Antibiotic resistance is notably high in Poland currently, but both tailored and empiric therapies can achieve acceptable cure rates equal to or higher than 90%.

Helicobacter pylori is one of the major stomach microbiome components, promoting development of inflammation and gastric cancer in humans. H. pylori has a unique ability to transform into a coccoidal form which is difficult to detect by many diagnostic methods, such as urease activity detection, and even histopathological examination. Here we present a comparison of three methods for H. pylori identification: histological assessment (with eosin, hematoxylin, and Giemsa staining), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of urease (ureA specific primers), and detection by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The study employed biopsies from the antral part of the stomach (N = 40). All samples were assessed histologically which revealed H. pylori in eight patients. Bacterial DNA isolated from the bioptates was used as a template for PCR reaction and 16S rRNA gene sequencing that revealed H. pylori in 13 and in 20 patients, respectively. Thus, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was the most sensitive method for detection of H. pylori in stomach biopsy samples.

Background. Endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair has become an alternative to open surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm since the early 1990s. The conventional method remains the gold standard in the treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA); however, a large percentage of patients do not qualify for this treatment due to the high risk of perioperational death and complications. Objectives. The objective of this work was to compare AAA surgeries performed by both classical and endovascular methods in years 2002-2011. Material and Methods. Medical documentation of elective AAA patients undergoing surgical treatment was retrospectively analyzed on the basis of archive-and computer database data. The analysis included the patients' demographics, internal disease burden, as well as causes of deaths and complications within 30 days after the procedure and 1 year follow-up. Results. Thirty-day and 1-year mortality rates in patients treated in the elective setting were 1.5% and 8.7% for endovascular method and 4.0% and 15.7% for the open method. The comparison of mortality rates in 115 high-risk patients undergoing elective OR treatment with 275 high-risk treatment patients undergoing EVAR surgery (7.8% vs. 1.5%, 8.7% vs. 15.7%, p < .01) showed that the endovascular method significantly reduced the mortality in the latter group. Conclusions. Endovascular treatment is an attractive option in AAA; especially in heavily burdened patients, because it definitely reduces mortality. EVAR was found to be advantageous over OR in case of high-risk patients (Adv Clin Exp Med 2015, 24, 3, 475-479).

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Experiments conducted in recent years on animals and research works worldwide show a linkage between calprotectin and occurrence and development of the abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Additionally, a correlation between the level of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and the diameter of the abdominal aorta was found. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether calprotectin and the RAGE plasma level may be a biomarker of human AAA occurrence. We determined two groups of research participants: a group of 32 patients aged 53–88 undergoing primary endovascular aneurysm repair and a control group of 43 volunteers aged 59–82 without the AAA. All the patients from the study group had their blood samples drawn in order to determine the level of calprotectin and RAGE in plasma. The second follow-up examination was carried out after three months. The concentration of calprotectin and RAGE in plasma was determined with the use of the immunoenzymatic method (ELISA). The study showed that patients with the AAA had significantly higher mean calprotectin and RAGE plasma levels (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0002, respectively) as compared to the control group. After the AAA repair operations, the level of concentration of the calprotectin decreased significantly (p = 0.0002). So far, no studies on the connection between the increase of the calprotectin and RAGE in the patient’s plasma with the AAA have been published. Calprotectin may be a promising biomarker related to the occurrence of AAA. Larger studies are needed to fully elucidate and confirm the role of calprotectin in the development and progression of the aneurysm.

Introduction The sources of Reactive Oxidative Species (ROS) in the organism are the respiratory processes occurring in cells catalyzed by different enzymes. Operation of ROS is balanced by antioxidants, the compounds; although present in low concentrations, they significantly inhibit the degree of oxidation of particular molecules. The Aim of the Study The aim of this study was to assess the changes in the integrated antioxidant system under the influence of radon therapy in osteoarthritis patients. Material and Methods Observation included 35 patients suffering from degenerative joints and disc disease (mean age 56.5 years) undergoing radon water therapy and control group that consisted of 15 osteoarthritis patients (mean age 54.2) without contact with radon water. Before therapy and after 18 days of treatment, serum total antioxidant status (TAS) was assessed with the use of standard colorimetric assay. Results In the study group, we observed trends to increase TAS concentration, whereas, in the control group, TAS concentration was decreasing. Conclusions (1) Radon waters treatment influenced the level of TAS of osteoarthritis patients treated with the radon water. (2) The change in TAS concentrations in the study group may be the result of low doses of ionizing radiation, but further studies on larger patient's groups are demanded. This study is registered with number NCT03274128.

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