Ozonated autohemotherapy (O3-AHT) is a medical approach during which blood obtained from the patient is ozonated and injected back into the body. Despite an increasing number of evidence that O3-AHT is safe, this type of therapy remains controversial. To extend knowledge about the changes in blood evoked by O3-AHT, LC-MS- and GC-MS-based metabolic fingerprinting was used to compare plasma samples obtained from blood before and after the treatment with potentially therapeutic concentrations of ozone. The procedure was performed in PVC bags utilized for blood storage to study also possible interactions between ozone and plastic. By use of GC-MS, an increase in lactic acid and pyruvic acid was observed, which indicated an increased rate of glycolysis. With LC-MS, changes in plasma antioxidants were observed. Moreover, concentrations of lipid oxidation products (LOP) and lysophospholipids were increased after ozone treatment. This is the first report of increased LOPs metabolites after ozonation of blood. Seven metabolites detected by LC-QTOF-MS only in ozonated samples could be considered as novel biomarkers of oxidative stress. Several plasticizers have been detected by both techniques in blood stored in PVC bags. PVC is known to be an ozone resistant material, but ozonation of blood in PVC bags stimulates leaching of plasticizers into the blood.

BackgroundIn recent years there have been attempts to treat sepsis using various methods of extracorporeal blood purification in order to eliminate selected mediators of inflammation.Material/MethodsThis retrospective study assessed 28 patients (17 males, 11 females, age 60.3 ± 14.5 years) in septic shock, treated with continuous venovenous hemodialysis (CVVHD). Oligoanuric patients with acute kidney injury were qualified for 24-hour CVVHD using high cut-off (HCO) hemofilter. Before the start of dialysis and after 24 hours of treatment, the concentration levels of selected cytokines (IFN-α, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12) in serum were assessed. After 12 hours and 24 hours of treatment, the concentration of the same cytokines in the dialysis fluid was assessed. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of HCO-CVVHD in the removal of selected cytokines.ResultsAfter 24-hour HCO-CVVHD treatment, IL-10 and IL-12 levels in serum were significantly lower. Concentrations of INF-α, IL-1β and IL-2 in dialysis fluid significantly increased during HCO-CVVHD, which corresponded with the parallel rise of related clearances. Clearance of IL-6 was approximately four times higher than IL-10. The rise of IL-6 during HCO-CVVHD significantly correlated with mortality due to sepsis.ConclusionsContinuous venovenous hemodialysis using high cut-off hemofilter proved to be effective in the removal of IFN-α, IL-1β, IL-2 and IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12 from serum in patients during septic shock. The rise of IL-6 during HCO-CVVHD seems to be a marker of bad prognosis in septic shock patients.

Combat operations in contemporary theaters of war, as well as combat training, are carried out in all parts of the world, typically in a harsh environment. Specific environmental conditions, such as heat, cold, high-altitudes, desert climates, as well as chemical and biological pollution of both the atmosphere and soil, together with over-exertion, food restrictions, sleep deprivation, and psychological stress can all result in changes in the immune system and the occurrence of associated diseases. Respiratory diseases are one of the most common health problems among military personnel participating in combat training or deployed to operations in areas characterized by difficult climatic and sanitary conditions. They are, therefore, one of the main reasons for military personnel requiring ambulant and hospital treatment. The aim of the study was to discuss the influence of environmental factors and the conditions in which active duty is performed on changes in the immune system and the occurrence of respiratory tract diseases in a military environment.

Background: Platelet-activating factor (PAF) has a direct role as a mediator in the pathogenesis of various disorders with an inflammatory component, including those with allergic aetiology. The peripheral blood concentration of PAF is dynamically regulated by plasma PAF acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH). Previous studies suggest that low activity of plasma PAF-AH could be a predictive marker for increased severity of some types of allergic hypersensitivity reactions -especially anaphylaxis. Aim of the study: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the association between plasma PAF-AH activity and severity in patients with anaphylactic reactions following a wasp or bee sting. Methods: The study group of 89 patients was divided into two subgroups depending on the increasing severity of the most severe anaphylactic reaction in the past, which was assessed according to the Müller's scale. A control group of 20 people was established. Plasma PAF-AH activity was measured using a colorimetric method. Results: It has been observed that plasma activity of platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase was significantly lower in patients with anaphylaxis history compared to the control group with negative atopic history (on average 21.38 nmol/min/ml for the control group, 9.47 nmol/min/ml for the first subgroup and 10.16 nmol/min/ml for the second subgroup, in both cases p < 0.0001). Conclusion: The plasma activity of PAF-AH is a promising parameter that can help to distinguish a group of patients not threatened with development of anaphylaxis and not requiring laborious or expensive prophylactic procedures. | INTRODUCTIONPlatelet-activating factor (PAF), which was discovered in 1972 [1], is considered an important hypersensitivity mediator. Its influence includes anaphylaxis and its most severe form -anaphylactic shock. In the murine BALB/c model it was found, that PAF together with histamine may be responsible for the occurrence of anaphylaxis. The effect of PAF was more related to the reduction of cardiac output than to generalized vasodilation [2]. Moreover, some reports suggest that the importance of PAF as a mediator of anaphylaxis in humans may be superior to histamine and tryptase [3].

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