Comparison of the postoperative fibrinogen, alpha-1-antitrypsin and alpha-2- macroglobulin concentrations in the blood of wounded soldiers of Croatian Army and peacetime injured civilians.

In 10 wounded Croatian Army soldiers and in 10 civilians with accidental musculosceletal traumatisation, blood concentrations of the 3 acute phase proteins: fibrinogen, alpha-1-antitrypsin and alpha-2-macroglobulin on the 1st, 5th and 10th postoperative day were assessed. On the 5th day after injury, increased concentrations of all 3 acute phase proteins (APP) were found in all patients. The rise of the fibrinogen concentrations in the wounded soldiers was the steepest. On the 10th day after wounding, fibrinogen concentrations in the gorup of wounded soldiers were significantly lower than those in the group of injured civilians. On the 10th day after wounding there were no differences between the 2 groups in the concentrations of alpha-1-antitrypsin and of alpha-2-macroglobulin. The lower fibrinogen concentrations in the wounded soldiers could be explained by the modulation of the general reactivity of the organism to injury, proposed by Woloski, which is induced by stress and microtrauma on battlefield before the wounding.

Hyperdynamic beta-adrenergic syndrome among Croatian soldiers engaged in battle.

A group of 1592 male Croatian soldiers (average age 32 +/- 9, ranging from 19 to 54) were examined by an internist at the war hospital. Elevated blood pressure was found in 80 men (5%); 61 of them had no history of hypertension (Group A), while in 19 patients hypertensive disease had been diagnosed before (Group B). In group A, systolic blood pressure (BPS in mm Hg), diastolic blood pressure (BPD in mm Hg) and heart rate (HR) were 182 +/- 13, 111 +/- 10, and 115 +/- 9; in group B, the values were 184 +/- 12, 108 +/- 8, 85 +/- 11. Electrocardiograms (ECG) and thorax roentgenograms of group A did not reveal any hypertension-caused signs, neither did the examination of the fundus, nor the serum creatinine values yield any abnormal results. The ECG test showed sinus tachycardia (heart rate > 100/min) but an otherwise normal function in group A. In group B, at least one of the laboratory examinations confirmed the previously diagnosed hypertension. Group A was treated with the cardioselective beta-blocker Atenolol (100 mg daily), while in group B, the previous antihypertensive medication was modified and/or increased. All patients were sent back to the front-line. Three days later, blood pressure and heart rate in group A were: BPS 139 +/- 9, BPD 87 +/- 6 and HR 77 +/- 8; and in group B: 156 +/- 11, 95 +/- 8, 75 +/- 7. A significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.0001) was found in both groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)