Red Blood Cell Variables in Children and Adolescents regarding the Age and Sex.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the basic red blood cell variables and hematological indices in children and adolescents and analyze the differences regarding age and sex. METHODS: Overall, 320 young participants, age 8 to 18 yr, were enrolled at Laboratory of Sport's Medicine, Medical Faculty, Skopje, Macedonia in 2016. Capillary blood samples were drawn and following hematologic parameters were measured: the red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin concentration (Hb), hematocrit level (Hct) and hematological indexes: mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean hemoglobin concentration (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and red cell distribution width (RDW). RESULTS: RBC variables in male group showed high statistical level of significance between age different groups (P=0.001) for all studied parameters except MCHC (P=0.423) and RDW (P=0.174). ANOVA test and multivariate tests in female group showed that there was no significant difference for all hematological parameters between age different groups. Regarding the sex differences, male participants had significantly higher red blood count (P<0.001), hemoglobin content (P<0.001) and hematocrit (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Hematological parameters in adolescent as inhomogeneous population are not quantified sufficiently, especially hematological indices. RBC variables, regardless of the age, differ very much between male and female examinees, in favor of the male examinees. Hematological indices were insignificantly higher in males. Regarding the age of examinees, RBC variables showed significant inter-groups differences only within male adolescents. While with girls, ages span 8 to 18 yr, we did not find significant differences for most of the hematological variables.

Depression and Resilience in Breast Cancer Patients.

OBJECTIVE: A significant number of breast cancer patients, during their life with the diagnosis, experience emotional distress in the form of depression and anxiety. Psychological resilience is the ability of a person to protect his/her mental health when faced with adverse circumstances such as the cancer diagnosis. This study aims to assess the resilience in breast cancer patients and to explore whether depression affects the resilience. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two hundred eighteen (218) women, treated for early breast cancer responded to Connor - Davidson Resilience Scale and Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale, in order to assess the level of psychological resilience and the level of depression. RESULTS: There is a significant negative correlation between depression and resilience in our sample (r = - 0.562, p < 0.001). Individuals with higher levels of depression have lower levels of psychological resilience. There is no statistically significant correlation between the ages of the participants; time passed since diagnosis, cancer stage and resilience levels. CONCLUSION: This study shows that patients who are less depressed have higher levels of resilience and that psychological resilience may independently contribute to lower levels of depression among breast cancer patients. The level of psychological resilience may be a protective factor for depression and psychological distress.

Resilience and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown that a relationship exists between quality of life (QoL) and resilience in breast cancer patients, but few studies present information on the nature of this relationship of resilience on QoL. Our aim was to examine the relationship between resilience and quality of life in breast cancer patients. METHODS: QoL was measured in 218 consequent breast cancer patients, with EORTC - QLQ Core 30 questionnaire, and EORTC QLQ-BR23. The resilience was measured with Connor Davidson Resilience Scale. RESULTS: The global quality of life was positively correlated with the levels of resilience (R = 0.39 p < 0.001). All functional scales (physical, role, emotional, cognitive and social functioning was in a positive correlation with resilience. The symptoms severity (fatigue, nausea and vomitus, pain, dyspnea, insomnia, appetite loss, constipation, diarrhea, financial difficulties) was in negative correlation with resilience. Less resilient breast cancer patients reported worse body image and future perspective and suffered from more severe adverse effects of systemic therapy, and arm/breast symptoms. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that psychological resilience affects different aspects of health-related quality of life. More resilient patients have significantly better quality of life in almost all aspects of QoL.

Anthropometric parameters in national footballers in the Republic of Macedonia.

OBJECTIVES: The focus of this study is on anthropometric characteristics of footballers in the Republic of Macedonia, and the aim is to provide normative data for selected anthropometric parameters for adult male footballers in our country. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The study included eight hundred (800) adult male footballers, aged 24.06 ± 4.8y (age range 18-35y), who have undertaken routine sport medical examinations over a ten-year period. The football players were divided into six age - specific subgroups ("up to 20"; "up to 22"; "up to 24"; "up to 26"; "up to 28" and "over 28" years). Anthropometric measurements were made by Matiegka's protocols and body composition components were determined. RESULTS: Average values of body height (178.8 ± 6.7 cm), body weight (77.72 ± 7.9 kg), lean body mass (66.21 ± 6.36 kg), body components ( MM% = 53.04; BM% = 17.15; FM% = 14.7%) and a large series of anthropometric measurements which define the footballers' anthropometric dimensions were obtained. The distribution of the adipose tissue regarding the body and limbs showed that the skinfolds were thickest on the lower limbs and thinnest on the arms. CONCLUSIONS: The adult football players in Republic of Macedonia were insignificantly variable in height and body mass from their counter parts from European and American teams. The football players up to 20 year, who played in the senior national football league were lighter and smaller than their older colleagues. The football players aged from 20 to 35 years were insignificantly variable in height, body mass, and anthropometric dimensions of limbs and trunk.

Analysis of body mass components in national club football players in Republic of Macedonia.

AIM: This study aims to analyze body composition in adult male football players and its changes during adulthood. METHODS: Adult male football players (n = 942, mean age 24.11 +/- 4.69 y), all members of national competitive clubs from Macedonia were included in the study. The absolute and the relative body components were calculated: lean body mass (LBMkg), muscle mass (MMkg; MM%), bone mass (BMkg; BM%) and fat components (FMkg; FM%), using the anthropometric protocol by Matiegka. RESULTS: Mean values of anthropometric measures for all included participants were as follows: height = 178.39 +/- 6.11 cm; weight = 77.02 +/- 7.57; LBM = 65.65 +/- 6.38; MM% = 53.23 +/- 2.78; BM% = 17.05 +/- 1.27; FM% = 14.58 +/- 1.48. Descriptive statistics for these parameters was made for age specific groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained could be used as reference values for adult football players in Republic of Macedonia. In the examined age span (18-35 years) a slight increase of absolute values of all three body components has been registered with advancing age. The most significant increase in the absolute values was registered for the muscle component, followed by the fat and bone components, respectively. Regarding the relative values (%), the muscle and the fat components showed an equally slight positive correlation with the age increase of 1 year, whilst the bone component decreased with advancing age.

Analysis of body mass components in national club football players in republic of macedonia.

AIM: This study aims to analyze body composition in adult male football players and its changes during adulthood. METHODS: Adult male football players (n=942, mean age 24.11 ±4.69y), all members of national competitive clubs from Macedonia were included in the study. The absolute and the relative body components were calculated: lean body mass (LBMkg), muscle mass (MMkg; MM%), bone mass (BMkg; BM%) and fat components (FMkg; FM%), using the anthropometric protocol by Matiegka. RESULTS: Mean values of anthropometric measures for all included participants were as follows: height=178.39±6.11cm; weight=77.02±7.57; LBM=65.65±6.38; MM%=53.23±2.78; BM%=17.05±1.27; FM%=14.58±1.48. Descriptive statistics for these parameters was made for age specific groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained could be used as reference values for adult football players in Republic of Macedonia. In the examined age span (18-35 years) a slight increase of absolute values of all three body components has been registered with advancing age. The most significant increase in the absolute values was registered for the muscle component, followed by the fat and bone components, respectively. Regarding the relative values (%), the muscle and the fat components showed an equally slight positive correlation with the age increase of 1 year, whilst the bone component decreased with advancing age.

Can an increased nitric oxide level be accepted as non-invasive marker for sub/acute rejection of the kidney allograft?

BACKGROUND: Subclinical and acute rejections (SAR/AR) continue to have a negative impact on graft survival. The aim of our study was to analyze allograft rejection and nitric oxide (NO) levels in patients with protocol- and clinically-indicated biopsies in relationship with other causes of allograft dysfunction, and to evaluate the clinical impact of NO measurement as non-invasive marker for early diagnosis of SAR/AR. METHODS: In 45 living-related kidney transplants, serum NO levels were measured at: 20 min after reperfusion (NO1); on days 1 (NO2), 5 (NO3), and 14 (NO4); and at the first (NO5) and sixth (NO6) months after transplantation (Tx). Protocol biopsies (Bx) were performed at the first and sixth months after Tx. RESULTS: 38 (42.2%) Bx showed histological features of (SAR), 4 (4.5%) Bx showed mild tubulointerstitial rejection, while 48 (53.3%) Bx had no histological signs of SAR/AR. Significantly higher (NO3) levels were found in patients with AR and (NO5)/(NO6) in SAR as compared to other causes of allograft dysfunction occurred within the first posttransplant month (delayed graft function, urinary tract infection, and cyclosporine toxicity). Sensitivity/specificity for cut-off NO level of 70 µmol/l were 69.2% and 88.4% in AR, and 78.9% and 75.4% for the level of 50 µmol/l in SAR patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reports significantly higher serum NO levels at day 5 and a gradual decrease at day 14 (prior to and at the time of clinically manifested AR), and at 1- and 6-month protocol biopsies in SAR patients as compared to all other causes of renal dysfunction. NO measurement may have a satisfactorily diagnostic performance as a useful non-invasive marker not only for AR, but also for SAR patients.

Determination of the diagnostic values of asymmetric dimethylarginine as an indicator for evaluation of the endothelial dysfunction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Introduction. To compare the diagnostic values of laboratory variables, to present evaluations of the diagnostic test for asymmetric dimethyl arginine (ADMA), rheumatoid factor (RF), C-reactive protein (CRP), and DAS28 index, and to define the effect of untreated rheumatoid arthritis on endothelial function. In order to determine whether ADMA changes depending on the disease evolution, ADMA was used as an indicator for endothelial dysfunction. Methods. Using an ELISA technology of DLD-Diagnostika-GMBH for the detection of ADMA, the samples of serum and urine have been examined in 70 participants (35 RA who were not treated, 35 healthy controls). RF was defined with the test for agglutination (Latex RF test) in the same participants. Results. Out of 35 examined patients with RA, RF appeared in 17 patients (sensitivity of the test, 51.42%). In 20 of the 35 examined patients with RA, we found the presence of ADMA (sensitivity of the test, 57.14%). Anti-CCP antibody was present in 24 examined patients with RA (sensitivity of the test, 68.57%). Conclusion. ADMA has equal or very similar sensitivity and specificity to RF in untreated RA (sensitivity of 57.14% versus 48.57%, specificity of 88.57% versus 91.42%) in the detection of asymptomatic endothelial dysfunction in untreated RA.

Symmetric dimethyl arginine and N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosaminidase lysozimuria of proximal renal tubules as a target for nephrotoxicity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with disease modifying antirheumatic drugs.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of initial therapy with some disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) (Methotrexate and Ketoprofen) on glomerular and tubular integrity in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). OBJECTIVES: To determine whether there is a change in clinical and laboratory indicators of renal function in course of the follow up of treatment and whether that change correlates with the dynamics of the quantity of enzymes excreted in urine and reactants of the acute phase. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using colorimetric method for determination of NAG, samples of 70 participants were examined (35 RA patients treated with Ketoprofen only, 35 RA patients treated with combined use of Methotrexate and Ketoprofen). The follow up was 5 time-intervals in the course of 24 weeks. RESULTS: There was moderate correlation between NAG and microalbuminuria (r=0,34) in the group of patients treated with Ketoprofen only, while statistically significant correlation (r=0,21) was seen in group of patients with combined use of Methotrexate and Ketoprofen. NAG enzymuria in size, number of patients registered, and time of appearance were greater and appears earlier in the group with the combined use of Methotrexate and Ketoprofen compared with the mono-therapy with Ketoprofen. Mean urinary NAG induction was increasing with the concomitant use of Methotrexate and Ketoprofen. CONCLUSIONS: Methotrexate is more potent NAG inductor than Ketoprofen and provokes greater tubular enzymuria than Ketoprofen.

Estrogens: mechanisms of neuroprotective effects

Within the last few years, there has been a growing interest in the neuroprotective effects of estrogen and the possible beneficial effects of estrogen in neurodegenerative diseases such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. The concept of neuroprotective effects of estrogen in women remains controversial because these effects may vary with the timing of treatment. Research increasingly suggests that changes in estrogen levels during aging may increase risk for Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia. This update reviews the newest information about estrogen and cognitive aging, including information regarding the role of bioavailable estrogen in older women and men (AU)

Estrogens: mechanisms of neuroprotective effects.

Within the last few years, there has been a growing interest in the neuroprotective effects of estrogen and the possible beneficial effects of estrogen in neurodegenerative diseases such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. The concept of neuroprotective effects of estrogen in women remains controversial because these effects may vary with the timing of treatment. Research increasingly suggests that changes in estrogen levels during aging may increase risk for Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia. This update reviews the newest information about estrogen and cognitive aging, including information regarding the role of bioavailable estrogen in older women and men.