Biomedical subjects

I Pintarić

Publications and source records attributed to I Pintarić.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2002

Plasma cortisol in men--relationship with atherosclerosis of retinal arteries.

The production of cortisol increases in acute stress but the effects of chronic stress on plasma cortisol are still controversial. Stress on the other hand plays a role in coronary artery disease (CAD) and carotid atherosclerosis. Since there is no data about plasma cortisol and atherosclerosis of the retinal arteries, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between plasma cortisol in 101 adult males with the degree of their retinal vessels atherosclerosis. The results were compared with those in 47 matched apparently healthy men with no retinal vessels changes. The atherosclerotic changes of retinal vessels were determined by direct ophthalmoscopy and graded (1-4) according to Scheie. Morning plasma cortisol levels were determined by radioimmunoassay using commercial kits. The results were compared by using chi-square test. No association between morning plasma cortisol concentrations and retinal vessels atherosclerosis could be found. The results of this study do not support a role for physiological levels of plasma cortisol in the development of atherosclerosis, at least of the retinal arteries, in men.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1999

Serum prolactin levels after seizure and syncopal attacks.

Loss of consciousness and falling are the key features of syncope. Common accompaniments include tonic and myoclonic muscle activity, eye deviations, automatisms, vocalizations and hallucinations that may render the distinction from epileptic seizures difficult. The frequently increased levels of serum prolactin (SPRL) were observed immediately after generalized and complex partial seizures. Presumably, the hormone release is caused by the propagation of epileptic activity, usually from the temporal lobe to the hypothalamic pituitary axis. Numerous reports have demonstrated that the post-ictal SPRL level may be used to differentiate between epileptic and syncopal, non-epileptic attacks. In order to confirm the hypothesis, the SPRL levels were measured in patients with complex partial seizures (CPS) and patients with vaso-vagal syncopal attacks (VVS). The SPRL levels were prospectively measured for each patient as soon as possible after the event (within 1 hour), then 1 hour after the first determination and finally blood was sampled 24 hours later. During the study period (18 months), 18 patients with CPS and 15 patients with VVS were investigated in total. The mean values of SPRL levels in both groups were increased immediately after the event (CPS group: 1142 +/- 305 mIU/l; VVS group: 874 +/- 208 mIU/l). The elevated SPRL levels were found in 14 (78%) patients immediately after CPS and in 9 (60%) patients immediately after VVS. After examining the results of the present study we conclude that the elevated serum prolactin level after an epileptic attack is of no significant value in differential diagnosis between epileptic and vaso-vagal syncopal attacks.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

An increase in micropulmonary red cell mass in hyperlipidaemic patients.

It is known that pulmonary microcirculation rheology is partly affected by plasma levels of lipoproteins, but only a few data are available for humans. Therefore, in a sample of 30 normal volunteers and 90 patients with various types of primary hyperlipoproteinaemia, the plasma levels of total cholesterol (Chol), low density cholesterol (LDL), the high density cholesterol (HDL), triglyceride (Tg) and fibrinogen (Fib) were measured in conjunction with determinations of plasma viscosity (PV) and the pulmonary capillary red cell volume (RCVc). RCVc was estimated from measurements of the vascular component of the single-breath-diffusing lung capacity for carbon monoxide, using our own modification of the Roughton-Forster's method. By stepwise regression analysis, the variation in RCVc was almost completely accounted for (r2 = 0.87) by variations in PV, Chol, Tg and the anthropometric confounding factors. The proposed explanations for increased pulmonary capillary red cell mass (up to 151% of the predicted value) in hyperlipidaemic patients included the hypothesis of increased pulmonary microhaematocrit, which agrees with the observed in-vitro lipoprotein-dependent increase in erythrocyte aggregability.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Lenticulostriate arteries in aging process: an angiographic study.

Histological studies describe in detail the changes of the small arteries wall with controversial results concerning lumen narrowing during the aging process. In this study, the anatomic and the angiographic parameters of the medial and lateral lenticulostriate arteries were analysed in 64 carotid angiograms. Only 20% of the total number of lenticulostriate arteries were shown on angiograms. Collateral branches were rarely visible, especially those of medial group. The course of the lenticulostriate arteries was mostly straight or moderately tortuous. No significant differences were noted in any of the measured parameters when compared with the age (p greater than 0.05). It appears that age-related changes spread over external layers of small arteries, with no lumen narrowing or filling defect.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea].

Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are similar disorders in etiology, with differences in clinical presentation and treatment. 5-20% of young and 40-50% of older population are affected by either of these disorders. Etiology of snoring should be sought in the anatomic irregularities of commencing portions of the upper respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, obesity, alcohol abuse, use of some medications as well as in the sleep architecture disturbance. Treatment success depends on correctly established diagnosis and precise localisation of anatomic irregularity implicated in snoring. A wide array of diagnostic tests exist some of which are mandatory while the others are used on a case-by-case basis. Treatment is either conservative or surgical. The success rate is 30-90% depending on the type and the management of disorder. An algorithm for diagnosis and treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea is shown at the end of the paper.

Humans↗