Importance of low serum DNase I activity and polyspecific anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in propylthiouracil-induced lupus-like syndrome.

Objective: To study the role of deoxyribonuclease (DNase) I activity and ANCA in propylthiouracil (PTU)-induced lupus-like syndrome (LLS).

Methods: We compared 36 SLE patients with 17 PTU-induced LLS patients diagnosed from 2008 to 2014. We studied ANCA profile (MPO, PR3, lactoferrin, CTG, elastase, bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein), anti-dsDNA, anti-ENA, anti-nucleosome, anti-histone, anti-C1q, anti-aCL, complement components, cryoglobulins and serum DNase I activity.

The effect of parathyroidectomy on insulin sensitivity in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism - an never ending story?

Previous studies demonstrated insulin resistance and increased prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes mellitus in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). The effect of curative parathyroidectomy on insulin sensitivity was associated with conflicting results depending on which method for measuring the insulin sensitivity has been used. There was no improvement using HOMA and QUICKI while minimal model demonstrated significant improvement in insulin sensitivity.

Green technologies--assumption of economic recovery.

Green technologies include implementation of technological projects in the field of environmental protection through all associated components, such as: waters, soil, air or biodiversity. Hence, such projects potentially become a driving force of new economic momentum in the conditions of post-crisis recovery. In addition, the support of this segment by the institutions of the European Union, either in terms of organization through the establishment of rules and systems for monitoring and control of environmental protection measures, and most importantly in terms of finances, by supporting the development of infrastructure for environmental protection, is today an indisputable category.

Ectopic calcitonin secretion in a woman with large cell neuroendocrine lung carcinoma.

Objective: Serum calcitonin (CT) is a sensitive but not specific marker for medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). There are a large number of conditions that may elevate CT levels.

Case Report: Herein we present the case of a 47-year old woman with Hashimoto thyroiditis, goiter, cervical lymphadenopathy and high CT and CEA levels.

[Postmarketing study of efficacy and safety of losartan during the treatment of patients with mild and moderate hypertension: LOTAR (corrected) study].

Introduction: Losartan, the angiotensin type 1 receptor blocker (ARB) exercises its main antihypertensive effect by vasodilatation of peripheral arteries.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antihypertensive effect and safety of losartan in patients with mild and moderate arterial hypertension (AH).

Methods: This was an open post-marketing study with losartan as monotherapy in previously treated or untreated patients with AH.

Influence of pH, temperature and common ion on magnesium hydrogenurate octahydrate solubility.

Physico-chemical investigation of urolithiasis today is mostly focused on applying physico-chemical description of precipitation processes to the stone formation with the aim to distinguish between stone formers and nonstone formers. This is done by calculating supersaturation for different solid phases which can be formed in urine using data obtained by urine analysis and existing solubility product, dissociation and complexation constants. In order for this approach to succeed it is of utmost importance that system is described as detailed as possible, i.

Total ghrelin levels during acute insulin infusion in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Controversial data were reported concerning fasting ghrelin (decreased, normal or elevated) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aim of our study was to clarify ghrelin levels in non-obese, overweight, and obese PCOS patients; to investigate the effect of acute insulin infusion on ghrelin in PCOS as a chronic insulin-resistant state, with and without the impact of obesity, and to examine ghrelin-androgen interaction. In that order, we evaluated 1) ghrelin levels among 8 nonobese patients with PCOS [body mass index (BMI): 20.

Ghrelin and the enteroinsular axis in healthy men.

Objective: Ghrelin, a potent stimulator of GH secretion, also acts as an orexigenic hormone. Plasma ghrelin levels rise before meals with postprandial reduction, suggesting that circulating levels of enteroinsular hormones might influence ghrelin secretion.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ghrelin on enteroinsular hormones in healthy men.

Low leptin level in an obese hyperandrogenic woman--potential marker for androgen-secreting tumor.

Hyperandrogenism in postmenopausal women is due to ovarian hyperthecosis or an androgen-secreting ovarian/adrenal tumor. Making the correct diagnosis might be complicated due to the possible existence of an adrenal neoplasm secreting testosterone only, ectopic ovarian tissue or ectopic luteinizing hormone/human chorionic gonadotropin receptors in the adrenals, as well as the relatively low sensitivity of imaging techniques (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging) and vein catheterization for this type of pathology. We present the case of an obese postmenopausal woman with metabolic syndrome, hyperandrogenism (high testosterone levels, suppressed gonadotropins), adrenal macronodular hyperplasia and Leydig-cell ovarian tumor.

[Use of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion by a portable insulin pump during pregnancy in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus].

Background/aim: Diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased risk for neonatal morbidity and mortality. One of the most important goals in treating pregnancies complicated with diabetes is keeping glucose level within the normal range, especially in the first trimester. A portable insulin pump for continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) represents the best form of therapy for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus during pregnancy.

Effect of a PCB-based transformer oil on testicular steroidogenesis and xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes.

Pyralene is a PCB-based transformer oil with a unique PCB congener profile when compared to other mixtures. We studied the influence of Pyralene on testicular steroidogenesis and the status of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in the testis and liver of rats during oral exposure (10 and 50 mg/kg body weight, p.o.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated autoimmune diseases induced by antithyroid drugs: comparison with idiopathic ANCA vasculitides.

Clinical and serological profiles of idiopathic and drug-induced autoimmune diseases can be very similar. We compared data from idiopathic and antithyroid drug (ATD)-induced antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-positive patients. From 1993 to 2003, 2474 patients were tested for ANCA in the Laboratory for Allergy and Clinical Immunology in Belgrade.

Assessing pollution in the Danube River near Novi Sad (Serbia) using several biomarkers in sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus L.).

The response of wild fish to pollutants was studied in sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus L.) collected in 2001 and 2002 at two sampling sites in the Danube River near Novi Sad (Serbia): in the vicinity of the oil refinery and at the Danube-Begec, remote from the oil refinery and considered a reference site. The following biomarkers were measured in sterlet collected from these two sites: the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and glutathione S-transferase and the induction of CYP1A1 in liver and the activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase in serum.

[Combined spinal epidural and general anesthesia in abdominal surgery].

Almost ten years has past since Eldor described combined spinal-epidural-general anaesthesia (CSEOGA) as a new concept in anaesthesia in which all of these components can be used, with sub-anaesthetic doses of drugs, due to its sinergist effect. The clinics studies has not demonstrated crucial advantages CSEGA comparing with combined epidural-general anaesthesia (CEDGA), in sense of analgesia, pulmonary function and neuro-hormomal inhibition. However we have been routinely practising our technique CSEGA in big abdominal and thoraco-abdominal surgery, since 1997.

[Advantage of combined spinal, epidural and general anesthesia in comparison to general anesthesia in abdominal surgery].

Type and technique of anesthesia have an important effect on per operative surgical course. The aim of the study was prospective analyses of advantages of combined spinal, epidural and general anesthesia (CSEGA) versus general anesthesia (GA) in abdominal surgery according to: 1. operative course (haemodynamic stability of patients, quality of analgesia, undesirables effects), 2.

Parallelism and dissociation in the actions of an Aroclor 1260-based transformer fluid on testicular androgenesis and antioxidant enzymes.

The mechanism by which Aroclors and other polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) inhibit testicular androgenesis in vivo and in vitro has not been characterized. Here we studied in adult rats the effects of intratesticular (i.t.

Growth-hormone response to combined stimulation with GHRH plus GH-releasing peptide-6 in obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome before and after short-term fasting.

Controversial data were reported on GH response to different provocative stimuli in obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The objective of our study was to assess the effect of short-term fasting on GH response to combined stimulus with GHRH+GH-releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6) in obese patients with PCOS and possible relation with leptin and insulin changes during fasting. Twelve obese PCOS women and nine obese control women participated in 3-day fasting.

[Treatment of severe anemia and gastrointestinal tract hemorrhage in a Jehovah's Witness].

This case report discribes the treatment of 67-year-old Jehovah's Witness with severe anemia and gastrointestinal haemorrhage from gastric leiomyoma and peptic ulcer. Minimal invasive surgery with meticulous hemostasis, controlled hypotension, hyperoxic normovolemia and normotermia were main principles. Minimal blood samples for necessary laboratory parameters and noninvasive onitoring were ways to decrease iatrogenic blood loss.

Age and body mass related changes of cardiovascular risk factors in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is considered a metabolic disorder closely related to obesity, insulin resistance (IR), hyperinsulinemia and unfavorable lipid profile, all increasing the risk for the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to assess age and body mass index (BMI) related changes of cardiovascular risk factors in 90 women with PCOS. The cut-off age point was 30 years and for BMI 27.

Cardiovascular risk in adolescent and young adult obese females with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) could have associated risk for cardiovascular disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between age and metabolic factors on cardiovascular risk in obese women with PCOS. Obese patients with PCOS were divided into an adolescent group (n=11; age 16.

Ovulation induction and early pregnancy loss in a woman susceptible to autoimmune diseases: a possible interrelationship.

We report a 34-year-old woman with sequentially occurring autoimmune diseases that are possibly triggered by numerous ovulation inductions. At the ages of 26-32 years, she experienced 27 uncontrolled ovulation induction cycles using clomiphene citrate (CC) or CC plus human menopausal gonadotropin plus human chorionic gonadotropin. She became pregnant at the ages of 27, 30 and 31 with subsequent pregnancy loss in the 28th, 8th and 10th week of gestation, respectively.

White Addison's disease: what is the possible cause?

A case of chronic primary adrenal insufficiency without hyperpigmentation in a 64-year-old woman is reported. Due to the absence of hyperpigmentation the diagnosis was delayed and she became critically ill. During endocrine evaluation, in order to investigate the mechanism responsible for the absence of hyperpigmentation, skin biopsy was done and hormones responsible for the skin pigmentation were measured.