IntroductionNonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common causes of abnormal liver enzymes in adult patients consulted by hepatologists. Due to the high prevalence of this disease, most often associated with obesity, it is necessary to assess the risk of NAFLD, monitoring the progression of the disease and the effectiveness of treatment.Material and methodsWe evaluated the intensity of steatosis, inflammatory activity and fibrosis in 36 patients with NAFLD (fatty liver in abdominal ultrasound examination), using non-invasive tests: SteatoTest, ActiTest and FibroTest. We compared the prevalence of metabolic disorders and hypertension between women and men.ResultsThere were no significant differences in analysed parameters of metabolic disorders between women and men. In both studied groups, the intensity of steatosis and inflammatory changes was similar. However, in the male group, the intensity of liver fibrosis was higher.ConclusionsThe tests helped to detect advanced liver fibrosis in patients who were diagnosed with liver steatosis in ultrasound examination. Non-invasive diagnostics of liver injury may be useful in screening to select groups of patients requiring liver biopsy, as well as in monitoring the course of the disease and assessment of the treatment effectiveness. Early detection of liver disease may improve the prognosis of these patients.

Determination of TGF-β1 can be used for evaluation of inflammatory activity in UC and it is connected with elevated concentrations of CRP and platelets. To a lower extent TGF-β1 can also be used for evaluation of inflammatory activity in CD. Examination of elastase concentration may be useful in the assessment of CD activity. Plasma elastase concentration may be helpful in UC and CD differentiation. The preliminary results of this investigation seem promising; nevertheless, more studies are necessary.

The positive nuclear expression of Ki-67 and PTMA was observed in the majority of pituitary adenomas. Neither the expression of Ki-67 nor that of PTMA-c was related to tumor recurrence or local invasion.

Prothymosin alpha (PTMA), a nuclear oncoprotein involved in cell cycle regulation, is used as a prognostic marker in many cancers. The histopathology of pituitary carcinomas and locally invasive adenomas is indistinguishable from that of benign tumors. A new marker is needed to differentiate these lesions. We evaluated PTMA in pituitary adenomas to determine its usefulness as a prognostic factor of tumor proliferation. We conducted a retrospective analysis of a group of 27 patients, including 15 females (56%) and 12 males (44%) with a mean age of 58.6±12 years, who underwent pituitary tumor surgery between 2003 and 2012. The Ki-67 and PTMA-nuclear (PTMA-n) and PTMA-cytoplasmic (PTMA-c) indices were determined by immunohistochemical staining. We studied histopathological features, clinical symptoms, and magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography performed before surgery and one year following surgery to evaluate tumor size and progression. The expression of Ki-67 was revealed in 77.8% of adenomas, PTMA-n in 81.5% and PTMA-c in 92.6%. The mean value of the Ki-67 index was 1.8%, PTMA-n was 1.84%, and PTMA-c was 35.6%. There was a significant positive correlation between Ki-67 and PTMA-n (p=0.009). We did not find any correlation between Ki-67, PTMA-c, and tumor progression. PTMA-n was found to be correlated with tumor size (p=0.045) and was higher in the case of gonadotropinomas (p=0.026). The positive nuclear expression of Ki-67 and PTMA was observed in the majority of pituitary adenomas. Neither the expression of Ki-67 nor that of PTMA-c was related to tumor recurrence or local invasion.

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