LIS-lnterlink-connecting laboratory information systems to remote primary health-care centres via the Internet.

A pilot study was performed to evaluate the feasibility of using the Internet to securely deliver patient laboratory results, and the system has subsequently gone into routine use in Poland. The system went from design to pilot and then to live implementation within a four-month period, resulting in the LIS-Interlink software product. Test results are retrieved at regular intervals from the BioLink(TM) LIS (Laboratory Information System), encrypted and transferred to a secure area on the Web server. The primary health-care centres dial into the Internet using a local-cell service provided by Polish Telecom (TP), obtain a TCP/IP address using the TP DHCP server, and perform HTTP 'get' and 'post' operations to obtain the files by secure handshaking. The data are then automatically inserted into a local SQL database (with optional printing of incoming reports)for cumulative reporting and searching functions. The local database is fully multi-user and can be accessed from different clinics within the centres by a variety of networking protocols.

The effect of dietary enrichment with fish-oil on urinary excretion of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and renal function in proteinuric patients with primary glomerulopathies.

The rate of progression of renal disease depends on many factors including serum lipids and tubulo-interstitial injury. Aim of the study was to see whether fish-oil therapy may affect serum lipids and NAG excretion with urine (a marker of tubular cell damage) in humans with renal disease. The effects of dietary fish-oil fatty acids on the serum lipids, NAG urinary excretion and serum arachidonic acid concentration were examined in thirteen primary glomerulonephritic patients with proteinuria and normal renal function. The regular diet enriched with 1650 mg n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (18%: 20:5; n-3 EPA and 12%: 22:5; n-3 DHA) was ingested for three months. At the end of fish-oil enriched diet neither creatinine clearance nor urinary protein excretion changed significantly. But serum concentration of HDL and arachidonic acid increased (48.0 +/- 15 vs. 52.0 +/- 14; p < 0.05), (0.47 +/- 0.13 vs. 0.72 +/- 0.29; p < 0.01), respectively. Simultaneously urine NAG excretion and serum LDL decreased (11.2 +/- 7.1 vs. 10.3 +/- 7.3; p < 0.05), (163.0 +/- 57 vs. 149.0 +/- 51, p < 0.01), respectively. We presume that fish-oil supplementation may have a beneficial effect on renal tubular cells in humans and it could be linked with arachidonic acid metabolism.

[Microalbuminuria in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus]. / Mikroalbuminuria u pacjentów z rozpoznaniem ukladowego tocznia rumieniowatego (u.t.r.).

The aim of the investigation was microalbuminuria evaluation as an early symptom of renal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Thirty patients aged 18 to 66 years (mean: 39,4 years) with mean duration of SLE of 6,3 years (range: 0,5 to 22 years) were examined. All of them fulfilled the preliminary criteria of the American Rheumatism Association for the classification of SLE. During the study none of patients had clinical or laboratory symptoms of nephropathy, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and heart failure. Microalbuminuria was measured by immunoturbidimetric method and the urine microalbumin concentration was expressed as the ratio microalbumin-creatinine concentration in 24 hour urine [equation: see text] Ratio I was 3,36 (+/- 2,76) in patients suffering from SLE comparing to I = 1,35 (+/- 0.89) in normal controls (p < 0.001). There was no correlation between increasing microalbuminuria and patients age and duration of disease. There was also no correlation between microalbuminuria and erythrocyte sedimentation rate or immunological activity parameters (i.e. antinuclear antibodies, anti dsDNA antibodies, levels of C3 and C4 components of complement).

[Some clinical aspects of erythropoietin action used at doses not affecting erythropoiesis in hemodialysed patients]. / Niektóre kliniczne aspekty dzialania erytropoetyny stosowanej w dawkach nie pobudzajacych erytropoezy u pacjentów przewlekle dializowanych.

Erythropoietin has become a crucial point in treatment of anaemia in patients with chronic renal failure. Recently a very important point of concern are the non hematological aspects of its action. The aim of presented study was to evaluate the biochemical and clinical effects of using erythropoietin at doses not influence hemopoiesis. 10 hemodialysis patients with stable hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, were given erythropoietin at dose of 7-10U/kg.b.w./d--the dose not affecting erythropoiesis. Erythropoietin was administered subcutaneously, 3 times a week, for 12 weeks. In this way, we tried to evaluate the direct effects of erythropoietin action, not associated with a correction of anemia. After the therapy a statistically significant decrease was seen of total cholesterol (p < 0.01), LDL-cholesterol (p < 0.01) in serum of these patients. The concentration of triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, glucose and insulin changed in a variable mode. We did not find any significant changes in hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, but despite of that we observed a significant decrease of lactate (p < 0.01). It seems that the global result of all mentioned changes was a great improvement in the "quality of life" of this group of patients.

Epidemiologic estimation of goiter in children from Gdansk, Elblag, Olsztyn and Torun districts (Gdansk coordinating center).

The study comprised 1604 children (49.9% of boys and 50.1% of girls) of age between 6 and 13 years living in the districts of Gdansk, Elblag, Olsztyn and Torun. 55.5% of children were from urban area, 44.5% from rural area. This districts have been divided into 3 geographic regions. 1) Olsztyn region: 174 children and the villages near Olsztyn--178 children, 2) Seaside region: Gdansk and Elblag--358 children and 3 villages situated in the distance less than 60 km from the sea--533 children, 3) Torun region: Torun--181 children and villages near Torun--180 children. A significant relationship between the incidence of goiter and the place of living was found. The presence of goiter was observed in 9.2% of children in Gdansk and Elblag and in 23% of children in the seaside region (with the peak in Glincz village--35%). In Olsztyn region the incidence was 18.2%, in Torun region--12.5%. Among 1604 studied subjects in 263 (16.4%) with goiter, the nodular goiter was in 2.3% of cases. The lowest occurrence of goiter was noted in Gdansk and Elblag. Urinary iodine concentration in children with goiter from Gdansk and Elblag (123.1 micrograms/l) was higher than in those living in villages in the seaside region (90.8 micrograms/l). The thyroid size as measured by ultrasonography was different in children with and without goiter in each age group. In the age group of 6-8 years it was 4.8 ml in children without goiter and 6.3 ml in children with goiter, in the age group 9-10 years, 5.7 ml and 8.6 ml, in the age group 11-12 years, 6.6 ml and 10.0 ml, in children 13 years old--8.0 ml and 12.1 ml. All the children with goiter have greater body weight and height than those in the same age groups without goiter. 13.2% of studied persons consumed iodized salt. There was no difference in the incidence of goiter in children receiving and not receiving iodized salt (13.4% and 13.1% in all regions). There was also lack of relation between urinary iodine concentration and rate of consumption of iodized salt.

Adenosine receptors in basolateral membranes of rat renal cortex.

High affinity binding sites for adenosine were identified in rat kidney cortex basolateral membranes. Kinetic analysis indicates two sets of [3H]adenosine, [3H]ADO, binding sites, one with high affinity and Kd = 0.84 +/- 0.25 microM, one with low affinity and Kd = 4.74 +/- 0.37 microM. The ADO receptors were further characterized using ADO analogs as binding inhibitors. The most potent inhibitor of [3H]ADO binding was N-methyl-adenosine with a Kd of 5 microM, whereas 2-deoxyadenosine was about 50 times less potent. The binding of [3H]phenylisopropyladenosine, [3H]PIA, and [3H]-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine, [3H]NECA, to basolateral membranes was rapid and reversible. The Scatchard plot of [3H]PIA binding showed monophasic curves for experiments performed at 0 degrees C and 37 degrees C. The apparent Kd of [3H]PIA binding at 0 degrees C was 0.19 +/- 0.05 nM and 0.34 +/- 0.07 nM at 37 degrees C. The binding of [3H]NECA to basolateral membranes was found with an apparent affinity Kd of 110 +/- 50 nM at 0 degrees C. Pretreatment of membranes with N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) inhibited the [3H]PIA binding and did not affect the [3H]NECA binding. These results demonstrate that both A1 and A2 adenosine receptors are present in basolatertal membranes of rat kidney.

[Effects of alpha and beta receptor blockaders on urinary excretion of sodium and potassium in healthy rats and in those with chronic renal failure]. / Wplyw zablokowania alpha- i beta-receptorów adrenergicznych na wydalanie sodu i potasu u szczurów zdrowych i z przewlekla niewydolnoscia nerek.

The aim the study was to investigate the effects of both alpha and beta adrenergic blockade on sodium and potassium excretion in rats with chronic renal failure. The chronic renal failure was induced by surgical ablation of 75% renal mass. Controls were shame operated rats. All experiments were performed under sodium pentobarbitone anesthesia. Blood pressure was measured intraarterially and glomerular filtration rate was estimated as inulin clearance. Phentolamine (4 micrograms/kg/min)--Group I; or propranolol (4 micrograms/kg/min)--Group II were infused i.v. to controls and chronic failure rats. alpha-receptor blockade with phentolamine lowered GFR and blood pressure to the same extent in controls and rats with chronic renal failure. alpha-blockade caused increased fractional sodium excretion only in controls while urinary excretion of sodium and potassium fell in rats with chronic renal failure. The beta-blockade with propranolol (4 micrograms/kg/min)--Group II did not affect both blood pressure and GFR either in controls nor in rats with chronic renal failure. However propranolol infusion increased sodium and potassium excretion in controls but not in rats with chronic renal failure. Our study showed the divergence in the role of adrenergic receptors in regulation of urinary electrolytes excretion between controls and rats with chronic renal failure.

Pharmacokinetics of a new hypoglycemic agent SPC-703.

Pharmacokinetic of a new hypoglycemic agent, SPC-703 was studied in rats after iv, ip and po administration of two doses of the drug. It was found that biological half-time (t 1/2) did not depend upon the route of administration, t 1/2 value was 12.5-13.8 hr. There was no statistically significant difference in the pharmacokinetic parameters of SPC-703 after administration of two doses, 25 and 50 mg/kg of the drug. The volume of distribution of the unbound to serum protein SPC-703 was 93 ml, the volume of distribution assayed for the total amount of SPC-703 was 42.4 ml. SPC-703 in humans was absorbed rapidly from the gastrointestinal tract to the general circulation, ka = 1.21 hr-1, half-time of absorption was 0.65 hg (39 min). The volume of distribution of absorbed SPC-703 Vd/F was 10.1 l.