Oxidative metabolism of neutrophils in patients with initial "outside-hospital" pneumonia.

The aim of the study was to assess the oxidative metabolism of the unstimulated and zymosan-stimulated neutrophils expressed as the production of superoxide anion radicals, and to determine the plasma O2 levels in the patients with initial "outside-hospital" pneumonia. The study included 20 patients with the initial symptoms of "outside-hospital" pneumonia. The plasma erythrocytes and leukocytes were isolated from the basilic vein blood collected in fasting state, and the preparation containing over 99% of neutrophils was prepared. The amount of superoxide anion radicals produced by neutrophils and their plasma levels were determined using the method of cytochrome reduction--c 5x10(-5) M/l. The patients with initial pneumonia show increased oxidative metabolism demonstrated by higher production of superoxide anion radicals by neutrophils and by elevated plasma O2 levels. Determinations of the plasma superoxide anion radical levels in pneumonia patients may be a practical and easily accessible indicator of the activation of neutrophil oxidative metabolism.

Evaluation of platelet activation, plasma antithrombin III and alpha2-antiplasmin activities in hypertensive patients.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the degree of platelet activation and plasma antithrombin III and alpha2-antiplasmin activities in hypertensive patients. The studied group consisted of 21 patients with hypertension. The control group included 19 healthy volunteers. The values of platelet and plasma coagulation factors were determined using the synthetic chromogenic substrates and the spectrophotometric method. Compared to the healthy individuals, the hypertensive patients show increased platelet activity confirmed by a statistically significant increase in the platelet factor 3 activity, which is likely to intensify the plasma proaggregation and procoagulation activities. In the hypertensive patients, a significant decrease in antithrombin III (the endogenous inhibitor of the coagulation system) concentration is observed. In arterial hypertension, a significant decrease in alpha2-antiplasmin activity is found, which may reflect decreased fibrinolytic activity of plasma in the hypertensive patients.