Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is known for preventing atherosclerosis through lipid-modifying features, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptosis, anti-thrombosis, and anti-adhesion properties. Uremic patients requiring haemodialysis (HD) are especially prone to atherosclerosis and its complications. We analysed the PON1 gene (PON1) polymorphisms and serum PON1 (paraoxonase) activity concerning dyslipidaemia and related cardiovascular diseases and mortality to show how they associate under uremic conditions modified by maintenance HD treatment. The rs662 AA + AG (OR 1.76, 95%CI 1.10–2.80, P = 0.018), rs854560 TT (OR 1.48, 95%CI 1.04–2.11, P = 0.031), and rs854560 AT + TT (OR 1.28, 95%CI 1.01–1.63, P = 0.040) contributed to the prevalence of atherogenic dyslipidaemia diagnosed by the triglyceride (TG)/HDL-cholesterol ratio ≥ 3.8. The normalized serum PON1 activity positively correlated with atherogenic dyslipidaemia (ẞ 0.67 ± 0.25, P = 0.008). The PON1 rs854560 allele T was involved in the higher prevalence of ischemic cerebral stroke (OR 1.38, 1.02–1.85, P = 0.034). The PON1 rs705379 TT genotype contributed to cardiovascular (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.03–1.57, P = 0.025) and cardiac (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.05–1.71, P = 0.018) mortality. All P-values were obtained in multiple regression analyses, including clinical variables. Multifaceted associations of PON1 with dyslipidaemia, ischemic cerebral stroke, and cardiovascular mortality in HD patients provide arguments for the consideration of PON1 and its protein product as therapeutic targets in the prevention of atherosclerosis and its complications in uremic patients.

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For their being considered safe and as over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are one of the most frequently used medicines nowadays. However, for the last couple of years, many researches analyzing PPI were conducted and these studies shed light on PPI side effects and mechanisms of these processes. Particularly, interesting is the impact of PPI on hearing loss development. However, this side effect seems to be local and its mechanisms are complex and systemic and involve changes in the whole body. This paper summarizes how through, inter alia, alterations in circulatory system, respiratory system, central nervous system, and metabolic changes PPI can cause hearing impairment, which can occur at every age and is connected with long-term use of this group of drugs. Another important finding is the role of PPI in acceleration of presbycusis development which is disturbing with regard to the fact that elders are the group who most frequently use PPI in the long term. Hearing loss is the factor which gravely decreases life quality, especially among elders who are the most afflicted group; thus, administration of PPI should be considered carefully, taking under consideration all benefits and all potential side effects.

Cigarette smoking effects might correspond with paraoxonase 1 gene (PON1) single nucleotide variants (SNVs). We investigated the association of PON1 rs705379, rs854560, and rs662 with cardiovascular mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients concerning conventional cigarette smoking. Cardiovascular, cardiac, coronary heart disease (CHD)- and non-CHD-related deaths were analyzed in 206 HD cigarette smokers and 659 HD non-smokers. P-values were adjusted for sex, age, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Among all smokers, the rs705379 TT genotype was associated with cardiovascular (P = 0.028), cardiac (P = 0.046), and cardiac non-CHD-related (P = 0.001) mortality. Non-diabetic smokers showed similar qualitative significance to all smokers concerning mentioned death rates (P-values 0.011, 0.044, and 0.009, respectively). In diabetic non-smokers, the rs705379 T allele correlated with CHD-related deaths (P = 0.020). The rs854560 T allele was associated with lower cardiovascular mortality in non-diabetic smokers (P = 0.008). The rs854560 TT genotype showed a negative non-significant correlation with non-CHD-related cardiac death in all non-smokers (P = 0.079). In diabetic smokers, the rs662 G allele was associated with higher cardiac mortality (P = 0.005). In all non-smokers and non-diabetic non-smokers, the rs662 G correlated with cardiovascular deaths (P = 0.020 and P = 0.018, respectively). Genotyping PON1 SNVs may help argue HD smokers harboring the rs705379 TT genotype or T allele and non-smokers possessing the rs662 G allele for prevention against cardiovascular diseases. These groups are more burdened genetically for cardiovascular mortality.