[Secondary dyslipidemias]. / Sekundárne dyslipidémie.

Dyslipidemias rank among the most important preventabile factors of atherogenesis and its progression. This topic is increasingly being discussed as e.g. more than 50% of Slovak population die on atherosclerotic complications. According to etiology we distinguish primary dyslipidemias with strictly genetic background and secondary ones with origin in other disease or pathological state. Secondary dyslipidemias accompany various diseases, from common (endocrinopathies, renal diseases etc) to rare ones (thesaurismosis etc.) and represents one of symptoms of these diseases. Apart from particular clinical follow up of diagnosed dysipidemias, basic screening and secondary causes as well as treatment due to updated guidelines is recuired. In this review we present the most frequent dyslipidemias of clinical practice.

Serotonin receptors - from molecular biology to clinical applications.

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) is an ubiquitary monoamine acting as one of the neurotransmitters at synapses of nerve cells. Serotonin acts through several receptor types and subtypes. The profusion of 5-HT receptors should eventually allow a better understanding of the different and complex processes in which serotonin is involved. Its role is expected in the etiology of several diseases, including depression, schizophrenia, anxiety and panic disorders, migraine, hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, eating disorders, vomiting and irritable bowel syndromes. In the past 20 years, seven distinct families of 5-HT receptors have been identified and various subpopulations have been described for several of them. Increasing number of 5-HT receptors has made it difficult to unravel the role of 5-HT receptor subpopulations due to the lack of suitable selective agents. The present review describes the different populations and nomenclature of recently discovered 5-HT receptors and their pharmacological relevance.

[Thyroid gland in the gravidity]. / Stítna zl'aza v gravidite.

OBJECTIVES: Disorders of the thyroid gland are the most common endocrinopathies in the gravidity. The spectrum of thyroid diseases in the pregnancy is not different from the diseases that affect the thyroid outside this period of life. However, clinical manifestations of thyreopaties can be modified by gravidity. Some thyreopaties are associated with gravidity or post partum period, or become manifest in this periods for the first time. The aim of this study was to assess thyroidal status of healthy pregnant women without history or clinical signs of thyreopathy. TYPE OF THE STUDY: One-time cross-sectional study. SETTING: 3rd internal clinic FNLP, Kosice. METHODS: We examined 76 pregnant women (mean age 34.46 +/- 5.34 years). The protocol included medical history, physical examination and assessment of TSH, fT4 and anti-TPO concentrations. RESULTS: The mean concentration of TSH was 2.78 +/- 1.25 mlU/ml. We found TSH concentration over 5.0 mlU/ml in 5 participants (6.58%), TSH levels in the borderline range between 4.0-5.0 mlU/ml had another 2 pregnants (2.63%). fT4 concentration was 15.02 +/- 3.61 pmol/l. The mean anti-TPO concentration was 43.28 +/- 15.75 IU/ml. 17 pregnant women (22%) had anti-TPO concentration over 25 IU/ml, which is the level that indicates autoimmune thyroiditis. CONCLUSIONS: Thyreopathies are the most common endocrinopathies in the population and there is the evidence that almost one third of European population is affected from diseases of thyroid gland, predominantly women in fertile age. In the clinical praxis it is essential to think of thyroid disorders and in the case of need screening of the thyroid function.

[Thyroid disease in the pregnancy and congenital malformations of newborns]. / Ochorenia stítnej zl'azy matky a vrodené vývojové chyby plodu.

THE AIM: The aim of this study was to compare thyroidal status of mothers who delivered newborns with morphological congenital malformations and mothers with healthy newborns. TYPE OF THE STUDY: One-time cross-sectional study. SETTING: 3rd internal clinic FN LP, Kosice. METHODS: We examined 43 mothers with newborns born with congenital malformation and 76 mothers with healthy newborns. The protocol included anamnesis, basic physical examination, ultrasonography of the thyroid, assessment of the mothers' plasma fT4, TSH and anti-TPO levels, and comparison of the birth weight and birth length of the newborns. The results were statistically processed by PC programs StatsDirect 2.6.2 and MS Excel 2000. RESULTS: The thyroid volume was significantly greater in mothers with newborns with congenital malformation as in the control group (p<0.001). The birth weight and birth length was significantly lower in newborns with malformations (p<0.0001 resp. p<0.001). We found no differences in the plasma levels of fT4, TSH and anti-TPO between these groups. CONCLUSION: Thyroid disease of the mother can contribute to the congenital malformations of the newborn although there was found no direct association between mothers' thyroid autoantibodies and creation of congenital malformations of the child, yet.

[Thyroid disease in the pregnancy and hypotrophy of newborns]. / Ochorenia stítnej zl'azy matky a hypotrofia plodu.

THE AIM: The aim of this study was to compare thyroidal status of mothers who delivered newborns with hypotrophy and mothers with healthy newborns. TYPE OF THE STUDY: One-time cross-sectional study. SETTING: 3rd internal clinic FN LP, Kosice. METHODS: We examined 56 mothers with hypotrophic newborns and 76 mothers with healthy newborns. The protocol included anamnesis, basic physical examination, ultrasonography of the thyroid, assessment of the mother's plasma fT4, TSH and anti-TPO levels, and comparison of the birth weight and birth length of the newborns. The results were statistically processed by PC programs StatsDirect 2.6.2 and MS Excel 2000. RESULTS: The thyroid volume was significantly greater in mothers with hypotrophic newborns as in the control group (p<0.001). The birth weight and birth length was significantly lower in hypotrophic newborns (p<0.0001 resp. p<0.0001). Mothers with hypotrophic newborns had significantly higher TSH levels (p<0.0001) and higher anti-TPO levels (p<0.0001) as mothers in the control group. We found no differences in the fT4 levels in these groups. CONCLUSION: Thyroid disease of the mother can contribute to the hypotrophy of the newborns.

Selected hormones levels in individuals with endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance.

AIM: To determine possible differences in selected serum hormones levels related to endothelial function and insulin sensitivity. METHODS: Ghrelin, insulin, serotonin, growth hormone, IGF-1, leptin and adiponectin serum levels were determined in a group of 83 adults (40 women, 43 men) with a mean age 49.4+/-4.6 years. Total ghrelin, insulin and serotonin levels were measured using RIA, growth hormone and leptin using IRMA and human adiponectin was measured using ELISA. Results were associated with BMI, calculated as kg/ m2, endothelial function, determined by ultrasound measured flow mediated vasodilatation of brachial artery, and with insulin resistance, calculated by IR HOMA index. RESULTS: We found no difference in age comparing subjects with (ED+) and without (ED-) endothelial dysfunction, neither comparing subject with (IR+) and without (IR-) insulin resistance. In individuals ED+ and IR+ a higher BMI, serum leptin and insulin levels and lower ghrelin, growth hormone and adiponectin levels were found. Subject with ED presented with a higher serum serotonin level compared to subjects without ED. This difference was not found in individuals with and without IR. CONCLUSION: Lower ghrelin, growth hormone and adiponectin levels along with higher insulin and leptin levels may contribute to the progression of endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance.