Abstract: Mesenteric lymphangioma is a rare entity with only case reports and small series available in the published literature. We report a 48 years female patient with non-specific abdominal complaints and a cystic mass identified at CT and US. At laparotomy we found a 5 cm cystic mass developed between the folds of the mesentery of the jejunum and an adhesion between the transverse mesocolon and the ileum. Surgery consisted in sectioning of the adhesion and complete removal of the mass, which proved to be a cystic lymphangioma. The symptoms disappeared after surgery with no signs of recurrence at 5 years follow-up. 

Abstract: Introduction: Studies show in recent years that many micro- and macroelements are related to the clinical course of atrial fibrillation. There are no current data on zinc status in the development of the disease. Aim: To study the plasma concentrations of zinc in the clinical manifestation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and seek changes in them after restoration of sinus rhythm. Materials and methods: The indicator was studied in 33 patients (17 men, 16 women; mean age 60.03±1.93 years) with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and 33 controls (17 men, 16 women; mean age 59.27±1.72 years) without evidence of rhythm disorder to date. Plasma levels of the element were determined in patients three times: immediately after hospitalization (initial values), twenty-four hours and twenty-eight days after restoration of sinus rhythm, and in controls – once. Regularization of rhythm was achieved with propafenone. A direct colorimetric method was used to determine the indicator. Results: Patients were hospitalized between the second and the twenty-fourth hour after the onset of the arrhythmia. The initially measured concentrations did not differ significantly from controls (15.63±0.62 vs 16.46±1.25 μmol/L, p=0.55). No difference was also found at the twenty-fourth hour and on the twenty-eighth day after restoration of sinus rhythm (15.31±0.70 vs 16.46±1.25 μmol/L, p=0.42; 15.70±0.63 vs 16.46±1.25 μmol/L, p=0.58, respectively). Conclusion: In patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation the plasma zinc concentrations did not show any deviation from controls with no evidence of the arrhythmia to date. There were no significant differences in both the clinical manifestation of the rhythm disorder as well as after restoration of sinus rhythm. The lack of dynamics in the values of the indicator gives a good reason to believe that zinc has no relation to the manifestation and recurrence of the disease. 

Abstract: Objective: To determine the clinical and epidemiological and laboratory characteristics of Chronic-B Lymphocytic Leukemia (B-CLL) and other chronic-B lymphoproliferative malignancies (B-CLM), including the expression of CD200. Methods: A retrospective and descriptive study of the case series type conducted at the Foundation HEMOPE with adults of both sexes diagnosed with B-CLL and other B-CLMs. Results: 95 patients were assessed, of whom 64 had B-CLL and 31 other B-CLMs. The average age was 70.40 years in B-CLL and 61.80 years in the other B-CLMs. Adenomegaly was more frequent in patients with B-CLL, whereas splenomegaly and B symptoms were more frequently observed in other B-CLMs. In patients with B-CLL, the average of leukocytes was 82,607/ul (80.26% lymphocytes and 13.33% neutrophils), whereas in other B-CLMs, the average of leukocytes was 63,614 / ul (70.32% lymphocytes and14.67%  neutrophils) but this was statistically significant only in the observation of greater lymphocytosis in B-CLL (p=0.008). The CD200 was positive in all patients with B-CLL with an average value of 79.15, while in patients with other B-CLMs, CD200 was negative in 25.80% of the cases, there being an average value of 46.52. Thus, CD200 presented a higher expression in B-CLL relative to other B-CLMs (p=0.03). Conclusions: The clinical, epidemiological and laboratory characteristics traditionally described in B-CLM were observed in this study and the difference of expression of the CD200 in B-CLL compared to other B-CLMs was shown to be useful in the differential diagnosis of these diseases. 

Abstract: The aim of the study was to assess the lipid atherogenic risk in women with metabolic syndrome (MS) based on calculating the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) {(logTriglycerides)/HDL-cholesterol}, Castelli's I and II risk indexes (the ratios total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol, respectively) and the leptin/adiponectin ratio (L/A ratio). Materials and methods: The study comprised of 31 women with MS (mean age 29.03±6.16 years) and 30 age-matched, clinically healthy women (mean age 26.33±4.49 years, P>0.05) forming a control group. The following clinical measurements and laboratory tests were performed on all participants: weight, height, waist circumference, hip circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting immunoreactive insulin (IRI), total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides (TG). The well-known adipocytokines - leptin and adiponectin were determined. Body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA index), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), AIP, Castelli' s I and II risk indexes and the L/A ratio were calculated. Results: The women with MS had significantly higher weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, IRI, HOMA index, TG, leptin, SBP and DBP compared to the healthy women, while WHR, FPG, TC, LDL-C and adiponectin were similar in both of the studied groups. AIP (-0.006±0.32 vs. -0.212±0.26, P=0.008), Castelli's risk index I (4.39±1.21 vs. 3.64±1.07, P=0.01) and Castelli's risk index II (2.82±1.01 vs. 2.31±0.92, P=0.04) as well as the L/A ratio (5.53±6.05 vs. 2.40±2.35, P=0.02) were found to be significantly higher in the women with MS compared to the healthy women.