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Biomedical subjects

Wojciech Piekoszewski

Publications and source records attributed to Wojciech Piekoszewski.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Determination of cadmium in urine of tobacco smoking pregnant women].

Tobacco smoke contain few thousands of chemical compounds, among them heavy metals. From toxicological point of view most important are lead, cadmium and radioactive polonium 210. The aim of the study was determination of cadmium in urine of tobacco smoking pregnant woman and checking if there is a correlation between the concentration of cadmium and cotinine, the most frequently used tobacco smoke biomarker. The study showed that concentration of cotinine in urine of smoking women was 702.5 +/- 1131.4 ng/mg creatinine and ranged from 50 to more than 6000 ng/mg creatinine. Cadmium concentration in smokers was 1.6 +/- 2.6 ng/ml and ranged from 0 to 11.5 ng/ml. In urine of woman who do not smoke and are not exposure to ETS was 1.1 +/- 2.2 ng/ml in the range 0-2.5 ng/ml and was not statistically different from concentration of cadmium in urine of smoking pregnant woman. In any one non-smoking woman, concentration of cadmium was not higher than 5 ng/ml, but in 11.8% of smoking women this level was exceeded. Calculations showed a weak correlation between concentration of cadmium and cotinine in urine of smoking pregnant women.

Biomarkers↗

[Effect of tobacco smoke exposure on urine lead concentration of pregnant women].

Among other toxic compounds, tobacco smoke contains also heavy metals, for example lead. Lead can cross the placenta barrier and have negative influences on fetus development. In the study compared urine lead concentration of pregnancy women exposed to tobacco smoke (active smokers and exposed to environmental tobacco smoke--ETS) with unexposed. There was find that mean urine lead concentrations in groups of pregnant women exposed and unexposed to tobacco smoke was no different (F2,189=0.2 p>0.8). However it was found that in urine of women exposed to tobacco smoke the concentration of lead increase with increase the concentration of cotinine (r2=0.14, t106=4.2, p<<0.0001).

Case-Control Studies↗

[Nicotine replacement therapy--method for smoking cessation].

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) play a major role in pharmacotherapy of nicotine dependence. Currently various nicotine formulations are sold as over-the-counter (OTC) products in several European countries. The effectiveness and safety of nicotine formulation was proved in many countries in population studies. The most often used NRT products are nicotine chewing gum and Nicotine transdermal patch.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

Antidepressant-like effects of acute and chronic treatment with zinc in forced swim test and olfactory bulbectomy model in rats.

The activity of zinc administered intraperitoneally, acutely (in single dose), sub-chronically (in triple doses) or chronically (once daily for 14 days) were assessed in the forced swim test (FST) and olfactory bulbectomy (OB) model of depression in rats. Previously, we have demonstrated that acute administration of zinc sulfate is active in FST in rats and mice. In the present study, zinc hydroaspartate in a dose of 65 mg/kg (11.5 mgZn/kg), all: acute, sub-chronic and chronic administration, reduced the immobility time in the FST in rats. Removal of olfactory bulbs (OB surgery) in rats is associated with variety of behavioral abnormalities such as deficit in a step-down passive avoidance or hyperactivity in the "open field" test. Both acute and chronic administration of zinc hydroaspartate reduced the number of trials needed to the learning passive avoidance and reduced the OB-induced hyperactivity in rats. At the time schedule following zinc hydroaspartate administration, when behavioral experiments were performed, the serum zinc concentrations were significantly higher than control-physiological values. These results confirm activity of zinc in the FST, show its antidepressant-like activity in the OB rat model of depression, demonstrate the lack of tolerance to these effects and suggest relationship of these antidepressant-like effects with the rise in serum zinc. These animal data further suggest antidepressant activity of zinc in human depression.

Animals↗

[Relevance of toxicological identification of narcotics in hair for maintenance therapy of opiate addicts].

The study was done in 57 psychoactive drug addicts (18 females and 39 males) who entered a methadone maintenance program in Szczecin. The age of participants ranged from 21 to 49 years (mean 32.14 years) and the mean duration of drug abuse as determined during history-taking was 11.6 years. Some of the patients became addicted at the age of just 11 years. The objectives of this work were: a) to apply segmental analysis of hair for studying psychoactive agents and their derivatives in drug abusers during the acute intoxication phase and maintenance therapy; b) to determine if narcotics found in hair matched with findings during history-taking; c) to check the relevance of toxicological tests for psychoactive drug content in hair for monitoring abstinence in maintenance programs. The material consisted of hair sampled from 57 patients who were visited the Outpatient Department for Drug Abusers of the Regional Mental Care Center in Szczecin (Poland). Opioids (morphine, codeine, 6-mono-acetyl-morphine, methadone) were determined using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS-ITD) and a Varian 3400 gas chromatography (USA) coupled to a mass spectrometer (Magnum ionic trapping system, Finnigan Mat, USA). Amphetamines (EP, MK, MA, AMP, MDA, MDMA, MDEA) were analyzed with a liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) system (LC/MS HP-1100, Hewlett-Packard, USA), equipped with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) chamber and dedicated software. Statistical analysis of the results was done. The following conclusions were drawn: toxicological examination of narcotic content in hair is a useful method for studying the history of drug addiction during the period of time equivalent, to the length of hair. Psychoactive substances detected in hair were in most cases consistent with the history of drug abuse. Analysis of psychoactive substances in hair may be applied for identification of addicting drugs and for abstinence control in therapeutic and rehabilitation programs.

Adult↗

[Cardiotoxic agents in the practice of the toxicological laboratory].

Basing on toxicological examination performed between December 1, 2001 and November 6, 2002 the analysis of cardiotoxic agents was carried out. As much as 69.7% of 2523 positive results was related to cardiotoxic agents. Ethanol (57.4%) followed by anticholinergic drugs (15.7%), amphetamine (11.6%) and carbon monoxide (8.9%) were most frequently determined cardiotoxic agents. Relatively small number of cardiovascular medication drugs (0.3%) was stated in biological samples. The cardiotoxic agents were detected mostly in men (68.8%), even after ethanol was excluded from the analysis (54.8%).

Antidepressive Agents↗

Concentration of ethanol and other volatile compounds in the blood of acutely poisoned alcoholics.

The presence of volatile compounds, such as acetone, acetaldehyde, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, and n-propanol, in the blood of 169 acutely poisoned alcoholics was determined. The clinical diagnosis of addiction was made on the basis of a patient interview as well as physical, psychological, and psychiatric examination. At the time of the patients' admission to the clinic, the mean concentration of ethanol in blood was 3.14 +/- 1.10 g/l and its elimination rate in the studied group was 0.27 +/- 0.08 g/kg/hr, an elimination rate significantly higher (P <.001) than that of social drinkers, which averages to 0.014 +/- 0.04 g/kg/h. The presence of other volatile compounds in the blood of alcohol-addicted patients is common. The calculated elimination rate constant of methanol was about 0.2 h(-1). This rate seems to indicate that, in heavy drinkers, the elimination of methanol may be relatively fast even if the ethanol concentration is above 1 g/l. The elimination of other volatile compounds can be accelerated by large doses of ethanol, although it is not correlated with actual blood ethanol level. Moreover, in most of the blood samples with a methanol concentration below 10 mg/l, the measured concentration of acetone was below 7 mg/l and that of isopropanol was below 2 mg/l.

1-Propanol↗

The disturbances of the zinc concentration in the blood in selected neoplasms.

A study was carried out on 92 patients (58 males and 34 females) aged 42-76 treated for malignant neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract (54 patients with colorectal carcinoma, 38 with gastric carcinoma). In all patients, the zinc serum concentration was measured and the results obtained were referred to some epidemiological-clinical factors (sex, age, primary cause of cancer, the stage of clinical progression, and histological type). The results showed that the most pronounced hypozincemia occurred in male patients with mucous membrane carcinoma of the stomach.

Adult↗

[The chronic DIC associated with the neoplastic disease in patients of an advanced age].

The analysis included 80 patients (48 men and 32 women) aged 65 to 87 years, treated because of cancer of the stomach (34 causes) or of the large bowel (46 causes). In all the patients as well as in a control group made up of persons who were treated because of non-neoplastic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract the determinations were conducted of selected coagulological parameters: fibrinogen and D-dimer concentration, antithrombin III (AT III) activity, kaolin-cephalin index (APTT), prothrombin (PT), thrombin time (TT) and number of thrombocytes in the blood. The analysis of the results obtained showed that hemostasis disturbances of a chronic DIC character occur in 82.5% of persons of an advanced age ill with a cancer of the stomach or of the large bowel.

Aged↗

[The efficacy of the Helicobacter pylori eradication in people of an advanced age].

In a group of 112 patients aged 65 to 72 years with chronic gastritis (48 persons), a peptic ulcer (30 persons), a duodenal ulcer (34 persons) bacteriological examinations were conducted aiming at determining the sensitivity to antibiotics of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) strains isolated from the month (gingival pockets), the stomach or duodenal mucous, from stool samples and from the skin of the hands. The sensitivity to antibiotics was tested with the diffusive-disc method taking into consideration 23 chemotherapeutic agents. It was shown that with the use of single antibiotics the chance of efficiently elimination the H. pylori infection from the area of the whole alimentary canal (month, stomach, duodenum, large bowel) amounted to 14.3-35.7% depending on the chemotherapeutics used, where with the use of a two-medicine therapy (metronidazol + amoxycillin) it increased to 42.9%. This means that in people of an advanced age the chemotherapy carried out with the aim of liquidating the infection in the stomach or duodenum mucousa creates possibilities for the H. pylori infection to persist in other parts of the alimentary canal ranging from 64.3 to 85.7%. This way the patient treated may then undergo self-infection as well as be a source of infection for other persons.

Aged↗

[The disturbance of the magnesium management in patients in grave clinical status].

The analysis included 46 patients (27 men and 19 women), aged 41 to 76 years, who required intensive medical care because of a grave clinical state. In all af them, as in a group of patients treated because of illnesses identical to those of the basic group but not requiring intensive medical care (CG), as well as in a reference group (RG)--blood donors, the determinations were conducted of the magnesium concentration in the serum with the flame atomic absorptive spectrometry method. It was confirmed that in the patients in grave clinical state the average concentration in the serum of that element was statistically significantly lower that in the other groups (CG and RG). The average magnesium concentration also differs statistically really between the CG and RG. A critical value was also determined of the magnesium concentration in the serum raising 5.78 micrograms/ml, which may be the prognosis of the metabolic disturbances leading to a grave clinical state.

Adult↗

The importance of determination of magnesium concentration in the serum of patients with cancer metastases to the liver.

The study was carried out on 48 patients (26 male and 22 female), aged 52-76 diagnosed as having cancer metastases to the liver. The serum level of magnesium in the studied group and also in two other groups (the first consisting of 48 blood donors and the second of 50 patients suffering from cancer of a non-disseminated nature) was measured by the flame atomic absorption spectrophotometric method. The results of the study showed that cancer metastases to the liver significantly decrease the mean level of magnesium in serum compared to the other two groups. It was shown that a magnesium level below 12.76 micrograms/ml in cancer patients increased the risk of cancer metastases to the liver.

Aged↗

[Correlation between self-reported drug use and the results of hair analysis in detoxification and methadone treatment patients].

Hair analysis offers the possibility of revealing an individual's recent history of drug exposure beginning at sampling day and dating back over a period of weeks or months. This feature of hair analysis can be applied in clinical setting for monitoring drug use by addicted patients being rehabilitated. The aim of this study was to apply determination of major opiates and amphetamines in hair to confirm medical interview made by a physician in detoxification and methadone treatment patients. These assays used gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for opiates and liquid chromatography coupled to atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation mass spectrometry (LC/MS-APCI) for amphetamines. Most unconfirmed interview data were in the group of detoxification patients. Four methadone patients were negative for opiates.

Adult↗

[The exposure to tobacco smoking].

The exposition to tobacco smoke is overall: in home, work and public places. For the examination of the presence and concentration of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in indoor environments the nicotine and respirable suspended particulates (RSP) are determined. A variety of biomarkers (nicotine, cotinine, thiocyanate, carboxyhemoglobin, protein and DNA adducts) are propose for measurement of exposure to tobacco smoke. The most popular is measurement of cotinine concentration in body fluids (blood, urine, saliva). Plasma cotinine concentration correlated to numbers of cigarettes smoked and to various biological effects of cigarette smoking and exposure to ETS. Other biomarkers as carboxyhemoglobin, thiocyanate, and amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons adduct can be also use.

Biomarkers↗

Simultaneous determination of buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry.

Buprenorphine is a strong narcotic analgesic. It is also used in the substitution therapy for opium alkaloid addicts. The aim of this paper was to develop and validate a highly sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry method for simultaneous determination of buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine in human serum. The developed methodology was then applied to real clinical cases in a clinical toxicology setting. Extraction of analytes has been done using solid-phase extraction. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a LiChroCART column with a Purospher RP-18e cartridge, and for detection an LCQ mass spectrometer with an ion trap analyzer was used. Quantitation of buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine was performed in a single ion monitoring mode (m/z 468 buprenorphine, m/z 414 for norbuprenorphine) in order to increase the sensitivity of the method. The standard curves for both compounds were linear over the range of 0.2-10 ng/mL (r2 > 0.995). The quantitation limit was 0.2 ng/mL for both analytes. The method was used for quantitation of both buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine in the serum of 15 patients undergoing the buprenorphine substitution therapy. Serum concentrations ranged between 0.36 and 4.60 ng/mL for buprenorphine and 0.21 and 2.50 ng/mL for norbuprenorphine, with buprenorphine single dosages from 0.8 to 6.0 mg.

Buprenorphine↗

Relationship between the level and time of exposure to tobacco smoke and urine nicotine and cotinine concentration.

The study attempts to evaluate whether it is possible to determine time and level of exposure of rats to tobacco smoke based on nicotine and cotinine content in urine. The animals were exposed to tobacco smoke by inhalation in a specially designed experimental chambers. The exposure to three different tobacco smoke levels (500, 1000 and 1500 mg CO/m3 of air) lasted 6 h per day, for one, three and five days. Nicotine and cotinine concentrations were measured in daily urine using high performance liquid chromatography procedure developed by the authors. It has been shown that cotinine but not nicotine can be used as a biomarker of time and extent of exposure to tobacco smoke.

Animals↗