Pathogenic and Therapeutic Role of Vitamin D in Antiphospholipid Syndrome Patients

Abstract

In this chapter, the novel findings on interrelationship between vitamin D status and two well-known prothrombotic states, antiphospholipid syndrome, particularly its thrombotic phenotype, and metabolic syndrome will be reviewed. We shall present the results obtained from patients included in Serbian National Antiphospholipid Syndrome Registry, 68 patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS) and 69 patients with antiphospholipid syndrome associated with certain autoimmune rheumatic disease (sAPS), as well as 50 patients with pure metabolic syndrome (MetS). These results will be analysed and compared with the novel literature data. Prevalence of MetS in APS is high, with the atherogenic dyslipidaemia as its most prevalent characteristic. Prevalence of thrombotic events was significantly higher in APS patients with coexisting MetS, compared with those without MetS. Among APS patients, prevalence of VitD deficiency was significantly higher than in patients with pure MetS.VitD level was also significantly lower in APS patients with coexisting MetS or previous thrombotic events than in those without them. Elucidating interrelationships between VitD deficiency, MetS and thrombotic events in APS patients open up the possibility of distinguishing those subjects with the particularly high cardiovascular risk and ensuing need for the strict control of modifiable risk factors and VitD supplementation.

Distribution of endangered Italian gudgeon Romanogobio benacensis (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae, Gobioninae) with remarks on distinguishing morphological characters

“…The number of fish species in Croatian freshwater environments is continuously increasing as a result of new species descriptions (Zupančič and Bogutskaya 2002, Marčić et al 2011, Bogutskaya et al 2012) and re-discovery of the previously described species (Jelić 2011a, Jelić and Jelić 2015). For example, Telestes miloradi Bogutskaya, Zupančič, Bogut & Naseka, 2012, an endemic species whose description is based on material deposited in a museum, collected more than 100 year ago, and which had been considered extinct, was recently re-discovered in nature (Jelić and Jelić 2015).…”

“…Another example is the Italian gudgeon Romanogobio benacensis (Pollini, 1816), which was firstly recorded in Croatia in 2011 (Jelić 2011a). This cyprinid fish species, belonging to Palearctic subfamily Gobioninae, was originally described as Cyprinus benacensis from specimens collected in Lake Garda in the Po drainage (Italy).…”

“…Although four species of the subfamily Gobioninae (gudgeons) have been reported in Croatia (Mustafić et al 2005, Freyhof and Kottelat 2007, Jelić 2011a), their systematic status is uncertain (e.g., species in the R. albipinnatus group sensu Freyhof and Kottelat 2007). Mustafić et al (2005) reported G. gobio , G. uranoscopus (Agassiz), G. albipinnatus Lukasch, and G. kesslerii Dybowski.…”

“…Mustafić et al (2005) reported G. gobio , G. uranoscopus (Agassiz), G. albipinnatus Lukasch, and G. kesslerii Dybowski. Later, these species were assigned to G. obtusirostris , the Danubian longbarbel gudgeon R. uranoscopus , the Danubian white-finned gudgeon R. vladykovi (Fang), and the Kessler’s gudgeon R. kesslerii , respectively (Freyhof and Kottelat 2007, Jelić 2011a). In the previous studies, gudgeons in the Istra Peninsula (Mirna River; Fig.…”

“…The main aim of this study was to investigate which gobionine species occurs in the Istra Peninsula (Croatia) and to confirm the presence of R. benacensis in Croatia. Gudgeon individuals collected during an ichthyological survey in the Istra Peninsula was preliminary identified as R. benacensis by using morphological characters (Jelić 2011a). In the present paper, samples of R. benacensis from different localities in Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia were described using morphological and molecular characters to support their identification in comparison with G. obtusirostris and G. gobio .…”