ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The goal of this study is to assess the natural antioxidant barrier of the organism and selected psychological aspects of the aging process in patients above 60 years old. METHODS: The study included a total of 52 patients aged above 60 (mean age 67 ± 3.4) and 32 healthy subjects (mean age 22 ± 3.4) as a control group. All patients underwent psychological assessment using Test of Attentional Performance version 2.3 (TAP 2.3, four subtests: alertness, cross-modal integration, neglect with central task, and working memory) and biochemical analysis of venous blood concerning values of the selected parameters of oxidative stress (HT, GSH, GPXOS, GPXRBC, GRRBC1, SODRBC1, MDARBC1, NO2-/NO3-, and CP). RESULTS: Disorders of attention were observed mainly in elderly people, but an assumption that elderly people have developed more efficient ways of working memory use than younger people may be true. Results showed the reduced effectiveness of the body's natural antioxidant barrier in elderly people. Moderate positive and negative correlations among parameters of oxidative stress and psychological parameters were observed in the control group. DISCUSSION: Intensification of the attention deficits and oxidative stress may be observed as one of the pathogenic factors of age-dependent diseases.
Subject(s)
Aging/psychology , Antioxidants/therapeutic use , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
A case of a primigravida with hypovolemic shock symptoms and acute intrauterine fetal hypoxia was described. Emergency caesarean section, during which a hemorrhage to the peritoneal cavity caused by an unrecognized splenic artery aneurysm rupture was diagnosed, was immediately performed.
Subject(s)
Aneurysm, Ruptured/surgery , Obstetric Labor Complications/surgery , Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular/surgery , Rupture, Spontaneous/surgery , Splenic Artery/surgery , Adult , Aneurysm, Ruptured/diagnosis , Cesarean Section , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Obstetric Labor Complications/diagnosis , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular/diagnosis , Pregnancy Trimester, Third , Rupture, Spontaneous/diagnosis , Splenectomy , Splenic Artery/pathologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Chronic alcohol consumption induces an increase in oxidative stress. There are studies that indicate changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the concentration of lipid peroxidation products in the blood of organisms as a result of alcohol consumption, but published results are somewhat conflicting. The aim was to study the effect of alcohol withdrawal and detoxification on the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) in erythrocytes and on the concentration of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in the erythrocytes and blood plasma of alcohol-dependent patients. MATERIAL/METHODS: The study group consisted of 42 alcohol-dependent men who underwent seven-day detoxification at an addiction treatment department. The control group consisted of 20 healthy male volunteers. Blood for analysis was taken from the antecubital vein before detoxification, after the first detoxification, and after several (> or =3) detoxifications. RESULTS: Before detoxification, the concentration of TBARS in the men's blood plasma was 40% higher (p<0.001) than in the control group. After detoxification, the concentration of TBARS decreased, but remained higher than in the control group. The activities of SOD and GPx in erythrocytes of alcohol-dependent persons were statistically significantly lower than in the control group both before and after detoxification. However, after detoxification, a slight increase in the activity of SOD was observed compared to that before detoxification. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that alcohol-dependency leads to oxidative stress in the peripheral blood. Seven-day alcohol withdrawal and detoxification has no effect on TBARS concentration and antioxidant enzyme activity.
