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Pancreatic disorders have a high prevalence worldwide. Despite the fact that screening methods became more effective and the knowledge we have nowadays about pancreatic diseases has enhanced, their incidence remains high. Our purpose was to determine whether single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of VEGFR-2/KDR (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2/kinase insert domain receptor) influences susceptibility to develop pancreatic pathology. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples collected from patients diagnosed with acute pancreatitis (n = 110), chronic pancreatitis (n = 25), pancreatic cancer (n = 82) and healthy controls (n = 232). VEGFR-2 (KDR) 604A>G (rs2071559) polymorphism frequency was determined with TaqMan allelic discrimination assays. Statistical assessment was performed by associating genetic polymorphism with clinical and pathological data. In both pancreatic disorders and healthy control groups the polymorphism we studied was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Association between increased risk for pancreatic disorders and studied polymorphism was statistically significant. KDR 604AG and AG + GG genotypes were more prevalent in acute pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer patients than in controls. These genotypes influence disease development in a low rate. No association was found between chronic pancreatitis and KDR 604AG and AG + GG genotypes. In Romanian cohort, we found an association between the KDR 604A→G polymorphism and acute pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Carriers of the -604G variant allele were more frequent among acute pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer than among controls, suggesting that KDR 604G allele may confer an increased risk for these diseases. In the future, more extensive studies on larger groups are necessary, in order to clarify the role of VEGFR2 polymorphisms in pancreatic pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Acute pancreatitis is a pathological condition localized to the pancreas, involving a systemic inflammatory response. It is a pathology widely encountered recently, evolving with increasing incidences that vary from a continent to another, depending on ethnicity, genetic predisposition and diet. Consequently, it is very important to know exactly which mechanisms are involved in their pathophysiology. The objective is to investigate whether there is a possible correlation between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of the inducible nitric oxide syntethase (iNOS) and acute pancreatitis, using genetic analysis. Material and methods. Biological samples with peripheral blood were obtained from patients admitted on Gastroenterology, 1st Surgery and 2nd Surgery clinics of the Emergency County Hospital of Craiova, between March 2014 - September 2015. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples from patients diagnosed with acute pancreatitis (n =168) and healthy subjects without inflammatory pathology (n =232). iNOS-2087A>G polymorphism was genotyped and allelic variants were identified by the technique Real Time PCR with TaqMan probes. It was also evaluated the association of the genetic polymorphism studied based on the clinical and pathological data of the patients. Results. The polymorphism we studied was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for both acute pancreatitis and healthy control groups. Between the investigated polymorphism and the risk of developing acute pancreatitis was found a slight association but insignificant statistically. Conclusion. In the studied group, the risk of developing acute pancreatitis is not increased by the presence of the polymorphism iNOS - 2087A>G. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspiration pneumonia in infants emerges as a result of deglutition disorders, congenital malformations and severe gastroesophageal reflux. Hydrocarbon pneumonitis is caused by the accidental ingestion and aspiration of hydrocarbons into the body. In children, it can be seen as a result of both the lack of monitoring and the tendency for the exploration of the environment. The accidental ingestion of a large quantity is quite rare due to the bad taste of hydrocarbons. Initially, the central nervous system is the one affected, followed by the respiratory system, causing the chemical pneumonia (through direct injury of the lung). Furthermore, we shall present the case of an 18 month infant with severe trauma as a result of the accidental ingestion of diesel, followed by vomiting and who was brought late to the hospital. The pneumothorax that emerged as a complication was remitted after the treatment, but the initially chemical and then mixed pneumonia through bacterial overinfection led to the infant's death after 12 days of medical attention in the Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit. The histopathological examination of the analyzed lung fragments did not point out any lipid or foam cells that are characteristic to this type of pathology, but which are not mentioned by the majority of toxicology textbooks and those of pathological anatomy, through the low rate of mortality and numerous factors that can lead to negative false results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary hypertension (PAH) represents a frequent complication in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the impact of accelerated inflammatory status on the pulmonary vascular bed is still insufficiently studied. Objectives: The study of the PAH's prevalence in patients suffering from COPD, its severity compared with lung function and the correlation with certain clinical, biological and functional parameters. Material and method: The study was performed on a group of 64 patients, average age 53 years, 42 of whom were men (65,62%), suffering from COPD who were admitted to the Emergency County Hospital Craiova, on the II-nd Medical Clinic, within a period of 18 months. When assessing the patients their clinical state was stable, without acute exacerbations items. The control group included 61 patients suffering from other diseases without inflammatory background, who were hospitalized in clinic in the same period. All the patients included in the study were evaluated by: physical examination, thoracic radiological examination, spirometry, inflammatory syndrome, echocardiography Doppler and oximetry. Results: The results of the study show a prevalence of 54.6 % PAH and a statistically significant impact of age, duration of the disease, Sa O2, inflammatory status, which was quantified in the study by ESR, serum levels of CRP and serum level of TNF alpha over the risk of developing COPD in patients suffering from PAH. Conclusions: The occurrence and the severity of PAH in patients suffering from COPD seems to be correlated with their age, duration of the disease, Sa O2 and serum levels of inflammatory markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]