Plasma levels of coenzyme Q(10), vitamin E and lipids in uremic patients on conservative therapy and hemodialysis treatment: some possible biochemical and clinical implications.

Coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)), vitamin E, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol (HDLC) and triglycerides were measured in the plasma of 62 patients with kidney failure, 46 under hemodialysis treatment and 16 under conservative therapy, and 95 controls. The sum of LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) and VLDL-cholesterol (VLDL-C) was also calculated for each patient. The ratio CoQ(10)/LDL-C+VLDL-C in both conservative therapy and hemodialysis populations was significantly lower (P<0.001) compared with normal controls and remained unchanged after the dialysis treatment. On the contrary the ratio vitamin E/LDL-C+VLDL-C was normal but decreased significantly (P<0.02) after each dialysis. Since coenzyme Q is the main inhibitor of the prooxidant action of vitamin E, it was hypothesized that its decrease in both the populations examined could make the lipoproteins of these patients more vulnerable to a peroxidative attack.

Determination of copper, zinc, and selenium in human plasma and urine samples by potentiometric stripping analysis and constant current stripping analysis.

Potentiometric stripping analysis and constant current stripping analysis are proposed as routine methods for analysis of copper, zinc and selenium in plasma and urine samples. The analytical performance of these methods is comparable with that reported for atomic absorption spectrometry. However the low cost, greater simplicity of the apparatus, and the facility of execution make this methodology a valid candidate for routine application in Clinical Chemistry laboratories.

Ontogeny of the fetal immune system: study on pregnancies with Rh-isoimmunization and nonimmune fetal hydrops.

This study aims at observing and comparing the antigen expression of some fetal T- and B-lymphocyte subpopulations in Rh-isoimmunization, which determines anemic hypoxia in the fetus, and nonimmune fetal hydrops (NIFH) which, even if there are some etiological factors involved, causes hipoxic hypoxia in the fetus. Twelve fetuses were studied by way of 30 fetal blood samples obtained by ultrasound-guided cordocentesis between the 20th and 36th gestational week. Twenty-four blood samples in all where taken from the eight fetuses with Rh-isoimmunization. Six blood samples were obtained from the four fetuses with NIFH. The lymphocyte phenotypes studied by monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry were the following: CD3, CD4, CD8, expression of T-lymphocyte subpopulations; BsIg, CD19, expression of B-lymphocyte subpopulations. We observed a near-normal maturation process in fetuses with Rh isoimmunization, whereas in fetuses with NIFH we observed inhibition and/or delayed expression of T-lymphocytes. An early and increased B-lymphocyte activation marked a cooperation between the two systems in the early gestational periods.

Coenzyme Q: potentially useful index of bioenergetic and oxidative status of spermatozoa.

The concentration of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a key intermediate of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, was determined in spermatozoa of 13 fertile subjects, 8 potentially fertile patients, and 12 infertile patients. CoQ10 concentrations were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in infertile patients than in fertile and potentially fertile subjects. The difference between potentially fertile and fertile subjects was also significant (P < 0.001). We propose that a decrease in consumption of CoQ10 in both infertile and potentially fertile populations is due to an autoregulatory mechanism of ATP production.

Coenzyme Q10 levels, plasma lipids and peroxidation extent in renal failure and in hemodialytic patients.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), vitamin E, triglycerides and conjugated dienes were measured in a group of 48 patients on chronic hemodialysis, in 15 uremic patients and in a control group of 10 normal subjects. CoQ10 levels were significantly lower (P < 0.001) in both hemodialytic and uremic patients compared with the normal group whereas triglycerides were significantly higher (P < 0.001) with respect to both normal subjects and uremic patients. Conjugated dienes were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in both hemodialytic and uremic patients with respect to normal subjects. The predialytic values of vitamin E were higher in hemodialytic patients with respect to both normal subjects and uremic patients whereas the postdialytic values were in the normal range. A restoration mechanism of vitamin E after hemodialytic treatment was hypothesized.

Salivary electrolytes in treated hypertensives at low or normal sodium diet.

The aim of this study was to investigate possible abnormalities in salivary electrolytes in hypertensives treated with ace-inhibitors (ACE-I) or calcium antagonists (Ca-ANT) at low or normal sodium intake. Hypertensives treated with ACE-I (n.14) or Ca-ANT (n.22) and 13 normotensives were studied during normal or restricted Na intake. Na, K, Ca, Mg and Cl were determined in saliva samples collected by using a standardized adsorption procedure (SALIVETTE). Na intake was evaluated by determination of the 24-hr urinary Na excretion. Similar concentrations of Na, K, Ca, and Cl were found in normotensives and in hypertensives treated with ACEI or Ca-ANT both at low or normal Na diet. Magnesium in saliva appeared reduced in ACEI-treated hypertensives (0.28 +/- 0.06 mmol/l) in comparison to the similar values of normotensives (0.53 +/- 0.05) and Ca-ANT treated hypertensives (0.54 +/- 0.07). In normotensives and in treated hypertensives lowering of Na intake did not change the salivary content of Ca, Mg and Cl but produced in saliva a reduction of Na associated to a rise in K. Salivary Na/K ratio was significantly correlated with 24 hr urinary Na excretion in normotensives (r = 0.77; p < 0.05) and in hypertensives treated with ACE-I (r = 0.74; p < 0.05) or Ca-ANT (r = 0.62; p < 0.05). The low salivary magnesium in ACE-I-HT may have a role in the occasional ACEI-dependent dysgeusia. Salivary Na/K ratio may be used as a rough index of Na intake in treated hypertensives.

Enzymatic determinations in acute rejection after liver transplantation: preliminary report on necrosis index.

The catalytic activities of some mitochondrial and cytoplasmic enzymes were measured in plasma from 19 patients after orthotopic liver transplantation, in order to detect and monitor the evolution of hepatocellular damage and to predict liver rejection. The enzymatic activities determined were: mitochondrial isoenzyme of aspartate aminotransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase and alkaline phosphatase. The results of all enzymatic activities were normalized by expressing them as multiples of the upper limit of the relevant reference range and then the necrosis index (NI) has been calculated. The proposed NI consists of percent ratio of the normalized mitochondrial enzymatic activities over the sum of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial normalized activities. We observed that NI values higher than 30% correctly identified all but two acute rejection events which were documented by liver biopsies showing a diagnostic sensitivity of 90%, specificity of 78% and a predictive value of 90%.