Kidney Transplant Recipients Show Limited Lung Diffusion Capacity but Similar Hydrogen Peroxide Exhalation as Healthy Matched Volunteers: A Pilot Study.

Patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease show higher systemic oxidative stress and exhale more hydrogen peroxide (HO) than healthy controls. Kidney transplantation reduces oxidative stress and HO production by blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) may be predisposed to an impairment of lung diffusing capacity due to chronic inflammation.

Soluble Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor (suPAR) Is a Biomarker Associated with Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in the Elderly, Specifically in Women.

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) may result in the development of heart failure, which is widespread among people of advanced age. The pathophysiology of LVH is complex and its biochemical pathways are not fully understood in this group. Elevated soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), a biomarker of immune activation, including fibrosis, reflects subclinical organ damage in systematic diseases.

Dietary Zinc Is Associated with Cardiac Function in the Older Adult Population.

The elderly is a group at particularly high cardiovascular risk. The coexistence of chronic diseases and use of multiple medications creates the need to look for non-pharmacological agents to improve cardiovascular health in that population. In view of reports on the potential role of zinc in enhancing pathways of myocardial tissue repair, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association between dietary zinc intake and cardiac structure and function in individuals of advanced age.

Glucocorticoids Induce Partial Remission of Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis but Not Interstitial Nephritis in COVID-19 Acute Kidney Injury in an APOL1 Low-Risk Genotype White Patient.

BACKGROUND COVID-19 can be complicated by kidney disease, including focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), interstitial nephritis, and acute kidney injury (AKI). Almost all known cases of COVID-19-associated glomerulonephritis have been in patients of African descent, with G1 or G2 apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) risk alleles, and they presented collapsing type of FSGS. CASE REPORT We report a case of biopsy-confirmed non-collapsing FSGS with secondary acute interstitial nephritis and AKI in a young White man with APOL1 low-risk genotype, who had COVID-19 pneumonia.

Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor level in individuals of advanced age.

Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a biomarker whose clinical value has been tested in various groups of patients. The aim of the present study was to determine the suPAR level in a previously uninvestigated population of 182, generally healthy, community-dwelling seniors aged 74-89 years. In addition to suPAR level, selected laboratory parameters of heart and kidney function, lipid and C-reactive protein levels were determined.

Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor in one-year prediction of major adverse cardiac events in patients after first myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Introduction: Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) level reflects the general condition of the organism and was proved to give independent information in risk stratification of patients. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of suPAR in the prediction of adverse cardiac events in patients with first myocardial infarction (MI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Additionally, the diagnostic power of suPAR was assessed.

Clinical and prognostic usefulness of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor in hemodialysis patients.

Purpose: Considering its prognostic usefulness and the relationship with chronic kidney disease, we analyzed the clinical utility of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment. We focused on the association between suPAR levels and clinical outcomes, especially those related to cardiovascular events and mortality as well as the effect of hemodialysis on the protein levels.

Methods: We enrolled 64 patients.

Serum metalloproteinase-2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 in lung carcinoma patients.

Background: Assessment of serum extracellular matrix (ECM) metalloproteinase MMP-2 and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase TIMP-2 concentrations in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients considering TNM staging. Assessment of the prognostic value of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 concentrations in NSCLC patients.

Methods: The study group consisted of 81 NSCLC patients (24 females and 57 males) aged 46 to 86 years (mean age of 67±8.

A new generation of biomarkers tests of myocardial necrosis: the real quality a physician can get from the laboratory.

Background: Recent guidelines recommended by ESC, ACC, AHA, and WHF concerning biomarkers of myocardial necrosis also apply to the work of clinical laboratories. Methodological modification for tests used in determining cardiac biomarkers reduced the time of the analytical procedure to 9 min (STAT version of the tests). We decided to determine and compare analytical quality of the tests in standard and STAT versions for determining serum level: troponin T, MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase, and myoglobin, as well as to verify whether the TnThs STAT test meets the following requirements: CV<10% at the level close to diagnostic, equal to the 99th percentile of reference population, and turnaround time<60 min.

Assessment of the relationship between lipid parameters and obesity indices in non-diabetic obese patients: a preliminary report.

Background: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between obesity and lipid markers.

Material And Methods: We divided 66 non-diabetic adult obese patients (mean age: 55.8±11.

Obesity indices and inflammatory markers in obese non-diabetic normo- and hypertensive patients: a comparative pilot study.

Background: The aim of this study was to estimate associations between inflammatory markers and obesity indices in normo- and hypertensive subjects.

Methods: 65 obese adult subjects were divided into two groups: (A) of hypertensives (n = 54) and (B) of normotensives (n = 11). Waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), visceral adiposity index (VAI), body adiposity index (BAI) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6 and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) serum concentrations were estimated.

The association between galectin-3 and clinical parameters in patients with first acute myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty.

Background: Galectin-3, a biomarker associated with fibrosis and inflammation, has been implicated in development and progression of heart failure (HF) and predicts increased mortality and morbidity in this condition. HF frequently develops after myocardial infarction (MI), contributing to worse outcome. The aim of this study is to assess the association between galectin-3 levels and various clinical parameters in acute phase of first MI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) in patients without prior HF.

Obesity indices and adipokines in non-diabetic obese patients with early stages of chronic kidney disease.

Background: The aim of this study was to estimate obesity parameters: waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), weight-to-height ratio (WHtR), visceral adiposity index (VAI), body adiposity index (BAI), and serum adipokines (leptin, adiponectin, resistin) and their associations with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), serum creatinine, and microalbuminuria (MA) in patients with early stages of CKD and in non-CKD obese patients.

Material And Methods: 67 non-diabetic obese (BMI ≥ 30 mg/kg(2) out-clinic patients (25 males, 42 females), aged from 36.5 to 64 years were divided into 2 groups: Group A (n=15)--patients with early stages of CKD (eGFR between 30 and 60 ml/min/1.

The association between galectin-3 and occurrence of reinfarction early after first myocardial infarction treated invasively.

Context: Galectin-3, as a biomarker of inflammation and fibrosis, has been reported to be associated with coronary artery disease.

Objective: The study aimed to assess the relationship between galectin-3 levels and the occurrence of reinfarction early after myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods: The study included 145 consecutive patients with first MI treated invasively.

New obesity indices and adipokines in normotensive patients and patients with hypertension: comparative pilot analysis.

We compared the obesity parameters and selected adipokines-leptin, adiponectin, and resistin-in obese patients with hypertension and normotensive patients. A total of 67 nondiabetic obese outpatients were divided into 2 groups: A-hypertensive and B-normotensive. Serum levels of leptin, adiponectin, resistin, and insulin were measured.

Examination of serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein A clinical value in acute coronary syndrome prediction and monitoring.

Introduction: Chronic vascular inflammatory process promotes and intensifies all atherogenic events. The aim of this research was to estimate the clinical value of pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) measurement associated with plaque destabilization and rupture in prediction and monitoring of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) as well as to assess the predictive value of this biomarker in comparison to traditional myocardial infarction (MI) risk markers.

Material And Methods: The study included 119 patients in 2 investigated groups and one control group.

Predictors of insulin resistance in patients with obesity: a pilot study.

We compared adipokines and inflammatory markers in obese insulin-sensitive (group A, n = 16) and insulin-resistant (group B, n = 48) patients divided according to homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Serum levels of adiponectin, leptin, resistin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor α were measured. Weight, height, waist (WC) and hip circumferences, waist to hip ratio , weight to height ratio, visceral adiposity index (VAI), and body adiposity index (BAI) were measured.

Serum concentrations of adiponectin, leptin, resistin, ghrelin and insulin and their association with obesity indices in obese normo- and hypertensive patients - pilot study.

Introduction: Hypertension often coexists with obesity. Adipokines, ghrelin and insulin play important roles in the pathogenesis of both diseases. The aim of this study was to compare adiponectin, leptin, resistin, insulin and ghrelin mean serum concentrations and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in normo- and hypertensive patients with obesity.

[Evaluation of dynamic cardiac troponin I concentrations and C-reactive protein in the monitoring of myocardial infarction in patients with repeated myocardial infarction].

Unlabelled: Significant progress in diagnosis and treatment of heart attack led European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and American College of Cardiology (ACC) to develop in 2007 a document on contemporary criteria for diagnosis of fresh myocardial infarction. In the case of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with initially normal serum concentrations of biomarkers troponin increase above the 99th percentile upper limit of the reference points to the occurrence of myocardial necrosis dislodgement. Conventionally assumed that the increased levels of biomarkers of value in excess of 3 x 99th percentile upper reference requires identification of MI in conjunction with PCI.