PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF PLEIOTROPIC EFFECTS OF GASTROINTESTINAL HORMONES.

The unique properties and a great therapeutic potential of incretin drugs allowed them to win a firm place in modern algorithms of treatment of type 2 diabetes in an unprecedented short period of time. Due to discovery of the incretin effect and introduction of the increrin mimetics into clinical practice, an interest of the researchers was growing to study the plelotropic effects of gastrointestinal hormones. In experimental and clinical studies in recent years there has been shown the cytoprotective and cytoproliferative effects of a number of intestinal hormones, namely giucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), ghrelin, and obestatin when administered systemicallyThis review presents an analysis of the currently available results of fundamental and clinical research on the plelotropic potential of the gastrointestinal peptides, and also determines the relevance of further research on the metabolic effects of bariatric surgery.

Respiratory oscillometry and functional analyses in patients with idiopathic scoliosis.

Scoliosis is a condition that affects the spine and causes chest rotation and trunk distortion. Individuals with severe deformities may experience dyspnea on exertion and develop respiratory failure. Respiratory oscillometry is a simple and non-invasive method that provides detailed information on lung mechanics. This work aims to investigate the potential of oscillometry in the evaluation of respiratory mechanics in patients with scoliosis and its association with physical performance. We analyzed 32 volunteers in the control group and 32 in the scoliosis group. The volunteers underwent traditional pulmonary function tests, oscillometry, and the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). Oscillometric analysis showed increased values of resistance at 4 Hz (R4, P<0.01), 12 Hz (R12, P<0.0001), and 20 Hz (R20, P<0.01). Similar analysis showed reductions in dynamic compliance (Cdyn, P<0.001) and ventilation homogeneity, as evaluated by resonance frequency (fr, P<0.001) and reactance area (Ax, P<0.001). Respiratory work, described by the impedance modulus, also showed increased values (Z4, P<0.01). Functional capacity was reduced in the group with scoliosis (P<0.001). A significant direct correlation was found between Cobb angle and R12, AX, and Z4 (P=0.0237, P=0.0338, and P=0.0147, respectively), and an inverse correlation was found between Cdyn and Cobb angle (P=0.0190). These results provided new information on respiratory mechanics in scoliosis and are consistent with the involved pathophysiology, suggesting that oscillometry may improve lung function tests for patients with scoliosis.

CSF angiogenin levels in amyotrophic lateral Sclerosis-Frontotemporal dementia spectrum.

Objective: Angiogenin (ANG) is a pro-angiogenic and neurotrophic factor with an important role in stress-induced injury, by promoting neovascularization and neuronal survival. Identification of loss-of-function mutations and evidence of beneficial effect of ANG administration in transgenic SOD1G93A mice have linked ANG to the pathogenesis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), stimulating interest in considering circulating ANG levels as an ALS disease biomarker although robust evidence is still lacking. Aim of our study was to assess differences of ANG levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of a large cohort of patients with ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) compared to controls and to explore correlations between ANG content and disease-related clinical variables. Methods: ANG levels were measured in CSF samples using a commercially available ELISA kit in 88 patients affected with ALS and/or FTD and 46 unrelated individuals (control group). Results: ANG levels didn't differ significantly between cases and controls. Patients with FTD or ALS-FTD showed significantly increased CSF concentration of ANG compared to ALS patients without dementia and controls in a multivariate regression model (p < 0.001). No correlations were found in ALS/FTD patients between ANG levels and clinical parameters, including age, presence of C9orf72 repeat expansion, body mass index (BMI). Conclusions: our findings highlight a role of ANG as CSF biomarker useful to identify ALS patients with concurrent FTD and suggest that it should be further explored as potential biomarker for FTD.

Respiratory oscillometry and functional analyses in patients with idiopathic scoliosis

Scoliosis is a condition that affects the spine and causes chest rotation and trunk distortion. Individuals with severe deformities may experience dyspnea on exertion and develop respiratory failure. Respiratory oscillometry is a simple and non-invasive method that provides detailed information on lung mechanics. This work aims to investigate the potential of oscillometry in the evaluation of respiratory mechanics in patients with scoliosis and its association with physical performance. We analyzed 32 volunteers in the control group and 32 in the scoliosis group. The volunteers underwent traditional pulmonary function tests, oscillometry, and the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). Oscillometric analysis showed increased values of resistance at 4 Hz (R4, P<0.01), 12 Hz (R12, P<0.0001), and 20 Hz (R20, P<0.01). Similar analysis showed reductions in dynamic compliance (Cdyn, P<0.001) and ventilation homogeneity, as evaluated by resonance frequency (fr, P<0.001) and reactance area (Ax, P<0.001). Respiratory work, described by the impedance modulus, also showed increased values (Z4, P<0.01). Functional capacity was reduced in the group with scoliosis (P<0.001). A significant direct correlation was found between Cobb angle and R12, AX, and Z4 (P=0.0237, P=0.0338, and P=0.0147, respectively), and an inverse correlation was found between Cdyn and Cobb angle (P=0.0190). These results provided new information on respiratory mechanics in scoliosis and are consistent with the involved pathophysiology, suggesting that oscillometry may improve lung function tests for patients with scoliosis.