Consumption of Nutritionally Enriched Hen Eggs Enhances Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilation via Cyclooxygenase Metabolites in Healthy Young People-A Randomized Study.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of enriched hen egg consumption on endothelium-dependent vasodilation (EDV) and the role of cyclooxygenases in EDV in the microcirculation of young healthy individuals. This study hypothesizes that Nutri4 eggs will improve endothelial function, which will be manifested by changes in microcirculatory flow measured by a laser Doppler flowmeter (LDF) during reactive hyperemia in response to vascular occlusion, in which n-3 PUFA plays an important role as well as its degradation pathway by cyclooxygenases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants consumed three eggs per day for three weeks: The control group (CTRL, n = 14) consumed regular hen eggs (approximately 0.330 mg of lutein, 1.785 mg of vitamin E, 0.054 mg of selenium and 438 mg of n-3 PUFAs daily) and Nutri4 group (n = 20) consumed enriched eggs (approximately 1.85 mg of lutein, 0.06 mg of selenium, 3.29 mg of vitamin E, and 1026 mg of n-3 PUFAs daily). Skin microvascular blood flow in response to EDV (post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) and iontophoresis of acetylcholine (AChID)) and sodium nitroprusside (SNPID; endothelium-independent) was assessed by laser Doppler flowmetry before and after dietary protocol and in a separate group of participants who were administered perorally 100 mg of indomethacin before microvascular response assessment. Arterial blood pressure, heart rate, serum lipid, and liver enzymes, anthropometric measurements, protein expression of cyclooxygenase 1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), neuronal nitric oxide synthases (nNOS), inducible nitric oxide synthases (iNOS), and endothelial nitric oxide synthases (eNOS) were measured before and after dietary protocol. RESULTS: PORH and AChID were significantly enhanced, and SNPID remained unchanged in the Nutri4 group, while none was changed in the CTRL following a respective diet. PORH decreased after administration of indomethacin in Nutri4 after dietary protocol. Protein expression of COX-2 was significantly higher in the Nutri4 group compared to the CTRL after the dietary protocol. CONCLUSION: Consumption of enriched eggs improves microvascular EDV in healthy young subjects. Results suggest an element of n-3 PUFAs metabolites via the cyclooxygenases pathway in enhanced reactive hyperemia.

Croatian survey on critical results reporting.

INTRODUCTION: Poor harmonization of critical results management is present in various laboratories and countries, including Croatia. We aimed to investigate procedures used in critical results reporting in Croatian medical biochemistry laboratories (MBLs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: An anonymous questionnaire, consisting of 24 questions/statements, related to critical results reporting procedures, was send to managers of MBLs in Croatia. Participants were asked to declare the frequency of performing procedures and degree of agreement with statements about critical values reporting using a Likert scale. Total score and mean scores for corresponding separate statements divided according to health care setting were calculated and compared. RESULTS: Responses from 111 Croatian laboratories (48%) were analyzed. General practice laboratories (GPLs) more often re-analyzed the sample before reporting the critical result in comparison with the hospital laboratories (HLs) (score: 4.86 (4.75-4.96) vs. 4.49 (4.25-4.72); P=0.001) and more often reported the critical value exclusively to the responsible physician compared to HLs (4.46 (4.29-4.64) vs. 3.76 (3.48-4.03), P<0.001). High total score (4.69 (4.56-4.82)) was observed for selection of the critical results list issued by the Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemistry (CCMB) indicating a high harmonization level for this aspect of critical result management. Low total scores were observed for the statements regarding data recording and documentation of critical result notification. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in practices about critical results reporting between HLs and GPLs were found. The homogeneity of least favorable responses detected for data recording and documentation of critical results notification reflects the lack of specific national recommendations.