The satisfactory diagnostic efficacy of free plasma metanephrines allows their use as a single screening test in cases of suspected pheochromocytoma in the population with a low pretest probability.

Key words: Acute coronary syndrome/Myocardial ischemia/Non-STEMI/Coronary by-pass/Laboratory markers of myocardial ischemia/CAD/GPBB/POCT/ELISABackground: Glycogen Phosphorylase BB (GPBB) is considered an early and specifi c marker of myocardial necrosis and ischemia. A POCT kit GPBB for diagnostic use has recently been approved.Aim: an evaluation of the correspondence of qualitative POCT GBPP measurements with ELISA test results. Material and methodology: 20 individuals with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (non-STEMI) and 20 probands without acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were tested. GPBB (POCT, ELISA) in venous plasma (lithium-heparin) was assayed in all probands.Results: individuals with non-STEMI had signifi cantly higher GPBB ELISA values (32.3 vs. 6.1 μg/l; p < 0.01). GPBB sensitivity and specifi city for non-STEMI presence 6 hours after chest pain generation were 100 %. No proband was classifi ed in a diff erent subgroup with POCT of GPBB (positive/negative). GPBB POCT correlate with a non-STEMI diagnosis (χ 2 36.1; p < 0.01). Conclusion: GPBB POCT measurement is comparable with ELISA test results. GPBB analysis could expand the diagnostic palette in the fi rst hours after the onset of acute coronary syndrome.

Background: Several studies suggest that changes in estrogens and androgens during menopause play a role in the regulation of leptin production. Some authors present hypothesis that sex hormone replacement therapy can modulate leptin levels but up to date evidence shows that the infl uence of endogenous estrogens, androgens levels and sex hormone therapy on leptin concentration remains uncertain.Aim: To evaluate the infl uence of surgically induced menopause on serum leptin levels and the infl uence of diff erent types of hormonal therapy on serum leptin concentrations.Methods: 58 women with surgically induced menopause were divided into three groups. Women who did not receive any hormonal substitution (group 1), women who received Estradiol l mg per day (group 2) and women who received Tibolone 2,5 mg per day (group3). The levels of leptin, estradiol, testosterone, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, FSH, LH and progesterone were measured in all subjects on the 5th day and after 3 months following the surgical procedure.Results: Mean serum leptin concentrations did not diff er statistically in any of the studied groups in the begining and in the end of the study. There was no correlations between serum leptin and estradiol, LH, FSH, progesterone, testosterone, free testosterone and DHEAS concentrations in any of groups before and after treatment.Conclusion: Changes in sex hormone concentrations caused by ovariectomy do not infl uence serum leptin concentrations. Also the short term administration of low dose estrogen therapy or tibolone in postmenopausal subjects does not change serum leptin levels.

Aim of study was determine if a correlation exists between bone mass density and concentration of osteoprotegerin. We examined the group of 199 patients of mean age of 63 years. Of the group under study, 31 patients had normal bone density (T score >-1 and <1) and 168 probands had osteopenia or osteoporosis (T < -1).Persons with normal BMD values had median values of OPG 60.8 ng/l, while patients with reduced bone density had median values of 73 ng/l OPG. Cut-off for reduction of bone density was 128 ng/l OPG.We demonstrated that OPG concentrations vary inversely with bone density values (correlation coefficient -0.31). These results suggest that determination of OPG could allow discrimination of individuals with normal bone density and those with reduced bone density.

Úvod: Onemocnûní ledvin s poruchou jejich funkcí je povaÏováno za v˘znamn˘ rizikov˘ faktor zv˘‰ené mortality. Metodika: Jednalo se o prÛfiezovou retrospektivní studii. V roce 1997 bylo vy‰etfieno 974 probandÛ (506 muÏÛ, 468 Ïen). U v‰ech byl stanoven kreatinin a cystatin C v séru. Doba sledování ãinila 8 let; sledovan˘m parametrem bylo, zda pacienti zemfieli ãi ne. V˘sledky: Hodnoty cystatinu C se neli‰ily mezi muÏi a Ïenami (mediány 1,28 vs. 1,27 mg/l; p = 0,9). Koncentrace cystatinu C souvisely s vûkem (r = 0,37; p < 0,01) a v˘znamnû se zvy‰ovaly u osob star‰ích neÏ 60 let a dále u pacientÛ star‰ích neÏ 90 let ve srovnání s mlad‰ími. V prÛbûhu sledování zemfielo 260 probandÛ, pfieÏilo 714 osob. Medián cystatinu C u osob, které zemfiely, byl v˘znamnû vy‰‰í neÏ u pfieÏívajících (1,54 vs. 1,21; p < 0,01). Jedinci s nejniωím kvartilem cystatinu C mûli riziko smrti 12 % a u osob s nejvy‰‰ím kvartilem cystatinu C dosahovalo riziko smrti 48 %. Pomûr ‰ancí (odds ratio) mezi 1. a 4. kvartilem byl 6,9. Provedli jsme adjustaci cystatinu C na hodnoty vûku a i po této korekci byly zji‰tûny v˘znamnû vy‰‰í hodnoty cystatinu u zemfiel˘ch (mediány 0,0114 vs. 0,0089; p < 0,01). Závûr: Osoby s vy‰‰í hodnotou cystatinu C v séru mají bûhem osmiletého sledování vy‰‰í riziko smrti.