poly- or dermatomyositis, rheumatoid arthritis at the same time, accompanied by a high level of anti-ribonucleoprotein antibodies (anti-U1RNP). The disease was described more than 40 years ago by Sharp et al.

Interleukin-1 gene polymorphisms in chronic gastritis patients infected with Helicobacter pylori as risk factors of gastric cancer development.

Epidemiological investigations indicated association of the Helicobacter pylori infections with the occurrence of inflammatory conditions of the gastric mucosa and development of chronic gastritis and intestinal type of gastric cancer. IL1A and IL1B genes have been proposed as key factors in determining risk of gastritis and malignant transformation. The aim of this paper was to evaluate association of interleukin-1 gene polymorphisms with chronic gastritis, atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia and intestinal type of gastric cancer in H.

Recurrent arterial and venous thrombosis in a 16-year-old boy in the course of primary antiphospholipid syndrome despite treatment with low-molecular-weight heparin: a case report.

Introduction: Antiphospholipid syndrome is a multisystem autoimmune disease characterized by arterial and/or venous thrombosis and persistent presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. It can be a primary disease or secondary when associated with other autoimmune diseases.

Case Presentation: We present a case of a 16-year-old Caucasian boy with a massive arterial and venous thrombosis in his lower limbs as well as in his central nervous system with clinical symptoms such as headaches and chorea.

[Paediatric echocardiography in clinical practice. 2012 Recommendations of the Echocardiography Working Group of the Polish Cardiac Society].

Echocardiography has become the primary imaging tool in the diagnosis and assessment of cardiological disorders in children. The purposes of this paper are to describe indications for paediatric echocardiography, define optimal instrumentation and laboratory setup for paediatric echocardiographic examinations and establish a baseline list of recommended measurements to be performed in a complete pediatric echocardiogram.

Anticitrullinated protein antibodies and radiological progression in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate whether determination of anticitrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) provides predictive information on severity of disease course and joint destruction in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods: Sera from 74 children with JIA were examined for ACPA using the ELISA test. To assess joint destruction, plain radiographs of both hands were scored twice according to the Steinbrocker scale: at the beginning of observation and after 8.

Prenatal diagnosis and follow-up of 23 cases of cardiac tumors.

Objective: To evaluate the prenatal characteristics and postnatal outcome of cardiac tumors diagnosed at two prenatal Polish cardiology centers.

Methods: Descriptive analysis of 23 fetuses with cardiac tumors (12 multiple and 11 single) diagnosed over 16 years (from 1993 to 2009). Congestive heart failure was diagnosed when the cardiovascular profile score was seven or less.