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The use of biomarkers in cardiovascular surgery is an evolving field with promising potential; however, current research remains largely limited, requiring further validation for routine clinical application. This review explores the application of biomarkers in cardiovascular surgery, focusing on heart failure, cardiac ischemia, and organ dysfunction, including renal, cerebral, pulmonary, and splanchnic impairments. Additionally, it examines the significance of biomarkers in assessing the inflammatory state and oxidative stress during the perioperative period, particularly in the context of major surgical trauma and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). From January 2018 to June 2024, we reviewed 133 studies and four systematic reviews and meta-analyses using the Medline, Em base, and Central databases, screening for pre- or postoperative biomarker levels in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Outcomes of interest were postoperative mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, congestive heart failure, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Studies reporting multivariable-adjusted risk estimates were included. The findings revealed that cardiac troponins (cTns) and creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CK-MB) remain the most widely utilized biomarkers for assessing myocardial injury post-surgery. These elevated biomarker levels were consistently associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications, including low cardiac output syndrome, prolonged ventilation, and mortality. Emerging biomarkers, such as heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (h-FABP) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), demonstrated promising early detection and risk stratification results. In particular, h-FABP increased rapidly within one hour of myocardial injury, peaking at 4–6 hours and returning to baseline within 24 hours. This rapid clearance makes h-FABP a valuable tool for early myocardial injury detection, potentially allowing for timely interventions. Inflammatory biomarkers, including hs-CRP and pentraxin 3 (PTX3), were found to be associated with poor outcomes, such as increased morbidity and mortality. Elevated preoperative levels of these markers were indicative of a heightened inflammatory response, correlating with worse postoperative recovery and higher rates of complications. Furthermore, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) emerged as a cost-effective and easily accessible predictor of postoperative outcomes. Elevated NLR values were linked to an increased risk of adverse events, including prolonged ventilation, low cardiac output syndrome, and overall mortality. Further, the practicality of measuring NLR through routine blood tests makes it viable for widespread clinical use. In conclusion, integrating biomarkers in cardiovascular surgery significantly advances predicting postoperative outcomes for cardiac surgery patients. Therefore, it is essential to categorize these biomarkers into two distinct groups in the future, inflammatory and non-inflammatory (related to organ damage), to improve understanding and enhance their clinical applicability. Future research should focus on standardizing the use of these biomarkers and exploring their combined predictive power to enhance risk stratification and improve patient prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant properties of polyphenols extracted from Brassica oleracea var. capitata (cabbage) ethanolic extract (BOE). Given the historical use of cabbage in traditional medicine for treating various ailments, this research aims to validate these effects scientifically. The study involved the characterization of BOE's bioactive compounds using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Liquid Chromatography–Diode Array Detection–Electro-Spray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI MS) analysis. We assessed the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of topical and oral BOE administration on rodent models with acute and subacute inflammation. Additionally, the antioxidant capacity of orally administered BOE was evaluated. The results showed that BOE possesses significant levels of phenolic compounds with a potent antioxidant activity. The topical administration of BOE demonstrated notable anti-inflammatory effects in the tested rodent models, which were comparable with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These findings suggest that BOE could be a valuable natural remedy for inflammation-related conditions, supporting its traditional uses and highlighting its potential for further pharmacological development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The perioperative impact of calcium and vitamin D on left ventricular (LV) performance during major cardiac surgery remains unexplored. We aimed to assess the relation of calcium and vitamin D measured at different time points with the LV ejection fraction (EF), and to investigate whether changes in EF correlate with postoperative outcomes. Methods: We enrolled 83 patients, in whom ionized calcium was measured before, during, and after surgery (until discharge), vitamin D preoperatively, and EF pre- and postoperatively at 24 h. The postoperative outcomes were cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, aortic cross-clamp time, mechanical ventilation time, vasoactive inotropic score (VIS) (intraoperative, day 0, day 1), and ICU stay time. Results: The mean age was 64.9 ± 8.5 years, with 21 of the patients (25%) having an EF < 50%. The median change from preoperative to postoperative EF was −2.0 (−10.0–0.0) % (p < 0.001). At the baseline, the EF < 50% group had significantly lower preoperative vitamin D levels than the EF ≥ 50% group (p = 0.048). The calcium trend did not differ across the groups. Preoperative EF was significantly associated with CPB time (r = 0.22, p = 0.044) and aortic cross-clamp time (r = 0.24, p = 0.031). Postoperative EF was significantly and inversely associated with intraoperative VIS (r = −0.28, p = 0.009), VIS day 0 (r = −0.25, p = 0.020), VIS day 1 (r = −0.23, p = 0.036), and ICU length of stay (r = −0.22, p = 0.047). Finally, the change in ejection fraction was significantly and inversely associated with CPB time (r = −0.23, p = 0.037), aortic cross-clamp time (r = −0.22, p = 0.044), intraoperative VIS (r = −0.42, p < 0.001), VIS day 0 (r = −0.25, p = 0.024), mechanical ventilation time (r = −0.22, p = 0.047), and ICU length of stay (r = −0.23, p = 0.039). Conclusions: The fluctuations in perioperative ionized calcium levels were not associated with the evolution of LVEF, although preoperative vitamin D levels may affect those with low EF. Correspondingly, a reduced EF significantly impacted all the studied postoperative outcomes. Further investigation into biomarkers affecting cardiac inotropic function is warranted to better understand their significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nesfatin-1, deriving from a precursor protein, NUCB2, is a newly discovered molecule with anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anorexigenic effects. It was initially identified in the central nervous system (CNS) and received increasing interest due to its energy-regulating properties. However, research showed that nesfatin-1 is also expressed in peripheral tissues, including the digestive system. The aim of this review is to give a résumé of the present state of knowledge regarding its structure, immunolocalization, and potential implications in diseases with inflammatory components. The main objective was to focus on its clinical importance as a diagnostic biomarker and potential therapeutic molecule in a variety of disorders, among which digestive disorders were of particular interest. Previous studies have shown that nesfatin-1 regulates the balance between pro- and antioxidant agents, which makes nesfatin-1 a promising therapeutic agent. Further in-depth research regarding the underlying mechanisms of action is needed for a better understanding of its effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that affects a significant number of patients and can severely impair quality of life. Although the diagnosis is normally clinical, paraclinical determination can occasionally be useful either in differential diagnosis or in evaluating the inflammatory response to treatment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding parts of the RNA family that regulate gene expression and may have an important role as biomarkers in evaluating treatment response. The dysregulation of miRNAs has been well studied in other diseases, especially in oncology, but their role in chronic skin conditions such as psoriasis is still not fully understood. This study aims to evaluate the levels of three miRNAs (miR-155, miR-210, and miR-205) in patients with psoriasis, treated either systemically or topically, compared to a control group, and to assess the possible relationship between miRNA levels and systemic therapy. Our findings show a constant dysregulation of miR-205 in patients with psoriasis, with significantly higher levels compared to the control group, which can be explained as conferring a protective effect to treated patients. Further studies are needed in order to fully understand the role of miRNAs in the physiopathology of psoriasis and even, potentially, to provide more targeted genetic therapies in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: A possible molecular mechanism of clinically defined multidrug-resistant epilepsy involves drug efflux transporters such as P glycoprotein (P-gp), a member of the ATP-binding cassette subfamily B1 (ABCB1). We have investigated the prevalence of the C3435T, G 2677T/A, and T129C single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the promoter region of MDR1 gene, in Romanian epileptic patients.

Chronic hyperglycemia is an important cause for the development of chronic complications of diabetes, but glycemic variability has emerged in recent years as an independent contributor to diabetes-related complications. Our objective was to evaluate glycemic variability in patients with T2DM treated with insulin compared with other antidiabetic drugs. In this retrospective study, we collected 24-hour continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) recording data from 95 patients with T2DM, of which 27 treated with insulin and 68 with non-insulin treatment. We calculated and compared 16 glucose variability parameters in the insulin-treated and non-insulin treated groups. Insulin treated patients had significantly higher values of parameters describing the amplitude of glucose value fluctuations (standard deviation of glucose values, percentage coefficient of variation [%CV], and mean amplitude of glycemic excursion [MAGE], p

Aim: The present study aim to analyze the relationship between GST M/T genotypes of glutathione S-transferases and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

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Scop: Această cercetare are drept scop stabilirea unei corelaţii genotip-fenotip la pacienţii trataţi cu acenocumarol şi studierea factoriilor genetici (polimorfismele VKORC1 şi CYP2C9), care ar putea influenţa valorile INR în timpul iniţierii terapiei anticoagulante orale cu acenocumarol. Material şi metode: Am inclus 131 de pacienţi care necesitau tratament cu acenocumarol, 70 (53,4%) femei şi 61 (46,6%) bărbaţi, internaţi în Clinica Medicala 5 din Cluj-Napoca, între 2009-2011. Am studiat influenţa vârstei, sexului, medicaţiei concomitente şi a genelor CYP2C9 şi VKORC1 asupra valorii INR măsurate în ziua a treia de tratament şi asupra diferenţei dintre această valoare şi valoarea INR măsurată la debutul tratamentului (INRDIF). Rezultate şi concluzii: Am demonstrat o diferenţă semnificativă statistic pentru INR3 şi valorile INRDIF la pacienţii cu genotip AA şi cei cu genotip GG ai polimorfismului c.- 1639G>A al genei VKORC1. Prezenţa genotipului AA al polimorfismului c.- 1639G>A al genei VKORC1 a determinat o creştere de 15,7 ori a riscului ca un pacient să prezinte INR supraterapeutic după 2 zile de tratament cu 4 mg de acenocumarol.

Fluoropyrimidines remain some of the most used chemotherapeutics, despite the appearance in the therapeutic arsenal of targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Fluropyrimidines related cardiotoxicity is an undesirable adverse event and affects almost 20% of patients. The mechanisms of fluoropyrimidine toxicity are closely related to deficient allelic variants of DPYD, but considering the low penetrance and interindividual variability, not all adverse reactions are explained by their presence. In this case, we report a patient with recurrent fluoropyrimidine toxicity without a deficient allelic variant and how this case was managed by the oncologist and cardiologist, considering the need to use fluoropyrimidine in the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]