Marina Stojanov

Total bilirubin in young men and women: Association with risk markers for cardiovascular diseases

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate whether high bilirubin concentration is a protective factor in cardiovascular disease (CAD) and how it correlates with parameters of oxidative stress in young males and females. METHODS The study comprised 628 healthy subjects of both genders, 18-22years of age. In fasting sera the concentration of total bilirubin (Tbil), parameters of cardiovascular risk and oxidative stress were determined. The results were analyzed by appropriate statistical methods. RESULTS We found no gender differences in body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and lipid profile between subjects with low and high Tbil level. Men with high Tbil had higher concentrations of albumin and uric acid (p<0.001) and lower of oxLDL (<0.05), while women had higher albumin (p<0.05) and lower TBARS (p<0.05). Significant positive correlation in men was found between Tbil, uric acid and albumin, while for glucose and TBARS this association was negative. In female significant positive correlation was between Tbil, HDL-C, fibrinogen, albumin and uric acid and negative between Tbil and TBARS. The high concentration of Tbil in men was independently associated with uric acid (p<0.05) and oxLDL (p<0.001), while in women it was independently associated with TBARS (p<0.05). After adjustment for traditional lipid parameters the predictive power of high bilirubin in men remained for uric acid (p<0.001) and TBARS in women (p<0.05). CONCLUSION These findings jointly support the concept that bilirubin via its antioxidant potential has a protective effect against cardiovascular disease in young male and female.

Butyrylcholinesterase activity in young men and women: association with cardiovascular risk factors.

OBJECTIVE We investigated the relationship between butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) and cardiovascular risk factors in young male and female. DESIGN AND METHODS The study comprised 1512 healthy subjects, 18-25 years of age. In fasting sera the concentrations of BuChE and cardiovascular risk factors were estimated. RESULTS Analysis of variance indicated significant increase in body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoproteins (LDL) (p<0.05) and albumin (p<0.001) with BuChE activity increment in males. In females glucose and albumin (p<0.05) increased with BuChE activity. Negative but not significant correlation between BuChE and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was detected for both genders. CONCLUSION The tendency towards overweight in young male could explain our results on BMI as an independent risk factor for higher BuChE in young male. Glucose as an independent risk factor for higher BuChE activity in females indicates that BuChE may be a predictor of diabetes.

Butyrylcholinesterase activity and mortality risk in hemodialysis patients: Comparison to hsCRP and albumin

OBJECTIVE To test the prediction power of butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activity for mortality risk in hemodialysis patients during 12 months follow-up, and made comparison to hsCRP and albumin. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study enrolled 62 patients, aged 31-79 years. Serum BuChE, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and albumin were measured after 1, 3, 9 and 12 months of dialysis. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were employed in mortality prediction. RESULTS BuChE was positively associated with serum albumin (r=0.318; p=0.012) and inversely related to hsCRP (r=-0.358; p=0.004). The highest mortality was in the lowest quartile of basal albumin (<38.4 g/L; p=0.027), hsCRP concentrations >8 mg/L (p=0.005), and BuChE activity in the lowest tercile of basal values (<5.92 kU/L; p=0.0041). CONCLUSION Our results suggest that low BuChE activity may be a nonspecific risk factor for mortality in patients who are on hemodialysis.

Prooxidant-antioxidant balance, hsTnI and hsCRP: mortality prediction in haemodialysis patients, two-year follow-up.

Abstract Oxidative stress and inflammation are highly intertwined pathophysiological processes. We analyzed the markers of these processes and high-sensitive troponin I (hsTnI) for mortality prediction in patients on haemodialysis. This study enrolled a total of 62 patients on regular haemodialysis. The patients were monitored for two years, and the observed outcomes were all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Blood samples were taken before one dialysis session for analysis of the baseline concentrations of prooxidant–antioxidant balance (PAB), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidative status (TOS), hsTnI, hsCRP and resistin. The overall all-cause mortality was 37.1% and CVD mortality 16.1%. By univariate and multivariate logistic regression, our findings suggest that good predictors of all-cause mortality include hsCRP and PAB (p < .05) and of CVD mortality hsCRP (p < .05) and hsTnI (p < .001). To evaluate the relationship between the combined parameter measurements and all-cause/CVD mortality risk, patients were divided into three groups according to their PAB, hsCRP and hsTnI concentrations. The cutoffs for hsCRP and hsTnI and the median for PAB were used. Kaplan–Meier survival curves pointed out that the highest mortality risk of all-cause mortality was in the group with hsCRP levels above the cutoff and PAB levels above the median (p < .001). The highest risk of CVD mortality was found in the group with hsCRP and hsTnI levels above the cutoff levels (p = .001). Our data suggest that hsCRP and PAB are very good predictors of all-cause mortality. For CVD complications and mortality prediction in HD patients, the most sensitive parameters appear to be hsTnI and hsCRP.

Oxytocinase (CAP) activity in serum during normal pregnancy

Reference values for the activity of oxytocinase were determined in the sera of 371 women during normal pregnancy. An exponential relationship between enzyme activities and gestational age was found. The activity of oxytocinase (CAP) increased progressively from the beginning to the end of pregnancy. Statistical evaluation showed a significant difference between the 5th and 2nd months, as well as after the 20th week of pregnancy.

Determination of diamine oxidase by a kinetic method with 2,2'-azino-di(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate)

Abstract Hydrogen peroxide, the product of diamine oxidase-catalyzed putrescine or cadaverine oxidation, formed in proportion to the enzyme activity, is measured spectrophotometrically by using the above sulfonate (ABTS) and peroxidase. Only one reagent solution containing 3 mmol of putrescine or 10 mmol of cadaverine, 4 mmol of ABTS and 3000 U of peroxidase per litre of 0.2 mol l -1 Tris—0.1 mol l -1 HCl buffer pH 7.5 is needed. Absorbance changes are measured at 410 nm over the first 3 min of the reaction. This initial oxidation rate of the chromogen enables diamine oxidase activity up to 230 U l -1 to be determined.

Activity of arylamidase in serum during normal pregnancy

SummaryReference values for the activity of arylamidase have been determined in sera of 371 women during normal pregnancy. An exponential relationship was found between enzyme activity and gestational age.

Prooxidant–antioxidant balance, advanced oxidation protein products and lipid peroxidation in Serbian patients with Parkinson's disease

ABSTRACT Background: Biomarkers of oxidative stress are relevant in the evaluation of the disease status and prooxidant–antioxidant balance, advanced oxidation protein products and lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenal) are being extensively evaluated regarding their relationship with clinical presentation and disease severity. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of the above-mentioned parameters in plasma of 39 men and 17 women with Parkinsons disease, originated from the Republic of Serbia and their relation to clinicopathological characteristics (gender, age at examination, duration of the disease, and Hoehn and Yahr score) and oxidative status. Results: The incidence of disease was 2:1 towards males. The investigated oxidative parameters were gender and Hoehn and Yahr related. Significant association of higher Hoehn and Yahr scores was observed for malondialdehyde (p = 0.01) and prooxidant–antioxidant balance (p = 0.02). Relation between oxidant–antioxidant status was further supported by observed positive correlation between 4-hydroxynonenal (p = 0.04) and prooxidant–antioxidant balance (p = 0.03). Finally, the multivariate analysis indicated that prooxidant–antioxidant balance and malondialdehyde were partially determined by gender (10.6% and 7.6%) and Hoehn and Yahr scores (13.6% and 18.8%), while Hoehn and Yahr scores contributed to the variance of advanced oxidation protein products with 13.2%. Conclusion: Our results indicate the higher level of oxidative stress (oxidant–antioxidant imbalance) and possible relation of several markers with gender and disease stage in patients with Parkinsons disease. The analyzed markers could be used to specify the severity of oxidative stress; however, their potential value should be analyzed in further studies.

The influence of antibiotics and statins on inflammation in coronary disease.

Cardiovascular system diseases are the leading cause of death in developed countries. According to the World Health Organization data, coronary artery disease is responsible for death of over seven million people per year, while only in the United States about two million patients are hospitalized with the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina). The main cause of these diseases is arteriosclerosis. The arteriosclerotic process in the big arterial blood vessels begins very early, already in childhood. Risk factors for arteriosclerosis are: hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, smoking and physical inactivity. The main mechanism is a modest, chronic inflammative reaction as a response to the blood vessel damage.

Human Red Cell Adenylate Kinase Polymorphism in Srbija, Yugoslavia

Red cell adenylate kinase (AK) phenotypes were determined in 283 unrelated adults in Srbija (Yugoslavia). The gene frequencies observed were: AK1 0.961 and AK2 0.039. The adenylate kinase activity was estimated in all haemolysates; no significant differences were found between individuals of different phenotypes.