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Biomedical subjects

Z Gonciarz

Publications and source records attributed to Z Gonciarz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Progastrin and its products from patients with chronic viral hepatitis and liver cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: Gastrin and its precursor, progastrin, are synthesized in the stomach, particularly when infected with Helicobacter pylori, and they are metabolized, at least in part, in the liver. However, little is known about their levels in various hepatic diseases. METHODS: This study was carried out on 147 patients including chronic hepatitis B (n = 35), hepatitis C (n = 52) and liver cirrhosis (n = 60) of class A (n = 38), class B (n = 15) and class C (n = 7) (Child-Pugh classification) and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 65). The diagnosis of chronic hepatitis was confirmed by liver biopsy in all patients, whereas the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis was based on clinical and laboratory findings. Liver biopsy was done in 38 out of 60 patients. Blood samples were collected under basal conditions and separated plasma samples were kept frozen at -70 degrees C until radioimmunoassay of progastrin and its products, including bioactive amidated gastrins. RESULTS: Median (range) plasma concentrations of total progastrin product and amidated gastrin in control subjects were 147.5 (73-345) pM and 33 (15-65), respectively. These concentrations in hepatitis B and C were not significantly different from those in controls. In cirrhosis (classes A, B and C), the concentrations of the progastrin and of gastrin were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in controls reaching, respectively, 253.5 (135-683 pM) and 47.5 (17-385) pM. Both progastrin and gastrin levels were significantly higher in H. pylori-positive than in negative cirrhotic patients. Antibodies against H. pylori were present in about 50% of controls, 68% of hepatitis B, 57% of hepatitis C and in 83% in cirrhosis patients. The difference in H. pylori prevalence between cirrhosis and controls was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma levels of progastrin and gastrin are significantly increased in cirrhotic patients and this could be attributed to reduced metabolism of these peptides in liver cirrhosis and to their increased release due to H. pylori infection rate in this disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Reduction of CD45RA isoform expression and decrease in CD4 and CD8 receptor density in lymphocytes of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: The immunological background of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) remains largely obscure. METHODS: Using double colour flow cytometry, we estimated the distribution of functionally different lymphocyte subpopulations in the peripheral blood of 25 PBC patients and 18 controls. We examined: 1) the expression of CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19 and CD56 surface receptors, 2) the distribution of lymphocyte subsets bearing 'naive' (CD45RA+) and 'memory' (CD45RO+) phenotypes in both CD4+ and CD8+ cell populations, 3) the expression of an early activation marker (CD69), 4) the distribution of C1.7 mAb binding cytotoxic effectors in CD3+, CD8+ and CD56+ cells. The surface marker expression was evaluated in terms of percentage of positive cells and receptor density. RESULTS: We found: 1) a decrease in the percentage of total CD3+ and CD4+ cells, an unchanged proportion of CD8+ cells but elevated proportion of CD19+ cells and NK lymphocytes; 2) a reduction in the percentage of 'naive' CD4+ but normal proportion of 'naive' CD8+ as well as CD4+ and CD8+ 'memory' cell subsets; 3) a decrease in the density of CD4 and CD8 receptors in the subsets of 'naive' and 'memory' T cells, 4) an increase in the percentage of CD69 receptor bearing T cells but unchanged proportion of C1.7 mAb. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that the reduction in number of 'suppressor-inducer-like 'naive' CD4+ T-cell subsets in association with the decrease in fluorescence intensity for CD4 and CD8 may significantly contribute to the mechanisms that could account for a development of PBC.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Effectiveness of antiviral treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C (a Polish multicenter study)].

Interferon alpha (INF) is routine treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Many controlled investigations were evaluated to establish the optimal schedule of treatment with sustained virological and biochemical response. Recently, multicentre meta-analyses suggest that combination therapy (INF + Ribavirin) was more effective than treatment with interferon alone. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of four schedules of antiviral treatment in 445 patients with chronic hepatitis C. Combination therapy (INF + Ribavirin) given for 6 mo. and monotherapy (INF) for 18 mo. were more effective than interferon alone given for 6 mo. Treatment with INF alone for 6 mo. was demonstrated to be insufficient.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed2001

Short-term changes of serum IL-2 and IL-6 induced by interferon alpha-2b in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND: The standard therapy of chronic hepatitis C with interferon alpha (IFN alpha) and ribavirin has established but limited efficacy. The prognostic factors of treatment are still under investigation. IL-2 and IL-6 are key cytokines involved in activation of B and T lymphocytes and thus in humoral and cellular responses; they are also deeply involved in generation and maintenance of inflammatory processes. The aim of the study was to evaluate the short-term influence of INF alpha-2b on serum IL-2 and IL-6 levels in sustained responders (SR) and non-responders (NR). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Altogether 12 patients (7 males and 5 females) chronically infected with HCV (anti-HCV positive, HCV-RNA positive by PCR) were enrolled to the study. Patients were treated with IFN 3 MU tiw for 6 months and then they were followed for another 6 months. Five patients responded to the treatment (sustained responders-SR)-Group I, seven patients did not respond (non-responders-NR)-Group II. Serum concentrations of IL-2 and IL-6 were assessed by ELISA before ['0'] and at 1st ['1'], 2nd ['2'], 3rd ['3'], 6th ['4'] and 12th ['5'] hour after the first IFN injection. CONCLUSIONS: Interferon alpha-2b induced short-term increase of serum IL-2 concentrations in SR but not in NR. Serum IL-6 level increased both in SR and NR but this effect was more pronounced and persisted longer in sustained responders.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Interferon versus interferon and UDCA combined therapy in chronic hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND: Interferon alpha (IFN) has been shown to have established efficacy in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C but its effectiveness is unsatisfactory. Combined therapies with IFN and other antiviral or immunomodulatory drugs are under evaluation. A combination of interferon alpha and ursodeoxycholic acid UDCA has been reported to give better results than interferon alone. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of IFN monotherapy versus IFN and UDCA therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied 38 patients (25 males and 13 females) chronically infected with HCV (anti-HCV positive, HCV-RNA positive by PCR). Seventeen of them were treated with IFN 3 MU tiw for 6 months--Group I. The remaining 21 patients were treated with IFN, at the same dosage, plus UDCA (10 mg/kg/day) also for 6 months--Group II. Patients were followed for 6 months. 6 months after the end of therapy, laboratory biochemical parameters, HCV viremia and proportion as well as time to relapse were assessed. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to previous reports we did not find any differences neither in proportion of HCV reactivation nor in the time of its appearance among patients treated because of chronic hepatitis B with IFN alone or with IFN plus UDCA combined therapy. We also did not find any difference in initial and late response to the treatments in both groups.

DNA, Complementary↗
PubMed2001

Assessment of HBV DNA levels in human plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells by TaqMan Q-PCR assay.

Hepatitis B virus DNA (HBV DNA) levels were quantitatively determined by a TaqMan quantitative polymerase chain reaction (TaqMan Q-PCR) in the plasma and in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 120 patients with biopsy proven chronic hepatitis. The number of HBV DNA copies ranged from 10(1) to 10(10)/ml of the blood. There were no significant differences between plasma and PBMCs levels of HBV DNA in neither of HBV infected alone nor HCV co-infected patients. The number of HBV DNA copies was higher in the both compartments in blood of patients infected with HBV only, in comparison to those co-infected with HBV and HCV. In patients chronic hepatitis caused by both viruses (co-infection), decrease of HBV DNA copies in the PBMCs preceded its disappearance from the plasma. Our results suggest that assessment of HBV DNA in PBMCs does not produce important advantage in diagnosis of chronic hepatitis, and it seems to have the prognostic significance of positive outcome among the patients with chronic hepatitis induced by HBV and HCV co-infection. Our results also indirectly indicate that HCV may reciprocally inhibit replication of HBV.

DNA↗
PubMed2001

Increased AST and GGT activity as marker of RT-PCR inhibition in RNA extracts from peripheral blood.

The presence of HCV RNA in PMBC, with simultaneous absence of the virus in the plasma (7.8%), suggests that blood is better material for HCV RNA detection than plasma or serum in the diagnostic procedures of patients with chronic hepatitis C as well as in monitoring the antiviral therapy. We studied 111 patients with chronic hepatitis C (anti-HCV+) and elevated level of at least one biochemical marker: AST, ALAT, GGT, AP and bilirubin. Inhibition of amplification was 2% in plasma and 34% in whole blood samples. We applied modification of extraction to reduce the inhibitory effect on PCR, by introducing additional purification of the RNA extract in the Chomczyński method. After our modification of extraction was applied, inhibition was reduced to 1%. In attempt to identify such inhibitory markers that would label the samples, in which additional RNA extract purification should be applied, we analysed the activity of AST and ALAT enzymes, the key markers for parenchymal liver damage; GGT and AP, the markers for cholestatic hepatitis as well as bilirubin. We observed that the increased GGT and AST activities were correlated with the inhibition of RT-PCR. This correlation was statistically significant; for AST (Mann-Whitney test p = 0.09654 and Kolmogorow-Smirnow test p = 0.01543) and for GGT (Mann-Whitney test p = 0.02419 and Kolmogorow-Smirnow test p = 0.01921).

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed2001

Dynamics of HCV replication in patients with chronic hepatitis C during interferon and ribavirin combined therapy.

Objective of the present study was to determine the effect of combined therapy with interferon alfa-2b (3 MU; thrice weekly s.c.) and ribavirin (1200 mg daily p.o.) on the number of copies of positive and negative strands of the hepatitis C virus RNA (HCV RNA) in patients with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis C. Number of copies of both strands was determined by a TaqMan reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (TaqMan RT Q-PCR) in the whole blood before treatment, and 4, 12 or 24 weeks after introduction of the treatment. Before the treatment positive strand of HCV RNA was more frequently detectable and its level was higher compared to that of the negative strand. In several patients, we observed therapy-induced transient appearance or increase in the number of copies of the negative HCV RNA strand. As a result of 24-week treatment, the negative strand of HCV RNA was eliminated from the blood more effectively than the positive strand. Our results suggest that the assessment of dynamics of changes of the positive and negative strands levels of HCV RNA in interferon-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C may be useful in monitoring short-term effectiveness of combined antiviral therapy. They also indicate that TaqMan RT Q-PCR appears to be a valuable tool in monitoring the therapy in these patients.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed2001

Do fibrinolytic proteins of human bile derive exclusively from gall bladder?

BACKGROUND: In this study we addressed the issue of whether fibrinolytic proteins are presented in gall bladder bile only or in choledochus bile as well. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Gall bladder bile was obtained from 20 patients (Group I) undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Bile from common bile duct was aspirated after insertion Kehr drainage from 9 patients (Group II). The concentrations of t-PA, u-PA, PAI-1 and PAI-2 were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: We have shown that in cholecystectomized patients fibrinolytic proteins can be detected in bile both from gall bladder and from choledochus. Mean concentrations of t-PA, u-PA, PAI-1 were lower in Group II (5.69 ng/ml vs 15.7; 0.46 ng/ml vs 0.7; 16.82 ng/ml vs 26.16 ng/ml) or nearly equal for PAI-2 (343.53 ng/ml vs 341.02). All differences were insignificant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results we concluded that the entire biliary tree produces the fibrinolytic proteins thus this production is not restricted to the gall bladder as it was earlier reported [1].

Bile↗
PubMed2001

Lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to examine the hypothesis that total blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) lymphocytes and their subsets in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) with coexistent alveolitis are different from those in patients with PBC alone. Total blood and BAL lymphocytes and their subsets were evaluated in both types of patients and compared with a control group of normal healthy subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 17 patients with well-documented PBC were divided into two groups: Group A--patients with coexisting alveolitis and Group B--patients with no alveolitis. Diagnosis was based on bronchoalveolar lavage. The control group consisted of healthy subjects. The lymphocyte subsets, including CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20 and CD56 were identified in blood and BAL cytospin smears using specific monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: The percentage of CD3 and CD8 lymphocytes in BAL was significantly lower in a Group A, whereas the percentage of NK was significantly increased in group B as compared with the reference group. The percentage of blood CD4 lymphocytes in both subgroups of the PBC patients was significantly decreased as compared with the controls. The percentage of NK in both groups was significantly increased as compared with the controls. CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between the blood and BAL lymphocyte subsets in both studies groups were similar. Therefore, we suggest that PBC is a systemic disease in which lymphocytic infiltrations are not limited to the liver but may also involve lungs and probably other organs.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Cardiac sympathovagal balance during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Cardiopulmonary complications have been reported during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the sympathovagal response to the stretching of the common bile duct caused by contrast medium injection during ERCP. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The 16 patients included in the study were assigned to two groups according to the size of common bile duct. Group A consisted of patients with normal-sized bile ducts, while Group B patients had dilated common bile ducts. The heart rate variability (HRV) technique was used to assess the sympathovagal balance. The HRV data were gathered using the Holter technique, and frequency domain analysis revealed two main spectral components of HRV: low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF). RESULTS: In patients with normal-sized bile ducts, contrast injection initiated a rapid increase in the power spectra (ms2) of both the HF and LF components. In patients with dilated common bile ducts, this phenomenon was not observed. CONCLUSIONS: During ERCP, contrast injection into a dilated common bile duct does not stimulate the autonomic nervous system in the same way as it does when the common bile duct is of normal size.

Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde↗
PubMed1997

Isolation and evaluation of susceptibility to sulphasalazine of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans strains from the human digestive tract.

Various genera of sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) have been found in the human digestive tract. It is suggested that some of SRB species may be responsible for the development of the clinical symptoms of ulcerative colitis and other disease of large intestine. Sulphasalazine (salicyl-azo-sulphapyridine, SAS) is commonly used to treat patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease. Above 30 samples of faeces or biopsy specimens from 25 patients (age 45 +/- 14 years; M/F, 13/12) suffering from gastrointestinal disorders were used for isolation of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans species. The morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics of isolated strains and also their susceptibility to SAS was determined. D. desulfuricans isolates were obtained from 5 amongst all patients assayed. Some abnormal, cigar-shaped cells were detected as accompanying the cells represented by rods, curved rods and vibrios. After strains purification, two types of colonies were present on the solid Postgate's medium B (containing lactate as a carbon source and sulphate for energy conservation): the black colonies growing in bulk of agar medium and the transparent, surface-growing mucous colonies. These two types of D. desulfuricans colonies may be a result of different iron availability for bacterial cells. High metabolic activity of strain was not always accompanied by the presence of H2S gas lock in the test tube, although the H2S odor was perceptible. All tested strains multiplied inconsiderably slowly in the presence of SAS at concentrations 10, 20, 40 and 60 mg/cm3. The growing concentrations of SAS did not cause a proportional decrease of the bacterial cells number. Taking into account the positive results of using SAS to treat patients with some colonic diseases and the indicated resistance to SAS of intestinal D. desulfuricans strains, it appears probable, that this SRB species isn't responsible for the development of mentioned diseases.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1994

[Isolation of Helicobacter pylori from gastric mucosa depending on the growth medium used].

The usefulness of selective media in increasing the percentage of isolated Helicobacter pylori as well as the occurrence of H. pylori infection in upper gastro-intestinal tract disorders were evaluated. It was shown that the frequency of H. pylori isolation was significantly higher when selective media (Columbia agar with supplementation according to Skirrow-Campylobacter Selective Supplement SR 69 and Columbia agar with Helicobacter pylori Selective Supplement SR 147,Oxoid) were used instead of non-selective media (Columbia agar). Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy performed in 125 patients demonstrated that H. pylori infection was rather frequent (50%) and dependent on the type of pathology. It was almost always accompanied by histological features of chronic inflammation of mucosa. In patients with gastric bile reflux the frequency of H. pylori infection was about 19%.

Agar↗
PubMed1993

[Hepatocholangiocarcinoma].

In a 48-year-old man, using imaging methods, the presence was shown of a tumour in the right hepatic lobe. The serum AFP and DCP concentrations--the serological markers of hepatocellular cancer--were significantly increased, however, the histological examination of liver biopsy specimen demonstrated the structure of a cancer originating from the bile canaliculi. The material for study obtained during laparotomy and autopsy made possible the demonstration of the structure typical of both cholangiocellular carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma in separate foci. The mixed form of hepatocholangiocellular carcinoma is extremely rare and difficult for diagnosis which induced us to report own case.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗