Background:Inflammatory and procoagulant markers are potential mediators for the cardiovascular risk in hemodialysis patients. Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)], is another important risk factor with inflammatory and procoagulant effects.Materials and methods:In 78 hemodialysis patients and 40 controls, C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), lipoprotein (a) [Lp (a)], fibrinogen, D-dimer, von Wilebrand factor (vWF) and serum albumin were determined.Results:CRP, IL-6, Lp(a), fibrinogen, D-dimer and vWF, were significantly higher, and serum albumin was significantly lower in patients compared to controls (24.40 mg/L vs. 6.39 mg/L, p<0.001; 1.92 pg/ml vs. 0.35 pg/ml, 28.05 mg/dL vs.16.25 mg/dL, p<0.001; 3.44 g/L vs. 2.55 g/L, p<0.01; 1.81 µgFEU /ml vs. 0.50 µgFEU /ml, p<0.01; 152.9 % vs. 85.6 %, p<0.001; 32.1 g/L vs. 40.50 g/L, p<0.001). The patients were divided into two groups: 40 patients with CRP levels over than 10 mg/L and 38 with CRP levels in normal range. These parameters showed significant differences between patients with elevated CRP and patients with normal CRP levels. CRP and IL-6 correlated positively with Lp(a), (r = 0.62, p < 0.001; r=0.54, p<0.001), fibrinogen, (r = 0.63, p < 0.001; r = 0.49, p<0.01) D dimer (r = 0.72, p<0.001; r = 0.55, p<0.01), vWF (r = 0.76, p<0.01; r = 0.63, p<0.001) and negatively with serum albumin (r = -0.80, p<0.01; r = -0.60, p<0.001), in patients with elevated CRP, but not in patients with normal CRP levels and controls.Conclusion:According to the results hemodialysis patients with increased inflammatory markers, have the elevated Lp(a) and procoagulant markers and the greater risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)], is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in patients on chronic hemodialysis. A low concentration of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and serum albumin are another potential risk factors. e purpose of this study was to explore in patients on chronic hemodialysis, whether Lp(a) elevated levels are infl uenced by activated acute phase response (APR) and the correlation of Lp(a) with HDL-C and serum albumin. In  hemodialysis patients with C-reactive protein (CRP) levels over than  mg/L and  hemodialysis patients with CRP levels in the normal range, Lp(a), HDL-C and serum albumin were determined in relation to CRP, as a sensitive marker of an APR. Results showed that serum concentration of CRP in  hemodialysis patients was signifi cantly higher than in controls (, mg/L versus , mg/L, p<,).Patients with elevated CRP had signifi cantly higher serum levels of Lp(a) and lower serum levels of HDL-C and albumin, than patients with CRP in the normal range ( , mg/dl versus , mg/dl, p<,, , mmol/L versus , mmol/L, p<, and , g/L versus , g/L, p<,). Lp(a) levels correlated positively with CRP and negatively with HDL-C and serum albumin, in patients with elevated CRP, but not in healthy controls. According to the results Lp(a) reacts as an acute phase protein, in patients with APR.

Rapid and early diagnosis of systemic infections is very important for acting on time with an adequate therapy. e aim of this study is to determine the diagnostic importance of procalcitonin (PCT) and Creactive protein (CRP) of bacterial infections in diff erent stages of sepsis. PCT and CRP have been determined in  newborns, - days of age, with diff erent stages of sepsis, in the centre for prematurely born neonates. ese parameters have also been determined for control group, in which there were  healthy newborns. Procalcitonin values were signifi cantly increased in neonates with septic shock (, ng/mL; ,- ng/mL) compared to the systemic infl ammatory response syndrome-SIRS ( ng/mL; ,- ng/mL), neonatal sepsis (, ng/mL; ,-, ng/mL), neonatal sepsis and purulent meningitis (, ng/mL; ,-, ng/mL). e control group values were lower than , ng/mL. CRP is increased without statistical diff erences in all stages of sepsis in newborns with septic shock (, mg/L; ,- mg/L) in cases with SIRS (, mg/L; ,- mg/L), neonatal sepsis (, mg/L; - mg/L), neonatal sepsis and purulent meningitis (, mg/L; - mg/L).e average values for the control group were , mg/L. Procalcitonin is increased in all stages of sepsis with higher values in the septic shock. e increase of PCT levels is related to the severity, course of infection and prognosis of disease.KEY WORDS: procalcitonin (PCT), C reactive protein (CRP), infection, sepsis, septic shock.

Introduction: Preeclampsia is a disease whose etiology is not very clearly explained. The aim of this study was to investigate the importance of blood urea nitrogen (BUN)/creatinine ratio in diagnosing preeclampsiaand evaluating prognosis.Methods: The patients in this research were examined and diagnosed in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Clinical Centre of Kosovo. Control group included 25 pregnant women with a normalblood pressure and with a gestational age of more than 20 weeks, whereas the investigation group included 25 women diagnosed with preeclampsia. The patients were not administered therapy four days before the examination. For the determination of biochemical parameters we used end point bichromatic enzymatic rate and enzymatic conductivity rate.Results: BUN/Creatinine index in the preeclamptic group was 19±7.7, uric acid 280±70 μmol/L, lactate dehydrogenase198±63 U/L, while the number of platelets was 195±5061 x 109/L. In control group BUN/Creatinine index was 12±3, lactate dehydrogenase was 165±57 U/L, uric acid 197±79 μmol/La and the platelet numberwas 243±61 x109/L. Albumin/Globulin index in the preeclamptic group was 0.8±0.12, whereas in the control group it was 0.9±0.16.Conclusions: BUN/Creatinine ratio in pregnant women with preeclampsia was significantly increased (t=-4.14; p=0.00013) in comparison to the control group. It indicates the prerenal source of azotemia. This indexcan be important for the evaluation of preeclampsia severity.

e research has included  patients aged between  to , of whom  were men and  women. e purpose of research was to determine impact of diet and physical activity in the treatment of metabolic syndrome during the six month period. Processing of results through descriptive and discriminative analysis have indicated that  month treatment with diet and physical activity have had an impact in the: waistline decrease by , cm or , among males, and , cm or , among females; body mass index (BMI) decrease by . or . among males, and , or , among females; decrease of blood triglycerides levels by , mmol/L or , among males, and , mmol/L or , among females; increase of blood cholesterol HDL-C by , mmol/L or , among males, and , mmol/L or , among females; systolic arterial pressure decreased by  mmHg or ,, and diastolic blood pressure by , mmHg or , among males, and systolic arterial pressure decreased by , mmHg or ,, and diastolic blood pressure decreased by , mmHg or , among females; the level of blood glucose decreased by , mmol/L or , among males, and by , mmol/L or , decreased among females.e results show that physical exercise and diet are important factors in reducing the values symptoms of metabolic syndrome. In order to improve symptoms of metabolic syndrome, it is necessary to keep on with healthy diet and physical exercise that means the change of lifestyle.

The aim of this study was to compare the serum levels of high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) between patients with and without periodontitis. Methods: Clinical periodontal parameters were measured at six sites per tooth in seventy-five subjects with periodontitis and in thirty-five periodontally healthy subjects. The following periodontal parameters were evaluated: the L?e-Sillness gingival index (0 - 3), the Sillness-L?e dental plaque index (0 - 3), the probing depth (mm), the clinical attachment level (mm), the bleeding index and the tooth mobility index. The laboratory parameters that were included in this study were the levels of hs-CRP, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, which were all assessed via Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA). Inter-group significance was determined with the statistical package R; specifically, we used the Student’s t-test, x²-test and Mann-Whitney test. Results: Concentrations of hs-CRP, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α were lower in the control group than in the periodontal disease group. The concentrations of each protein (control group vs. periodontal disease group) were as follows: hs-CRP (0.5 ± 0.6 vs. 2.5 ± 2.6, respectively), IL-1β (2.1 ± 2.2 vs. 7.0 ± 11.6, respectively), IL-6 (1.9 ± 1.6 vs. 3.7 ± 4.4, respectively) and TNF-α (64.6 ± 72.3 vs. 80.0 ± 73.1, respectively). The differences between the groups showed statistical significance at p < 0.05. Conclusions: Periodontal disease was associated with increased circulating concentrations of hs-CRP, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α.

Several studies have demonstrated the decreased insulin resistance (IR) in persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treated with glimepiride. Those suggest this might be associated with observed higher concentrations of adiponectin. We assessed if there is a difference in IR and metabolic syndrome components between glimepiride and glibenclamide treatment as well as adiponectin concentration in T2DM. Our research observed 20 T2DM patients treated with glibenclamid and 20 switched to glimepiride (n = 20) treatment for 24 weeks. Anthropometric measurements and laboratory analysis were performed at the beginning and at the end of treatment while IR was accessed by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The glimepiride group revealed better glycaemic control compared to glibenclamide group. Moreover, the adiponectin concentration increased (23.9 ± 17.3 to 29.1 ± 12.2 ng/mL, p = 0.087) whereas it decreased in the glibenclamide group (34.3 ± 22.6 to 20.3 ± 11.3 ng/mL, p = 0.011) following 24 weeks of treatment. The serum adiponectin and HOMA-IR were inversely correlated within the group of glibenclamide (r = -0.667, p = 0.009). The present study demonstrates that glimepiride might have beneficial effect on IR compared to glibenclamide, as suggested. However, this observation needs further study investigation among other formulations of SU.

Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative spiral-shaped bacterium that infects from 30% to 50% of the world’s population and it is one of the most important in dyspeptic syndrome causes of gastritis and peptic ulcer. H. pylori is one of the most common chronic bacterial infections especially in the development countries because the socioeconomic contribute to chronic disease. The infection induces an acute polymorphonuclear infiltration in the gastric mucosa. Infection with H. pylori has been epidemiologically linked to some extra digestive conditions, including ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus (DM), and others. The patients with DM are at risk for H. pylori infection, since they have coupled susceptibility of to a wide range of infections as a result of chronic elevation of blood glucose level and impairment of immune functions. Chronic inflammation is a risk factor for coronary heart disease, because inflammation, vascular injury and thrombosis are considered to cause atherosclerosis. The risk of cardiovascular events is associated with increased levels of the acute phase proteins, C-reactive protein (CRP), and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Interleukin 6 (IL-6), a major pro-inflammatory cytokine is produced in a variety of tissues, including activated leukocytes, adipocytes, and endothelial cells. CRP is the principal downstream mediator of the acute phase response and is primarily derived through IL-6-dependent hepatic biosynthesis. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), as an important inflammatory factor, has been shown to play a central role in the pathogenesis of diabetes. CRP and IL-6 were determinant of risk for the development of type 2 DM in apparently healthy middle-aged women. Since the prevalence of infected persons with H. pylori in Kosovo is high, the aim of this study was the evaluation of cytokines (IL1, TNF-α) and CRP in diabetic type 2 patients with positive H. pylori.