Histopathologic investigations of nifedipine-induced gingival hyperplasia in Wistar rats

BACKGROUND: Nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker, used in the therapy of cardiovascular diseases, can induce gingival overgrowth. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of nifedipine on the deeper periodontal tissues of the experimental animals concerning connective tissue and blood vessels proliferation. METHODS: The research was performed on Wistar rats, and they received the precise doses of nifedipine water suspension while the changes were followed up in pre-determined time intervals.The analyses of samples of tissues were done on the cross-sections of papilla from the top to the bottom on five levels. RESULTS: Considerable level of changes was observed in the area of dental alveolar edge and in the gingivo-dental interspace. Epithelial hyperplasia and inflammatory subepithelial infiltration of lymphoplasmocyte type were also present. Alveolar bone destruction, the increased number of osteoclasts and periodontal destruction were found, as well. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed a significant gingival hyperplasia in the experimental animals which received high doses of drug during extended period of time.     

Importance of inflammation in arteriosclerotic plaque destabilization and rupture

INTRODUCTION: Although Rudolf Virchow considered arteriosclerosis an inflammatory disease in his book Cellular Pathology publisched in 1858, the opinion that it was a degenerative arterial disease as a civilization disease prevailed. Nowadays, a great attention has been paid to the inflammatory process in the patogenesis of arteriosclerosis and particularly in the destabilization and rupture of plaque. AIM: To find out whether T and B lymphocytes, lipid macrophages, vascular smooth muscle and mast cells as well as plaque destabilization and rupture are present in ruptured arteriosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries. METHODS: Histochemical and immunochemical analyses of 68 ruptured arteriosclerotic plaques from the coronary arteries were performed. Microscopic examination revealed the presence of inflammation elements in all of them. The following histochemical and immunochemical methods were applied: Masson's trichrome, actins, vimentin, CD3, CD43, CD68, CD20, CD45 and chlorine acetyl esterase. The control group included 10 arteriosclerotic plaques from the coronary arteries with fibrous cap, but without inflammation cells. RESULTS: Rupture of the arteriosclerotic plaque fibrous cap, with thinned and torn collagen fibers, was found in all of the 68 arteriosclerotic plaques. In 57 out of 68 analysed plaques, the increased number of T-lymphocytes, lipid macrophages, vascular smooth muscle and mast cells particularly on the plaque rupture site were found. In the remaining 11 specimens, mast cells were present in a somewhat smaller number. In the control group with the stable plaque, inflammation cells were not observed. CONCLUSION: Our results pointed out that the inflammatory elements, which might exert an effect upon the arteriosclerotic plaque destabilization, and rupture had been present in the ruptured arteriosclerotic plaque.     

Possibility of the use of serological method for the determination of immunoglobuline A antibody against early antigene of Epstein-Barr virus as a marker in the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal tumors

BACKGROUND/AIM: According to the data from immunological, biological and molecular researches, there is a close association between the undifferentiated carcinoma of nasopharyngeal type (UCNT) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). To use IgA EA antibody as a serological marker in our patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma from a clinical viewpoint. METHODS: 91 patients were followed in the period from 1989-1998. In 11 of the patients the antibody titre serum for the early antigen of EBV virus were determinated before the treatement, and in 24 of the patients 3 years after the treatement. There were three control groups of patients: 20 voluntary blood donors, 26 patients with squamocellular laryngeal carcinoma, and 10 patients with squamocellular nasopharyngeal carcinoma. RESULTS: In the group of 11 patients with UCNT before the treatment, the value of anti-EA IgA titre was 31.09, and in the patients after the treatement anti-EA IgA antiody titre was 14.56. In the control groups of patients the results were: in the blood donors 5.00; in the group with the diagnosis of squamocellular laryngeal carcinoma, the titre was 5.00; in the patients with squamocellular nosopharyngeal carcinoma, the titre anti-EA IgA was 5.36. CONCLUSION: These results were statisticly highly significant (p < 0.01). Our research clearly showed that anti-EA IgA EBV marker could be useful in diagnosing, differential diagnosing and prognosing as well.     

Tertiary blast injury to the intestines

BACKGROUND: To present the first case of the tertiary blast injury to the intestine, and the tertiary blast injury in general. CASE REPORT: A parachutist of the Army of Serbia and Montenegro was injured when descended from the 1 200m height by parachute which did not expand. The force of stroke to the ground, caused the reactive transfer of energy and the subsequent blast injury to the intestine. After 24 hours, the secondary perforation of the small intestine, contusioned by the blast, developed which was the indication of explorative laparotomy. The resectioned small intestine showed the histologic characteristics of a blast injury, so the tertiary blast injury was diagnosed on the basis of these and of the mechanism of the injury. CONCLUSION: Tertiary blast injuries fall into the group of indirect blast injuries. The only difference between indirect injuries as compared to direct ones, is in the manner of inflicting, otherwise the traumatic mechanisms are alike, and include the transfer of the energy of stroke through the tissue of different density.     

The aqueous humour antioxidative capacity in different types and color of the age-related cataract

BACKGROUND/AIM: Oxidative stress results from increased oxidative processes, decreased antioxidative protection, or both processes simultaneously. Photooxidative stress, as a form of oxidative stress, induced by the energy of solar radiation, today is considered as crucial in the age-related cataractogenesis. Other known and unknown, endogenous and egsogenous factors that contribute to the oxidative stress intensity, can influnce the cataract type and brunescence. Thus the oxidative stress intensity and its form might determine the cataract type and brunescence, and also make the efforts in cataract prevention more complex. Hence, the objective of the present paper was to investigate the current amount of antioxidative capacity in aqueous humour during the cataract genesis of different types and pigmentation of cataract. METHODS: Transversal review of 80 samples of humour aqueous obtained during extracapsular cataract extraction. Aqueouses were analyzed by tiobarbituric acid (TBA) method for the total antioxidant activity estimation, expressed as %iMDA, and by using 0.1 ml of aqueous. RESULTS: The mixed type of cataract showed the statistically significantly lower values of the intensities of antioxidative protection in aqueous humour compared to cortical and nuclear cataracts (p < 0.001, respectively). Between pure nuclear and cortical cataracts we found the small differences of the investigated parameter, but they pointed to the decreased level of antioxidative protection, i.e. the increased intensity of the aqueous humour oxidative stress in the cortical cataract type. A significant correlation betweer the cortical cataract maturation and the %iMDA (p < 0.05) was found. CONCLUSIONS: The role of the oxidative stress, here expressed as the antioxidative capacity of aqueous humour, could not be the same for all the cataract types. The lower level of antioxidative protection of aqueous in brunescent and mixed cataracts may point to the higher intensity of oxidative stress in those cataract types. The correlation betweer the cortical cataract maturity and %iMDA points to the significant decrease of the aqueous antioxidative protection in the cataract progression.     

Frequency of metastatic tumors in the heart

INTRODUCTION: Secondary or metastatic tumors in the heart occur more frequently than primary ones, and, according to the published series, their frequency found in autopsic material ranges from 1.6% to 20.6%. Metastatic tumors in the heart are rarely clinically symptomatic, and, therefore, they are rarely diagnosed within the lifetime. They are mostly diagnosed at autopsy. The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency of metastatic tumors of the heart, their primary localization, as well as the localization of the metastases found in the autopsic material within the period 1972-2004. METHODS: During the autopsy of the patients died of metastatic tumors, we microscopically and macroscopically analyzed all the organs and tissues to determine the metastases of primary tumors in other organs, especially in the heart and pericardium. RESULTS: Within the period from 1972-2004, 11 403 autopsies were performed. In 2 928 (25.6%) out of 11 403 autopsies, the presence of malignant tumor was diagnosed, and in 79 (2.7%) of these cases, metastasis of the heart was found out. Only in 5 of the cases, the presence of metastasis in the heart was diagnosed during the lifetime. The most frequent metastases in the heart were caused by pulmonary carcinoma (18 cases), leukemia and malignant lymphoma (8 cases, each), then pancreatic and breast carcinoma, while the metastases of other carcinomas were rather rare. In 40 (60.76%) cases, the metastasis was localized in the myocardium, but more often in the left ventricle, in 24 (30.38%) cases in the pericardium, in 4 cases in the epicardium and in the 3 of them in the mitral and tricuspid valve. Only in one case of renal carcionoma, metastasis was found in the right atrium and it occurred by spreading (dissemination) through the lumen of the inferior vena cava. CONCLUSION: Metastatic tumors of the heart are rather rare, and rarely clinically symptomatic, and, thus, rarely diagnosed during life. The methods of choice for the diagnosis of the metastasis in the heart are echocardiography, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, cytological analysis of the pericardial effusion and biopsy. The treatment includes surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.     

Prolonged survival of a female patient with total pelvic exenteration

BACKGROUND: To present a female patient who lived 5 years after total pelvic exenteration (TPE). CASE REPORT: The female patient underwent TPE due to retrovesicovaginal fistula as a consequence of locoregional irradiation after the operation for the malignoma of the vaginal part of the uterus. In the formation of Bricker conduit, the ureter antireflux was achieved by the application of the "tobacco sack muff" made of the intestines around the ureter. By the use of this technique, the occurrence of pyelonephritis, as the leading cause of death in such patients, was prevented. CONCLUSION: TPE is a hope for significantly prolonged survival of patients with advanced pelvic malignomas, or with a postirradiatiation fistula.