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ABSTRACT: Aim: Alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT) is the main inhibitor of neutrophil elastase, and severe alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (A1ATD) is a genetic risk factor for early-onset emphysema. Despite the relatively high prevalence of A1ATD, this condition is frequently underdiagnosed. Our aim was to determine the distribution of the A1ATD phenotypes/alleles in patients with lung diseases as well as in the Serbian population. Methods: The study included the adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (n=348), asthma (n=71), and bronchiectasis (n=35); the control was 1435 healthy blood donors. The A1ATD variants were identified by isoelectric focusing or polymerase chain reaction-mediated site-directed mutagenesis. Results: PiMZ heterozygotes, PiZZ homozygotes, and Z allele carriers are associated with significantly higher risk of developing COPD than healthy individuals (odds ratios 3.43, 42.42, and 5.49 respectively). The calculated prevalence of PiZZ, PiMZ, and PiSZ was higher in patients with COPD (1:202, 1:8, and 1:1243) than in the Serbian population (1:5519, 1:38, and 1:5519). Conclusion: The high prevalence of A1ATD phenotypes/allele in our population has confirmed the necessity of screening for A1ATD in patients with COPD. On the other hand, on the basis of the estimated number of those with A1ATD among the COPD patients, it is possible to assess the diagnostic efficiency of A1ATD in the Serbian population.
Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers 09/2012; · 1.11 Impact Factor
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Dragana P Sobic-Saranovic,
Smiljana V Pavlovic,
Vera M Artiko,
Djordjije Z Saranovic,
Emilija D Jaksic,
Dragan Subotic, Ljudmila Nagorni-Obradovic,
Nebojsa Kozarevic,
Nebojsa Petrovic,
Isidora T Grozdic,
Vladimir B Obradovic
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ABSTRACT: The aim of our study was to assess diagnostic accuracy of Tc-99m depreotide and Tc-99m-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC scintigraphy for evaluation of pulmonary lesions that appeared ambiguous on computed tomography (CT).
Forty-nine consecutive patients (37 men and 12 women; mean age, 60 ± 11 years) with 60 pulmonary lesions on chest radiography and CT were referred for nuclear imaging. They were prospectively allocated to undergo whole-body scintigraphy (WBS) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using either Tc-99m depreotide (26 patients, group 1) or Tc-99m-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC imaging (23 patients, group 2). Histologic findings after tissue biopsy served as a gold standard for determining diagnostic accuracy of the 2 somatostatin analogs. Visual assessment was complemented by semiquantitative analysis based on target to background ratio.
Among the 32 pulmonary lesions scanned with Tc-99m depreotide, focal uptake was increased in 22 of 25 malignancies, whereas no uptake was found in 6 of 7 benign lesions (88% sensitivity, 85% specificity, and 88% accuracy) on both WBS and SPECT. Imaging of 28 pulmonary lesions with Tc-99m-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC had a similar diagnostic yield (sensitivity 87%, specificity 84%, and accuracy 86%). Overall, target to background ratios were higher on SPECT than WBS but not significantly different between groups 1 and 2 (SPECT 2.72 ± 0.70 vs. 2.71 ± 0.50, WBS 1.61 ± 0.32 vs. 1.62 ± 0.28, respectively).
This study demonstrates that Tc-99m depreotide and Tc-99m-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC have similar diagnostic value for characterizing pulmonary lesions that appear ambiguous on CT.
Clinical nuclear medicine 01/2012; 37(1):14-20. · 3.92 Impact Factor
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Respiratory Medicine 01/2011; Respir Med 2011; 105 (Suppl 1): S51–S54.. · 2.47 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Aim: Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be an im-
portant health problem in Serbia, as a country with numerous socioeconomic problems. Health care workers, especially medical and dental students could be key persons to engage in prevention of TB.
The aim of our study was to compare the knowledge level and awareness of TB among medical and dental students.
Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted at the School of Medicine and the School of Dentistry, University of Belgrade, Serbia. A sample of 350 students was selected by stratified sampling. Data about knowledge and awareness of TB was collected through the anonymous (self-administered) questionnaire.
Results: 300 questionnaires were returned; response rate was 85.7%. Medical students gave significantly higher correct responses about modes of transmission of TB (p<0.001). Significantly higher proportion of medical students (p=0.003) knew that age above 65 years is risk period of life for getting TB, but only 6.5% of them noted that the age of puberty is the risk period too. High proportion of both groups agreed that alcoholism and AIDS are the conditions, which can increase risk for getting TB. Medical students have better knowledge about therapy of TB, but there were no differences concerning questions about diagnosis.
Conclusion: In spite of valid basic awareness of TB, there were some gaps in the knowledge, more frequently among dental then medical students. This study sugge
Healthmed 05/2010; · 0.44 Impact Factor
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Marija Stankovic,
Aleksandra Nikolic,
Aleksandra Divac,
Ljiljana Rakicevic,
Andrija Tomovic,
Marija Mitic-Milikic, Ljudmila Nagorni-Obradovic,
Milan Grujic,
Natasa Petrovic-Stanojevic,
Marina Andjelic-Jelic,
Vesna Dopudja-Pantic,
Dragica Radojkovic
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ABSTRACT: The excess of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) might be associated with the airways destruction or dilatation in bronchiectasis. The functional promoter polymorphisms of MMP1 and MMP9 genes, involved in the extracellular matrix remodeling, might increase the expression of MMPs leading to the development of bronchiectasis.
Detection of MMP1 G-1607GG and MMP9 C-1562T gene variants was performed on 37 patients with idiopathic disseminated bronchiectasis and 102 control subjects. We also described a novel method for simple and rapid detection of MMP1 G-1607GG polymorphism.
The frequency of -1607GG allele was significantly higher in the group of patients than in control subjects (P = 0.014). The heterozygote genotype showed association with bronchiectasis (odds ratio, 5.3; 95% confidence intervals, 1.4-20.0). The association was even stronger in homozygotes for -1607GG allele (odds ration, 8.7; 95% confidence intervals, 1.9-41.0). The allelic and genotype frequencies of MMP9 C-1562T variant did not show significant differences between the groups.
This is the first report concerning a role of MMP1 G-1607GG and MMP9 C-1562T variants in pathogenesis of idiopathic disseminated bronchiectasis. The results of our study revealed the association of -1607GG allele and the lack of association of MMP9 C-1562T variant with the disease.
Journal of Investigative Medicine 02/2009; 57(3):500-3. · 1.96 Impact Factor
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Balkan Journal of Medical Genetics 01/2009; 12(2):69-76. · 0.22 Impact Factor
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Respiratory Medicine 01/2008; 102(4):620-4. · 2.47 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We performed the complete screening of the CFTR gene in a group of 31 patients with COPD in order to investigate the impact of mutations and polymorphisms in the CFTR gene. The cumulative frequency of CFTR mutations (17.74%) was significantly higher than in our general population (P < 0.0001). The R75Q was significantly overrepresented in COPD patients (8.06%; P = 0.002). In all patients carrying the R75Q chronic bronchitis was a dominant symptom of COPD, and all were homozygous for the V470 allele. These findings suggest that R75Q mutation could be characteristic CFTR variant for COPD patients.
Journal of Cystic Fibrosis 08/2004; 3(3):189-91. · 3.19 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Invasive blastoschizomycosis is an emerging and fatal infection of severely immunocompromised patients. Pneumonia caused by this fungus has been reported as a post mortem diagnosis in a patient with haematologic malignancy.
A 46-year-old unemployed Caucasian man, smoker, was admitted on emergency in a serious condition, with bilateral pulmonary infiltrates (chest x-ray) and incapsulated mediastinal pleural effusions (computed tomography scans). Blastoschizomyces capitatus (Trichosporon capitatum) has been isolated from two sputum samples and bronchial secretion aspirate obtained by bronchoscopy.
Pneumonia caused by Blastoschizomyces capitatus can develop in subjects without underlying malignancy but with history of heavy alcohol intake, tobacco smoking and malnutrition and may have favorable disease outcome.
Pneumologia (Bucharest, Romania). 57(2):88, 90-1.
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ABSTRACT: This paper is a review of current approaches on pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in chronic pulmonary diseases. Pulmonary rehabilitation is the most accepted method of non-pharmacological treatment in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, neuromuscular degenerative disease and post-tuberculosis lung sequelae. Throughout its components, especially oxygen therapy, it is the most important intervention in chronic respiratory failure in order to improve exercise tolerance, lung function and self-management. Enrolling patients in pulmonary rehabilitation programmes is a consistent help to a better control of their illness and a step forward to the international standards of treating COPD and non-COPD chronic respiratory diseases. It is evidence-based that PR is effective in reducing dyspnoea, improving health-related quality of life, reducing the number of hospital days and the utilisation of costly healthcare resources; there are also psychosocial benefits from comprehensive PR programmes in patients with COPD. PR is currently considered as effective in patients with COPD and in some patients with chronic respiratory diseases other than COPD.
Pneumologia (Bucharest, Romania). 57(2):65-9.
