Background and Objectives: Insulin resistance is a major contributor to the development of type 2 diabetes and can be assessed using indirect indicators calculated from non-invasive tests. Asprosin is a recently discovered adipokine with a postulated effect on glycemic regulation. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between serum asprosin levels and insulin resistance indices. The correlation between circulating asprosin and obesity indices was also investigated. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 non-diabetic patients with obesity and 50 healthy volunteers were studied. Laboratory data, including circulating asprosin and anthropometric data, were collected. The following insulin resistance indices were calculated: triglyceride–glucose index (TyG), TyG–neck circumference (TyG–NC), TyG–neck circumference to height ratio (TyG–NHtR), TyG–waist circumference (TyG–WC), TyG–waist to height ratio (TyG–WHtR), TyG–body mass index (TyG–BMI), and the ratio between triglycerides and high-density cholesterol (TG/HDLc). The obtained data were analyzed separately for males and females. Results: Asprosin concentrations were significantly higher in obese patients (p < 0.001). Asprosin concentrations positively correlated with body mass index (p < 0.001, r = 0.8 in females and r = 0.8 in males), waist circumference (p < 0.001, r = 0.73 in females and r = 0.81 in males), and all tested indices of insulin resistance. The strongest correlation was observed for TyG–BMI (p < 0.001, r = 0.78 in females and r = 0.81 in males). Circulating asprosin was higher in females (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Asprosin can be considered a marker of obesity and insulin resistance.

Obesity, currently defined as a disease, is associated with a number of metabolic disorders, and oxidative stress is discussed as the link between them. The aim of this study was to analyze the plasma markers reflecting oxidative modification of lipids and lipoproteins, oxidized LDL (oxLDL) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), under the influence of the 75 g of oral glucose during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), in patients with increased body mass. One hundred twenty individuals of both genders (46 women and 74 men) aged 26 to 75 years with increased body mass (BMI > 25 kg/m²) were recruited for the study. OGTT was performed in each of the qualified persons, and glycemia, insulinemia, and concentrations of oxLDL and TBARS were measured fasting and at 120 min of OGTT. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was used to assess the degree of insulin resistance (IR). In order to assess the changes of the investigated parameters under the influence of 75 g glucose, the index R_OGTT = [120’]/[0’] was calculated to obtain oxLDL-R_OGTT and TBARS-R_OGTT. The statistical analysis was performed in the entire study population and subsequent groups from H1 to H4, defined by HOMA-IR quartiles. In the entire study population and the subgroups, oxidative stress markers changed during OGTT. From H1 to H4 group, increasing oxLDL and TBARS were observed both in the fasting state and at 120 min of OGTT, and the oxLDL-R_OGTT index decreased from the H2 to the H4 group. The intensification of IR in people with increased body mass may predispose them to enhanced oxidative modification of lipoproteins. Individual reduction in the concentration of oxLDL during OGTT, in reference to fasting value (decreased oxLDL-R_OGTT), suggests increased uptake of modified lipoproteins by scavenger receptor-presenting cells or increased migration to the vascular wall.

Introduction and objective: Wnt-1 signaling pathway protein 1 (WISP-1) and complement-C1q TNF-related protein 1 (CTRP1) are adipokines with possible opposite effects in regulating insulin sensitivity. The study investigated the correlation between circulating WISP-1 and CTRP1 in non-diabetic...

Background: Cytokines participate in regulating the immune response of lymphocytes. Interleukin 2 (IL-2) is the main modulator of T lymphocyte development, homeostasis, and function, whereas interleukin 7 (IL-7) regulates the development and homeostasis of immune cells and plays a crucial role in the maintenance of memory cells. The study aims to assess the blood IL-2 and IL-7 concentration in relation to the obtained cellular and humoral response in adults, six months after vaccination against COVID-19. Methods: We measured the concentration of IL-2 and IL-7 with ELISA, CoV2-IgG with an indirect chemiluminescence test, and the levels of IFN-γ with interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) post SARS-CoV-2 antigen stimulation. The study group (n = 76; F = 66, M = 10) was divided into 41 individuals, who did not report any chronic disorder (ChrD-Neg), and 35, who did (ChrD-Pos). Results: ChrD-Pos group presented higher IL-7 compared to ChrD-Neg (p = 0.023). Negative correlations were observed in the entire study population between IL-2 and age (R = −0.252, p = 0.028), as well as between IL-7 and IFN-γ (R = −0.295, p = 0.010). We found a positive correlation between IL-2 and IL-7 concentrations in the entire study population (R = 0.305, p = 0.007) and the ChrD-Pos group (R = 0.358, p = 0.035), and people with a positive IGRA result (R = 0.359, p = 0.005). Conclusions: The interaction of IL-2 and IL-7 may be important for achieving post-vaccination immunity, especially in adults with chronic diseases. Age is a factor modifying the post-vaccination response (decreased IL-2), whereas IL-7 may be an important factor in achieving a satisfactory post-vaccine response in people with chronic diseases.

Background: COVID-19 most often affects the respiratory system and may manifest as acute respiratory failure requiring the use of non-invasive respiratory support (NIRS). The aim of this study was to find predictors based on laboratory results and chest computed tomography (CT) scans performed on admission to the hospital indicating the need for NIRS and predicting mortality after hospital discharge. Methods: We retrospectively analysed data from consecutive patients hospitalised in the Pulmonology Department of the Temporary COVID Hospital in Poznan from 1 February 2021 to 31 March 2022. Upon admission to the department, the patients underwent a series of laboratory blood tests and high-resolution chest CT scan. Results: The study group included 282 patients, with an average age of 60.0 ± 15.0 years. In total, 54 (53%) patients of 101 requiring NIRS died from various causes or required intubation. Patients who required NIRS were significantly older and had more severe changes in the lung parenchyma. They had higher white blood cell and neutrophil counts and lower lymphocyte counts, as well as higher concentrations of D-dimer, CRP, PCT, and IL-6 and greater activities of LDH and AST. Conclusions: Laboratory tests and chest CT performed on hospital admission may be useful to rapidly identify patients at higher risk for severe disease.

Background: Vaccination against COVID-19 activates the cellular and humoral immune response.Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG (CoV2- -IgG) and T lymphocyte response to specific SARS-CoV-2 stimuli by releasing interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and humoral and cellular compounds, as well as to determine the impact of previous COVID-19, age, and BMI on the tested parameters in healthy volunteers six months after vaccination.Material and methods: We assessed the concentration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG with an indirect chemiluminescence test and the concentration of IFN-γ with the interferon gamma release assay (IGRA).Results: CoV2-IgG was present in all subjects (n = 80), but not all tested volunteers were positive for IGRA (n = 62). The concentrations of both parameters were higher in people who had contracted COVID-19 before the test. The concentration of CoV2-IgG was higher in the IGRA-S1-positive group than in the IGRA-S1- -borderline group. Age (R = –0.237, p = 0.05) and BMI (R = –0.343, p = 0.003) were negatively correlated with the concentration of antibodies in the group with no history of COVID-19. The concentrations of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IFN-γ were positively correlated (R = 0.384, p = 0.001) among the vaccinated people.Conclusions: A moderate similarity was observed among the entire study group in the humoral and cellular post-vaccination effects. SARS-CoV-2 infection followed by vaccination against COVID-19 may result in a more robust humoral and cellular response than the vaccination itself. On the other hand, the humoral response may be impaired in its ability to mount an effective immune response following vaccination with age. The lymphocyte T response to specific SARS-CoV-2 stimuli seems not to be affected by BMI, while further steps leading to successful IgG production may be impaired with increasing body mass.