Selected angiogenic factors in plasma of patients with lower limb symptomatic peripheral arterial disease: preliminary report.

AIM: The number of people suffering from atherosclerosis-related complications such as peripheral arterial disease (PAD) ­ including lower limbs PAD increases. Hypoxia and ischemia stimulate angiogenesis ­ a postnatal multistage process in which new blood vessels form and the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF-A) is the key proangiogenic factor whereas its soluble receptors type 1 and type 2 (sVEGFR-1, sVEGFR-2) are regarded as inhibitory factors. The aim of this study was to assess the concentrations of VEGF-A, sVEGFR-1 and sVEGFR-2 in plasma of patients with symptomatic lower extremity PAD compared with selected clinical parameters (Ankle-Brachial Index, distance in walking test) and severity of PAD (according to the Fontaine classification). METHODS: The study group included 46 patients suffering from symptomatic PAD with Fontaine class IIa-IV without any history of neoplastic disease. The control group consisted of 30 healthy non-smoking volunteers. The following parameters were determined: plasma concentrations of VEGF-A, its soluble receptors (sVEGFR-1, sVEGFR-2) using the ELISA method also VEGF-A and sVEGFR-1 quotient was calculated on the basis of mean concentrations in homogenous units (pg/mL). RESULTS: The study group revealed a statistically significant higher level of VEGF-A concentration when compared with the control group and statistically significant lower concentration of sVEGFR-2 in the study group. In the study group a statistically significant negative correlation between VEGF-A concentrations and the length of irrelative distance in walking test was observed. In the group of PAD a significantly higher VEGF-A/sVEGFR-1 ratio in comparison with the control group was obtained. Within the group of patient suffering from PAD there was noticed an increasing VEGF-A/sVEGFR-1 ratio in subsequent subgroups according to the Fontaine classification. CONCLUSION: The plasma concentrations of VEGF-A correlated with increased clinical symptoms of PAD in the walking test. The plasma VEGF-A/sVEGFR-1 ratio may be used as a useful ischemic marker in patients with PAD which should be tested and finally verified in large group of patients.

[Prolonged cardiologic and neurologic complications following electric shock]. / Odlegle nastepstwa razenia pradem elektrycznym w zakresie ukladu krazenia i ukladu nerwowego

Long-term cardiological and neurological observations of 8 patients struck with electric current are presented. It was found that electric shock causes chronic myocardiac lesions followed by the coronary heart disease, cardiac insufficiency and arrhythmia, occuring mostly as premature ventricular extrasystoles. In most of affected persons, symptoms of distonia vegetativa were present during several years. EEG changes and Marinesco-Radovici symptom suggest that in some cases the observed vegetative symptoms can depend on organic changes in the central nervous system.

[Hematological studies of the populations of Lower Silesia living in different ecological conditions]. / Wyniki badan hematologicznych populacji Dolnego Slaska zyjacych w róznych warunkach ekologicznych

Haematological investigations were carried out in different population groups in Lower Silesia. The total material investigated included 439 men and 229 women. The investigations demonstrated that the haemoglobin level, erythrocyte count haematocrit index were lower in the population of villages lying around copper processing plants. The mean reticulocyte count exceeded significantly that in the control group. The highest parameters of erythrocyte system were found in the group of men from a large city despite their occupational exposure to exhaust gases. The leucocyte count was 6-7000/mul in all groups with the exception of the urban group in which it was 1000-1500/mul lower than the mean values in the remaining groups. Lymphocytosis was observed most frequently in this group. The highest mean percent of granulocytes and the lowest incidence of lymphocytosis were observed in the control group from a rural population in a non-industrialized area while rural groups around industrial centres showed intermediate values. In the female group from a locality exposed particularly to industrial pollution low platelet count was frequent.