[Hydroxyproline in serum and urine in children with pulmonary hypertension in the course of congenital heart defects]. / Hydroksyprolina w surowicy i moczu u dzieci z nadcisnieniem plucnym w przebiegu przeciekowych wad wrodzonych serca.

In accordance to contemporary views on the pathology of biochemical changes in the fibrotic process at pulmonary hypertension, the authors took a trial to investigate the convection of excessive blood flow through lungs and changes of collagen metabolism in lungs. The possibility of following the metabolism of collagen through naming its metabolites (hydroxyproline-Hp) made us to connect the intended surveys with practical trail of its use, and diagnostic methods at children with congenital shunt cardiac defects. The survey was taken up in three groups of children with different levels of pulmonary advancement hypertension process: 39 children with dynamic elevation of pulmonary artery pressure (I st and II nd group age range: 12 months to 2 years), and 17 children with marks of pulmonary vascular obstructive disease. III rd group age range: 12 months to 6 years. It was stated, that between children from the first and second group before operational treatment, clear growth of Hp contents in serum and in urine returned to its correct value within the 1 to 6 months observation period since the cardiac defect has been corrected. In the third group, in spite of surgical treatment, the increased Hp content remained in the post operative period, therefore testifying the non-retreated fibrotic changes. It was stated, that Hp content control in serum and excretion in urine can possess clinical usage as an auxiliary exam estimating the advancement of pulmonary hypertension before surgical treatment and at the post-operative monitoring of the lungs.

[Evaluation of glucose and cholesterol levels in the mother and newborn infant in the perinatal period]. / Ocena poziomu glukozy i cholesterolu u matki i noworodka w okresie okoloporodowym.

In 30 live born newborns the connections were assessed between glucose and cholesterol levels in umbilical cord blood after birth, and also in maternal blood before and two days after birth. Statistically significant differences of glucose and cholesterol levels were found between mothers and newborns in the perinatal period. Attention is called to greater independence of cholesterol (total, free and esterified) levels in newborn and mother in perinatal period.

[Use of cardiopulmonary bypass decreases leukocyte count and activation of the complement system]. / Zastapienie utleniania pozaustrojowego plucami chorego w krazeniu pozaustrojowym--zmniejsza aktywacje leukocytów i ukladu dopelniacza.

Platelet damage, complement activation and neutropenia during extracorporeal circulation are the result of blood contact with artificial surfaces, mainly in the oxygenator. To evaluate the biocompatibility of the ++auto-oxygenation technique of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) 2 techniques of extracorporeal circulation were compared in 40 patients undergoing elective coronary bypass surgery. Patients were studied in 2 groups, 20 patients in each: I (++auto-oxygenation --patients lungs used in CPB) and II (conventional technique of CPB with bubble oxygenator). Several blood samples were taken before, during and after perfusion to estimate pulmonary leukocytes sequestration in all patients and additionally complement C3a and C5a anaphylatoxins + were measured (radioimmunoassays) in 6 patients of each group. During cardiopulmonary bypass the decline in leukocyte number was observed in both groups, but leukocyte count was higher in group I then II, due to the transpulmonary leukocyte sequestration which was higher in group II. The difference between leukocytes count in group II was 1.46 +/- 0.5 x 10(3)/mm3 vs only 0.34 +/- 0.2 x 10(3)/mm3 in group I, p less than 0.001. In postoperative period an increase in circulating white blood cells was observed in both groups when compared to pre-bypass time, but the difference between groups was non significant. The level of C3a increased in group I from 244 +/- 46 ng/ml to 418 +/- 34 ng/ml, in group II from 268 +/- 46 ng/ml to 521 +/- 65 ng/ml, p less than 0.001, but in group I the levels were significantly lower, p less than 0.001. The current study confirms that cardiopulmonary bypass results in significant leukocyte and complement activation and supports the theoreticaly better biocompatibility of CPB with lung over oxygenator.

[Aldolase activity and the lactate level in the cord blood as objective indicators of the status of newborn infants by the Apgar score]. / Wartosci aktywnosci aldolazy i poziomu mlecznów w krwi pepowinowej jako obiektywizacja oceny stanu noworodków wg skali Apgar.

In 63 newborns with general clinical status evaluated by means of the Apgar score the lactate level and aldolase activity were determined in cord blood. A greatly raised mean level of both these biochemical indicators of tissue hypoxia was demonstrated in newborns with low Apgar score. A considerable scatter of the determined biochemical parameters was noted in newborns born in serious condition and having identical low Apgar score.