Variability of peripheral pulse wave velocity in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 during orthostatic challenge.

Diabetes mellitus 2 (DM2) is the seventh cause of death worldwide. One of the reasons is late diagnosis of vascular damage. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) has become an independent marker of arterial stiffness and cardiovascular risk. Moreover, the previous studies have shown the importance of beat-to-beat PWV measurement due to its variability among the heart cycle. However, variability of PWV (PWVv) of the whole body hasn't been examined yet. We have studied a group of DM II and heathy volunteers, to investigate the beat-to-beat mean PWV (PWVm) and PWVv in the different body positions. PWV of left lower and upper extremities were measured in DM2 (7 m/8 f, age 68+/-10 years, BP 158/90+/-19/9 mm Hg) and healthy controls (5 m/6 f, age 23+/-2 years, BP 117/76+/-9/5 mm Hg). Volunteers were lying in the resting position and of head-up-tilt in 45° (HUT) for 6 min. PWVv was evaluated as a mean power spectrum in the frequency bands LF and HF (0.04-0.15 Hz, 0.15-0.5 Hz). Resting PWVm of upper extremity was higher in DM2. HUT increased lower extremity PWVm only in DM2. Extremities PWVm ratio was significantly lower in DM2 during HUT compared to controls. LF and HF PWVv had the same response to HUT. Resting PWVv was higher in DM2. Lower extremity PWVv increased during HUT in both groups. PWVm and PWVv in DM2 differed between extremities and were significantly influenced by postural changes due to hydrostatic pressure. Increased resting PWVm and PWVv in DM2 is a marker of increased arterial stiffness.

[Clinical diagnosis and laboratory study of acute respiratory diseases of viral origin in children]. / Klinická diagnóza a laboratorní vysetrení akutních respiracních onemocnení virového puvodu u detí.

The authors analyzed retrospectively a group of 477 children aged two months to 16 years (mean age 6 years and 5 months), hospitalized on account of acute respiratory disease and subjected to virological examination. The aetiology was revealed in 53% of the sick children. In the elucidation of the aetiology participated a number of respiratory viruses, in particular the respiratory syncytial virus. The clinical picture of the disease was very varied. It was confirmed that the clinical picture does not make it possible to express in a considerable proportion of patients suspicion of an actual infectious aetiology. A mixed aetiology of acute respiratory diseases and a varied clinical picture indicate the necessity of a rapid virological and bacteriological examination in hospital practice.

Antibodies to human coronaviruses 229E and OC43 in the population of C.R.

Of 1200 human sera tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), 53% contained antibodies to human coronavirus (HCV) 229E and 88% to HCV OC43. The sera were from persons aged 13 months to 80 years, both males and females, and were collected in four different regions in 1986. The percentage of positives increased with increasing age and tended to vary according to the geographic area. Additional paired human sera from 218 patients with acute respiratory diseases (ARD) were collected between October 1986 and June 1987 in Prague. Significant antibody rises to HCV strain 229E were detected in 7 (3.2%) patients 9 months to 17 years old, to HCV strain OC43 in 4 (1.8%) patients under 2 years of age.

[Surveillance of acute respiratory diseases in the 1988/1989 season in Czechoslovakia]. / Surveillance akutních respiracních onemocnení v sezóne 1988/1989 v CSSR.

The authors submit an analysis of results of surveillance of acute respiratory diseases during the 1988/1989 season in the CSSR. The influenza epidemic took place between the 4th and 11th calendar week with a peak in the 7th week. During the epidemic 19.7% of the population in the CSR contracted the disease. The influenza epidemic was preceded by a high incidence of infections caused by a respiratory syncytia virus. As to the aetiology, influenza viruses subtypes A/H1N1/, A/H3N2/ and type B participated practically equally in the epidemic. The authors discuss the observed changes in the influenza epidemiology in recent years in Czechoslovakia and neighbouring countries.

Epidemiological analysis of acute respiratory disease (ARD) and characteristics of the influenza epidemic in Bohemia during the season 1986/1987.

The authors analyze the findings of epidemiological and virological surveillance of ARD in Bohemia during the season 1986/1987. In all, 57.5% of the Czech population was affected by acute respiratory disease (ARD). There were 5,950,832 cases reported, 124,444 complications (2.1% of the overall morbidity rate) and 5,374 deaths due to influenza, bronchitis, pneumonia and chronic pulmonary affection. The influenza epidemic commenced during the 48-th calendary week (CW) and lasted 5 weeks till the 52-nd CW. The epidemic was due to an influenza virus strain of the subtype A(H1N1) antigenically related to the drift variant A (Singapore) 6/86. Within an extremely short period of the epidemic, 1,094,865 influenza cases were reported and 22,313 cases of complications. 10.7% of the CSR population were affected during the epidemic in whose etiology noninfluenza respiratory viruses were significantly implicated, especially adenoviruses (41.7%) and the RS virus (26.9%). There was no excessive mortality in the course of the epidemic. The authors discuss the atypical nature of this particular influenza epidemic and the etiological role of respiratory viruses.

[Virologic and morphologic study in sudden and unexpected death in children]. / Virologická a morfologická studie u náhle a neocekávane zemrelých detí.

The authors examined a group of 47 children who died at the age of 1-9 months, incl. 19 female and 28 male children. In 23 the death was described as sudden and in 24 as unexpected. From 19 dead children a virus was isolated: in 14 one or two serotypes of enterovirus were found, in two the virus of parainfluenza 3 in two adenoviruses (type 2, 7). A total of 46 viral strains were isolated. By immunofluorescence in tissues antigens of the parainfluenza virus 3 and adenovirus were detected. Immune complexes were not detected in tissues. The distribution of vaccination polioviruses in organs and tissues after a known interval following vaccination was recognized. In some of the infants a possible causal relationship between the virological and morphological findings was found and the authors discuss the possible pathogenetic role of the revealed changes in sudden death.

[Acute respiratory disease caused by coronaviruses]. / Akutní respiracní onemocnení vyvolaná koronaviry.

Serological evidence of coronavirus aetiology was found in 11 patients out of 218 persons examined (5%) in the period of 1986-1987, and in 23 cases out of 311 patients (7.4%) in the period of 1987-1988. Antibody titres with a minimum of four-time elevated values in paired sera using the ELISA method were considered conclusive. Coronaviruses 229E and OC43 were employed. During the first period, more persons were infected by coronavirus 229E, while in the second period, by coronavirus OC43. The disease was equally spread over all the months of the years. For example, in the 1987-1988 period, most infections occurred in February, when out of 60 examined patients, 9 were coronavirus positive (15%).

Immunofluorescent IgG and IgM antibodies in human sera by enterovirus infections.

IgG and IgM antibodies to selected enterovirus serotypes (P2, CB 1-5, E2, 4, 20), to prototype collection strains and to fresh isolates were examined by immunofluorescence in paired sera of 11 children and 4 adults in whom enterovirus had been isolated, or a rise of specific antibodies had been proved by neutralization test. One six-month- and one seven-month-old child had antibodies of both classes to the isolated virus strain and to poliovirus only. Children from eight month onwards and adults had antibodies to the majority of enterovirus serotypes tested. Among all enteroviruses tested, heterologous reactions were observed not only with IgG but also with IgM class antibodies.

Use of indirect immunofluorescence method for detection of rhinovirus-specific antibodies.

Neutralization test and the method of indirect immunofluorescence were used to study the titre of specific antibodies in 32 paired serum samples taken from subjects naturally infected by varying RV serotypes [1A, 1B, 9, 12, 15, 16, 19, 23, 26, 29, 30, 31, 41, 47]. The IF method was positive in all the examined sera, the increase in the titre of rhinovirus-specific antibodies was mostly low and in 10 cases was the titre in both serum samples identical. The neutralization test turned out to be less sensitive in detecting specific antibodies. In serum samples from 13 examined subjects it failed to detect antibody presence in either of the two serum samples, in 15 subjects was recorded an increase in the titre of antibodies, but in some of them was only small, and the identical antibody titre in both serum samples was detected in 4 subjects.

Antibody to parainfluenza virus types 1, 2 and 3 in sera and nasal secretions of persons of different age.

Serum and secretory antibody levels against 3 types of parainfluenza virus were determined in persons ranging in age from 1 month to 74 years. With a slight decline in the group of 7 months to 2 years of children, the number of positive findings increased with age, reaching maximum in the groups of 16-24 years [types 1 and 2] and 25-74 years [type 3] old persons. Nasal secretory antibodies against parainfluenza type 3 virus were detected in all age categories, the highest number of positive findings occurred in the group of 16-24 years old persons. Secretory antibodies against type 2 virus were detected also in all age groups, but the number of positive findings was considerably lower. Secretory antibodies against type 1 virus were detectable in persons over 5 years of age, with a maximum in the age category of 16-24 years. The percentage of positive persons with antibody to type 1 virus was the lowest.

Haemagglutination-inhibiting and neutralizing antibodies to type 3 and 5 rhinoviruses in human sera and nasal washings.

Presence of antibodies to RV 3 and RV 5 was tested by HIT and NT in 60 human sera. Antibodies to RV 3 were detected in 23 sera by HIT in a titre range of 1:4--1:64 and in 19 sera by NT in a titre range of 1:4--1:256. Antibodies to RV 5 were detected in 31 sera by HIT in titres of 1:4--1:268 and 27 sera by NT in the same titre range. In a group of 22 persons with unequivocal serum antibodies nasal secretory antibodies were found in 11 subjects in titres of 1:4--1:32. In a group of 16 persons without detectable serum antibodies, presence of secretory antibodies (titre 1:4) was only found in four cases.

Haemagglutination inhibition antibodies in nasal secretions of persons after natural parainfluenza virus infection.

In 7 adults and 7 children with upper respiratory illness of parainfluenza aetiology, the virus was isolated in the acute phase from nasal washings or nasal smears in spite of high titres of haemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibodies in serum. By contrast, secretory HI antibodies were not demonstrated at the onset of illness in any of the patients, but their formation started early and the antibodies reached maximal levels about 10 days after onset of illness. The individual patients showed considerable differences in the dynamics of secretory antibody formation and especially in their persistence. In some of the patients, secretory antibodies were demonstrated as late as 12 months after the illness.

Antibody response in humans after administration of whole-virion and split vaccine prepared from two different influenza A/swine viruses.

Previous findings with sera of several different animal species had indicated a close antigenic similarity between the X53 recombinant (possessing both surface antigens of A/Swine/New Jersey/76 virus) and the A/Swine/Ann Arbor/31 (AA) virus (1). Since the latter virus grows much better in chick embryos than the former, we examined the possibility of using the Ann Arbor virus instead of X53 for inactivated vaccine production. The present paper describes our findings in sera of subjects immunized with either whole-virus or split vaccine prepared from AA virus.

Levels of immunoglobulins and antibodies to haemaglutinin and neuraminidase of influenza virus in nasal secretions after natural infection.

Nasal washings (NW) from 16 influenza patients in the course of an epidemic in November and December, 1974 were examined for the presence of influenza virus, immunoglobulins (Ig) and titres of haemagglutination inhibiting (HI) and neuraminidase inhibiting (NI) antibodies. Influenza virus identical with A/Port Chalmers/1/73 (H3N2), increased levels of IgA and occasionally IgG, and specific antibodies were detected in the NW. The dynamics of HI and NI antibody formation did not differ substantially, but there were individual differences in titres and persistence of antibodies. Convalescent sera always contained increased levels of HI and NI antibodies. In some cases, the titres of antibody to viral ribonucleoprotein did not increase.