DNA damage and its repair in lymphocytes and thyroid nodule cells during radioiodine therapy in patients with hyperthyroidism.

Radioiodine treatment of hyperthyroid patients with autonomous thyroid nodule leads to cellular DNA damage not only in thyrocytes but also in peripheral blood lymphocytes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate DNA breakage and base damage in thyrocytes and lymphocytes in patients treated with 131-I. In all the patients thyroid scintiscan was performed using 131-I. Damage to DNA was estimated by comet assay. Samples were taken before radioiodine treatment, and 12 and 54 days afterwards. Our results indicate high diversity in the level of DNA damage among the individual patients. However, in all cases, after 54 days the level of DNA damage in lymphocytes was similar or even lower than that in the controls. In contrast, in hot nodule the DNA damage persisted until the 54th day after 131-I application. Differences in the type of DNA damage between thyrocytes and lymphocytes were also observed. In lymphocytes there was more base damage, whereas in thyrocytes single strand breaks prevailed. This may indicate different mechanisms of DNA damage induction and/or DNA repair.

[Subclinical hyperthyroidism ]. / Subkliniczna nadczynnosc tarczycy.

Subclinical hyperthyroidism is defined as normal thyroid hormone level in serum but low serum thyrotropin TSH concentration in an asymptomatic individuals. The article described prevalence, pathogenesis, causes, clinical symptoms and diagnostic criteria of subclinical hyperthyroidism and is especially focused on patients with this thyroid dysfunction induced increase risk for development of atrial fibrillation and a decrease in bone mass in the case of postmenopausal women. It is not clear whether and when this pathology should be treated but the problem is important because of 4% patients per year which can possible develop overt hyperthyroidism. Most of the authors conclude that a treatment is required in selected cases or under special circumstances only.

Effect of surgical technique in subtotal and bilateral thyroidectomy on risk of postoperative parathyroid insufficiency development--our experience.

One of the postoperative complications after strumectomy is hypoparathyroidism. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of the surgical technique on the development of parathyroid gland insufficiency in our group of patients. Subtotal, bilateral strumectomies were performed according to Rothmund's suggestions. Randomized controlled trial was performed in two groups. In the first group of 19 patients, main trunk of the inferior thyroid artery was ligated and in the second one consisting of 18 patients, only the branches of this artery were ligated. Total calcium and PTH levels were evaluated pre- and postoperatively. Based on the biochemical and clinical data, no statistically significant differences in the development of postoperative hypoparathyroidism in relation to performed surgical techniques were observed.

[Free serotonin level in the blood of patients with borderline and essential hypertension]. / Stezenie wolnej serotoniny we krwi u chorych z nadcisnieniem tetniczym granicznym i utrwalonym.

Serotonin appears to play an important part in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension. Various studies have shown, that the metabolism of serotonin may be disturbed in some pathological conditions for example in hypertension. It concerns also the changed mechanisms of uptake and release of serotonin. The certain blood vessels may become more hypersensitive to the vasoconstrictor effects of serotonin in patients with hypertension than in normal subjects. During chronic treatment with ketanserin, S2-serotonergic antagonist, blood pressure is reduced in spontaneously hypertensive rats and in humans. This fact can also indicate indirectly, that that serotonin plays a part in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension. The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of free serotonin (S) in the blood of 15 patients with sustained essential hypertension in the mean age 32.8 +/- 1.8, of 23 patients with borderline essential hypertension in the mean age 29.0 +/- 3.0 and of 10 normal subjects in the mean age 31.1 +/- 1.7 years. Plasma free serotonin was determined by fluorometric method. All patients and controls were investigated at the hospital. They were on normosodium diet, without drugs for last two weeks. The fasting blood samples were collected in the supine position. Free serotonin blood concentration was significantly higher in hypertensive group than in normal subjects. The important difference of serotonin blood concentration between two groups of hypertensive patients was noticed. It was significantly higher in group of patients with sustained hypertension, than in group with borderline hypertension (p less than 0.05). Our results are similar to the observations of other authors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Platelet activity, prostacycline metabolite, plasma lipids and sympathoadrenal activity in patients with borderline hypertension and a positive family history of hypertension.

The study included 30 patients with borderline essential hypertension (HPT) (21 with a positive family history of hypertension, mean age 24.6 years, 9 with a negative family history, mean age 27.2 years) and 10 normotensive controls (mean age 27.5 years). In all of them 24-hour urinary noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (A) excretion was assayed. Blood levels of NA, A and dopamine, the prostacycline metabolite 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, beta-thromboglobulin, cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol were measured, LDL cholesterol was calculated according to the Friedewald equation. Besides, lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase activity was assayed. Patients with HPT and a positive family history had elevated sympathetic and platelet activity and diminished 6-keto-PGF1 alpha blood levels. Their HDL cholesterol level was significantly lower than that of healthy controls. In patients with HPT and a positive family history of HPT the atherogenic index (total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio) was highest, but did not differ significantly from that in other groups. The assessment of the examined humoral factors indicates that patients with borderline HPT with genetic predisposition to high blood pressure have a humoral profile different from that of patients without genetic predisposition. These findings suggest the importance of genetic factors in the development of essential HPT.

[Intracellular electrolytes and selected biochemical parameters in patients with borderline arterial hypertension and positive family history of hypertension]. / Elektrolity wewnatrzkomórkowe i wybrane parametry biochemiczne u chorych na nadcisnienie tetnicze graniczne i z dodatnim wywiadem rodzinnym w kierunku nadcisnienia.

The studies involved 22 patients with borderline hypertension and familial history of the arterial blood hypertension (mean age 24.6 years) and 9 patients without familial history of hypertension (mean age 22.2 years). Control group included 10 healthy volunteers (mean age 27.5 years). Erythrocyte Na+ and K+ levels, daily secretion of noradrenaline (NA), adrenaline (A) and dopamine (DA), prostacyclin metabolite 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, beta-thromboglobulin levels (beta-TG), triglyceride cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol were determined in all examined subjects. Friedewald's equation was used to calculate LDL-cholesterol. Moreover, LCAT activity was measured. An increase in erythrocyte Na+, increased sympathetic activity, excessive platelet activity and decreased 6-keto-PGF1 alpha levels were found in the group of hypertensive patients with familial history of the arterial blood hypertension. HDL-cholesterol was significantly lower in these patients than in the control group. Atherogenic index (cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio) was the highest in the hypertensive patients with familial history of the arterial blood hypertension. The difference was insignificant, however. Patients with the borderline hypertension and familial predisposition to this disease differ from the hypertensive patients without familial history of the arterial hypertension in humoral profile suggesting a contribution of the genetic factors to the development of the arterial blood hypertension.