Browsing by Author "Radojicic, Zoran (6507427734)"

Purpose: We aimed at evaluating androgen status (serum testosterone [TT] and estimated free testosterone [eFT]) and its determinants in non-diabetic elderly men with heart failure (HF). Additionally, we investigated its associations with body composition and long-term survival. Methods: Seventy three non-diabetic men with HF and 20 healthy men aged over 55years were studied. Echocardiography, 6-min walk test, grip strength, body composition measurement by DEXA method were performed. TT, sex hormone binding globulin, NT-proBNP, and adipokines (adiponectin and leptin) were measured. All-cause mortality was evaluated at six years of follow-up. Results: Androgen status (TT, eFT) was similar in elderly men with HF compared to healthy controls (4.79±1.65 vs. 4.45±1.68ng/ml and 0.409±0.277 vs. 0.350±0.204nmol/l, respectively). In HF patients, TT was positively associated with NT-proBNP (r=0.371, p =0.001) and adiponectin levels (r=0.349, p =0.002), while inverse association was noted with fat mass (r =−0.413, p <0.001). TT and eFT were independently determined by age, total fat mass and adiponectin levels in elderly men with HF (p<0.05 for all). Androgen status was not predictor for all-cause mortality at six years of follow-up. Conclusions: In non-diabetic men with HF, androgen status is not altered and is not predictive of long-term outcome. © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Background/Aims: Compared to all other complications, literature data about vascular access aneurysm (VAA) are the scarcest. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the prevalence of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) aneurysms and to confirm the risk factors for their appearance. Methods: The presence, number and morphological characteristics of AVF aneurysms were confirmed, and according to the score of AVF aneurysm (the sum of the length and width in cm), patients were classified into group 1 (score ≤12) and group 2 (score >12). Analysis included the last data from the medical records including vascular calcifications score. Results: Out of 181 patients, 150 with native fistula were included in this study. Aneurysmatic changes were detected in 90 (60%) patients, and the majority had two or more aneurysms. VAA were more frequent in patients with adult polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) than in other diagnostic categories. By using forward stepwise logistic regression, we confirmed that patients on high-flux hemodialysis (HD) had 5.3-fold higher risk, and patients with diabetes mellitus had 5.8-fold less risk for developing AVF aneurysm. While vascular calcification score did not influence the incidence of VAA, higher PWV had significant negative influence on formation of AVF aneurysm (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.003-1.56, p = 0.047). By ROC curve analysis, it was determined that patients who were longer than 5.7 years on HD had greater risk for developing VAA (area = 0.741, p = 0.000). Conclusion: This single-center study confirmed the very high prevalence of VAA (60%). Aneurysms were more frequent in patients with ADPKD and in those who had longer dialysis vintage on high-flux membranes with higher blood flow rate. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Background Reduced peripheral muscle mass was demonstrated in patients with chronic heart failure (HF). Adipokines may have potent metabolic effects on skeletal muscle. The associations between adipokines, peripheral muscle mass, and muscle function have been poorly investigated in patients with HF. Methods We measured markers of fat and bone metabolism (adiponectin, leptin, 25-hydroxy vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, osteoprotegerin, RANKL), N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) in 73 non-cachectic, non-diabetic, male patients with chronic HF (age: 68 ± 7 years, New York Heart Association class II/III: 76/26%, left ventricular ejection fraction 29 ± 8%) and 20 healthy controls of similar age. Lean mass as a measure of skeletal muscle mass was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), while muscle strength was assessed by hand grip strength measured by Jamar dynamometer. Results Serum levels of adiponectin, parathyroid hormone, osteoprotegerin, RANKL, and NT-pro-BNP were elevated in patients with chronic HF compared to healthy controls (all p < 0.0001), while no difference in serum levels of leptin, testosterone or SHBG was noted. Levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D were reduced (p = 0.002) in HF group. Peripheral lean mass and hand grip strength were reduced in patients with HF compared to healthy subjects (p = 0.006 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Using backward selection multivariable regression, serum levels of increased adiponectin remained significantly associated with reduced arm lean mass and muscle strength. Conclusions Our findings may indicate a cross-sectional metabolic association of increased serum adiponectin with reduced peripheral muscle mass and muscle strength in non-cachectic, non-diabetic, elderly HF patients. © 2013 European Federation of Internal Medicine.

Background: Prolactin-raising antipsychotics, risperidone (antidopaminergic activity), may be associated with low bone mass. On the other hand, risperidone may cause an increase in body weight thought to be favorable for bone. Objectives: (1) To determine bone remodeling parameters and bone mass in patients with schizophrenia on long-term treatment with long-acting injectable risperidone (LAIR) in naturalistic settings, and (2) to evaluate the change in body weight, metabolic profile and neuroendocrine status in these patients. Design: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study. Patients: Patients included 26 outpatients with controlled schizophrenia in real-life conditions (age 31.3 ± 1.3 years, BMI 28.1 ± 1.0) on long-term maintenance therapy with LAIR for a mean of 18.0 ± 1.6 months (range 6-36) with a mean dose of 38 ± 2 mg. 35 subjects matched for sex, age, BMI and education served as healthy controls. Methods: Serum osteocalcin, C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTx), vitamin D, leptin, prolactin, sex steroids, and parathyroid hormone were assessed. Indices of insulin sensitivity and resistance were determined following an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (FN). Results: Mild to moderate hyperprolactinemia (1,000-2,000 mU/l) was associated with asymptomatic hypogonadism. Prolactin values >2,000 mU/l occurred in a few female patients. Hypogonadism leads to a slight increase (upper limit of normal) in bone resorption marker (CTx) in patients with schizophrenia (p = 0.023). As for bone mass, although lower at the spine than in healthy subjects, it did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.094), while at the FN, BMD was not different from healthy subjects. Body weight increased on average 8.7 ± 1.6 kg in more than 50% of patients. Leptin levels adjusted for BMI in females were significantly higher in patients than in healthy female subjects (p = 0.018), while in males there was no difference between the groups (p = 0.833). A high prevalence of low vitamin D levels and more current smokers were found in patients with schizophrenia. As for the metabolic profile during treatment with risperidone, the low Matsuda index of insulin sensitivity (p = 0.039) confirmed insulin resistance in these patients. Conclusion: A potential long-term consequence of asymptomatic hypogonadism due to risperidone-induced hyperprolactinemia might cause a slight rise in bone resorption marker (CTx). On the other hand, by increasing body weight, risperidone could have a protective effect on the bone and thus no change in bone mass was recorded when compared with healthy controls. © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Background: Prolactin-raising antipsychotics, risperidone (antidopaminergic activity), may be associated with low bone mass. On the other hand, risperidone may cause an increase in body weight thought to be favorable for bone. Objectives: (1) To determine bone remodeling parameters and bone mass in patients with schizophrenia on long-term treatment with long-acting injectable risperidone (LAIR) in naturalistic settings, and (2) to evaluate the change in body weight, metabolic profile and neuroendocrine status in these patients. Design: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study. Patients: Patients included 26 outpatients with controlled schizophrenia in real-life conditions (age 31.3 ± 1.3 years, BMI 28.1 ± 1.0) on long-term maintenance therapy with LAIR for a mean of 18.0 ± 1.6 months (range 6-36) with a mean dose of 38 ± 2 mg. 35 subjects matched for sex, age, BMI and education served as healthy controls. Methods: Serum osteocalcin, C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTx), vitamin D, leptin, prolactin, sex steroids, and parathyroid hormone were assessed. Indices of insulin sensitivity and resistance were determined following an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (FN). Results: Mild to moderate hyperprolactinemia (1,000-2,000 mU/l) was associated with asymptomatic hypogonadism. Prolactin values >2,000 mU/l occurred in a few female patients. Hypogonadism leads to a slight increase (upper limit of normal) in bone resorption marker (CTx) in patients with schizophrenia (p = 0.023). As for bone mass, although lower at the spine than in healthy subjects, it did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.094), while at the FN, BMD was not different from healthy subjects. Body weight increased on average 8.7 ± 1.6 kg in more than 50% of patients. Leptin levels adjusted for BMI in females were significantly higher in patients than in healthy female subjects (p = 0.018), while in males there was no difference between the groups (p = 0.833). A high prevalence of low vitamin D levels and more current smokers were found in patients with schizophrenia. As for the metabolic profile during treatment with risperidone, the low Matsuda index of insulin sensitivity (p = 0.039) confirmed insulin resistance in these patients. Conclusion: A potential long-term consequence of asymptomatic hypogonadism due to risperidone-induced hyperprolactinemia might cause a slight rise in bone resorption marker (CTx). On the other hand, by increasing body weight, risperidone could have a protective effect on the bone and thus no change in bone mass was recorded when compared with healthy controls. © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Aim: To further examine the neurobiological mechanisms and their outcomes responsible for the PTSD sequelae induced by laboratory animal model and to explore the effects of chronic psychosocial paradigm. We tested the hypothesis that our animal model of PTSD would display abnormalities in glucocorticoid levels that are manifest in people with PTSD and that psychosocially stressed rats exhibit a significantly greater suppression of corticosterone levels than control rats following the administration of dexamethasone. Methods: Animals were divided into two groups. The experimental group was scheduled to exposure to two types of stressors: double exposure to acute immobilization stress, and combined predator-threat stress and daily social stress. There was also administration of dexamethasone in combination with stress exposure. Results: There was a statistical difference between masses of thymus in the stress group and stress group with dexamethasone appliance (p=0.024). We found statistical significance between baseline cortisol and stress induced levels of cortisol and between stress induced group and return to baseline group. Conclusion: Significant changes in HPA activity, reductions in basal glucocorticoid levels and enhanced dexamethasone induced inhibition of glucocorticoid levels have been manifested. All of this is manifested in PTSD patients also as many other stress induces changes. © 2014 Starcevic et al.

This study was conducted to explore the effects of specific psychosocial paradigm on predator animal posttraumatic stress model and to test the hypothesis that psychosocially stressed rats would exibit abnormal levels of cortisol and a larger suppression of cortisol levels after the application of dexamethasone. Animals were divided in two groups: experimental and control groups. The experimental group was exposed to two types of stressors: Acute immobilization stress, and combined predator stress and daily social stress with application of dexamethasone. Blood sampling was performed at three different times. We found statistically significant results after analyzing the differences between cortisol levels in different times of blood sampling in the group of animals exposed to stress with dexamethasone application. Statistical significance was found when we compared the experimental group with the control group in terms of elevated cortisol levels during blood sampling after stress paradigm exposition. Many significant disruptions in the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-Adrenal axis were observed, such as decrease in basal cortisol levels and enhanced dexamethasone-induced inhibition of cortisol levels. These findings are important because their impact can translate to human individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder, which is the most important role of every animal model in research. © Copyright 2016, Kaohsiung Medical University.

Background: Although the majority of previous findings unequivocally confirmed the existence of systemic oxidative stress in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients, data on prognostic potential of biomarkers of oxidative lipid and protein damage are limited. We aimed to address the relation of oxidative stress markers to severity and prognosis in CHF secondary to ischemic cardiomyopathy. Methods and Results: Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), protein thiol groups (P-SH), reactive carbonyl derivatives (RCD), together with glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were determined in 120 CHF patients and 69 healthy controls. Increased lipid peroxidation (MDA) and oxidation of plasma proteins (RCD; P-SH) s well as downregulated GSH-Px activity were found in CHF patients compared with controls. Significant correlation was obtained only for RCD content and remodeling indices (LVEDV: r = 0.469, P =.008; LVESV: r = 0.452; P =.011). Cox regression analysis demonstrated only MDA (HR = 3.33; CI: 1.55-7.12; P =.002) as independent predictor of death, whereas SOD was associated with unstable angina pectoris (HR = 2.09; CI: 1.16-3.78; P =.011). Conclusions: In the course of CHF progression, carbonyl stress is implicated in the LV remodeling. Malondialdehyde level might be a useful parameter for monitoring and planning management of CHF patients. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Background N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is used as a biomarker to differentiate congestive heart failure from lung disease in adults and children. The clinical significance of its use in term neonates has not yet been extensively studied. Methods NT-proBNP level was measured in 62 term neonates admitted for respiratory distress (RD): 38 with congenital heart disease (CHD) and 24 with pulmonary disease. The control group consisted of 28 healthy neonates. Findings of auscultation, chest radiography, Silverman-Anderson score and echocardiography were recorded for each patient. Blood samples for measuring NT-proBNP were collected on admission, when blood sampling was indicated for the clinical management of the newborn. Results In the control group NT-proBNP was significantly higher during the first week of life compared to the rest of the neonatal period (P < 0.001). The RD group, regardless of etiology, had significantly higher NT-proBNP than the control group (P < 0.001). Neonates with more severe RD had significantly higher NT-proBNP (P = 0.002). No significant difference was found between the RD group with CHD and those with pulmonary disease. Neonates with CHD and myocardial hypocontractility had significantly higher NT-proBNP than those with normal contractility (P = 0.022). Conclusion Term neonates with RD have significantly higher NT-proBNP than healthy neonates. A single measurement of NT-proBNP level cannot be used as the sole biomarker for distinguishing between cardiac and pulmonary cause of RD in term neonates. © 2013 The Authors. Pediatrics International © 2013 Japan Pediatric Society.

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate the association of Cystatin C (CysC) to biochemical markers of bone turnover and bone mass, and to evaluate its prognostic significance in elderly males with chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods: A prospective cohort study was executed on sixtyeight males (mean age 68±7 years) with mild to moderate CHF, together with 19 of corresponding age- and body mass index-matched healthy individuals who underwent cardio vascular, bone mineral density (BMD), and body com position assessment. Biochemical assessment of all subjects included NT-pro-BNP, parathyroid hormone (PTH), 25-hydroxy Vitamin D (25(OH)D), CysC, and biochemical markers of bone turnover including osteocalcin (OC), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), β-CrossLaps (β-CTx), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL). Results: Serum CysC was significantly increased in males with CHF in comparison to healthy control ones. A significant positive association was found between CysC levels and OC in males with CHF, while OC and β-CTx increased in increasing CysC tertiles. In multivariate regression analysis, OC and smoking were a significant determinant of CysC in males with CHF. Level of CysC was found to be positively associated with an increased fatal risk in males with CHF. Conclusions: Serum osteocalcin is an independent predictor of CysC level in elderly males with CHF. Higher CysC level showed a negative relation to survival and bone loss in males with CHF. Further research is needed to confirm the potential role of CysC in the crosstalk between heart, kidney, bone, and energy metabolism in CHF. © 2019 Biljana Bozic Nedeljkovic et al., published by Sciendo 2019.

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate the association of Cystatin C (CysC) to biochemical markers of bone turnover and bone mass, and to evaluate its prognostic significance in elderly males with chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods: A prospective cohort study was executed on sixtyeight males (mean age 68±7 years) with mild to moderate CHF, together with 19 of corresponding age- and body mass index-matched healthy individuals who underwent cardio vascular, bone mineral density (BMD), and body com position assessment. Biochemical assessment of all subjects included NT-pro-BNP, parathyroid hormone (PTH), 25-hydroxy Vitamin D (25(OH)D), CysC, and biochemical markers of bone turnover including osteocalcin (OC), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), β-CrossLaps (β-CTx), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL). Results: Serum CysC was significantly increased in males with CHF in comparison to healthy control ones. A significant positive association was found between CysC levels and OC in males with CHF, while OC and β-CTx increased in increasing CysC tertiles. In multivariate regression analysis, OC and smoking were a significant determinant of CysC in males with CHF. Level of CysC was found to be positively associated with an increased fatal risk in males with CHF. Conclusions: Serum osteocalcin is an independent predictor of CysC level in elderly males with CHF. Higher CysC level showed a negative relation to survival and bone loss in males with CHF. Further research is needed to confirm the potential role of CysC in the crosstalk between heart, kidney, bone, and energy metabolism in CHF. © 2019 Biljana Bozic Nedeljkovic et al., published by Sciendo 2019.