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Stepan Svacina

Publications and source records attributed to Stepan Svacina.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Increased subcutaneous and epicardial adipose tissue production of proinflammatory cytokines in cardiac surgery patients: possible role in postoperative insulin resistance.

CONTEXT: Hyperglycemia and insulin resistance frequently occur in critically ill patients even without a history of diabetes. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to study the role of adipose tissue hormonal production in the development of insulin resistance in cardiac surgery patients. PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS, AND SETTINGS: Fifteen patients with elective cardiac surgery underwent blood sampling before, at the end, and 6, 12, 24, 48, and 120 h after the end of their operation. Epicardial and sc adipose tissue sampling was done at the beginning and at the end of surgery in the Department of Cardiac Surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We measured serum concentrations and sc and epicardial adipose tissue mRNA expression of IL-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), TNF-alpha, leptin, resistin, and adiponectin and sc and epicardial adipose tissue mRNA expression of CD14, CD45, and CD68. RESULTS: The rate of insulin infusion required to maintain euglycemia increased up to 7-fold 12 h after the operation, suggesting the development of insulin resistance. Serum IL-6 levels increased 43-fold 12 h after surgery. MCP-1 peaked 6-fold at the end of surgery. Smaller peaks of TNF-alpha and leptin appeared 6 and 12 h after surgery, respectively. Resistin levels peaked 4-fold 24 h after surgery, but adiponectin levels were not significantly affected. TNF-alpha and CD45 mRNA expression increased markedly during the operation in sc adipose tissue. IL-6, resistin, and MCP-1 mRNA expression increased in both sc and epicardial adipose tissue. Leptin, adiponectin, CD14, and CD68 mRNA expression did not change significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Both sc and epicardial adipose tissue is a source of proinflammatory cytokines in cardiac surgery patients and may contribute to the development of postoperative insulin resistance.

Adipose Tissue, White↗

Clinical evaluation of alternative-site glucose measurements in patients after major cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Tight glycemic control improves outcome in critically ill patients but requires frequent glucose measurements. Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) has been characterized as promising for glucose monitoring in diabetes, but it remains unknown whether it can also be used as an alternative site in critically ill patients. The present study was performed to clinically evaluate the relation of glucose in SAT compared with arterial blood in patients after major cardiac surgery. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Forty critically ill patients were investigated at two clinical centers after major cardiac surgery. Arterial blood and SAT microdialysis samples were taken in hourly intervals for a period of up to 48 h. The glucose concentration in dialysate was calibrated using a two-step approach, first using the ionic reference technique to calculate the SAT glucose concentration (SATg) and second using a one-point calibration procedure to obtain a glucose profile comparable to SAT-derived blood glucose (BgSAT). Clinical validation of the data was performed by introducing data analysis based on an insulin titration algorithm. RESULTS: Correlation between dialysate glucose and blood glucose (median 0.80 [interquartile range 0.68-0.88]) was significantly improved using the ionic reference calibration technique (SATg vs.blood glucose 0.90 [0.83-0.94]; P < 0.001). Clinical evaluation of the data indicated that 96.1% of glucose readings from SAT would allow acceptable treatment according to a well-established insulin titration protocol. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate good correlation between SATg and blood glucose in patients after major cardiac surgery. Clinical evaluation of the data suggests that with minor limitations, glucose from SAT can be used to establish tight glycemic control in this patient group.

Aged↗

Multicentric, randomized, controlled trial to evaluate blood glucose control by the model predictive control algorithm versus routine glucose management protocols in intensive care unit patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a fully automated algorithm for the establishment of tight glycemic control in critically ill patients and to compare the results with different routine glucose management protocols of three intensive care units (ICUs) across Europe (Graz, Prague, and London). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Sixty patients undergoing cardiac surgery (age 67 +/- 9 years, BMI 27.7 +/- 4.9 kg/m2, 17 women) with postsurgery blood glucose levels >120 mg/dl (6.7 mmol/l) were investigated in three different ICUs (20 per center). Patients were randomized to either blood glucose management (target range 80-110 mg/dl [4.4-6.1 mmol/l]) by the fully automated model predictive control (MPC) algorithm (n = 30, 10 per center) or implemented routine glucose management protocols (n = 30, 10 per center). In all patients, arterial glucose was measured hourly to describe the glucose profile until the end of the ICU stay but for a maximum period of 48 h. RESULTS: Compared with routine protocols, MPC treatment resulted in a significantly higher percentage of time within the target glycemic range (% median [min-max]: 52 [17-92] vs. 19 [0-71]) over 0-24 h (P < 0.01). Improved glycemic control with MPC treatment was confirmed in patients remaining in the ICU for 48 h (0-24 h: 50 [17-71] vs. 21 [4-67], P < 0.05, and 24-48 h: 65 [38-96] vs. 25 [8-79], P < 0.05, for MPC [n = 16] vs. routine protocol [n = 13], respectively). Two hypoglycemic events (<54 mg/dl [3.0 mmol/l]) were observed with routine protocol treatment. No hypoglycemic event occurred with MPC. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that the MPC algorithm is safe and effective in controlling glycemia in critically ill postsurgery patients.

Aged↗

Pulse wave analysis during supine rest may identify subjects with recurrent vasovagal syncope.

In the present study, we studied whether analysis of the FAP (finger arterial pressure) waveform during supine rest discriminates subjects with recurrent VVS (vasovagal syncope) from healthy controls. Signal-averaged FAP waveforms (Finapres) were obtained in 32 head-up tilt-test-positive subjects with recurrent VVS (35 +/- 13 years) and in 32 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. The DT (time delay) between the systolic and diastolic peaks of the FAP waveform was measured and large artery SI (stiffness index) was calculated as a ratio of body height and DT. VVS patients had significantly shorter DT compared with controls (303 +/- 31 compared with 329 +/- 18 ms; P < 0.001) and higher SI (5.79 +/- 0.70 compared with 5.20 +/- 0.36 m/s; P < 0.001). The differences were independent of heart rate and blood pressure. SI > 5.45 m/s identified subjects with syncope with a sensitivity of 72% and a specificity of 84%. Age-corrected DT (cDT = DT + age-350) identified subjects with syncope with a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 84%. Combined use of cDT <0 ms and SI > 5.45 m/s increased sensitivity and specificity to 81% and 96% respectively. The discriminative power of FAP descriptors improved further when younger subjects were excluded. In subjects aged >30 years (median age), the combination of cDT and SI identified subjects with syncope with a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 100%. These results suggest that FAP descriptors during supine rest might be useful in the diagnosis of VVS in middle-aged subjects.

Adult↗

Changes of noradrenergic activity and lipolysis in the subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue of hypo- and hyperthyroid patients: an in vivo microdialysis study.

Thyroid function plays an important role in the regulation of overall metabolic rate and lipid metabolism. However, it is uncertain whether thyroid hormones directly affect lipolysis in adipose tissue and to what extent those changes contribute to overall metabolic phenotype. Our study was designed, using the microdialysis technique, to determine basal and isoprenaline-stimulated local lipolysis and to determine local concentrations of lipolysis-regulating catecholamines in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue in 12 patients with hypothyroidism, 6 patients with hyperthyroidism, and 12 healthy control subjects. Plasma norepinephrine (NE) concentrations in hypothyroid subjects were significantly higher than in the control and hyperthyroid groups. In contrast, systemic, adipose NE levels in hypothyroid patients were decreased relative to controls. Hyperthyroidism, on the other hand, resulted in four-fold higher adipose NE levels. Basal lipolysis measured by glycerol concentrations in adipose tissue was significantly attenuated in hypothyroid patients and markedly increased in hyperthyroid patients in comparison with the control group. In addition to differences in basal lipolysis, hypothyroidism resulted in attenuated, and hyperthyroidism in enhanced, lipolytic response to local stimulation with beta(1,2)-adrenergic agonist isoprenaline. These results demonstrate that lipolysis in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue is strongly modulated by thyroid function. We suggest that thyroid hormones regulate lipolysis primarily by affecting local NE concentration and/or adrenergic postreceptor signaling.

Abdomen↗

Effects of hypo- and hyperthyroidism on noradrenergic activity and glycerol concentrations in human subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue assessed with microdialysis.

Thyroid hormones play a major role in lipid metabolism. However, whether they directly affect lipolysis locally in the adipose tissue remains unknown. Therefore, we measured abdominal sc adipose tissue norepinephrine (NE), basal, and isoprenaline-stimulated lipolysis in 12 hypothyroid patients (HYPO), six hyperthyroid patients (HYPER), and 12 healthy controls by in vivo microdialysis. Adipose tissue NE was decreased in HYPO and increased in HYPER compared with controls (90.4 +/- 2.9 and 458.0 +/- 69.1 vs. 294.9 +/- 19.5 pmol/liter, P < 0.01). Similarly, basal lipolysis, assessed by glycerol assay, was lower in HYPO and higher in HYPER than in controls (88.2 +/- 9.9 and 566.0 +/- 42.0 vs. 214.3 +/- 5.1 micromol/liter P < 0.01). The relative magnitude of isoprenaline-induced glycerol increase was smaller in HYPO (39 +/- 19.4%, P < 0.05 vs. basal) and higher in HYPER (277 +/- 30.4%, P < 0.01) than in controls (117 +/- 5.6%, P < 0.01). The corresponding changes in NE after isoprenaline stimulation were as follows: 120 +/- 9.2% (P < 0.05), 503 +/- 113% (P < 0.01), and 267 +/- 17.2 (P < 0.01). In summary, by affecting local NE levels and adrenergic postreceptor signaling, thyroid hormones may influence the lipolysis rate in the abdominal sc adipose tissue.

Abdomen↗

New Czech Postgraduate Doctoral Program in Biomedical Informatics.

In the paper we describe the new Czech program in Biomedical informatics with doctor degree. The agreement on cooperation of Charles University in Prague and Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in postgraduate doctoral studies was signed on April 23rd, 1997. The main goal of this agreement has been cooperation in development and running of joint education and training of young researchers. Nowadays there are 19 boards of scientific disciplines in postgraduate doctoral studies in biomedicine, one of them the scientific board on Biomedical informatics established in 2001. The involvement of university teachers and researchers from the EuroMISE center-Cardio in the board of biomedical informatics discipline in the postgraduate doctoral studies of biomedicine and first activities of the board are described.

Czech Republic↗