Smoking and hypertension: effects on clinical, biochemical and pathological variables due to isolated or combined action on cardiovascular system

Changes in clinical, biochemical and pathological variables characterize cardiovascular damage from smoking and hypertension when it acts independently. However, combined action of these major risk factors increases the rate of cardiovascular events. Ischaemic heart disease with stable effort angina, myocardial infarction and post-infarction arrhythmias may affect cardiovascular system because of smoking exposure. Among cerebrovascular disease, there is evidence that stroke would be related primarily to active smoking. Isolated hypertension plays significantly major action to cause cerebrovascular disease including stroke, recurrent stoke and transient ischaemic attack. Among cardiac events, heart failure is, often, the end-point of hypertensive disease, even if manifestations of ischaemic heart disease similar to those caused by smoking may be increased in rate. Combined action of smoking and hypertension usually increases the rate of cardiovascular complications and leads to a progression of atherosclerosis with narrowing and plaque primarily at the the level of coronary, carotid and cerebrovascular arteries. A pattern specific of both active and passive smoking exposure, but not hypertension, is the thromboangiitis obliterans that dramatically worsens in continuing smokers while it can be improved by stopping smoking.     

Carotid atheromatosis in nondiabetic renal transplant recipients: the role of prediabetic glucose homeostasis alterations

BACKGROUND: Prediabetic glucose homeostasis alterations are important cardiovascular risk factors but their role in renal transplant recipients (RTR) has not been established. METHODS: In 172 RTRs without pretransplant or de novo diabetes, we measured carotid intima media thickness (c-IMT) and performed an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). RESULTS: In multivariate analysis, age, hypertension and male sex were independently associated with a c-IMT in the third tertile. A significant interaction between gender and glucose homeostasis parameters was observed. Among male RTR, those with a c-IMT in the third tertile showed significantly higher plasma glucose and HbA1c levels (5+/-0.5% vs. 5.1+/-0.5% vs. 5.5+/-0.4%; P<0.01 tertile 3 vs. 2 or 1) than those in other tertiles. Insulin action parameters were not significantly different. The odds ratio of being in the higher c-IMT tertile was 2.9 (95% CI: 1.05-8.1) per each 1% increase of HbA1c. By contrast, glucose and HbA1c levels were not significantly different between c-IMT tertiles in female RTR. However, age-adjusted insulin levels after OGTT were higher (86+/-10 vs. 51.7+/-9.4; P=0.02) and the insulin sensitivity index lower (0.8+/-0.3 vs. 0.048+/-0.03; P=0.04) among females in the third tertile as compared to the first one. CONCLUSION: Prediabetic glucose homeostasis alterations in RTRs are related to carotid atherosclerosis, although there may be gender differences in the underlying alteration.     

Control of the upper body accelerations in young and elderly women during level walking

Background  

The control of the head movements during walking allows for the stabilisation of the optic flow, for a more effective processing of the vestibular system signals, and for the consequent control of equilibrium.     

Helcococcus kunzii Isolated from a Sow with Purulent Urocystitis

Helcococcus kunzii has never been reported in veterinary medicine. The isolation of H. kunzii from a sow with purulent urocystitis is described, suggesting this organism''s potential pathogenic role in swine.     

Clusterin expression is associated with decreased disease‐free survival of patients with colorectal carcinomas

Redondo M, Rodrigo I, Alcaide J, Tellez T, Roldan M J, Funez R, Diaz‐Martin A, Rueda A & Jiménez E
(2010) Histopathology 56, 932–936
Clusterin expression is associated with decreased disease‐free survival of patients with colorectal carcinomas Aims: It has been demonstrated that increased clusterin expression is involved in malignant progression and that anticlusterin treatment leads to selective apoptosis. The aim of this study was to determine the clinicopathological significance of clusterin expression in human colorectal carcinomas. Methods and results: The expression of clusterin was examined in 31 adenomas and 103 colorectal carcinomas. Normal epithelial cells were always negative for clusterin expression, but clusterin expression was present in 16% (5/31) of adenomas and this percentage increased in colorectal carcinomas (30%, 31/103). Immunopositivity always presented an apical cytoplasmic pattern. The expression level of clusterin did not correlate with age, gender, grade or stage. However, its expression was significantly associated with a decrease in disease‐free survival (P < 0.05). In a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, clusterin expression remained a significant independent predictor. Conclusions: Clusterin expression may have a role in colonic carcinogenesis and may help identify patients with more aggressive tumours who may benefit from targeted therapy.