Neutrophil/HDL-C, Lymphocyte/HDL-C and Monocyte/HDL-C in subjects with asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis.

Background: Leukocyte count is a prognostic marker for cardiovascular diseases, with key role in atherosclerosis development. Specific number of neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes can predict cardiovascular risk, also in asymptomatic subjects. Among the lipoprotein fractions, HDL-C is a protective factor in the cardiovascular disorders.

Uric acid and uric acid/creatinine ratio and their correlations with the hemorheological determinants in subjects with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis.

Background And Objective: we have examined the concentration of serum uric acid and the serum uric acid/creatinine ratio as well as their correlations with the main determinants of the hemorheological profile in a group of subjects with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis.

Methods: we evaluated the concentration of serum uric acid and the serum uric acid/creatine ratio in 43 men and 57 women [median age 66.00 (25)] with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis, subsequently divided according to the number of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and to the insulin resistance degree.

[Analysis of the parameters, traditional or not, for the evaluation of the metabolic acidosis].

Despite huge progress in acidbase knowledge, several confusing, irrational and controversial issues still remain. Acid-base disturbances have been usually evaluated with the traditional Henderson-Hasselbach method and with BE evaluation that seem inadequate since they define the magnitude of metabolic acidosis rather than its cause. Some studies have shown that the traditional approach is often not able to highlight the complicated acid-base disorders in critically ill patients; in these subjects, the possibility to identify tissue acids could offer a greater prognostic value than the evaluation of traditional parameters.

Acid-base and electrolyte abnormalities in heart failure: pathophysiology and implications.

Electrolyte and acid-base abnormalities are a frequent and potentially dangerous complication in subjects with congestive heart failure. This may be due either to the pathophysiological alterations present in the heart failure state leading to neurohumoral activation (stimulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, sympathoadrenergic stimulation), or to the adverse events of therapy with diuretics, cardiac glycosides, and ACE inhibitors. Subjects with heart failure may show hyponatremia, magnesium, and potassium deficiencies; the latter two play a pivotal role in the development of cardiac arrhythmias.

Physiopathological, Epidemiological, Clinical and Therapeutic Aspects of Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia.

Exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH) is dilutional hyponatremia, a variant of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH), characterized by a plasma concentration of sodium lower than 135 mEq/L. The prevalence of EAH is common in endurance (<6 hours) and ultra-endurance events (>6 hours in duration), in which both athletes and medical providers need to be aware of risk factors, symptom presentation, and management. The development of EAH is a combination of excessive water intake, inadequate suppression of the secretion of the antidiuretic hormone (ADH) (due to non osmotic stimuli), long race duration, and very high or very low ambient temperatures.