RBCs contribute to elevated levels of EETs in the fetoplacental circulation. EETs may modulate systemic and fetoplacental hemodynamics in normal and preeclamptic pregnancies. Decreased renal EET generation may be associated with the development of maternal renal dysfunction and hypertension in preeclampsia.

Aims of the present investigation were: (i) to assess the prevalence of current smokers and relative smoking status among a large number of heroin addicts attending opioid-substitution therapy prevalence; (ii) to evaluate the relationship between the type (methadone, buprenorphine) and dosage of opioid substitution therapy and nicotine dependence. Three hundred and five (305) heroin addicts under opioid-substitution therapy were recruited at five Addiction Units. All participants completed a questionnaire assessing sociodemographic information, type and dose of opioid-substitution therapy, smoking history and status, Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), and the Zung Self-Rating Depression scale (SDS). 298 subjects, out of 305 (97.2%) were smokers, with an average of 20.5 cigarette/day and a median FTND of 6. Our data confirmed the high prevalence of smokers among heroin addicts, the highest described in the literature to date among heroin addicts under substitution therapies, without any significant difference between methadone vs. buprenorphine therapy groups. There was no correlation between dose of methadone or buprenorphine and average number of cigarettes/day. Patients in substance abuse treatment very frequently smoke cigarettes and often die of tobacco-related diseases. Substance abuse treatment programs too often ignore tobacco use. We hope that these findings will help to incorporate smoking cessation in substance abuse treatments.

The present study shows that essential hypertension is not characterized by the altered number or functional activity of EPC. Plasma total and LDL-cholesterol are independent predictors of reduced numbers of circulating EPC in essential hypertension patients. The absence of any correlation between the characteristics of EPC and several markers predictive of cardiovascular damage merits further investigation.

We tested the hypothesis that maternal peripheral blood leukocytes contribute to elevated levels of soluble TNF receptors (sTNFR) in preeclampsia (PE) with concomitant intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). TNFR1 and TNFR2 were evaluated in a cross-sectional study comparing preeclamptic (n = 15) with or without IUGR versus normotensive pregnant women (PREG, n = 30), and non-pregnant controls (Con; n = 20). Plasma levels of sTNFR1 were higher in PE (1675.0 ± 227.1 pg/mL) compared with PREG (1035.0 ± 101.1 pg/mL) and Con (589.3 ± 82.67 pg/mL), with the highest values observed in PE with IUGR (2624.0 ± 421.4 pg/mL; n = 6). Plasma sTNFR2 was higher during pregnancy (PE: 1836.0 ± 198.7 pg/mL; PREG: 1697.0 ± 95.0 pg/mL) compared with Con (598.3 ± 82.7 pg/mL). Urinary levels of sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 were higher in PE and PREG compared with the Con group. Abundance of TNFR1 mRNA in peripheral blood leukocytes was strongly correlated with plasma levels of sTNFR1 in PE. However, TNFR2 mRNA accumulation in leukocytes did not correlate with sTNFR2 plasma levels. The level of sTNFR1 in plasma was correlated with body weight of the newborn (r = -0.56). The data suggest that maternal leukocytes contribute to sTNFR1 levels in plasma in association with decreasing newborn weight and PE with concomitant IUGR.

Introduction. Pharmacological control by SNA on cardiovascular system has direct mechanism (on baroreceptors) or indirect mechanism (vascular distensibility, symphathetic muscular nervous system, cardiac conduction velocity). Evidence are available on the effect of beta-blockers or ACE Inhibitors/ ARB vs placebo. Methods. Our study analyzed the modifications of baroreflex sensitivity, measured by spectral analysis of heart rate and blood pressure variability. 102 subjects without pharmacological treatment (NT), 17 subjects with ACE-inhibitors (ACEi) and 10 subjects with beta-blockers (BB) were enrolled from syncope ambulatory and for each subject was performed head up tilt test standard: 10 minutes in supine (S) and 30 minutes in passive upright position (U, 70°). Low frequencies components (LF), high frequencies components (HF) and non-LF-non-HF components were measured by spectral analysis of heart rate and blood pressure variability. BRS-LF (calculated as the root square of the ratio of HRV low frequency component/BPVlow frequency component) and BRS-HF (calculated as the root square of the ratio of HRVhigh frequency component/BPV high frequency component) were considered as an index of baroreflex sensitivity. Results. Tilt test was positive in 27 NT, 0 BB and 1 ACEi. Sympatho-vagal balance (LF/HF) seems to be lower in BB vs NT and ACEi either in S and U position. BRS-LF in S is the same in all three groups, but in BB it decreases more than in others. BRS-HF is higher in U either in BB and ACEi versus NT. Correlation between cardiac frequency (RR) and 369; p<0,001), are loss in BB, where gets back in U only for BRS-HF (r=0.533, p<0,01). The correlation is not modified in ACEi (r=0,774; p<0,001). U-VLF is low in BB and ACEi versus NT, especially in U (739±608 e 70 6±459 vsNT 1233±1296; p<0,01). Conclusions. BB treatment reduces sympatho-vagal oscillation and nonautonomic components in the domain of HRV. The last one seems to be reduced also by ACEi, where sympatho-vagal balance is preserved. In BB, the loss of correlation between RR and BRS suggests a complex pharmacological action, not yet understood. Lesser extension of nonLF-nonHF components (UVLF) seems to be in correlation with lesser positive response to tilt-test.

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