Blood flow restriction in the upper and lower limbs is predicted by limb circumference and systolic blood pressure

Purpose

To determine what factors should be accounted for when setting the blood flow restriction (BFR) cuff pressure for the upper and lower body.

Methods

One hundred and seventy one participants visited the laboratory for one testing session. Arm circumference, muscle (MTH) and fat (FTH) thickness were measured on the upper arm. Next, brachial systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure measurements were taken in the supine position. Upper body arterial occlusion was then determined using a Doppler probe. Following this, thigh circumference and lower body arterial occlusion were determined. Models of hierarchical linear regression were used to determine the greatest predictor of arterial occlusion in the upper and lower body. Two models were employed in the upper body, a Field (arm size) and a Laboratory model (arm composition).

Results

The Laboratory model explained 58 % of the variance in arterial occlusion with SBP (β = 0.512, part = 0.255), MTH (β = 0.363, part = 0.233), and FTH (β = 0.248, part = 0.213) contributing similarly to explained variance. The Field model explained 60 % of the variance in arterial occlusion with arm circumference explaining the greatest amount (β = 0.419, part = 0.314) compared to SBP (β = 0.394, part = 0.266) and DBP (β = 0.147, part = 0.125). For the lower body model the third block explained 49 % of the variance in arterial occlusion with thigh circumference (β = 0.579, part = 0.570) and SBP (β = 0.281, part = 0.231) being significant predictors.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that arm circumference and SBP should be taken into account when determining BFR cuff pressures. In addition, we confirmed our previous study that thigh circumference is the greatest predictor of arterial occlusion in the lower body.

     

The Association Between Social Support,Body Mass Index and Increased Risk of Prediabetes: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

Purpose

The psychosocial determinants of prediabetes are poorly understood. The aims of our study were (1) to analyse the association between perceived social support in young adulthood and fasting glucose levels and prediabetes in mid-adulthood in a cohort of healthy Finns, (2) to explore whether body mass index (BMI), inflammation or depression mediate this relationship, (3) and to examine the association between social support trajectory groups and fasting glucose.

Method

A prospective design was used with an analytic sample of 1250 participants aged 3–18 years at baseline (1980) and aged 12–39 years when social support was measured. Fasting glucose and prediabetes were assessed 32 years after baseline. Linear and logistic regression was used to examine the association between social support and the outcome measures. A bootstrapping technique was used to examine mediation effects.

Results

Social support was associated with future glucose levels in women after adjusting for childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and youth depression (β = ?0.136, p = 0.001) and also predicted prediabetes in women after adjusting for childhood SES (β = 1.31, 95 % CI 1.02 to 1.69, p = 0.031). Both associations were attenuated after adjusting for BMI in mid-adulthood. BMI was found to mediate the relationship between social support and prediabetes in women (β for indirect effect β = 0.09, SE = 0.03, CI = 0.03 to 0.16).

Conclusion

Low perceived social support in young adulthood is associated with high fasting glucose and prediabetes in mid-adulthood in women but not men. The association between social support and prediabetes in women can be partly explained by BMI.

     

Sources of Variability in Physical Activity Among Inactive People with Multiple Sclerosis

Purpose

Evidence supports that physical activity (PA) improves symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Although application of principles from Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) may facilitate positive changes in PA behaviour among people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), the constructs often explain limited variance in PA. This study investigated the extent to which MS symptoms, including fatigue, depression, and walking limitations combined with the SCT constructs, explained more variance in PA than SCT constructs alone among pwMS.

Method

Baseline data, including objectively assessed PA, exercise self-efficacy, goal setting, outcome expectations, 6-min walk test, fatigue and depression, from 65 participants of the Step It Up randomized controlled trial completed in Ireland (2016), were included. Multiple regression models quantified variance explained in PA and independent associations of (1) SCT constructs, (2) symptoms and (3) SCT constructs and symptoms.

Results

Model 1 included exercise self-efficacy, exercise goal setting and multidimensional outcomes expectations for exercise and explained ~14% of the variance in PA (R ²=0.144, p < 0.05). Model 2 included walking limitations, fatigue and depression and explained 20% of the variance in PA (R ²=0.196, p < 0.01). Model 3 combined models 1 and 2 and explained variance increased to ~29% (R ²=0.288; p<0.01). In Model 3, exercise self-efficacy (β=0.30, p < 0.05), walking limitations (β=0.32, p < 0.01), fatigue (β = ?0.41, p < 0.01) and depression (β = 0.34, p < 0.05) were significantly and independently associated with PA.

Conclusion

Findings suggest that relevant MS symptoms improved by PA, including fatigue, depression and walking limitations, and SCT constructs together explained more variance in PA than SCT constructs alone, providing support for targeting both SCT constructs and these symptoms in the multifactorial promotion of PA among pwMS.

     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">PTPN22</Emphasis> R263Q polymorphism confers protection against systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis,while <Emphasis Type="Italic">PTPN22</Emphasis> R620W confers susceptibility to Graves’ disease in a Mexican population

Objective

The functional PTPN22 R620W polymorphism (rs2476601) is clearly associated with susceptibility to several autoimmune diseases (ADs). However, the PTPN22 R263Q polymorphism (rs33996649) has been scarcely explored in different ADs. Here we aimed to examine the associations of the PTPN22 R620W and R263Q polymorphisms with susceptibility to or protection against rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and Graves’ disease (GD) among Mexican patients.

Methods

We conducted a case–control study including 876 patients (405 with SLE, 388 with RA, and 83 with GD) and 336 healthy control individuals. PTPN22 genotypes were determined using the TaqMan 5′ allele discrimination assay.

Results

PTPN22 R620W was associated with GD susceptibility (OR 4.3, p = 0.004), but was not associated with SLE (OR 1.8, p = 0.19). We previously demonstrated that this polymorphism is associated with RA susceptibility (OR 4.17, p = 0.00036). Moreover, PTPN22 R263Q was associated with protection against SLE (OR 0.09, p = 004) and RA (OR 0.28, p = 0.045), but was not associated with GD.

Conclusions

Our data provide the first demonstration that PTPN22 R620W confers GD susceptibility among Latin-American patients. Moreover, this is the second report documenting the association of PTPN22 R263Q with protection against SLE and RA.

     

Public support for pictorial warnings on cigarette packs: an experimental study of US smokers

Background

Understanding factors that influence public support for “nudging” policies, like pictorial cigarette pack warnings, may offer insight about how to increase such support. We sought to examine factors that influence smokers’ support for requiring pictorial warnings on cigarette packs.

Methods

In 2014 and 2015, we randomly assigned 2149 adult US smokers to receive either pictorial warnings or text-only warnings on their cigarette packs for 4 weeks. The outcome examined in the current study was support for a policy requiring pictorial warnings on cigarette packs in the US.

Results

Support for pictorial warnings was high at baseline (mean: 3.2 out of 4). Exposure to pictorial warnings increased policy support at week 4 (β = .05, p = .03). This effect was explained by increases in perceived message effectiveness (p < .001) and reported conversations about policy support (p < .001). Message reactance (i.e., an oppositional reaction to the warning) partially diminished the impact of pictorial warnings on policy support (p < .001).

Conclusions

Exposing people to a new policy through implementation could increase public support for that policy by increasing perceived effectiveness and by prompting conversations about the policy. Reactance may partially weaken the effect of policy exposure on public support.

     

Polymorphism rs547984 on human chromosome 1q43 is not associated with primary open angle glaucoma in a Saudi cohort

Background

To investigate the association between polymorphism rs547984, located in close proximity to the Zona Pellucida Glycoprotein 4 (ZP4) gene on human chromosome 1q43 and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG).

Method

Polymorphism rs547984 was genotyped using Taq-Man® assay in 185 subjects comprising of 90 unrelated POAG cases and 95 controls of Saudi origin.

Results

Association analysis between cases and controls revealed no significant genotype distribution under additive (p = 0.356), dominant (p = 0.517) and recessive (p = 0.309) models. Besides, the allele frequency distribution was also found to be non-significant (p = 0.70). The minor “A” allele frequency was found to be 0.49 and 0.50 among POAG cases and controls, respectively. In addition, specific clinical indices used to assess severity of glaucoma such as intraocular pressure (IOP), cup/disc ratio and number of anti-glaucoma medication also did not show any significant genotype distribution in POAG cases.

Conclusion

Polymorphism rs547984 is neither associated with any clinical indices important for POAG such as IOP and cup/disc ratio nor is a risk factor for POAG in the Saudi cohort.

     

The alpha-lipoic acid derivative DHLHZn: a new therapeutic agent for acute lung injury in vivo

Objective and design

An animal experiment was performed to demonstrate the anti-inflammatory effects of an alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) derivative, dihydrolipoyl histidinate zinc complex (DHLHZn) for acute lung injury (ALI) and to investigate the mechanism of action.

Material

Rats were randomly divided into three experimental groups: control group (n = 17), DHLHZn(?) group (n = 11, ALI model rats), and DHLHZn(+) group (n = 12, ALI model rats treated by DHLHZn).

Treatment

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS, 10 mg/kg) were administered intratracheally in the DHLHZn(?) group and the DHLHZn(+) group. For the DHLHZn(+) group, DHLHZn (100 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally 2 h prior to LPS administration.

Methods

Four hours after LPS administration, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue were collected. The findings were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U test.

Results

Total number of cells, number of neutrophils and lymphocytes, levels of various inflammatory cytokines, and NF-kB p65 concentration of BALF were significantly lower in the DHLHZn(+) group than in the DHLHZn(?) group (p < 0.05). ALI pathology scores were significantly lower in the DHLHZn(+) group than in the DHLHZn(?) group (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Anti-inflammatory effects of DHLHZn for ALI were demonstrated by BALF and histopathological findings. The mechanism of action of DHLHZn was considered to be via inhibition of the NF-kB signaling pathway. DHLHZn is thus suggested to be a new prophylactic agent for ALI.

     

Promoter –2518 single nucleotide polymorphism of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 is associated with clinical severity in Behçet’s disease

Objective

We investigated whether promoter –2518 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) gene contributes to susceptibility and clinical features or severity in Behçet’s disease (BD) patients.

Methods

One hundred and thirty-two BD patients and 113 healthy subjects, matched by sex and age, were enrolled. Promoter –2518 polymorphism of the MCP-1 gene was analyzed using automated sequencing. Clinical severity in BD patients was classified into mild, moderate, and severe features and assessed by total severity scores. Clinical features and severity was also compared according to genotypes using either the chi-squared or Fisher’s exact test and Mann–Whitney test, as indicated.

Results

There were no significant differences in alleles (G allele vs. A allele, p = 0.845) and genotypes with –2518 SNP (GG vs. GA vs. AA, p = 0.916) between BD patients and controls. No clinical features were associated with genotypes with –2518 polymorphism of MCP-1. However, the frequency of either GA or AA genotype in patients with moderate lesions and moderate to severe lesions was significantly increased compared with that in patients with the GG genotype (p = 0.044 and p = 0.038, respectively). Total severity scores in the AA genotype were higher than those in the GG and GA genotypes (p = 0.039 and p = 0.003, respectively). Moreover, patients with either the GA or AA genotype had higher scores than those with the GG genotype (p = 0.041).

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that genotypes with A allele with –2518 polymorphism of the MCP-1 gene might have increased risk of severity of clinical features, but not susceptibility to BD.

     

<Emphasis Type="Bold">Risk Compensation Following Medical Male Circumcision: Results from a 1-Year Prospective Cohort Study of Young School-Going Men in KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa</Emphasis>

Purpose

This study sought to assess risk compensation following voluntary medical male circumcision of young school-going men. Risk compensation is defined as an inadvertent increase in sexual risk behaviors and a corresponding decrease in self-perceived risk for contracting HIV following the application of a risk reduction technology.

Methods

This study documented the sexual practices of circumcised (n = 485) and uncircumcised (n = 496) young men in 42 secondary schools at three time points (baseline and 6 and 12 months) in a sub-district of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Study participants were aged from 16 to 24 years old.

Results

At the end of the study period, there was no significant difference between the two cohorts concerning learners’ perceptions of being at risk of contracting HIV (interaction effect: b = ?0.12, p = 0.40). There was also no significant difference in the number of sexual partners in the previous month (interaction effect: b = ?0.23, p = 0.15). The proportion of learners who have never used a condom decreased significantly over time (time effect: b = ?0.27, p = 0.01), and there was no difference between the circumcised and uncircumcised learners (interaction effect: b = ?0.09, p = 0.91).

Conclusions

Risk compensation, as evidenced in this study over a 1-year period, was not associated with undergoing voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) in our sample of young school-going men. However, it is of concern that at the end of this study, less than half of the sexually active sample in a high-HIV-prevalence community used condoms consistently in the previous month (39% for both study cohorts). The latter underscores the need to view VMMC as a potential entry point for planned HIV and sexuality education interventions targeting young men in this community.

     

Motivational and Volitional Correlates of Physical Activity in Participants Reporting No,Past, and Current Hypertension: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Observation Study

Purpose

The study investigated differences in motivational and volitional correlates of physical activity in persons who reported currently having hypertension, had hypertension in the past, or had no hypertension by using the health action process approach as a theoretical background.

Method

Self-reported data from 512 participants (71.9% women; M _age = 46.83 years; SD _age = 13.77; M _BMI = 24.89; SD _BMI = 4.71) were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), analysis of variance (ANOVA), and post hoc comparisons of groups to determine differences in motivational and volitional correlates for physical activity between groups followed by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Additionally, χ ² statistic was used to analyze differences in the distribution of behavioral stages between groups.

Results

Participants with hypertension reported a higher perceived vulnerability (d = 0.99) and lower action planning (d = 0.32) and self-efficacy (d = 0.30) compared to those who indicated no hypertension. Their perceived vulnerability was also higher compared to those who indicated past hypertension on the mean level (d = 0.60). Significant main effects for all independent variables were found when controlling for gender and HAPA stages with main effects for perceived vulnerability, action planning, and self-efficacy. Participants with current hypertension were more prominent in the intender stage, whereas participants with past hypertension were more likely to be in the actor stage. Participants with no hypertension at all were equally distributed across the intender and actor stages.

Conclusion

The study contributes to the understanding of differences in motivational and volitional correlates of physical activity in persons who reported different hypertension statuses.

     

Fasting Glucose and the Risk of Depressive Symptoms: Instrumental-Variable Regression in the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

Purpose

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has been associated with depressive symptoms, but the causal direction of this association and the underlying mechanisms, such as increased glucose levels, remain unclear. We used instrumental-variable regression with a genetic instrument (Mendelian randomization) to examine a causal role of increased glucose concentrations in the development of depressive symptoms.

Method

Data were from the population-based Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (n = 1217). Depressive symptoms were assessed in 2012 using a modified Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-I). Fasting glucose was measured concurrently with depressive symptoms. A genetic risk score for fasting glucose (with 35 single nucleotide polymorphisms) was used as an instrumental variable for glucose.

Results

Glucose was not associated with depressive symptoms in the standard linear regression (B = ?0.04, 95% CI [?0.12, 0.04], p = .34), but the instrumental-variable regression showed an inverse association between glucose and depressive symptoms (B = ?0.43, 95% CI [?0.79, ?0.07], p = .020). The difference between the estimates of standard linear regression and instrumental-variable regression was significant (p = .026)

Conclusion

Our results suggest that the association between T2D and depressive symptoms is unlikely to be caused by increased glucose concentrations. It seems possible that T2D might be linked to depressive symptoms due to low glucose levels.

     

Infertility Centrality in the Woman’s Identity and Goal Adjustment Predict Psychological Adjustment Among Women in Ongoing Fertility Treatments

Purpose

Some of the women that go through repeated fertility treatments will not adjust well to the treatments and will experience increased distress. The present study examined how centrality of the fertility problem in the woman’s identity and dispositional goal adjustment (disengagement and reengagement) are associated with the woman’s psychological adjustment. These issues are examined in a context of a pro-natal society (Israel) where parenthood is a major life goal.

Methods

One hundred ninety-three women in ongoing fertility treatments filled out questionnaires, and follow-up on their psychological well-being was carried out after 3 months (N?=?130).

Results

Women who perceived their fertility problem as more central to their identity experienced greater distress (β?=?0.34, p?<?0.01) and less well-being (β?=???0.31, p?<?0.01). Concurrently, high ability for goal disengagement was a resource that protected women from these feelings. Women high on goal disengagement who were low on goal reengagement experienced greater distress (β of interaction?=???0.24, p?<?0.01), probably because they remained with feelings of emptiness and lack of purpose. These findings were found in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Finally, the models predicting well-being and distress at T2 using centrality, goal adjustment, and T1 well-being/distress explained 42 and 47.5% of the variance, respectively.

Conclusions

Much research and therapeutic attention has been invested in coping with fertility treatments, while the options of reducing investment in treatments and finding alternative goals did not receive adequate attention. This study discusses these issues and their possible clinical implications especially in a pro-natal context.

     

The Association Between Weight Status,Weight History,Physical Activity,and Cognitive Task Performance

Purpose

Physical activity has been shown to attenuate the association between overweight/obesity and deleterious cardiovascular health-related outcomes, with emerging work also taking the duration of overweight/obesity into consideration. No previous work, however, has explored the interrelationships between physical activity, obesity, and obesity duration in the context of cognitive task performance, which was the purpose of this study.

Method

Data from the 1999–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used (N = 2322 adults 60–85 yrs). Physical activity was assessed via self-report, with body mass index (BMI) directly measured. Participants were classified into one of eight mutually exclusive groups: (0) normal weight now and 10 years ago and active now (n = 195), (1) normal weight and 10 years ago and inactive now (n = 265), (2) normal weight now but not 10 years ago and active now (n = 46), (3) normal weight now but not 10 years ago and inactive now (n = 123), (4) overweight/obese now but not 10 years ago and active now (n = 117), (5) overweight/obese now but not 10 years ago and inactive now (n = 168), (6) overweight/obese now and 10 years ago and active now (n = 435), and (7) overweight/obese now and 10 years ago and inactive now (n = 973). The digit symbol substitution test (DSST) was employed to assess cognitive task performance.

Results

After adjustments, only individuals who were inactive (groups 1, 3, 5, and 7) had significantly lower cognitive task performance.

Conclusion

Being inactive, regardless of weight classification and duration of overweight/obesity, was inversely associated with cognitive task performance in this national sample of older adults.

     

Analysis of the position of the branches of the ulnar nerve in Guyon’s canal using high-resolution MRI in positions adopted by cyclists

Purpose

To study variations in the anatomical relationships of the branches of the ulnar nerve in Guyon’s canal relative to the hamulus of hamate (HH) in a grip encountered among cyclists.

Materials and methods

Forty-seven wrist examinations were performed on a 3-T MRI (soft antenna, 16 channels) in propeller sequence in the plane perpendicular to the carpus in 28 healthy volunteers in three cycling positions (neutral, hyperextension and ulnar deviation). The positions and distance between the superficial (SB) and deep (DB) branches of the ulnar nerve with respect to the HH were determined on the section passing through the HH.

Results

The mean distances between the SB (d _s) and DP (d _p) and HH were 2.4 and 0.6 mm, respectively. The d _s in hyperextension and ulnar deviation were 2.2 mm (P = 0.3) and 3 mm (P = 0.07), respectively. The d _p in hyperextension and ulnar deviation were 0.3 mm (P = 0.02) and 0.5 mm (P = 0.15), respectively. Hyperextended, 60 % of SB and 40 % of DB were close to the HH, and 26 % of DB came directly in contact with it. In ulnar deviation, 30 % of SB and 29 % of DB approached HH, and 47 % of DB were in contact with it.

Conclusion

This study shows that SB and DB positions of the ulnar nerve vary with respect to the HH depending on the position of the wrist, and such differences may promote Guyon’s canal syndrome in cyclists.

     

The Association of Sensory Responsiveness with Somatic Symptoms and Illness Anxiety

Background

Somatoform Disorders or Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders are a major public health problem.The pathophysiology underlying these disorders is not yet understood.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to explore if sensory responsiveness could contribute to a better understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms underlying two key symptoms of Somatoform Disorders, namely somatic symptoms and illness anxiety.

Methods

We measured vibrotactile perception thresholds with the HVLab Perception Meter and examined their association with somatic symptoms, illness anxiety and trait anxiety. A sample of 205 volunteers participated in the study.

Results

Sensory responsiveness was neither associated with somatic symptoms (β?=??0.01; 95 % confidence interval (CI), ?0.37, 0.39) nor trait anxiety (β?=??0.07; 95 % CI, ?0.30, 0.07). However, lower vibrotactile perception thresholds were associated with increased scores of the overall illness anxiety scale (β?=??0.65; 95 % CI, ?1.21, ?0.14) and its constituent subscale disease conviction (β?=??2.07; 95 % CI, ?3.94, ?0.43).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that increased sensory responsiveness is associated with illness anxiety and hence should be examined further as potential target within the etiopathology of somatoform disorders.

     

Minocycline affects human neutrophil respiratory burst and transendothelial migration

Objective

This study aimed at investigating the in vitro activity of minocycline and doxycycline on human polymorphonuclear (h-PMN) cell function.

Methods

h-PMNs were isolated from whole venous blood of healthy subjects; PMN oxidative burst was measured by monitoring ROS-induced oxidation of luminol and transendothelial migration was studied by measuring PMN migration through a monolayer of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Differences between multiple groups were determined by ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparison test; Student’s t test for unpaired data for two groups.

Results

Minocycline (1–300 µM) concentration dependently and significantly inhibited oxidative burst of h-PMNs stimulated with 100 nM fMLP. Ten micromolar concentrations, which are superimposable to C _max following a standard oral dose of minocycline, promoted a 29.8 ± 4 % inhibition of respiratory burst (P < 0.001; n = 6). Doxycycline inhibited ROS production with a lesser extent and at higher concentrations. 10–100 µM minocycline impaired PMN transendothelial migration, with maximal effect at 100 µM (42.5 ± 7 %, inhibition, n = 5, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

These results added new insight into anti-inflammatory effects of minocycline exerted on innate immune h-PMN cell function.

     

Somatosensory Amplification Is a Predictor of Self-Reported Side Effects in the Treatment of Primary Hypertension: a Pilot Study

Purpose

Side effects consist of drug-specific and non-specific symptoms. Both components are based on bodily sensations that a person perceives after taking a drug and subsequently attributes to the drug. We suggest that somatosensory amplification (SSA) may explain a proportion of inter-individual differences in reports of side effects that cannot be accounted for by drug-specific safety profiles. This hypothesis was investigated in hypertensive patients starting a new pharmacotherapy.

Method

This longitudinal study included 50 patients (66 % women, aged 55?±?14 years) with a diagnosis of primary hypertension. Patients completed the Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SSAS), started to take their new medication, and recorded side effects on a daily basis for 4 weeks.

Results

After controlling for age, gender, number of pills taken, and previous personal and family experiences with medication side effects in the regression analyses, SSAS scores remained a significant predictor of reported side effects over the entire study period (weeks 1 and 2: β?=?.621, p?<?.001; weeks 3 and 4: β?=?.493, p?=?.003). In a subsample comprising patients taking the four most commonly used drug regimes, SSAS was a significant predictor of side effects, even when controlling for type of medication.

Conclusion

In this sample of patients undergoing anti-hypertensive pharmacotherapy, higher SSA scores predicted increased reports of medication side effects. To account for this tendency and to improve compliance with medication regimes, this group may require special education about the nocebo phenomenon.

     

Psychological Distress Mediates the Effect of Alexithymia on 2-Year Change in HIV Viral Load

Purpose

Individuals with trait alexithymia (AL) display poor cognitive assimilation of thoughts, feelings, and emotions. This may result in the persistence of stress, anxiety, and depressive disorders. The cumulative effect of this psychological distress is also linked clinical markers of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression. This study examines the indirect effect of AL on HIV viral load as a function of baseline levels and change in psychological distress.

Methods

N?=?123 HIV positive adults aged 37.9?±?9.2 years provided blood samples for HIV-1 viral RNA and CD4 T lymphocytes along with self-reported stress, anxiety, and depression every 6 months for 2 years. A second-order conditional latent growth model was used to represent baseline and 2-year change in cumulative levels of psychological distress and to test the indirect effect of baseline levels of trait AL on change in HIV-1 viral load through this latent measure.

Results

AL was associated with baseline and latent change in psychological distress. Furthermore, baseline psychological distress predicted 2-year change in HIV-1 viral RNA after controlling for viral load at baseline. Altogether, trait AL had a significant indirect effect on change in viral load (β?=?0.16, p?=?0.03) as a function of baseline levels of distress.

Conclusion

Identification and communication of thoughts, feelings, and emotions are important for long-term psychological adaptation in HIV. Greater psychological distress, in turn, allows for persistence of peripheral viral replication.

     

Associations of VCAM-1 gene polymorphisms with obesity and inflammation markers

Objective

Among the inflammatory mediators involved in the pathogenesis of obesity, cell adhesion molecules such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) stand out. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 gene variants with obesity and to investigate the associations between these genetic polymorphisms and CRP, UA, and WBC count.

Method

Four SNPs of the VCAM-1 gene (rs3176860, rs2392221, rs3917010 and rs3176879) and two SNPs of the ICAM-1 gene (rs281432 and rs5498) were analyzed in 181 control (18 < BMI < 23) and 144 obese (BMI ≥ 25) subjects. The SNPs were genotyped by direct sequencing.

Results

In allele frequency analysis, the G allelic frequency of rs3176860 in the VCAM-1 gene was lower in the obese group (30.9%) than in the controls (41.2%) (P = 0.007). The C allelic frequency of rs3917010 was lower in the obese group (18.1%) than in the control (25.1%) (P = 0.03). In the haplotype analysis of VCAM-1 gene, the ht1 (ACA) was higher and ht2 (GCC) was lower in the obese subjects than in the controls (P = 0.0057 and P = 0.037, respectively). In the obese group, participants carrying the G allele of rs3176860 of the VCAM-1 gene showed a higher percentage of segmented neutrophils and CRP levels than those carrying only the A allele (P = 0.028 and P = 0.042, respectively).

Conclusions

The results of this study suggest that VCAM-1 gene variants may be related to obesity and inflammatory markers in the Korean population.

     

Genetic association between TAP1 and TAP2 polymorphisms and ankylosing spondylitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory joint disease. The transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) has been identified to play an important role in immune response as well as the HLA-associated diseases. The aim of our meta-analysis was to investigate the contribution of TAP (TAP1 and TAP2) polymorphisms to the risk of AS.

Methods

Meta-analyses were performed between 2 polymorphisms in TAP1 (TAP1-333, -637) and 3 polymorphisms in TAP2 (TAP2-379, -565, and -665) and AS.

Results

The meta-analyses were involved with 6 studies with 415 cases and 659 controls. Significant association was found between TAP1-333Val, TAP1-637Gly, and TAP2-565Thr and AS compared with combined control group (TAP1-333Val: p = 0.009, OR = 1.40, 95% CI 1.09–1.80; TAP1-637Gly: p = 0.002, OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.15–1.91; p = 0.03, OR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.04–1.84). Subgroup analysis shown that significant association was only found in AS when compared with HLA-B27-negative controls (TAP1-333Val: p = 0.004, OR = 1.53, 95% CI 1.14–2.06; TAP1-637Gly: p = 0.004, OR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.15–2.02; p = 0.02, OR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.09–2.24), but not in AS when compared with HLA-B27-positive controls (p > 0.05). Moreover, no significant associations were found between haplotypes in TAP1 and TAP2 in both the combined and the subgroup analyses (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

TAP1-333Val, TAP1-637Gly, and TAP2-565Thr were likely to be associated with AS.