Browsing by Author "Milinkovic, Neda (35364467300)"

Background: Symptom risk assessment in carotid artery stenosis (CAS) could be improved by parameters that reflect additional risk aspects such as chronic inflammation rate, and atherosclerotic activity on a systemic level. In light of that, we investigated the association of serum matrix metalloproteinases-2,7,9 (MMP-2,7,9), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and selectins-P and E with symptomatic status, stenosis degree and plaque morphology in CAS patients in order to select parameters that associate to important clinical determinants of the symptom development risk. Methods: The study included 119 CAS patients and 46 healthy subjects. Carotid arteries were examined by color flow Doppler and B-mode Duplex ultrasound. Serum parameters were assessed using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Difference was tested by Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-square tests, and Spearman’s correlation was tested. Results: MMP-7 and selectin-P levels were higher in CAS than in controls (p<0.001). Positive correlation with stenosis degree was found for MMP-7 (r=0.155, p=0.007), VCAM-1 (r=0.127, p=0.029) and selectin-P (r=0.269, p<0.001). MMP-7 and selectin-P were higher in subjects with Grey-Weale 2, comparing to subjects with Grey-Weale 3 plaques (p=0.036, p=0.009). Selectin-P was lower in the presence of Grey-Weale 4 than in Grey-Weale 2 (p=0.045). Conclusions: Concurrent association of MMP-7 and selectin-P with both stenosis degree and carotid plaque morphology shows the joint influence of these important determinants of symptom risk that is reflected in serum parameters. This indicates that they can supply additional information outside ultrasound CAS assessment only, and their integration in a future multiscale approach for CAS risk prediction could be beneficial. © 2025 Society of Medical Biochemists of Serbia. All rights reserved.

Background/Objectives: The prevalence of obesity worldwide has rapidly increased. Numerous studies showed a beneficial effect of probiotics in obese individuals, and changes in hematological parameters are observed in obesity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a novel probiotic approach on the red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets. Methods: Twenty-five obese women participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled study and were divided into the experimental group (one capsule daily containing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v (DSM9843), Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii, and 40 mg octacosanol; n = 13) and the placebo group (n = 12). Blood samples were collected for light microscopic examination, morphometric analysis, and an automated hematology analyzer. A possible relationship between hematological parameters and body mass index (BMI), a common indicator of obesity, was investigated using Spearman correlation. The plasma concentration of soluble P-selectin and fibrinogen were determined using an ELISA assay. All measurements were performed before (T0) and after 12 weeks of supplementation (T1). Results: The three-month supplementation of probiotics improved hemoglobin levels, chromic status, and red blood cell morphology. The mean platelet volume (MPV), a measure of platelet size, was restored to normal levels, platelet morphology was improved, and the number of activated platelets was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). A strong negative correlation (r = −0.5904, p < 0.05) was found between BMI and platelet distribution width (PDW), a measure of variation in platelet size and shape. Conclusions: The results show that the probiotic approach improves morphology and normalizes the values of disturbed hematological parameters of RBCs and platelets in obese women. © 2025 by the authors.