Moderate wine consumption is often associated with healthy lifestyle habits. The role of wine as a healthy drink is mainly due to its bioactive compounds, which differ according to various viticultural and enological factors. The aim of the present study was to observe the differences in bioactive compounds of white and red autochthonous Croatian wines, differing in terms of the grape variety and production technology. Our further aim was to explore the effect of their moderate consumption (200 mL per day) over the course of six weeks on some aspects of health in sixty-six healthy individuals. Participants were divided into eight groups depending on the wines consumed, while one group formed a non-consuming control group. Medical examination and laboratory tests were performed before the start and at the end of the consumption period. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and LDL concentrations decreased. Additionally, an increase in HDL concentrations, and serotonin and dopamine levels, was observed. ALT, ALP, and GGT levels did not significantly increase in consumer groups, although alcohol concentration was relatively high in all the wines. Such results support the beneficial effects of wine-derived bioactive compounds on some health aspects resulting from moderate white and red wine consumption.

Objective: The aim of the study was to identify predictors of heart-focused anxiety in patients with heart failure. A better understanding of such predictors may help in detecting the comorbidity underlying heart-focused anxiety and identifying patients who need psychological help. Methods: In order to account for multiple sources of heart-focused anxiety, we included psychological, lifestyle, and medical/laboratory predictors. The study involved 148 patients, of whom 74 had a leading diagnosis of worsening heart failure and were hospitalized during the COVID-19 epidemic. A second group of 74 patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases without a diagnosis of acute heart failure, were examined in various out-patient cardiology clinics. The sample consisted of 37.8% females and 62.2% males, with an average age of 63.35 years. The patients completed the Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire, and the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale. Results: Patients with heart failure with higher levels of depression and intolerance of uncertainty had higher overall levels of heart-focused anxiety, higher levels of fear about chest and heart sensations. Older patients with higher levels of depression had higher levels of activity avoidance, especially activities believed to elicit cardiac symptoms. Cardiac patients with higher level of anxiety and with anaemia as comorbidity had higher levels of heart-focused attention and monitoring of cardiac activity. Conclusion: In patients with heart failure, the presence of heart-focused anxiety significantly reduces the quality of life, leads to avoidant behaviours, and is associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms. These patients are more likely to seek medical help and specialist services, but the need for psychological help is very rarely recognized.

Introduction: Recent studies have investigated the existence of so-called “obesity paradox” in heart failure (HF) patients, suggesting that obese patients might have a better prognosis than underweight and normal weight patients. It seems that body mass index (BMI) may be an independent prognostic factor in patients with acute and chronic HF. Patients and Methods: We investigated the correlation between BMI, in-hospital survival and routine clinical and laboratory parameters in patients hospitalized for acutely decompensated HF. Results: Total number of 145 patients (mean age 76±10.2 years) were divided in three groups: 37 with normal body weight (20-24.9 kg/m2), 64 overweight (25-29.9 kg/m2), and 44 obese patients (≥30 kg/m2) patients. At the end of approximately 9 days of hospitalization, 24 of all patients died (16.5%). In-hospital mortality was significantly lower in obese patients (7% ; p=0.05). Patients with normal body weight were older than obese patients: 80 (75-87) compared to 72 (65-80) ; p=0.001 and significant negative correlation between BMI and patients age existed (r=-0.383 ; p<0.001). There was no significant difference in left ventricular ejection fraction between three compared groups of patients. Obese patients had significantly lower NT-proBNP (pmol/l): 319 (182-758) compared to overweight 862 (342-3013) and compared to normal body weight 1209 (616-2378) ; p=0.001, hs-cTnT (ng/l): 23 (15-57) compared to overweight 38 (27-70) and compared to normal body weight 44 (29-60) ; p=0.009 and serum urea (mmol/l) concentration: 8.1 (6.2-12.3) compared to overweight 9.7 (6.6-12.3) and compared do normal body weight 11.3 (8.2-14.7) ; p=0.039. No significant difference in serum creatinine, uric acid and hemoglobin existed, but significant negative correlation between BMI and NT-proBNP was found (r=-0.22 ; p=0.013). Conclusions: In-hospital mortality was significantly lower in obese HF patients. Obese patients had significantly lower NT-proBNP, hs-cTnT and serum urea concentrations. There was significant negative correlation between BMI and NT-proBNP.

ObjectivesDespite improved treatment during last 20years, prognosis for patients hospitalized for acutely decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is poor and mortality rates reported for these patients are high. Laboratory results can assist clinicians in evaluation and triaging of patients on hospital admission, and are important for the medical decision-making and prognosis assessments. Recently, new guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic HF patients were published introducing a new group of patients with mid-range left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).MethodsIn order to explore the prognostic value for the in-hospital mortality of ADHF patients we analyzed laboratory test results for 165 emergency hospitalized patients regarding the survival and LVEF.ResultsIn-hospital mortality was 16%. Patients who died were older than survivals (p=0.003). There were no differences in LVEF between survivals and non-survivals. Patients who survived had significantly lower N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT), uric acid, urea, creatinine, and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) than patients who died (p<0.001). All these tests had a good discrimination power between survivals and non-survivals (p<0.001), but their incremental addition to NT-proBNP didn't improve its overall prognostic value. There was only a very weak correlation between NT-proBNP concentrations andLVEF. Groups with different LVEF status showed significant difference in number of erythrocytes, RDW and hemoglobin concentrations.ConclusionsNT-proBNP had the best discriminatory power between survivals and non-survivals. Some routine laboratory test results, like RDW, uric acid, urea, and creatinine, have potentially significant value.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular complications represent significant cause of mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The aims of this study were to: (a) investigate association of sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, omentin-1 and other non-traditional risk factors with subclinical atherosclerosis; (b) examine the diagnostic value of these specific markers in the early detection of subclinical atherosclerosis; and (c) examine their role as predictors of mortality in group of patients with subclinical atherosclerosis on regular HD.

Aim: The main cause of mortality in haemodialysis (HD) patients is cardiovascular disease. Serum omentin-1 level was found to be associated with cardio-metabolic disorders. The aim of this study was to examine the role of omentin-1 as a predictor of mortality in a group of diabetes positive HD patients.Methods: A total of 120 prevalent HD patients were included in the study from December 2012 to May 2014. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of diabetes. Venous blood samples were taken at months 0 and 18 following an overnight fast (prior to a midweek HD session). Serum omentin-1 level was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results: A total of 84 HD patients were analysed at the end of an 18-month follow-up. Omentin-1 levels of HD patients with diabetes were found to be lower than of HD patients without diabetes (9.1 +/- 5.8 ng/mL vs. 11.4 +/- 4.1 ng/mL, respectively; P = 0.015) at the end of follow-up. Omentin-1 levels of survived patients with diabetes were found to be higher than of nonsurvived patients with diabetes (16.5 +/- 10.1 ng/mL vs. 12.9 +/- 5.3 ng/mL, respectively; P = 0.045). During follow-up, 36 patients (30%) died, of whom 25 had diabetes (34%).Conclusions: Serum omentin-1 levels were significantly lower in HD patients with diabetes. A decrease in omentin-1 levels could be an independent mortality risk factor in this patient group. Further investigation in a greater number of patients is needed. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Accumulating data from observational studies showed that online hemodiafiltration (OLHDF) might improve survival in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients. According to this data, the aim of our study was to investigate whether there was a difference in survival of patients treated with OLHDF compared to standard, conventional HD. We included 85 prevalent patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) treated with HD as a method of renal replacement therapy (RRT) for more than three months. Patients were previously treated with HD and divided into two groups: in 42 patients new treatment with OLHDF was introduced, and 43 patients were treated with HD. Both groups were followed over a period of 36 months. The study showed significantly better survival of patients treated with OLHDF, compared to the survival of patients treated with HD in the whole study population, as well as in the subgroups of diabetics, of patients who were on RRT with HD for more than five years and of the patients who were older than 65 years. In the nondiabetics, patients who were on RRT for less than five years and in the patients who were younger than 65 years, survival results in the OLHDF group were not significantly better compared to those in the HD group. As in our study, there are accumulating data from observational studies that HDF may improve survival in chronic HD patients, but new, prospective randomized trials are needed to support evidence about this hypothesis.

Introduction: Early screening of patients with carotid artery stenosis as well as postoperative ultrasound follow up of thrombendarterectomy (CEA) treatment is paramount in primary and secondary prevention of stroke.

Background: Since cTnI assay is leading test in diagnostic of myocardial infarctions, and it is used for risk assessment in patients with ACS as well as unstable angina pectoris, it is very important to measure its concentration accurately and precisely.Methods: Here we report a case in which there was a significant difference in the cTnI concentrations measured by three different methods, which was detected in one patient's sera during preoperative evaluation for cardiac surgery.Results: Due to variations in the results for the cTnI concentrations (0,62; 0,13; 0,89 mu g/L), the question was raised about the possibility of an interference known to occur in especially rare situations. A 76-year-old male was operated, temporal elevation and subsequent decrease in the concentrations of cTnI were monitored.Conclusions: It was observed that results obtain with different assays are not comparable.

As cardiovascular pathology grows in numbers, research into the discovery of new chemokine biomarkers should not be neglected, as they seem to be paramount in atherosclerosis prevention and its early detection. Chemokines attract and activate leukocytes and are well recognized in the environment of inflammatory response. MCP-1 is a valuable chemokine whose potential to become a new crucial atherosclerosis marker is surely worth investigating. Since quantities of MCP-1 found in lesions are as low as immeasurable, we propose the use of an immunohistochemical method for the quantification of MCP-1 levels in atherosclerotic lesions. Additionally, serum levels of MCP-1 can be measured by commercially available immunoassays. Proposed MCP-1 concentration increase may explain the acceleration in lesion's atherosclerosis progression as chemokine activation occurs once they bind to specific ligands. If proven, this hypothesis would indicate the need for further studies in order to objectively link the increased MCP-1 expression with carotid restenosis.

Introduction: This study aimed to assess whether heart fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) and glycogen phosphorylase isoenzyme BB (GPBB) could be used for the accurate diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. Materials and methods: The study included 108 ACS patients admitted to a coronary unit within 3 h after chest pain onset. AMI was distinguished from unstable angina (UA) using a classical cardiac troponin I (cTnI) assay. H-FABP and GPBB were measured by ELISA on admission (0 h) and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after admission; their accuracy to diagnose AMI was assessed using statistical methods. Results: From 92 patients with ACS; 71 had AMI. H-FABP and GPBB had higher peak value after 3 h from admission than cTnI (P = 0.001). Both markers normalized at 24 h. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves was significantly greater for both markers in AMI patients than in UA patients at all time points tested, including admission (P < 0.001). At admission, the H-FABP (37%) and GPBB (40%) sensitivities were relatively low. They increased at 3 and 6 h after admission for both markers and decreased again after 24 h. It was 40% for H-FABP and approximately 2-times lower for GPBB (P < 0.01). In AMI patients, both biomarkers had similar specificities, positive- and negative-predictive values, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and risk ratios for AIM. Conclusion: H-FABP and GPBB can contribute to early AMI diagnosis and can distinguish AMI from UA.