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Biomedical subjects

M Cucuianu

Publications and source records attributed to M Cucuianu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Plasma fibronectin in overweight men and women: correlation with serum triglyceride levels and serum cholinesterase activity.

When compared with 67 age- and sex-matched normal weight control subjects, the 71 overweight patients displayed obviously higher levels of plasma fibronectin. For a similar body mass index (BMI) the 16 overweight men younger than 45 years had a significantly (P < 0.01) higher plasma fibronectin level (455 +/- 99.3 mg/l; mean +/- SD) than the 16 age-matched overweight women (351 +/- 105 mg/l) while there was no significant difference between the 22 overweight men (446 +/- 89.2 mg/l) and the 17 overweight women (475 +/- 111 mg/l) older than 45 years. Particularly high plasma fibronectin levels were noted in the five women with upper body (android) obesity. Plasma fibronectin was positively correlated with BMI, serum triglyceride concentration, plasma fibrinogen and serum cholinesterase activity. It is considered that metabolic disturbances related to upper body obesity may lead to an enhanced hepatic secretion of VLDL and of several plasma proteins including fibronectin.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Homozygous or compound heterozygous qualitative antithrombin III deficiency.

A male patient of 24 years who had experienced thrombotic episodes since the age of 15 displayed an unusually low antithrombin III (AT III) activity measured as heparin cofactor (13% of the normal), while a similarly decreased value (16% of normal) was found in a 26 year old brother who had suffered from thrombotic events since the age of 12 years. AT III heparin cofactor activities were close to 50% of normal in the father, mother, another brother and a sister, none of whom had experienced thrombotic episodes. Since all available members of the family, including the patient, displayed near normal AT III antigen levels (73-85%) normal total progressive antithrombin activities (92-110%) as assessed by the thrombin agarose diffusion technique and normal total progressive anti-Xa activities, the propositus and his brother could be considered to be homozygotes or compound heterozygotes for a qualitative familial AT III deficiency probably caused by an abnormality of the heparin binding site. Molecular techniques would be required to elucidate the precise mutation giving rise to the deficiency.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Clinical studies on plasma protein C. Correlation with serum cholinesterase.

When compared to 32 healthy normal weight normolipidemic control subjects, plasma protein C antigen and serum cholinesterase activity were significantly decreased in 17 patients with decompensated cirrhosis of the liver and in 29 critically-ill surgical patients displaying the acute phase reaction, most of them without evidence of consumption coagulopathy. The low levels of these variables are considered to be subsequent to impaired and dysregulated hepatic protein synthesis. On the contrary, plasma protein C and serum cholinesterase were increased in 20 nephrotic patients and in 20 overweight hypertriglyceridemic subjects, a finding highly suggestive of enhanced hepatic synthesis probably related to an accelerated turnover of triglycerides. A discrepancy between low serum cholinesterase activity and normal or even high plasma protein C antigen was noted in 15 patients with cholestasis. This was particularly evident in 7 subjects with extrahepatic cholestasis and an abnormal pattern of hepatic protein synthesis or impaired clearance of plasma protein C would appear to develop in such pathological conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Plasma phospholipase A2 in children with malignant disorders.

Forty nine children with various malignant disorders showed plasma phospholipase A2 catalytic activity concentrations in the range 0-48 U/l, and in 19 (39%) cases the values significantly exceeded 10 U/l. In 16 healthy children the catalytic concentration never exceeded 10 U/l. Of the 18 children with malignant lymphoma and 16 with acute leukaemia (14 of these with lymphoblastic leukaemia), 44% had plasma phospholipase A2 activities greater than 10 U/l. In 9 patients, an associated infection was either documented or could not be excluded. Of the remaining 40 patients, 33% had enzyme activities above 10 U/l. Although the determination of phospholipase A2 may not be relevant for the diagnosis of a malignancy, it may give an indication of the patient's reaction to the malignant process.

Child↗
PubMed1991

Alpha 2-antiplasmin, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) and dilute blood clot lysis time in selected disease states.

This paper is an attempt to assess the relevance of the inhibitors of fibrinolysis for clot lysis in selected disease states and to discuss the mechanisms leading to acquired abnormal levels of such inhibitors. When compared to 20 control subjects the 30 hypertriglyceridemic patients (14 with type IIb and 16 with type IV) displayed significantly (p less than 0.001) increased plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) activity (221 +/- 88% and 290 +/- 104% respectively; mean +/- SD), moderately (p less than 0.01) increased alpha 2 antiplasmin (alpha 2AP) level (112 +/- 11% and 115 +/- 16%) and accordingly an obviously prolonged dilute blood clot lysis time (DBCLT). Neither PAI activity and alpha 2AP level nor DBCLT were significantly different from controls in the 10 patients with hyperlipoproteinemia type IIa. The 18 patients with severe hepatic cirrhosis had low alpha 2AP level (59 +/- 19.7%) and accelerated clot lysis, while mean PAI activity (160 +/- 87%) was slightly (p less than 0.05) increased. In the 17 nephrotic patients alpha 2AP was increased (115 +/- 12%) while PAI activity was similar to controls and DBCLT rather shorter. Two liver secretion enzymes, namely serum cholinesterase and plasma protein C, were found to be decreased in cirrhotic patients, similar to control values in hyperlipoproteinemia type IIa and obviously increased in nephrotic patients as well as in hypertriglyceridemic subjects. The relevance of PAI and alpha 2AP for clot lysis was considered in relation to data in the literature concerning the behaviour of t-PA and factor XIII.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

[Serum lipids and gamma-glutamyltransferase in acute pancreatitis].

An obvious hypertriglyceridemia was detected in 22.8% of the 57 investigated patients with acute pancreatitis. A type IV or V hyperlipoproteinemia could precede the onset of pancreatitis but the level of serum triglyceride greatly increased during the acute attack and had a tendency towards normalization later on. Increased serum gamma-glutamyltransferase activity was found to be especially high in alcoholic patients and in those presenting biliary disease.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1985

Clinical studies on plasma fibronectin and factor XIII; with special reference to hyperlipoproteinemia.

When compared to age-matched normal weight normolipidemic control subjects, plasma factor XIII, plasma fibronectin and serum cholinesterase levels were found to be markedly decreased in patients with decompensated cirrhosis of the liver, not significantly changed in hyperlipoproteinemia type IIa (heterozygous subjects) and increased in hypertriglyceridemic subjects (type IIb and IV) as well as in hyperlipidemic nephrotic patients. A possible accelerated hepatic synthesis of certain plasma proteins including factor XIII and fibronectin in patients with the nephrotic syndrome as well as in endogenous hypertriglyceridemia is envisaged. It is also considered that mural thrombi, richer in factor XIII and fibronectin, would be more resistant to fibrinolysis and more readily attached to subendothelial structures.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Similar behaviour of lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase and pseudocholinesterase in liver disease and hyperlipoproteinemia.

Using exogenous substrate for its assay, lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) was found to be decreased in liver disease and higher than normal in endogenous hypertriglyceridemia. LCAT activity was positively correlated with serum cholesterol and triglyceride. However in the six patients with excessive hypertriglyceridemia (type V), LCAT activity was lower than in type IV hyperlipoproteinemia. LCAT activity was not changed significantly in type II-a hyperlipoproteinemia. A striking parallel was noted between plasma LCAT and serum pseudocholinesterase activity. It suggested that both these liver secretion enzymes might be induced by an accelerated turnover of serum lipids and lipoproteins. Pathogenical implications of these findings are briefly discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Pseudocholinesterase changes in anesthesia using pancuronium.

Pseudocholinesterase activity was investigated in three groups of unselected patients. A slight rise of the enzyme was found during surgery under local anesthesia with lidocaine. In general anesthesia with thiopentone and halothane, the pseudocholinesterase activity diminished. The inhibition was more pronounced when pancuronium had been injected. From these data one may conclude that pancuronium must be carefully given in patients with low level of pseudocholinesterase when other drugs inhibiting the enzyme activity, like succinylcholine, procaine and propanidid, are used.

Anesthesia, Inhalation↗
PubMed1976

Increased serum gamma-glutamyltransferase in hypertriglyceridemia: comparison with serum pseudocholinesterase.

Both gamma-glutamyltransferase (gammaGT) and pseudocholinesterase (PCE) were found to be increased in hypertriglyceridemic subjects. High values of gammaGT were noted in alcoholic subjects and especially in those with either increased serum triglyceride or alanine aminotransferase higher than 16 mU/ml, while PCE was not significantly changed in alcoholic subjects. Although both enzymes were strongly correlated with the logarithm of serum triglyceride and the prebeta electrophoretic fraction, there were striking differences concerning their behavior in various hypertriglyceridemic subjects. PCE activity was high even in moderate hypertriglyceridemias but its correlation with serum triglyceride had a tendency to flatten with increasing concentration of triglyceride. However, increase of gammaGT was rather characteristic for gross hypetriglyceridemia. Short-term, triglyceride-lowering therapy was accompanied by a tendency to normalization of gammaGT, while PCE values were not influenced. An attempt was made to interpret these changes of serum-enzyme activity in hypertriglyceridemia in connection with mechanisms of lipoprotein synthesis and with the pathogeny of hyperlipemic conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Serum pseudocholinesterase and ceruloplasmin in various types of hyperlipoproteinemia.

Starting from previous observations emphasizing an increased pseudocholinesterase (PCE) activity in obese and hyperlipemic subjects, the behaviour of this enzyme and of ceruloplasmin was studied in connection with changes of serum lipids and lipoproteins in various types of hyperlipoproteinemia. When compared to values detected in 67 middle-aged normal weight normolipemic subjects, PCE activity was found to be significantly greater (smaller than 0.001) in the 49 overweight subjects without obvious hyperlipemia but presenting a moderate increase of the prebeta electrophoretic fraction. PCE activity was much higher in lean or overweight subjects with endogenous hypertriglyceridemia (68 patients with type IV and 86 patients with mixed hyperlipemia). The slight increase of mean values of PCE activity in the 53 subjects with type II-a was due mainly to overweight subjects, while this enzyme's activity was not significantly changed in lean subjects with pure hypercholesterolemia. PCE activity was positively correlated with serum triglyceride (r equals 0.540; p smaller than 0.001) and the prebeta electrophoretic fraction (r equals 610; p smaller than 0.001). The correlation with beta-lipoproteins was not significant. Ceruloplasmin levels were not significantly changed. It is suggested that elevation of PCE activity could be connected to mechanisms leading to an increased secretion rate of lipoproteins.

Adolescent↗