[Eritropoetin as laboratory index of the degree of respiratory insufficiency in chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.]

he concentration of erythropoietin (EPO) in serum was studied. The study included 122 people divided into two groups. The main group (group 1) consisted of 102 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The control group (group 2), comparable in age and sex, was 20 surveyed, with no signs of respiratory failure. The concentration of EPO was determined by the method of solid-phase enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) using the test system "Erythropoietin-EIA-BEST" (ZAO Vector-Best, Russia). The concentration of EPO in the serum of the patients of the main group significantly exceeded its content in the control group, the median and interquartile range were respectively 12.0 (7.4 - 16.1) mIU / ml in the main group and 7.5 (5.65-8 , 1) mIU / ml in the control group (p = 0.000454). The degree of increase in EPO correlated with the severity of COPD on the GOLD scale. In a pair comparison of the results obtained, significant differences were established between the control group and the G grade subgroup (p (control and C) = 0.021578), and the control group and subgroup D according to the GOLD classification (p (control and D) = 0,000721). An increase in the content of EPO in the blood is probably due to the reaction of the juxtaglomerular nephron apparatus to the formation of hypoxia due to a violation of the function of external respiration. Thus, the study of the concentration of EPO can be used to assess the severity of COPD, and in interpreting the results of this laboratory test, the possibility of increasing its concentration due to impairment of the function of external respiration should be considered.

[Ejaculate and serum procalcitonin levels in healthy men and men with oligoasthenozoospermia].

INTRODUCTION: Seminal plasma composition reflects the activity of reproductive organs involved in the semen production. AIM: To study procalcitonin concentrations in serum and semen samples of healthy men and men with oligoasthenozoospermia. METHOD: s .The study included 88 men, who were scheduled for diagnostic evaluation to establish the cause of infertile marriages. The study group comprised 40 men with oligoasthenozoospermia, the comparison group included 48 men with normal sperm concentration. Laboratory testing of all participants revealed no abnormal findings in blood count, blood chemistry studies and urinalysis. RESULTS: Mean seminal plasma procalcitonin level in the study subjects (n=87) was 0,349+/-0,370 ng/ml being about 10 times higher than its serum level, which was 0.037+/-0.027 ng/ml (p<0.000001). In the study group, seminal plasma PCT concentration was significantly greater than in the control group (p=0.0095), while the serum procalcitonin levels in all participants were almost identical (p=0.605). There were no statistically significant correlations between the procalcitonin levels and spermatozoa concentration, total count and ejaculate volume. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that elevated levels of procalcitonin in seminal plasma can be regarded as an unfavorable prognostic factor, indicating the reduced ejaculate fertility. Further studies seem warranted, specifically considering the role and source of procalcitonin production in sperm.

[The concentration of cerebral natriuretic peptide in tear and blood serum.]

The natriuretic peptides regulate pressure and water metabolism in human organism. The concentration of N-thermal cerebral natriuretic propeptide (NT-proBNP) in tear and blood serum was analyzed. The sampling included 49 patients divided on three groups. The group I (main) included 14 patients with primary open-angle sub-compensated glaucoma degree I-III. The group II (comparative group) included 15 patients with age-related immature cataract. The group III (control) included volunteers without any visual organ diseases. The concentration of NT-proBNP in tear and blood serum was detected by solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique using test system NT-proBNP - IFA - BEST¼ («Vektor-Best¼, Russia). The median of content of NT-proBNP in tear turned out to be less than in blood serum in all groups (р1 = 0,00763; р2 = 0,00452; р3 = 0,00029) and made up to in patients with glaucoma 41,3 pg/ml, with cataract - 37.5 pg/ml, in healthy people 0 25.0 pg/ml (inter-quartile range made up to 20-60 pg/ml, 20-65 pg/ml, 10-49,5 pg/ml correspondingly). No differences in concentration of NT-proBNP were established in all groups both for blood serum (p = 0,494) and tear (p = 0,388). The concentration of NT-proBNP in tear correlated with its concentration in blood serum (r = 0,694). However, no dependencies were established from value of intra-ocular pressure (r = 0,168). Therefore, the concentration of NTproBNP in tear is not a perspective laboratory arker for diagnostic of increased intra-ocular pressure and stratification of development of glaucoma.

[Catalase gene rs1001179 polymorphism and oxidative stress in patients with chronic hepatitis C and ulcerative colitis].

AIM: To study the rs1001179 polymorphism of the catalase (CAT) gene and to estimate the serum levels of the enzymes catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GP) in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and in those with ulcerative colitis (UC) in the Perm Territory. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Ninety patients with reactivation-phase CHC and 50 patients with exacerbation-phase UC were examined. The serum levels of catalase and GP were determined and the polymorphic variants of the marker of CAT gene rs1001179 in the DNA isolated from whole blood were found in all the patients. RESULTS: In the CHC and UC groups, the levels of catalase and GP were found to be lower than that in apparently healthy individuals. Furthermore, both groups showed a direct correlation between the activities of the enzymes. In the patients with CHC and in those with UC, the spread of genotypes and alleles generally failed to virtually differ from that in the control group. The G/G genotype was prevalent in all the groups. In the patients with CHC, the minor A allele demonstrated a significant inverse correlation with the enzyme catalase (r = -0.16; p = 0.02) and GP (r = -0.13; p = 0.047). CONCLUSION: The lower serum levels of catalase and GP are indicative of oxidative stress in the patients with CHC or UC. In the patients with CHC, the significant correlation of the pathological rs1701179 A allele marker with the processes of synthesis of antioxidant enzymes may suggest that CAT gene polymorphism in the A/A homozygotes might affect the regulation mechanism involved in the antioxidant system in the liver.

[The value of immune enzyme testing of qualitative content of blood serotonin and liquor, in differentiate diagnostic of craniocerebral injury].

The sample of 72 patients with craniocerebral injury of light and medium degree in acute period was used to study the content of serotonin in blood serum and spinal liquor. The increase of the level of serotonin in blood serum depending on degree of severity of trauma was established. This occurrence can be used as a technique of differential diagnostic of concussion and contusion of brain.