High concentration of kynurenic acid in bile and pancreatic juice.

Kynurenic acid (KYNA) is an agonist of the G-protein-coupled receptor GPR35, which is predominantly expressed in gastrointestinal tissues. The aim of this study was to determine the content of KYNA in gastric juice, bile and pancreatic juice and intestinal content. KYNA was determined by means of high performance liquid chromatography. The mean concentrations of KYNA in human gastric juice is 9.91 +/- 0.71 nM in contrast to human bile (832.5 +/- 204.1 and 306.8 +/- 35.2 nM) obtained from patients with cholecystolithiasis and obstructive jaundice, respectively. In pigs, the KYNA levels in bile and pancreatic juice are 1,113.3 +/- 63.34 and 757.0 +/- 394.4 nM, respectively. The KYNA concentration increases along the digestive system, reaching 1,638 nM in the colon content. We suggest that the liver and pancreas affect the content of kynurenic acid in the lumen of the digestive tract.

Selected socio-economic features and the prevalence of peptic ulcer among Polish rural population.

The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between the prevalence of peptic ulcer and the occurrence of selected socio-economic features among Polish rural population. The study was conducted based on the all- Polish representative study of the state of health of rural population, and covered a group of 6,512 rural inhabitants aged 20-64 -- 3,107 males and 3,405 females selected by two-stage stratified sampling. Peptic ulcer was diagnosed in 348 people in the study (5.3%): 250 males (8.0%) and 98 females (2.9%). Duodenal ulcer occurred in 3.2% of people examined, followed by gastric ulcer -- 1.2%, duodenal and gastric ulcer -- 0.2%, and 0.9% of patients underwent surgical procedures due to peptic ulcer. Peptic ulcer occurred more frequently among people with a lower education level (lack of education -- 7.8%, elementary school education -- 5.8%), compared to those with higher education categories (elementary vocational -- 4.9%, secondary school and college -- 3.7%). The disease was more often diagnosed among respondents who described their material standard as poor (7.7%), compared to those who described this standard as good (4.0%). Among people who considered their material standard as poor, gastric ulcer was noted more frequently than duodenal ulcer. A correlation was observed between the prevalence of peptic ulcer and such socio-economic features of Polish rural population as the level of education and material standard.

Peptic ulcer among rural population in a selected region of south-eastern Poland.

Environmental conditioning of peptic ulcer, territorial variations in the occurrence of this disease, as well as reports indicating changes in the natural history of peptic ulcer provided incentives to undertake the present study. The aim of the study was to determine whether the above-mentioned changes in the course of peptic ulcer also concerned rural population from the agricultural region of south-eastern Poland. The study covered 1,647 patients with peptic ulcer treated in the General Surgery Ward at the Specialist Hospital in Brzozów (Rzeszów Region) between 1980-1999. The analysis was conducted based on data obtained from the documentation of the General Surgery Ward. In order to determine changes in the parameters examined taking place during the 20 year period, it was divided into 4 sub-periods of 5 years each. The total number of patients treated due for peptic ulcer was 1,647, including 470 patients with gastric ulcer (28.5%), 1,137 patients with duodenal ulcer (69.0%) and 40 with gastric and duodenal ulcer (2.5%). A decrease was noted in the number of patients treated for peptic ulcer during Period I of observation (1980-1984) and Period IV (1995-1999) - from 460 down to 348 patients p < 0.0001. Peptic ulcer more often affected males than females (70.2% and 29.8% respectively), most frequently in the age groups 41-50 (20.9%) and 51-60 (20.0%). Gastric ulcer was most often noted in the age groups 51-60 (24.4%) and 61-70 (23.8 %), whereas duodenal ulcer in the age groups 42-50 (22.4%) and 31-40 (20.6%). During the study period (1980-1999), a decrease was observed in the number of patients treated for peptic ulcer. Hospitalization due to peptic ulcer decreased, mainly in patients with duodenal ulcer, and to a smaller degree among those with gastric ulcer. The relationship was observed between the incidence of peptic ulcer and the site of ulcer, sex and age of patients. Changes observed in hospitalization due to peptic ulcer among rural population in the south-eastern region of Poland was similar to those observed in other regions of Poland and the majority of European countries.

Effect of nimesulide-a preferential COX-2 inhibitor on arterial blood pressure, compared to ketoprofen.

Clinical and experimental studies have shown that renal and cardiovascular effects of most selective COX-2 inhibitors (rofecoxib, celecoxib) are similar to other traditional NSAIDs (dual COX inhibitors). In these study the effect of nimesulide--preferential COX-2 inhibitor, administration on 24-hour blood pressure profile was investigated in 40 adult individuals on antihypertensive therapy with pain states caused by osteoartritis. Nimesulide was administered orally, twice a day at the conventional dose of 0.1 g for five days. In the next (or previous) 5 days the same patients were administered with ketoprofen at the dose of 0.05 g three times a day. On the last day of the NSAID administration period, 24-hour blood pressure monitoring was performed. Our results indicate no difference between nimesulide and ketoprofen effects on mean blood pressure values during antihypertensive therapy.