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Biomedical subjects

P Nowicki

Publications and source records attributed to P Nowicki.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Evaluation of sex hormone levels and some metabolic factors in men with coronary atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Because of the great controversy over the role of androgens in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, we investigated the relationship between serum sex hormone levels and angiographically confirmed coronary artery disease in men. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We investigated 86 men aged 40-60 years, 56 with coronary artery disease and 30 healthy men, matched by age, as a control group. Body mass index and waist to hip ratio were calculated and total body fat mass and percentage of abdominal deposit were investigated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (Dpx (+) Lunar, USA). The serum levels of sex hormones and insulin were measured using commercial radioimmunoassay and IRMA (by SHBG) kits (DPC, USA). The serum levels of lipids and glucose were assessed by means of enzymatic methods. RESULTS: Men with coronary artery disease had lower total testosterone levels (17.01+/-6.42 vs. 19.37+/-6.58 nmol/l; p < 0.05), testosterone/estradiol ratio (228.5+/-88.5 vs. 289.8+/-120.1; p < 0.05) and free androgen index (FAI) (59.49+/-14.79 vs. 83.03+/-25.81; p < 0.0001), and higher levels of estrone (49.5+/-27.7 vs. 36.6+/-12.7 pg/ml) than men in the control group. Moreover, men with coronary artery disease were more insulin-resistant than controls and had an atherogenic lipid profile. There was an inverse correlation (p < 0.05) between testosterone level and serum level of glucose (r = -0.29), triglycerides (r= -0.37), body mass index (r= -0.55), waist (r = - 0.43), total body fat mass (r = - 0.3) and fasting insulin resistance index. A significant positive association (p < 0.05) was found between testosterone and the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index and high density lipoprotein cholesterol level in serum (r = 0.26). CONCLUSIONS: Low levels of total testosterone, testosterone/estradiol ratio and free androgen index and higher levels of estrone in men with coronary artery disease appear together with many features of metabolic syndrome and may be involved in the pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Verification of smoking status by thiocyanate in unrefrigerated, mailed saliva samples.

A simple method of obtaining an unbiased verification of smoking status was developed for use in a randomized clinical trial. At the end of smoking cessation intervention for pregnant women, each participant mailed a saliva sample to a laboratory for the determination of thiocyanate. For comparison, salivary thiocyanate also was measured by a standard collection method in a reference group of non-study women who did not smoke during pregnancy. Although there may have been up to a 1-week delay between collection and analysis, results show that thiocyanate from unrefrigerated, mailed samples of saliva distinguishes reported smokers from nonsmokers, is positively associated with the amount of smoking, and is negatively associated with the length of cessation. These study findings are consistent with results from other studies in which samples of serum or saliva were collected and shipped under conditions requiring the presence of a staff member. The ability to perform an unbiased smoking status verification using a simple, inexpensive, and noninvasive collection method expands study possibilities, as it eliminates the need for direct, face-to-face contact with study subjects, and for being at their location.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

The effect of antismoking intervention during pregnancy: an assessment of interactions with maternal characteristics.

In a previous experimental study, which included 935 pregnant smokers recruited from private obstetric practices located in a large metropolitan area and from one hospital obstetric clinic, a 92-g difference was found between infants born to women who had antismoking intervention and those born to women in a control group. The current report further examines the effect of intervention on both smoking cessation during pregnancy and birth weight. Specific attention is given to interactions between intervention and maternal characteristics. These maternal characteristics were determined at the time of first prenatal care. A stepwise regression analysis was performed to assess 1) the association of each maternal variable with smoking cessation and birth weight; 2) the effect of intervention on these outcomes after adjusting for the maternal variable; and 3) the interaction effect between intervention and the maternal variable. The effect of intervention on smoking cessation was found to be significantly greater for women who experienced problems early in pregnancy, such as high blood pressure and urinary tract infection. The beneficial effect of intervention on birth weight decreased with age and number of previous low birth weight infants but increased with previous fetal loss. There is some evidence to suggest that the effect of intervention on birth weight is also dependent on the amount of smoking prior to intervention.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Salivary thiocyanate in pregnant smokers: a comparison of two collection methods.

Two simple methods of obtaining a salivary thiocyanate sample were tested to determine (1) if salivary thiocyanate could adequately differentiate a group of pregnant women into smokers and nonsmokers and (2) whether the simpler collection method of having the woman spit directly into the container produced as good a measurement of smoking exposure as having the woman chew a dental roll. Results show that thiocyanate measured from saliva samples collected by either of the two tested methods discriminates smokers from nonsmokers among pregnant women. The method of spitting directly into the collection container resulted in as good a discrimination of smokers from nonsmokers as results from the more complicated method of having subjects chew a dental roll. Advantages of using the direct method in large research projects are discussed. This is the first documentation that salivary thiocyanate distinguishes smokers from nonsmokers during pregnancy. The salivary data are consistent with earlier observations of higher serum thiocyanate levels during pregnancy, suggesting that thiocyanate may be metabolized differently during this time.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Cerebral blood flow in the newborn lamb with polycythemia and hyperviscosity.

We measured hematocrit, whole blood viscosity, arterial oxygen content, and cerebral blood flow in seven newborn lambs in which polycythemia and hyperviscosity were induced by partial exchange transfusion with packed red blood cells from a donor lamb. After the exchange transfusion, the hematocrit, whole blood viscosity, and arterial oxygen content were significantly elevated, whereas cerebral blood flow was reduced from baseline measurements. Sodium nitrite was then infused to reduce the arterial oxygen content to baseline values while the hematocrit and viscosity remained elevated. Under this condition, cerebral blood flow returned to baseline values. Oxygen delivery to the brain remained constant throughout the study. These results indicate that the reduction of cerebral blood flow in neonatal polycythemia and hyperviscosity is a physiologic response to increased arterial oxygen content and not a result of hyperviscosity.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

[Clinical aspects of the quality control of synthetic polymers used in hematology].

Polyvinyl chloride (PCW) is the most often used synthetic polymer in production of so widely employed in blood service instruments as containers for blood and its preparations, apparatuses for blood transfusions, etc. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate DEHP is an often employed plasticider in production of PCW for medical purposes. Since 1967 is has been known that DEHP from the walla of a PCW container penetrates the preservative liquid, blood, or any preparation. The paper, based on results from literature and on the authors own studies, discusses the abilities of DEHP to penetrate blood, and its unequal contents in particular blood preparations. Also multiple blood transfusions are capable of introducing large quantities of phthalates into the patient's organism. Although till now it has not been shown that there is any clear risk related to usage containers with PCW containing DEHP, yet its presence in blood, or in its preparations, should be taken into account, as well as possible influence of this compound (besides other factors) on the patient's state. That is why recently PCW without DEHP, or with other synthetic polymers (polyolefins, etc.), has been used in production of objects used in blood service, esp. in containers for thrombocyte concentrates. The containers seem to be free from the additional factors threatening the patient.

Blood Transfusion↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Influence of the absolute configuration on pharmacological activity of antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic drugs.

Chirality is a fundamental property of biological systems and reflects the underlying asymmetry of matter. Interactions of drugs with receptors, enzymes or binding sites have long been known to be stereoselective, and it is increasingly recognized that both pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic events contribute to the overall clinically observed stereoselectivity. The pharmacological activity may reside only in one enantiomer, while the second one may be inactive or have desirable or undesirable activity. Two isomers may be nearly identical both in qualitative and quantitative aspects of pharmacological activity. The activity of particular enantiomers may differ only at the quantitative level. It is also possible that a particular enantiomer displays qualitatively different mode of action than the second one. This review describes the influence of the absolute configuration on pharmacological activity of the selected currently used or being under investigation drugs acting on cardiovascular system, especially as the antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic agents.

Animals↗