Aim: Paper provides an overview of possible associations between self-reported health status, health behaviours and socio-demographics during pregnancy. Methods: Study data were obtained from the case-control research project Analysis of folate metabolism biomarkers in the risk assessment for neural tube defects, orofacial clefts and congenital heart defects, which recruited participants from May 2013 to September 2015. Questionnaires about maternal health, health related behaviour and socio-demographic characteristics were completed by 450 women. Data includes pregnancies that date from the 1980s to 2015. Results: We observed that younger and less educated women more frequently reported positive smoking status during pregnancy, while higher prevalence of folate/multivitamin supplementation was found among more educated, older and nulliparous women. There was a U-shaped distribution of medication intake (over-the-counter and prescribed) with respect to educational level, with the highest intake in mothers with a masters/PhD degree and among those that completed elementary school. Higher medication usage was also reported among older women. A Higher incidence of chronic diseases was observed in a group of multiparous women than among monoparous women. Conclusions: Considerable socio-demographic disparities exist in health related behaviour among pregnant women. Improved public health campaigns and individual health care counselling are needed to address specific requirements of socio-demographic groups at higher risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Estrogens and antioxidants indirectly alleviate telomere attrition. However, available clinical data on the association between hormone exposure and telomere length are inconclusive. In the present study, we examined the effects of exogenous estrogen use and of some genetic factors implicated in estrogen metabolism and oxidative stress response on mean leukocyte telomere length. We studied 259 postmenopausal women. Genotyping was conducted for CYP1B1 (rs1056836), COMT (rs4680), GSTP1 (rs1695), MnSOD (rs4880), KRAS (rs61764370), and MTHFR (rs1801133 and rs1801131) polymorphisms. Mean leukocyte telomere length was measured using a quantitative real-time PCR assay. In multivariate analysis we found no association between oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and mean leukocyte telomere length. The presence of variant alleles in CYP1B1, KRAS and MTHFR genes was statistically significantly associated with shorter mean leukocyte telomere length. Further, the data provided evidence for the effect modification of the association between HRT and mean leukocyte telomere length by the CYP1B1, KRAS and MTHFR genotypes. Our findings suggest that functionally relevant genetic variants within estrogen and folate metabolic pathways may influence telomere length. We propose these genetic factors should be taken into consideration when interpreting associations between hormone exposure and telomere length.
COBISS.SI-ID: 2021243
Background Some controversy exists regarding the safety of endoaortic balloon clamping in minimal access isolated mitral valve surgery (MIMVS). The aim of this European multicenter study was to analyze the results in 10 experienced centers and compare the outcomes with published data. Methods The most recent 50 consecutive MIMVS cases from10 European surgeons who had performed at least 100 procedures were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed. All procedures were performed through right minithoracotomy with femoral cannulation and endoaortic balloon occlusion. In-hospital and 30-day outcomes were studied. Mortality and stroke rates were compared with published median sternotomy and MIMVS outcomes. Results Mean age was 63.2 +- 12.5 years, 289 (57.8%) were male, mean logistic European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation was 6.1 +- 6.2, and 53 (10.6%) procedures had cardiac reoperations. Concomitant procedures were performed in 126 (25.9%) cases. Three patients (0.6%) required conversion to full sternotomy. Ten patients (2.0%) necessitated endoaortic balloon clamping conversion (8 to external clamping), and re-exploration for bleeding was necessary in 24 (4.8%) cases. Mean aortic cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times were 85.6 +- 30.1 and 129.5 +- 40.2 min, respectively, and were significantly longer for concomitant procedures (p ( 0.001). There were no aortic dissections and no deep venous thromboses. Operative mortality (none neurologic) and major stroke occurred in 7 (1.4%) and 4 (0.8%) patients, respectively. These rates compared favorably with the published literature on isolated primary mitral valve surgery (MVS) through sternotomy or minithoracotomy (mortality rates 0.2% to 11.6%, stroke rates 0.6% to 4.4%). Conclusions Once procedural proficiency is acquired, endoaortic balloon clamping in MIMVS is a safe and effective technique. Despite the fact that this patient cohort also includes combined and redo procedures, the observed mortality and stroke rate compared favorably with the existing literature on primary isolated mitral valve surgery irrespective of the approach.
COBISS.SI-ID: 32252377
The importance of folates in human physiology is well known, as are various pathologies associated with low folate status. Folate deficiency can occur due to low dietary intake, a genetic predisposition or treatment with medicines affecting the folate status. The aim of this paper is to explore the importance of determining genetic polymorphisms, which influence the levels of biologically active folate. MTHFR is involved in the transformation of 5,10-methylene-THF to 5-methyl-THF. Polymorphisms of the MTHRF gene are associated with decreased enzymatic activity. Only 9.3 % of the population in Slovenia display full activity of the MTHFR enzyme; these subjects are non-mutated homozygotes (wild-type alleles). In contrast, the average enzymatic activity in subjects with mutated alleles is between 50 and 60 %. MTHFR polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of hyperhomocysteinemia and cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders and various types of cancer. There is also an increased risk for congenital malformations. Folic acid food fortification was introduced in some countries in order to assure an adequate folate status in the population. However, this approach does not address the decreased activity of MTHFR. Polymorphism in the key enzymes of the folate cycle is common. Determination of the genetic predisposition is therefore plausible in the most vulnerable popultion groups, such as pregnant women and patients receiving medicines influencing the folate cycle in various ways, e.g. 5- fluorouracil, methotrexate and 6-mercaptopurine. Genotyping would allow the identification of patients at high risk for suboptimal folate status.
COBISS.SI-ID: 4133489
Published evidences indicate that reactive oxygen species (ROS) can induce lipid peroxidation, which plays important role in the pathophysiology of numerous diseases including atherosclerosis, diabetes, cancer and aging process. Monitoring of oxidative modification or oxidative damages of biomolecules may therefore be essential for the understanding of aging, and age-related diseases. N-epsilon-Hexanoyl-lysine (HEL) is a novel lipid peroxidation biomarker which is derived from the oxidation of omega-6 unsaturated fatty acid. In this chapter, development of HEL ELISA and its applications are reported. Assay range of HEL ELISA was 2700 nmol/L, and showed good linearity and reproducibility. Accuracy of this assay was validated by recovery test and absorption test. HEL concentration in human urine was 22.9 15.4 nmol/L and it was suggested that HEL exists as low molecular substances, in a free or in the peptide-attached form. In contrast with the urine sample, serum HEL was suggested to exist in the protein-attached form, and hydrolysis by protease might be essential for the accurate measurement of HEL in protein containing samples such as serum and cultured cells. By sample pretreatment with proteases, HEL was successfully detected in oxidized LDL, oxidized serum, and rat serum. In conclusion, HEL ELISA can be applied to measure urine, serum, and other biological samples independent of the animal species, and may be useful for the assessment of omega-6 PUFA oxidation in the living bodies.
COBISS.SI-ID: 1241260