During the last decade, studies provided evidence on the indirect or direct participation of leptin in human reproductive functions. Leptin plays a role in puberty, gonadal function, early embryogenesis and fat metabolism during pregnancy [5][6][7]. Mean circulating leptin levels are higher in women compared to men [5][6][7]. At the same time, circulating leptin levels vary during the physiological spontaneous menstrual cycle presenting with lower values during the follicular and higher values during the luteal phase [8][9][10][11][12][13]. This fact supports the notion that leptin plays an important role in female reproductive functions and it fuels questions whether leptin levels are associated with gonadotropin or ovarian steroid levels. These questions still remain open.The participation of leptin in human female reproductive functions raises the question whether other adipokines are related to these functions, too. The present study was designed to investigate the serum levels of Byron AsiMAkopouLos*, AthAnAsios MiLousis*, theodorA GiokA**, GeorGiA kABouRoMiTi**, GeorGe GiAnissLis*, Androniki TRoussA*, MArA siMopouLou*, siMoni kATeRGARi*, GreGory TRipsiAnis*, nikos nikoLeTTos*** Abstract. This study investigated the serum levels of resistin, adiponectin and leptin during the physiological menstrual cycle. sixteen women (age: 19-30 years; body mass index: 19.46-24.9) with regular menstrual cycles participated. Fasting blood samples were collected on alternate days throughout a full menstrual cycle. Mean resistin concentrations were slightly higher during the luteal phase (5.30±0.23 ng/ml) compared to the follicular (4.68±0.07 ng/ml) and midcycle (4.86±0.09 ng/ml) phases (p=0.032). Mean leptin concentrations during the follicular phase (18.14±0.28 ng/ml) were significantly lower compared to the midcycle (21.79±0.29 ng/ml, p=0.006) and luteal phases (23.75±0.64 ng/ml, p<0.001). The variation of adiponectin concentrations throughout the menstrual cycle was not significant. According to the results, circulating resistin, likewise leptin concentrations vary significantly during the physiological menstrual cycle presenting with higher values during the luteal phase. This pattern, although its physiological importance is not clear, suggests that resistin, likewise to leptin, may have a role in the regulation of cyclic female reproductive functions. The stable adiponectin concentrations throughout the menstrual cycle indicate that this adipokine probably does not play a considerable role in female reproductive functions.

BackgroundProcalcitonin (PCT) has emerged as a valuable marker of sepsis. The potential role of PCT in diagnosis and therapy monitoring of intravascular catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) in intensive care unit (ICU) is still unclear and was evaluated.MethodsForty-six patients were included in the study, provided they were free of infection upon admission and presented the first episode of suspected CRBSI during their ICU stay. Patients who had developed any other infection were excluded. PCT was measured daily during the ICU hospitalization. Primary endpoint was proven CRBSI. Therapy monitoring as according to infection control was also evaluated.ResultsAmong the 46 patients, 26 were diagnosed with CRBSI. Median PCT on the day of infection suspicion (D0) was 7.70 and 0.10 ng/ml for patients with and without proven CRBSI, respectively (p < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) for PCT was 0.990 (95% CI; 0.972 – 1.000), whereas a cut-off value of 0.70 ng/ml provided sensitivity and specificity of 92.3 and 100% respectively. In contrast, the AUC for white blood cells (WBC) was 0.539 (95% CI; 0.369 – 0.709), and for C-reactive protein (CRP), 0.603 (95% CI; 0.438 – 0.768). PCT was the best predictor of proven infection. Moreover, an increase >0.20 ng/ml of PCT between the D0 and any of the 4 preceding days was associated with a positive predictive value exceeding 96%. PCT concentrations from the D2 to D6 after suspected infection tended to decrease in controlled patients, whereas remained stable in non-controlled subjects. A PCT concentration exceeding 1.5 ng/ml during D3 was associated with lack of responsiveness to therapy (p = 0.028).ConclusionsWe suggest that PCT could be a helpful diagnostic and prognostic marker of CRBSI in critically ill patients. Both absolute values and variations should be considered.

No abstract

PCT values in CSF can be very helpful in distinguishing BM from VM and other noninfectious diseases.

These results indicate that primiparity, long labor, stress to the mother and fetus during labor and delivery, negative affects and high score of posttraumatic stress are risk factors for delayed lactogenesis.

No abstract

According to the results of this study, auto-transfusion reduces the need for ABT in TKR performed without tourniquet.

The objective of this study was to measure autoantibodies and the mean individual immune reactivity (IR) in children with asthma. The study group consisted of ten children with asthma and the control group of ten age-matched healthy subjects. In all patients IR and 24 autoantibodies (aAb) type G were measured by ELISA (Immunculus, Russia). The IR in asthmatics was 42% and was statistically significantly higher than this of control group 9% (p < 0.005). The level of aAbs (LuM, LuS, CoM and dsDNA) was also raised in the asthmatics. Anti-Adr aAbs was higher in one patient who required intense treatment for asthma with frequent use of corticosteroids. Anti-HMMP, insulin and IR aAbs were significantly lower in comparison to the control group (p < 0.05). This study confirms the high level of immunological activation in patients with asthma. The presence of autoantibodies implies that autoimmunity might have a role in the pathogenesis of asthma.