Bratisl Med J
-
In the review we analyzed short history of the establishment of a novel hematological parameter for systemic inflammation and stress coined as a neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Today NLR is widely used across almost all medical disciplines as a reliable and easy available marker of immune response to various infectious and non-infectious stimuli. We analyzed the immunological and biological aspects of dynamic changes of neutrophil granulocytes and lymphocytes in circulating blood during endocrine stress, dysbalance of autonomic nervous system and systemic inflammation. ⋯ Dynamic changes of NLR precede the clinical state for several hours and may warn clinicians about the ongoing pathological process early. NLR is a novel perspective marker of cellular immune activation, a valid index of stress and systemic inflammation, which open a new dimension for clinical medicine, for better understanding of the biology of inflammation, coupling and antagonism between innate and adaptive immunity and its clinical consequences for health and disease (Tab. 8, Fig. 3, Ref. 151). Keywords: neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, systemic inflammation, immune-inflammatory response, endocrinne stress.
-
Asymptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF) detection and pulmonary veins isolation (PVI) outcome prediction remain challenging. Our aim was to study the association between apelin and paroxysmal AF in patients undergoing radiofrequency catheter PVI. ⋯ In patients without a structural heart disease apelin showed a significant specificity and sensitivity for AF prediction and inversely correlated with AF burden (Tab. 3, Fig. 3, Ref. 34).
-
Polypharmacy and multiple diseases are common in geriatric practice; however, such kind of multiple interventions might result in adverse effects. Some previous studies have found the association of polypharmacy and Parkinson's disease, to confirm this relationship, we conducted a meta-analysis to analyze this issue quantitively. ⋯ In this study we have found an association between PD risk and polypharmacy, a better designed prospective long-term cohort study might be required for further discussion on this issue (Tab. 1, Fig. 5, Ref. 14).
-
This review aimed to discuss mechanisms through which gut microbiota could act as a key modifier of obesity and related metabolic abnormalities. Obesity is a growing health epidemic with an increasing incidence in European countries. ⋯ Probiotic and prebiotic ingredients provide an optimal target for the development of novel functional foods used in the prevention of obesity development as one of risk factors of chronic diseases. Knowledge about prebiotic and probiotic mechanisms of action, and novel functional foods supplemented with probiotics and prebiotics will facilitate their clinical application and development of personalized healthcare strategies (Fig. 1, Ref. 40) Keywords: gut microbiota, obesity, functional foods, nutrition.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Comparison of bone remodelling around short stem and conventional straight stem in total hip replacement: a prospective randomized radiographic and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometric study.
The aim of study was to evaluate periprosthetic bone mineral density (BMD) changes of proximal femur, osseointegration and clinical outcomes after implantation of short-stemmed and conventional straight-stemmed prostheses. ⋯ The implant-specific stress shielding altered the proximal loading condition for both stems; however, the results of this study suggest a more physiological strain distribution with the short stems versus the straight stems (Tab. 3, Fig. 3, Ref. 25).