Background and Purpose-Several factors have been held responsible for the development of atherosclerosis. To avoid the masking effect of age, we evaluated correlates of carotid atherosclerosis in patients Ͻ55 years of age. Methods-Plasma lipids, oxidative resistance of low-density lipoprotein, homocysteine, inflammatory markers, plasma viscosity, and red cell deformability were measured in fasting blood samples of 100 subjects: 45 patients with Ͼ30% stenosis of the internal carotid artery, 20 patients with carotid occlusion, and 35 control subjects. Stenosis and intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery were evaluated by duplex ultrasound. Results-White blood cell (WBC) count, plasma fibrinogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), and lipoprotein(a) levels were significantly higher in patients than in control subjects, and patients had increased IMT (PϽ0.01 for all comparisons). There was a tendency for higher homocysteine levels in patients. Smokers had higher WBC, fibrinogen, and CRP levels. After the effect of smoking was controlled for, WBC count, natural logarithmic transform of homocysteine, and online-measured IMT remained significantly higher in patients than in control subjects. WBC, fibrinogen, and CRP levels were highest in the highest IMT quartile (Pϭ0.012, Pϭ0.007, and Pϭ0.036, respectively). Conclusions-Inflammatory markers and homocysteine have a more important role than lipid factors in early-onset carotid atherosclerosis. We cannot recommend the measurement of low-density lipoprotein peroxidation as a routine screening test to identify high-risk patients for early-onset carotid atherosclerosis. The confounding effect of smoking on inflammatory markers should be considered in studies on atherosclerosis.

In 1986, we started the research on spleen surgery aimed at saving the splenic mass after its traumatic injury, with elaboration of special resection and autotransplantation techniques. The researches started on mongrel dogs and were continued on inbred mice and beagle dogs with complex histological, imaging, and laboratory investigations, following-up the function and the regeneration of autotransplanted spleen chips. Performing research on mice provided more immunological methods, such as lymphocyte subsets, immunoglobulin levels, and monitoring the phagocytic functions. Researches showed evidence also on the presence of apoptosis, furthermore, stem cell studies on regeneration and functional restoration of the spleen chips are in progress. Our results contributed to two multidisciplinary guidelines in Hungary: (1) One of them is under preparation and underlines the importance of spleen saving methods after traumatic splenic injury; (2) The second guideline shows that hemorheological changes can be early indicators of the increased sensitivity to postsplenectomy infections.

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Background and Purpose Intracellular accumulation of lipid peroxides that derive from the autoxidation of membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces the deformability of erythrocytes contributing to the hemorheological disturbances observed in acute cerebral ischemia. The present study deals with the biochemical background of increased lipid peroxidation capacity in the erythrocytes of stroke patients.Methods A complete clinical and laboratory assessment was made of 24 men and 18 women (aged 50 to 78 years; 64.5±13.9 years, mean±SD) who had an ischemic hemispheric lesion of the brain. Lipid peroxide content, lipid peroxidation capacity, superoxide dismutase activity, and fatty acid composition of erythrocytes were compared in stroke patients and 22 healthy subjects matched for age. The lipid peroxide content of the erythrocytes was estimated before and after the autoxidative test; the results were expressed as nanomoles of malondialdehyde per gram of hemoglobin. The increase of the lipid peroxide content in the erythrocytes during the autoxidative test measures the lipid peroxidation capacity.Results In comparison with healthy subjects (1.45±0.30 nmol MDA/g Hb per 24 hours), the lipid peroxidation capacity was found to be significantly higher (4.18±0.41 nmol MDA/g Hb per 24 hours) (P<.01) in the erythrocytes of stroke

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