Background: Patients with vitiligo show an increased β₂-adrenoceptor density in differentiating vitiliginous keratinocytes correlating with a defective extracellular calcium uptake. Thirty-one percent of the patients present increased norepi-nephrine levels in their urine and 98% in their plasma. Objective: The aim of this study was to find out whether these patients may: (a) have a characteristic personality structure and/or (b) show an increased stress sensitivity towards physical/environmental/hormonal changes in association with a defective catecholamine metabolism. Methods and Results: The investigation included a randomized group of 117 patients with vitiligo (89 female, 28 male). Catecholamines were determined in plasma in a random sample of the total group (n = 30, M/F= 10/20). Norepinephrine levels in plasma were significantly higher compared to controls, whereas epinephrine was within the normal range. No specific personality pattern was found although divergencies from the normal healthy control were observed in 5 out of 12 personality dimensions. Moderate to intolerable disfigurement and psychological disturbance were stated by 75% of the patients. Evaluation of the educational status revealed that 26.5% of the patients graduated successfully from university compared to 8.4% in the normal population. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest a possible link between cate-cholamine-based stress and a genetic susceptibility to the onset/progression of this depigmentation disorder.

The Croatian islanders are characterized by a high prevalence of metabolic abnormalities. Central obesity is the strongest contributor of the syndrome. With a high prevalence of dyslipidemia and pro-inflammatory factors, the population is at substantial risk for cardiovascular diseases.

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We investigated deletion polymorphism in the gene for angiotensin-converting enzyme in patients with angiographically verified cerebral atherosclerosis. Genotypes were determined by the polymerase chain reaction with oligonucleotide flanking of the polymorphic region of intron 16 of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene.Results of angiotensin-converting enzyme genotyping showed 46% of 50 studied patients to be homozygous for the DD allele, whose prevalence was significantly increased as compared with a group of controls without atherosclerotic changes. In this control group, the following genotypes were observed (%): II = 24, ID = 52 and DD = 24. The frequency of the I and D alleles in the group of patients with cerebral atherosclerosis was 0.28 and 0.72, respectively, whereas in the group without atherosclerosis it was 0.50 for both. Furthermore, in the present study, the DD genotype was associated with a high level of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme activity, total and LDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerol. A newly established association between DD genotype and cerebral atherosclerosis, detected even in our small group, supports the view that angiotensin-converting enzyme polymorphism might be indicative of the development of cerebral atherosclerosis.

Summary:The concentrations of total cholesterol, phospholipids, triacylglycerols and lipoproteins were measured in 87 follicular fluids obtained from 35 women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. The results were correlated with the levels of progesterone in follicular fluid. Two different types of ovarian stimulation were used. High density lipoproteins were the dominant lipoproteins found in the preovulatory follicular fluid. Low density lipoproteins were absent or appeared in trace amounts. Significantly higher triacylglycerol and high density lipoprotein levels were found when stimulation with human menopausal gonadotropins and chorionic gonadotrppin was applied, as compared to the clomiphene citrate-menopausal gonadotropin-chorionic gonadotropin menstrual cycle. In both groups, extracorporal fertilization resulted in cleavage of oocytes and embryo transfer. No significant correlation between any follicular fluid lipid and progesterone concentration was found. The lipids estimated in the follicular fluid appeared to have no influence on the oocyte fertilizability. The presence of triacylglycerols and high density lipoproteins in the follicular fluid may indicate follicular wall permeability under the treatment with menopausal gonadotropins.