Biomedical subjects

Jan Kowalski

Publications and source records attributed to Jan Kowalski.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2005

[The influence of anthocyanins from Aronia melanocarpa on selected parameters of oxidative stress and microelements contents in men with hypercholesterolemia].

THE AIM OF THE STUDY: Our investigations was to estimate the influence of Aronia anthocyanins (Aronox by Agropharm) on selected parameters of oxidative and antioxidative balance as well as on the concentration of selected metals in red blood cells in men with hipercholesterolaemia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 16 men aged 27 +/- 6.4 years old with blood cholesterol concentration on the level of 205-250 mg/dl took 240 mg of anthocyanins a day for 30 days. Before and after the period of anthocyanins administration a blood sample was taken and following parameters were estimated: lead, aluminium, cooper and zinc concentration in erythrocytes with the method of atomic emission spectrometry with induced coupling plasma (AES-ICP), concentration of substances reacting with thiobarbituric acid (TBARS) and superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities in hemolysate. CONCLUSION: 30 days long administration of 240 mg of anthocyanins a day, caused a substantial increase of glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities. The lead, aluminium and cooper concentration was decreased while zinc concentration in red blood cells was increased.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

[Risk factors and coronary heart disease prevention in selected Lódź population--Part I].

UNLABELLED: Cardiovascular diseases are one the main causes of mortality all over world. Proper estimation and reduction of atherosclerosis risk factors are very important in both primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD). THE AIM: of our study was to estimate atherosclerosis risk factors profile in subjects, inhabitants of Lódź (Poland), with (group I) and without (group II) CHD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Group I--196 patients (85 men and 111 women), aged 34-88 years (mean 63.3 +/- 10.1 years). Group II--170 subjects (87 men and 83 women), aged 24-82 years (mean 58.16 +/- 13.8 years) without CHD. RESULTS: Overweight or obesity was the most frequent CHD risk factor in the examined population (74.49% in group I). Other risk factor in this group were: increased total cholesterol level (65.08%), hypertension (51,53%), smoking (40.31%), diabetes (24.08%). In group II overweight or obesity was observed in 60% patients, smoking--48.82%, elevated total cholesterol level--43.53%, hypertension--40.24% and diabetes--16.98%. CONCLUSION: Our study have demonstrated that realisation of primary and secondary prevention principles in Lódź population is insufficient.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

[Risk factors and coronary heart disease prevention in selected Lódź population--part II].

THE AIM: Evaluation of the knowledge on CHD risk factors in selected Lódź population was made. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Realization of primary and secondary CHD prevention principles was assessed. RESULTS: Over 20% of patients with CHD and over 38% of subjects without CHD did not realize the prevention principles. Hypolipemic therapy was effective only in 44.21% of patients with CHD and 35.9% of subjects without CHD. Antihypertensive therapy was successful in about 55% of patients with CHD and 35% of subjects without CHD. CONCLUSION: The results of our study have shown low effectiveness of both CHD prevention principles realization and hipolipemic and antihypertensive therapy in selected Lódź population.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Gender differences in electrical pain threshold responses to transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).

Gender differences in pain perception have been frequently discussed, but the documented gender-related pain-alleviating effects of non-pharmacological methods are sparse. In this study we aimed to investigate changes in electrical sensory thresholds and electrical pain thresholds, in response to high frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, TENS, for 20 min in healthy women (n=29) and men (n=29). The thresholds were assessed pre-, during-, and post-TENS. The pattern of change in thresholds was evaluated with a rank-based statistical method regarding the level of systematic change, expressed as relative position (RP) and additional individual changes, expressed as relative rank variance (RV), with its 95% confidence intervals. Equal levels of systematic changes towards increased electrical sensory thresholds were seen in women and men post-TENS (RP, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.07, 0.63, and RP, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.17, 0.53, respectively). At the same point of time, systematic changes towards increased electrical pain thresholds were only seen in women (RP, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.27, 0.60), while they were unchanged in men (RP, -0.01; 95% CI, -0.13, 0.10). Significant additional individual variations were found in the women's responses of assessed electrical sensory and pain thresholds but not in the men's. It is concluded that both women and men responded with a significant increase of the electrical sensory threshold to high frequency TENS, but only women responded with increase of the electrical pain thresholds. The individual variation of the responses was greater in the women than in the men.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Wireless real-time electronic data capture for self-assessment of motor function and quality of life in Parkinson's disease.

Frequent assessment of the symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) is important in both clinical and experimental settings, especially when motor fluctuations are present. Patient diaries are increasingly used in studies, allowing patients to stay in their home environments. However, traditional paper diaries may not reflect reality because of a lack in compliance or retrospective data entries. This study presents a comparison between paper diaries and a new method, real-time data capture with a hand-held computer (electronic diary). Twenty patients with PD diagnosed at least 5 years previously were randomly assigned to use either a paper diary or an electronic diary on 8 days during 1 month. Questions were answered every 2 hours over a 12-hour period on each day. Median compliance was 88% with the electronic diary and 98% with the paper diary, although strict compliance to the scheduled times by patients using the paper diary was 78%. Neither age nor earlier experience with computers affected the patient's ability to use the electronic diary. Electronic diaries can be used for self-assessment of PD symptoms. The real-time feature provides fast access to clean data with knowledge of true compliance.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

The effect of statins and fibrates on interferon-gamma and interleukin-2 release in patients with primary type II dyslipidemia.

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of two major groups of hypolipemic drugs, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) and PPARalpha activators (fibrates), on the secretory function of T-lymphocytes in patients with primary type II dyslipidemia. Sixty-three patients with type IIa dyslipidemia were randomized to fluvastatin (40 mg daily; n = 33) or simvastatin (20mg daily; n = 30), while 68 type IIb dyslipidemic patients were treated with micronized ciprofibrate (100mg daily; n = 34) or micronized fenofibrate (200mg daily; n = 34). Lipid profile and cytokine (interferon-gamma and interleukin-2) release by phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes were determined at the beginning of the study and after 30 and 90 days of treatment. Compared to healthy subjects (n = 59), both type IIa and IIb dyslipidemic patients exhibited higher baseline release of interferon-gamma and interleukin-2. Fluvastatin, simvastatin and, to a less extent, ciprofibrate and fenofibrate inhibited the release of both cytokines, but this effect did not correlate with their lipid-lowering potential. Hypolipemic agents also slightly reduced plasma interleukin-2 levels. Our study suggests that the beneficial effect of hypolipemic drugs involves their inhibitory action on the secretory function of T-lymphocytes. This lipid-independent action is stronger for statins than for fibrates and probably results from their "class" effect. The treatment-induced reduction in the release of both cytokines may contribute to the clinical effectiveness of statins and fibrates in the therapy of atherosclerosis and in the management of organ transplant recipients.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Plasma antioxidative activity during atorvastatin and fluvastatin therapy used in coronary heart disease primary prevention.

We estimated the effect of atorvastatin and fluvastatin on plasma antioxidative activity used in coronary heart disease (CHD) primary prevention. Anti-oxidative activity of blood plasma was determined by Bartosz et al. method [Curr. Top. Biophys. (1998)22:11-13], based on reduction of preformed cation radical of 2,2,azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) by blood plasma. The study comprised 35 patients with CHD risk who were randomly divided into two groups. The atorvastatin group comprised 17 patients who were administered the drug orally in a daily dose of 10 mg and the fluvastatin group consisted of 18 patients on an oral dose of 40 mg once daily. The control group comprised 12 healthy subjects with no drug administration. Blood samples were collected from cubital vein before and after 6-week therapy. Significantly (P < 0.05) increased--in comparison with the initial values--antioxidative activity of blood plasma was found in atorvastatin and fluvastatin groups after 6-week therapy. Moreover, the increase in antioxidative plasma activity in atorvastatin group was significantly higher in comparison with the fluvastatin group. The results of our study have demonstrated that atorvastatin and fluvastatin have an additional mechanism independent of the effect on cholesterol concentration. Thus, we presume that administration of these statins in CHD risk patients may have a beneficial effect.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

[Plasma antioxidative activity in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis].

Plasma antioxidative activity was determined by spectrophotometric method by estimation of plasma volume resulting in inhibition of free radical reaction rate by 50%. The study comprised 40 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (25 men, 15 women) aged 19-77 years (mean 48.5). Every patient had infiltrative pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosed. After 1-month therapy with tuberculostatic drugs vitamins C and E were added in 15 patients in a daily dose of 1.0 g and 600 mg respectively. The control group consisted of 16 clinically healthy subjects (12 men, 4 women) aged 28-57 years (mean 42.5). Decrease in plasma antioxidative activity was found in patients as compared to the controls before as well as after therapy with tuberculostatic drugs. However, in patients with added vitamins (after 1-month tuberculostatic therapy) increase in plasma antioxidant activity was observed.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

[Transthoracic fine-needle lung biopsy with linear transducer and bioptic channel monitored ultrasonographically].

From 1999 to 2002 81 transthoracic fine-needle lung biopsies (TFNB) were performed with use of linear transducer (3.5 MHz) and bioptic channel, monitored ultrasonographically. The procedure was applied in 70 patients with peripheral lesions on chest X-ray or CT, which needed histopathological examination. Our study showed that linear transducer with bioptic channel is useful in monitoring needle path and material aspiration during transthoracic fine-needle biopsy. Application of this equipment makes the procedure safe for patients and the percentage of observed complications is low. Specificity and sensitivity of the procedure is comparable to other imaging techniques.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Flupentixol and trifluperidol reduce secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and nitric oxide by rat microglial cells.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and nitric oxide (NO), both of which are produced by activated microglial cells, are involved in the neuropathogenesis of many diseases affecting the central nervous system (CNS). There is a need to develop drugs that inhibit neurotoxic processes in neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two neuroleptics, flupentixol and trifluperidol, on the release of pro-apoptotic TNF-alpha and NO by LPS-activated rat microglial cells. Flupentixol and trifluperidol reduced the TNF-alpha and NO release by cultured microglia exposed to LPS for 6 and 24h. The results suggest that flupentixol and trifluperidol, which are well-known antipsychotic drugs, may be used in the treatment of CNS diseases associated with excessive TNF-alpha and NO release.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Relationship between clinical parameters and cytokine profiles in inflamed gingival tissue and serum samples from patients with chronic periodontitis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to assess the relation between clinical parameters and concentrations of the key (IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, IL-2, IFN-gamma, IL-4, IL-10) cytokines, important in the initiation and progression of periodontal diseases, within inflamed gingival tissues and serum samples from patients with severe chronic periodontitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients with severe chronic periodontitis, who had sites with probing depths (PD) > 5 mm, and 25 periodontally healthy persons were included in the study. Clinical examinations including PD, clinical attachment loss, plaque index, and bleeding index were performed before periodontal treatment. Gingival tissue biopsies were collected from one active site of each patient and from healthy individuals, and blood samples were withdrawn on the day of tissue biopsy. The concentrations of cytokines were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the relationship between their profiles in situ and in circulation with clinical parameters was analysed. RESULTS: The concentrations of IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, IL-2, IFN-gamma were, on average, significantly higher in serum samples and gingival tissue biopsies from periodontitis patients than in healthy controls. However, serum samples from both groups showed high individual variability of cytokine profiles, and no association between cytokine concentrations and clinical parameters of periodontitis was found. On the contrary, the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 in both kinds of samples obtained from patients and controls were generally low or even undetectable, and remained, on average, on the same level. However, the frequency of IL-4 (88% positive samples) and IL-10 (72%) was much higher in healthy gingival tissues. High concentrations of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and IL-2 and, especially, a high ratio of IL-1beta/IL-10 and TNF-alpha/IL-4 found in tissue biopsies from periodontitis patients, strongly correlated with the severity of periodontitis. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that high variability of cytokine concentrations and low frequency of their detection in serum samples from periodontitis patients make these determinations useless for the detection of disease presence and/or its severity. In contrast, high absolute levels of IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, IL-2 and IFN-gamma and, especially their high ratios to IL-4 and IL-10 found in inflamed tissue biopsies, were closely associated with periodontal disease severity.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Perceptual matching for assessment of itch; reliability and responsiveness analyzed by a rank-invariant statistical method.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and responsiveness of a new device-perceptual matching by Matcher (Cefar Medical AB, Lund, Sweden)-in the assessment of the progress of experimentally induced itch as well as determine the reliability of the method in patients with skin disease and itch. The perceptual matching unit electrically stimulates the skin of the fingers in the left hand. When the amplitude of the sensation corresponded to that of the experienced itch, the subject was instructed to halt the stimulation and a value was automatically saved in the electronic device. A total of 36 healthy subjects and nine patients participated in the study. The healthy subjects were asked to rate the level of itch every 30 s during the first 5 min and thereafter every minute. The reliability was determined in a test-retest procedure of the time points 5, 10, and 15 min after induction of itching. To test the stability of the method, the first sensation of pain in healthy subjects without itch was determined every 10th minute during 60 min. In patients, the test-retest procedure was repeated within 5 min. Perceptual matching was found to be a reliable method of itch assessment, with no evidence for random individual disagreement between the assessments. The augmented rank order coefficient ra was excellent: 1.00 at 5 min; 0.99 at 10 min; and 1.00 at 15 min. There was a clear indication of responsiveness for detecting changes in itch over time, p<or=0.05. The perceptual matcher device can detect immediate changes in perceived itch and is also sensitive to gradual decreases after the induction of itch. The first sensation of pain in healthy subjects without itch was unaffected when assessed every 10th minute during 60 min. In patients, no evidence for random disagreement or systematic disagreement by group between repeated assessments was detected. The augmented rank order coefficient was high (0.98). In conclusion, Matcher measures itch intensity via perceptual matching with a high reliability and excellent responsiveness. The method is stable and can be recommended as an assessment tool for itch intensity both in experimental conditions as well as in patients with skin disease and itch.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

[Effect of fluvastatin and fenofibrate on reactive oxygen species generation and lipid peroxidation in patients with dyslipidemia].

The effect of fluvastatin and fenofibrate on O2-generation by neutrophils and MDA concentration in mixed hyperlipidaemic patients with stable angina was studied. Thirty-five patients (13 men and 22 women aged 40-77 years) were randomly divided into two groups. Group I comprised 20 patients who were administered fluvastatin 40 mg once daily at bedtime for 30 days. Group II consisted of 15 patients who were administered fenofibrate 200 mg once daily at bedtime for 30 days. The control group comprised 11 clinically healthy persons, aged 21-54 years. Neutrophil O2-generation was measured using Bellavite et al. method and MDA concentrations in plasma and erythrocytes were determined by Placer et al. method. It was shown that fluvastatin had no significant effect on O2-generation while fenofibrate increased its generation. None of the examined drugs caused changes of MDA concentrations in plasma and erythrocytes.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

[Effect of fluvastatin and fenofibrate on the antioxidative barrier enzyme activity in patients with dyslipidemia].

The effect of fluvastatin and fenofibrate on antioxidative enzymatic activity in patients with stable angina and mixed hyperlipidaemia was investigated. Thirty-five patients (13 men and 22 women) aged 40-77 years, were randomly divided into two groups. The first group comprised 20 patients who were administered fluvastatin 40 mg once daily at bedtime for 30 days. The second group consisted of 15 patients who were administered fenofibrate 200 mg once daily at bedtime for 30 days. The control group comprised 11 clinically healthy persons aged 21-54 years. The activities of SOD-1, CAT and GSH-Px in erythrocytes were measured. Fluvastatin induced an increase of the activities of all investigated enzymes. Fenofibrate caused no change of enzyme activities in patients with dyslipidaemia.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

[LDL-receptors expression on peripheral blood monocytes in various clinical types of atherosclerosis, depending on LDL concentration in serum].

In our studies an attempt was undertaken to establish whether there is a relationship between total cholesterol and LDL fraction concentrations and LDL receptors expression on monocytes in various clinical types of atherosclerosis and in subjects without clinical manifestations of this disease before and after 40 years of age. The study included 77 subjects divided into 4 groups: I--after myocardial infarction, II--after cerebral ischaemic stroke, III--with obliterative atheromatosis of the lower limbs, and control group IV without clinical symptoms of atheromatosis: a) subjects below 40 years of age b) over 40 years of age. Receptor expression on monocytes was tested with LDL Receptor Test (Orpegen Pharma, Heidelberg, Germany) using flow fluorometry method (FAC Scan, Backton Dickinson, San Jose, USA). The value of LDL receptors expression was calculated based on the difference of mean fluorescence intensity of monocytes incubated in low-lipid (LPDS) and autologous sera. It has been demonstrated that particular types of atheromatosis vary in the value of total cholesterol and LDL fraction concentrations. The highest concentrations of these lipid fractions were observes in ischaemic heart disease and only in this group they correlated with the value of LDL receptors expression on monocytes. This observation suggests that various clinical types of atheromathosis may differ pathogenically and lesions in the vessels may be the consequence of cholesterol transport defect or of lipid molecule modification; they not necessarily depend on the value of absolute lipid concentration in blood.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Methionine-enkephalin and leucine-enkephalin increase interleukin-1 beta release in mixed glia cultures.

Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) is synthesized in the brain in response to LPS. Excessive IL-1 beta expression is observed in neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of methionine-enkephalin (ME) and leucine-enkephalin (LE) on the baseline and LPS-activated release of IL-1 beta in rat mixed glia cultures. ME and LE increased LPS-induced IL-1 beta release, which was not blocked by naloxone. Both ME and LE increased the baseline release of IL-1 beta, which was completely blocked by naloxone pretreatment. Mixed glia cultures deprived of microglia (by shaking and incubating with L-leucine methyl ester) did not release IL-1 beta, which indicates microglia as a source of the changes in IL-1 beta release. The results of the study suggest that neurons may regulate glial activity through releasing enkephalins.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

A new highly reliable instrument for the assessment of pre- and postoperative gynecological pain.

UNLABELLED: In this study, we evaluated the reliability of a newly developed method for pain assessment, which is based on perceptual matching by Pain Matcher, Cefar Medical AB, Lund, Sweden, during minor gynecological surgery. In addition, the responsiveness to two different anesthetic methods-electro-acupuncture or a fast-acting opiate, alfentanil, both in combination with a paracervical block-was estimated by using Pain Matcher and visual analog scale (VAS) assessments before and 2 h after surgery. Two hundred-twenty-three women (aged 22-38 yr) participated. The results show that Pain Matcher is a reliable method for pain assessments, with lack of random individual disagreement and with no statistical evidence of systematic disagreement in position or in concentration. The augmented rank-order coefficient (r(a)) values were excellent (0.95-1.00). When scales were used to detect true changes over time, there was no clear indication of responsiveness, mostly because of statistically significant random individual changes. However, the individual changes were much smaller for magnitude matching than for VAS. In conclusion, we would recommend the use of perceptual matching by Pain Matcher for pain assessment, because in this study it was a reliable and powerful in test-retest situations and had smaller individual changes than VAS after intervention. The Pain Matcher procedure was well accepted by the patients, and the results suggest that it may be useful when evaluating acute pre- and postoperative pain. IMPLICATIONS: We evaluated a new instrument for pain assessment. Our results show that this method is highly reliable, is well tolerated by the patients, is reported to be easy to use, and may be useful when evaluating acute pre- and postoperative pain.

Acupuncture Analgesia↗

PubMed2002

[Evaluation of side effects after intrabladder instillations of preparations in patients with superficial bladder carcinoma].

Permanent increase in neoplasm incidence including also bladder neoplasms makes physicians to search for new forms and methods of treatment. Application of new preparations entails in many cases appearance of side effects which are difficult to fight off and thus must be monitored constantly. To avoid complications which in case of BCG application are very burdensome and sometimes dangerous for patient it is necessary to intervene in due time. In the years 1990-1998 in Department of urology, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration Hospital in Łódź, 241 patients were treated due to superficial bladder carcinoma. In this group in 145 cases after carcinoma electroresection BCG suspension intrabladder infusion were applied. In 42 patients epirubicin, in 16 adriblastin intrabladder instillations were performed; 32 patients did not receive any preparation. A detailed history was taken from the patients before each next infusion, whereas blood was collected for testing before the first infusion and on the seventh day after completion of the therapy. Material for studies was collected before the first intrabladder infusion and on the seventh day after 4-week cycle completion. Side effects of the applied preparations were presented basing on toxicity grades acc. to WHO and divided into subjective and objective ones. The observation period comprised the time from the first infusion to the seventh day after the last infusion. In the group of 145 patients with applied BCG suspension 836 intrabladder instillations were performed. In 17 (12%) cases the treatment was stopped after 4 infusions due to intense dysuric symptoms. In the investigated group of patients strongly marked symptoms like polyuria (in 98% of patients), burning in urethra during miction (in 86%), haematuria and ill-being were observed. Objective symptoms were significantly marked and were not of importance in further management. In group II (epirubicin) and III (adriblastin) both subjective and objective effects were of insignificant percentage and were not of importance in the continuation of the treatment of superficial bladder carcinoma. Accurate subjective examination, careful analysis of the observed unfavourable symptoms, their intensity, close co-operation of the physician with the patient concerning full information on possible complications and side effects and personal procedure with them allow for safe and effective treatment of superficial bladder carcinomas with both BCG suspension and anthracycline antibiotics (in the form of intrabladder infusions).

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗