European journal of clinical chemistry and clinical biochemistry : journal of the Forum of European Clinical Chemistry Societies
-
Eur J Clin Chem Clin Biochem · Jan 1995
Profile of serum cholinesterase in systemic sepsis syndrome (septic shock) in intensive care unit patients.
Serum cholinesterase catalytic concentrations were estimated in 26 patients diagnosed as having systemic sepsis syndrome (septic shock) in the Intensive Care Unit (12 were admitted with the diagnosis of systemic sepsis syndrome while 14 patients developed the syndrome while in the unit) and in 66 normal, healthy subjects. The assay was performed for 7 consecutive days in the patient group. There was a very significant decrease in the level of cholinesterase in the patient group from the onset of the study as compared to the control group (P < 0.00001). ⋯ Prothrombin time showed a pattern of change similar to that of serum cholinesterase. There was a significant relationship between the catalytic concentration of serum cholinesterase and the outcome of the systemic sepsis syndrome, the level being significantly lower in patients who died in comparison to those who lived. It seems that serum cholinesterase is a sensitive indicator of hepatic dysfunction in the systemic sepsis syndrome.
-
Eur J Clin Chem Clin Biochem · Sep 1992
The relationship of chemical modification of membrane proteins and plasma lipoproteins to reduced membrane fluidity of erythrocytes from diabetic subjects.
The significance of the two most common hallmarks of the diabetic state, hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia, was investigated in terms of disorders of cell membrane dynamics. In order to examine whether the alterations in cell membrane lipid bilayer dynamics are somehow related to protein chemical modifications in plasma low-(LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and blood cell membranes, we compared 19 poorly controlled diabetic subjects with 19 age- and sex-matched controls. The extent of (non-enzymatic) glycation, lipid peroxidation and the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio were increased in plasma low density lipoproteins and high density lipoproteins from diabetic patients. ⋯ The cholesterol to phospholipid molar ratios in low density lipoproteins and high-density lipoproteins from diabetic and control subjects correlated significantly with the fluorescence polarization values in erythrocyte membranes from these subjects. Furthermore, the extent of glycation of low density lipoproteins appears to be strongly correlated with the extent of lipoprotein lipid peroxidation (r = 0.789, p < 0.001). The atherosclerotic potential of plasma lipoproteins in diabetes mellitus was discussed in terms of membrane and plasma protein chemical modifications.
-
Eur J Clin Chem Clin Biochem · Dec 1991
The prognostic value of extracellular matrix component concentrations in serum during treatment of adult respiratory distress syndrome with extracorporeal CO2 removal.
The time-dependent concentrations of hyaluronan, aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen, and laminin were determined in sera of 16 patients with severe adult respiratory distress syndrome during treatment with an extracorporeal CO2 removal device. Patients were classified according to lung parameters as responders (n = 10) and non-responders (n = 6) to extracorporeal CO2 removal. At the beginning of treatment strongly elevated serum concentrations of all studied extracellular matrix components were found. ⋯ By non-parametric analysis of variance, significant differences between responders and non-responders according to treatment time could be established. By analysing the time course of the serum concentrations of hyaluronan and aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen, a total differentiation between responders and nonresponders was made possible by the trends of these analytes as early as three days after the start of treatment. The determination of aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen and hyaluronan in serum of patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome might therefore have prognostic significance in extracorporeal CO2 removal.