[MicroRNAs as Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Diseases].

The fact that microRNAs play an important role in the development and pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease is beyond doubt. This article provides a brief overview of recent data that relate to microRNA expression in various cardiovascular diseases. Detecting significant changes in the level of expression of these molecules in various diseases means that microRNAs can be considered to be potential biomarkers of human pathologies including heart failure. Studying the relationship between the mechanisms of cardiovascular disease and the level of expression of a variety of microRNAs, as well as establishing their exact relationships with the genes is an urgent problem and requires further research.

[The fetal proteins in prognosis of development of pneumonia in patients with ischemic stroke].

The searching of laboratory predictors of pneumonia in patients with ischemic stroke is an actual issue. The fetal proteins can be such biomarkers. The study was carried out to determine significance of such fetal proteins as alpha-fetoprotein, cancerous embryonic antigen, CA 19-9, CA 125, CA 15-3, CA 72-4, CYFRA 21-1 for prognosis of development of pneumonia in patients with ischemic stroke. The study included sampling of 216 patients in acute period of ischemic stroke. All patients were measured level of fetal proteins in first day from onset of disease using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. It is demonstrated that CA 72-4 has the most significance for prognosis of development of pneumonia from all analyzed proteins and complications of ischemic stroke. The probability ratio relatively to other fetal proteins added up to 0.460 (CL 95% 0.267-0.791, p=0.011), to other complications--0.629 (CL 95% 0.433-0.913, p=0.015). The threshold value of CA 72-4 for development of pneumonia added up to 0.82 (CL 95% 0.68-0.96, p=0.011) U/ml. Under lower level of CA 72-4 the risk of development of pneumonia increases. Under higher level of CA 72-4 there is statistical probability of absence of developmnent of pneumonia. The threshold value was lower than reference interval which in the study added up to 0.85-1.42 U/ml. The detection of level of CA 72-4 on first day after onset of stroke in patients can be recommended for establishing of group of high risk of development of pneumonia and implementation of therapeutic activities.

[The alpha-fetoprotein in prognosis of survival of and functional rehabilitation of patients with ischemic stroke].

The study was carried out to determine the prognostic value of alpha-fetoprotein in development of lethal outcome and degree of functional rehabilitation of patients with ischemic stroke. The sampling included 216 patients in acute period of ischemic stroke. At the first day of development of disease they were measured the level of human alpha-fetoprotein. At the second day of disease patients were evaluated the degree of functional rehabilitation and the rate of lethal outcomes was calculated. Previously, the reference interval for alpha-fetoprotein was calculated according the guidelines of the International federation of clinical chemistry and national standard. The reference interval amounted to 0.59-3.78 mE/l. The study results demonstrated that low level of alpha-fetoprotein is related to higher risk of lethal outcome (SE=1.7, p=0.012). The increasing of level of alpha-fetoprotein over mentioned threshold value statistically significant increases probability of survival of patients. The further increasing more than 2.28 mE/l is related to subsequent good functional rehabilitation according the modifies Rankine scale (SE=1.4, p=0.001) and Barthel index (SE=1.49, p<0.001).

[Fibrinogen concentration in the evaluation of safety and efficiency of thrombolytic therapy in patients with ischemic stroke].

AIM: To identify and investigate threshold fibrinogen concentrations as predictors of hemorrhagic transformation (HT), fatal outcome (FO), and the efficiency of thrombolytic therapy (TLT) in patients with ischemic stroke (IS). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One hundred and eighty-one patients with IS were examined; all the patients received TLT. Fibrinogen concentrations were determined by the Clauss method on admission, immediately after TLT, and daily during the first 7 days of observation; the efficacy of thrombolysis was evaluated using the NIH stroke scale every day, the Rankin scale, and the Barthel Index on days 14 and 21. RESULTS: The patients with a fibrinogen concentration of below 330 mg/dl showed the lowest frequency of asymptomatic HT (AHT) as hemorrhagic stroke (HS) type 1 in the absence of clinically worsening HT (CWHT), as well as FO and the highest rate of good functional recovery. Those with a fibrinogen concentration of 330-385 mg/dl most commonly displayed AHT as HS types 1 and 2 equally frequently, as well as the highest frequency of a positive effect according to the criteria for good and/or satisfactory functional recoveries. The fibrinogen concentration range of 385-423 mg/dl compared to the above range was characterized by an increased risk for AHT as HS type 2, for CWHT as equally distributed parenchymal hematoma types 1 and 2, by higher death rates and less chance of functional recovery. The elevated fibrinogen concentration above 423 mg/dl was accompanied by high death rates and CWHT as parenchymal hematoma type 2 and the higher frequency of poor outcome in the evaluation of functional recovery. CONCLUSION: The revealed three threshold fibrinogen concentrations of 330, 385, and 423 mg/dl allow one to predict HS, FO, and the efficiency of TLT in patients with IS.

[The balance of markers of regulation vascular tone and fibrinogen in the prognosis of hemorrhagic transformation and fatal outcome in the acute period of ischemic stroke].

The markers of regulation vascular tone, such as rennin, endothelin-1, and C-type natriuretic peptide, are of great value for prognosis of hemorrhagic transformation and fatal outcome of ischemic stroke. A change in the vascular tone in case of hemorrhagic transformation at the affected site precedes activation of the coagulation component of hemostasis as a mechanism preventing blood loss and increasing fibrinogen level. This work was aimed to study the balance of the above markers and fibrinogen in the prognosis of hemorrhagic transformation and fatal outcome in the acute period of ischemic stroke. It included 62 patients receiving no thrombolytic therapy. It was shown that symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation was associated with elevated rennin levels without a marked fall in the level of C-type natriuretic peptide and asymptomatic hemorrhagic transformation with elevated endothelin-1 levels and decreased concentration of natriuretic peptide. Fibrinogen level on day 4 of the observation proved to be a reliable predictor of negative prognosis. Asymptomatic hemorrhagic transformation without fatal outcome was associated with systemic and local vasoconstriction and inhibition of local vasodilation. Symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation with the fatal outcome was accompanied by dysregulation of vascular tone in the form of activation of systemic and local vasoconstriction, insufficient inhibition of local vasodilation and compensatory reaction in the form of activation of hemostatic mechanisms manifest as elevated fibrinogen levels on day 4. The lethal outcome without hemorrhagic transformation was associated with systemic vasoconstriction, activation of local vasodilation and vasoconstriction leading to local "biochemical paralysis" of vascular tone regulation.

[Clinical and laboratory assessment of indicators of oxidative status in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with ischemic stroke].

The objective of the present study was to estimate parameters of oxidative status in the cerebrospinal fluid in the course of ischemic stroke and in the prediction of recovery of neurological functions. Concentration of superoxide dismutase (SOD) as a marker of antioxidant adaptation, the secondary lipid peroxidation products reacting with thiobarbituric acid (PRTBA), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) as an indirect product of NO generation, and N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) as a marker of destruction of neuronal membranes were studied. One hundred and fifty patients with hemispheric ischemic stroke admitted to a hospital during the first 12 h after stroke were examined. It has been shown that the development of cerebral infarction is accompanied by increased concentrations of oxidative stress markers. Progressive ischemic stroke was characterized by the significantly prolonged increase in PRTBA, cGMP, NANA to the third day from the first symptoms of disease while regressive course was accompanied by the lack of higher production of TBKRP, cGMP, NANA to the third day of disease. The decrease in concentrations of factors of brain damage (PRTBA, cGMP, NANA) in the cerebrospinal fluid, along with the increasing role of processes of antioxidant adaptation, expressed in the growth of SOD concentrations, can be considered as a criterion for the prediction of recovery of disturbed neurologic function to the 21th day of disease.