Serum autotaxin measurements in pregnant women: application for the differentiation of normal pregnancy and pregnancy-induced hypertension

BackgroundThe bioactive lipid lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) exerts multiple effects in the female reproductive system. Serum/plasma LPA is mainly produced by the lysophospholipase D activity of autotaxin (ATX). Previous studies have suggested that ATX has critical roles in cancer, reproduction, and vascular development. In the present study, we evaluated the usefulness of serum ATX measurements in pregnant women.MethodsWe measured the serum ATX antigen levels in 32 normal pregnant women, 15 patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), and 7 patients with preterm delivery using a recently developed automated enzyme immunoassay.ResultsThe serum ATX antigen levels in normal pregnant women were significantly higher than those in non-pregnant women (P < 0.001). The serum ATX antigen levels in normal pregnant women were significantly and positively correlated with the gestational week (r = 0.809, P < 0.001). During the third trimester, the serum ATX antigen levels of the patients with PIH (3.299 ± 1.720 mg/l) were significantly lower than those of the normal pregnant women (4.915 ± 2.323 mg/l) (P = 0.04).ConclusionsThe serum ATX antigen level increases with the progression of pregnancy. The serum ATX level may be a serological marker for the prediction of PIH.     

Assessment of circulating proteasome chymotrypsin-like activity in plasma of patients with acute and chronic leukemias

ObjectiveWe evaluated whether the proteasomal chymotrypsin-like (ChT-L) activity is increased in plasma of patients with acute lymphoblastic (ALL), acute myeloblastic (AML) and chronic lymphocytic (CLL) leukemias.MethodsThe activity was assayed using the fluorogenic peptide substrate in the presence of an artificial activator sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in the plasma of healthy donors (n = 15) and ALL (n = 15), AML (n = 28) and CLL (n = 22) patients.ResultsThe activity was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in the plasma of ALL and AML patients at the diagnosis than in healthy subjects and decreased after therapy or remained unchanged or rose during relapse. By contrast, in CLL patients at the diagnosis, the activity did not differ significantly from the healthy controls. In each group, the activity positively correlated with the serum lactic dehydrogenase activity.ConclusionsPlasma proteasome ChT-L activity can be a useful bio-marker for patients with acute leukemia at the blast stage.     

Serum soluble Fas levels in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases

Objective:The role of the serum soluble Fas (sFAS) system is unclear in diagnosis of several autoimmune rheumatic diseases although there are present contradictory reports on the levels of serum sFas. We therefore assessed levels of sFAS in serum of patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases.Patients and methods:We analyzed sFas levels and their relationship to clinical and laboratory data in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, n = 32), rheumatoid arthritis (RA, n = 28), Sjögren's syndrome (SS, n = 20) systemic sclerosis (SSc, n = 21), polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM, n = 15). Patients with osteoarthritis (OA, n = 20) and healthy volunteers (n = 20) were used as controls. Serum levels of sFAS were determined by ELISA. sFas levels greater than mean (normals) + 2 SD were considered as elevated.Results:The mean sFas values were found higher in RA, PM/DM and OA than in control although no differences were found in SSc and SS patients. The mean sFas levels in SLE patients were lower than healthy controls. Elevated sFas rates in RA, PM/DM and SS were found to be 21.4%, 60%, 10% higher than in healthy controls, respectively. sFas levels in SLE and SSc did not differ from control values. Mean sFas levels did not show significant difference between active and inactive patients in all disease groups except PM/DM, RA and OA. No correlations of sFas with relevant disease subsets, laboratory findings and treatment modalities were found.Conclusions:The findings indicate that the serum sFas molecule may provide a useful additional marker for presence and assessment of disease in patients with RA and PM/DM.     

Normal range of serum Amphiregulin in healthy adult human females

ObjectivesPrior to large studies in breast cancer patients, we have sought to establish the normal range of a potential serum biomarker, Amphiregulin, in healthy women and to determine whether sampling during the menstrual cycle influences the detected Amphiregulin levels.Design and methodsSerum Amphiregulin levels were quantified using a commercially available ELISA in 85 normal female donors.ResultsThe range of circulating Amphiregulin was 0–4467 pg/mL. The majority of women had no detectable circulating Amphiregulin (n = 54), and only five women had levels exceeding 500 pg/mL. Serum Amphiregulin levels did not vary significantly during the menstrual cycle (n = 7 women).ConclusionsDetection of circulating Amphiregulin in a significant minority of healthy women suggests that it may not have the specificity necessary for a population screening tool; however its potential utility for monitoring response to treatment or disease progression should be examined in breast cancer cases.     

Serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP5b) activity as a biomarker for bone metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer patients

BackgroundDiagnosis and follow-up of bone metastasis (BMet) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients usually rely on symptoms and image studies. A serum marker of bone resorption may improve the quality of treatment in such patients. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP5b) is a specific marker for osteoclasts and we proposed it can be used as a marker of BMet in NSCLC patients.MethodsIn November 2002 till August 2008 serum samples were obtained from 141 newly diagnosed stage IIIA, IIIB or IV NSCLC patients and 41 normal subjects. All patients received baseline bone scintinography examination and evaluation of clinical symptoms as a standard of BMet diagnosis. Patients were divided into 2 groups by having BMet (Group I, n = 72) or not (Group II, n = 69). An in-house immunoassay using a TRACP-specific monoclonal antibody, 14G6, was used to measure the serum TRACP5b activity at pH 6.1.ResultsThe mean serum TRACP5b activities of Group I, Group II and normal subjects were 3.50 ± 2.23 U/l, 2.09 ± 0.72 U/l and 2.33 ± 0.52 U/l, respectively. After adjusting for age, stage, gender, and histology in a generalized linear model, Group I has significantly higher TRACP5b activity than Group II (p < 0.001). The receiver operating characteristic analysis established a cutoff value of 2.551 U/l to identify BMet in NSCLC patients with a sensitivity of 63.9% and a specificity of 76.8%. TRACP5b activity declined in patients who responded to treatment (p = 0.047), and elevated in patients who developed new BMet (p = 0.05).ConclusionsSerum TRACP5b activity test is a potentially useful adjunct in diagnosing and monitoring BMet in NSCLC. Further study is warranted to establish its real value in diagnosis and monitoring of BMet in NSCLC patients.     

Association between serum cortisol and testosterone levels, opioid therapy, and symptom distress in patients with advanced cancer

ContextPatients with advanced cancer often experience symptoms such as pain, anorexia, and fatigue. Opioid therapy for the management of cancer pain may result in neurohormonal dysfunction that may contribute to a patient’s symptom burden.ObjectivesTo examine the association between serum cortisol and testosterone levels, opioid therapy, and symptom distress in patients with cancer.MethodsA retrospective chart review was performed on 77 consecutive patients with advanced cancer referred for symptoms of fatigue or cachexia. We collected information regarding cortisol levels (am or random), testosterone levels (men only), morphine equivalent daily dose (MEDD), and symptom severity measured by the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale. Nonparametric correlation analysis was performed.ResultsThe median age was 63 years (range 24–79), and 62% were men (n = 48). Most patients had gastrointestinal (n = 33, 43%) or thoracic (n = 21, 27%) malignancies and were Caucasian (n = 46, 60%). The median random cortisol level was 19.1 μg/dL (Q1–Q3, 13.4–23.8 [normal, 4.3–22.4]), which correlated with MEDD (Spearman coefficient, 0.25, P = 0.032) and symptoms including pain (0.50, P < 0.001), fatigue (0.29, P = 0.012), nausea (0.34, P = 0.003), depression (0.24, P = 0.032), and anxiety (0.25, P = 0.031). Pain and nausea remained significant after Bonferroni correction. Median morning cortisol level (n = 28) was 20.6 μg/dL (Q1–Q3, 16.6–25.4) and significantly correlated with pain (0.55, P = 0.003) after Bonferroni correction. Patients with a MEDD <30 mg/day had a mean random cortisol level of 16.6 μg/dL, whereas patients with a MEDD ≥30 mg/day had a mean random cortisol level of 20.6 μg/dL (P = 0.01). In 44 male patients with cancer, MEDD was inversely correlated with the total testosterone level (?0.52, P = 0.001).ConclusionIn patients with advanced cancer, elevated random cortisol levels were associated with pain and opioid use, although abnormally low levels of cortisol were found to be infrequent. Patients on higher opioid therapy (MEDD >30) had increased cortisol levels, and male patients had lower testosterone levels. Our study suggests that opioid therapy in patients with advanced cancer may inhibit gonadal function while sparing the adrenal axis. Future studies are needed.     

A cross-sectional study of the association between heat shock protein 27 antibody titers, pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance and metabolic syndrome in patients with angiographically-defined coronary artery disease

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between serum antibody titers to Hsp27 (anti-Hsp27) and pro-oxidant–antioxidant balance (PAB) in patients with angiographically-defined coronary artery disease (CAD) with or without the metabolic syndrome (MS).DesignSubjects (n = 243) were classified into MS+ (n = 161) and MS? (n = 82) subgroups, based on the AHA/NHBLI criteria.ResultsSerum anti-Hsp27 titers were found to be significantly higher in the MS+ vs. MS? group. However, no significant difference was observed in serum PAB values. When assessed for individual components of MS, increased serum anti-Hsp27 was found to be higher in subgroups with elevated triglycerides, elevated blood pressure and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Subgroups of patients with elevated triglycerides had higher PAB values. HDL-C was the only significant predictor of anti-Hsp27 in the population as a whole.ConclusionThe evidence from this investigation indicates the presence of elevated anti-Hsp27 in patients with concurrent CAD and MS compared to those with CAD alone.     

Evaluation of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and total antioxidant status as possible disease markers in oesophageal malignancies

ObjectivesEvaluation of oxidative stress and diagnostic utility of its markers in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).DesignSerum 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) were measured in OSCC (n = 75), non-malignant oesophageal diseases (n = 30), and healthy subjects (n = 79). Three months following oesophagectomy the measurements were repeated.ResultsExclusively in OSCC, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine and TBARS were elevated. TAS was reduced in non-malignancies compared to controls, and in OSCC compared to non-malignancies and controls. Only 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine was associated with disease progression, lymph node involvement in particular. All indices were good indicators of cancer presence (ROC analysis) and normalized following oesophagectomy. A positive linear relationship between 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine and TBARS, and negative non-linear between TAS and both 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine and TBARS was demonstrated.ConclusionOSCC is associated with oxidative stress, attenuated following oesophagectomy. Consumption of serum antioxidants prevents accumulation of oxidatively modified molecules in non-malignancies. High accuracy of oxidative stress markers in indicating cancer presence warrants further investigation on their possible application as discriminatory markers and in monitoring treatment efficacy.     

Prediction of the neurological outcome with intrathecal high mobility group box 1 and S100B in cardiac arrest victims: a pilot study

ObjectivesTo investigate whether high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and S100B in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the serum predict the neurological outcome in patients resuscitated from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).Materials and methodsThis study was designed as a prospective observational study. Twenty-five patients, who received standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation and post-resuscitation intensive care, were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two groups according to Glasgow-Pittsburgh Cerebral Performance categories (CPCs) at 6 months after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), Group G (n = 7, CPC 1 or 2) and Group P (n = 18, CPC ≥ 3). Their blood samples were taken at 6, 24, and 48 h after ROSC. The patients, whose CSF was sampled at 48 h, were also divided into either sub-Group G (n = 6) or sub-Group P (n = 8) at 6 months after ROSC.ResultsHMGB1 and S100B in CSF in sub-Group P were significantly higher than those in sub-Group G (HMGB1, <1.0 vs. 12.4 ng/ml, P = 0.009; S100B, 2.68 vs. 84.2 ng/ml, P = 0.007, respectively). HMGB1 in CSF was strongly correlated with S100B (σ = 0.81, P = 0.001). HMGB1 was elevated in serum at 6 h and normalized within 48 h after ROSC without any significant differences between the two groups. Serum S100B in Group P was significantly higher than that in Group G at each time point.ConclusionsThe significant elevations of HMGB1 and S100B in CSF, and S100B in serum are associated with the neurologically poor outcome in OHCA patients.     

Anserine inhibits carnosine degradation but in human serum carnosinase (CN1) is not correlated with histidine dipeptide concentration

BackgroundWe reported an association of a particular allele of the carnosinase (CNDP1 Mannheim) gene with reduced serum carnosinase (CN1) activity and absence of nephropathy in diabetic patients. Carnosine protects against the adverse effects of high glucose levels but serum carnosine concentration was generally low.MethodsWe measured the concentration of two further histidine dipeptides, anserine and homocarnosine, via HPLC. CN1 activity was measured fluorometically and for concentration we developed a capture ELISA.ResultsWe found an association between the CNDP1 Mannheim allele and reduced serum CN1 activity for all three dipeptides but no correlation to serum concentrations although anserine and homocarnosine inhibited carnosinase activity. Patients with liver cirrhosis have low CN1 activity (0.24 ± 0.17 μmol/ml/h, n = 7 males; normal range: 3.2 ± 1.1, n = 104; p < 0.05) and CN1 concentrations (2.3 ± 1.5 μg/ml; normal range: 24.9 ± 8.9, p < 0.05) but surprisingly, histidine dipeptide concentrations in serum are not increased compared to controls.ConclusionsSerum histidine dipeptide concentrations are not correlated to CN1 activity. The protective effect of low CN1 activity might be related either to turnover of CN1 substrates or a protective function of dipeptides might be localized in other tissues.     

Value of serum anti-p53 antibodies as a prognostic factor in Egyptian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Objectivep53 antigen is an oncoprotective antigen and when damaged, leads to production of anti-p53 and also predisposes to various cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Serum anti-p53 has been proven to have a prognostic value in patients with HCC. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and prognostic utility of serum anti-p53 in Egyptian patients with HCC.MethodsForty one patients with HCC, 26 patients with liver cirrhosis and 29 healthy controls were included in this study. For all the studied groups, we studied the clinical data, abdominal ultrasound (US) findings, biochemical liver function tests, serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels detected by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kit and anti-p53 antibody levels by a modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The severity of liver disease was assessed by Child–Pugh and MELD scores. Tumor characteristics were detected by (US) with or without computed tomography (CT) scan. These characteristics included tumor size, number and site. Tumor staging was done using Okuda, Cancer Liver Italian Program (CLIP) and Tokyo staging systems. Also, the overall survival of patients with HCC with reference to p53 antibody level was studied.ResultsThe mean age of HCC patients was 57.95 ± 8.41. There was a male predominance among HCC patients with male-to-female ratio of 3.6:1. Anti-p53 antibodies were detected in the sera of 68.3% of HCC patients, 50% of liver cirrhosis patients and 17.2% of healthy control subjects. The data showed that HCC patients had a significantly higher mean anti-p53 antibody values (p = 0.0001), than both liver cirrhosis patients and healthy control groups. Our results revealed that anti-p53 has a positive significant correlation with AFP (p = 0.002), severity of liver disease [Child Pugh score (p = 0.02) and MELD score (p = 0.0003)], tumor size (p < 0.0001), tumor number (p = 0.003) and tumor staging systems [Okuda (p = 0.04), CLIP (p = 0.006) and Tokyo (p < 0.0001)]. Also, our results revealed that serum anti-p53 antibodies had a significant association with overall survival of patients with HCC (p = 0.019) with a shorter survival time in anti-p53 positive status patients and with higher anti-p53 antibody levels within 19 months follow up.ConclusionThe detection of anti-p53 antibodies may be suitable for assessing the prognosis of HCC patients. The higher percentage of positivity of anti-p53 antibodies in Egyptian control subjects than reported elsewhere needs further thorough investigation.     

Serum vascular adhesion protein-1 is higher in subjects with early stages of chronic kidney disease

ObjectivesAn increased level of serum vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) has been found in patients with diabetes mellitus and vascular disorders. This study examined whether serum VAP-1 levels are associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD).Design and methodsWe included 262 subjects aged 30 and above with fasting plasma glucose level < 7 mmol/L checked within 1 year. First morning urine specimens were collected. Microalbuminuria was defined if urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥ 30 μg/mg creatinine. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated. CKD stages were defined according to the suggestions of the National Kidney Foundation. Serum VAP-1 levels were analyzed by immunofluorometric assay.ResultsSerum VAP-1 levels were positively associated with the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio ( r = 0.29, p < 0.0001) and negatively associated with estimated GFR (r = ?0.24, p =  0.0001). Subjects with CKD stage 2 (N =  51) and stage 3 (N =  91) had significantly higher levels of serum VAP-1 than those without CKD (p =  0.0003 and p =  0.035, adjusted for age and gender, respectively). A high serum VAP-1 level was associated with the presence of CKD (OR 1.63 for 1 SD increase of VAP-1, p =  0.018), adjusting for age, sex, and smoking. Ordered logit models revealed that high serum VAP-1 levels correlated with advanced stages of CKD.ConclusionsSerum levels of VAP-1 are associated with the severity of kidney damage or stages of kidney disease. The true mechanism which links the serum VAP-1 and CKD remains to be elucidated in further studies.     

Tools for measuring the impact of informal caregiving of the elderly: a literature review

Objectives(1) Describe available tools to assess the impact of informal caregiving of home-dwelling elderly, (2) identify an acceptable and appropriate tool for a study aiming at the evaluation of the impact of innovative projects for care and support of care for elderly at home, on their main informal caregiver and (3) find a definition of ‘main informal caregiver’.Study designLiterature review by searches of the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, using firstly keywords and exclusion criteria, then citations and reference search.ResultsThis review has identified 105 scales assessing the impact of informal caregiving of the elderly. Those scales were described in terms of characteristics of the care receiver population, content and psychometric properties. Most retrieved scales are intended to measure the impact of caregiving on caregivers’ health of elderly with dementia (n = 49), overall elderly (n = 21), cancer patients (n = 7), chronically ill patients (n = 7), psychiatric patients (n = 7) and stroke patients (n = 3).Dimensions of the impact of caregiving were classified into its positive (n = 34), negative (n = 55) or neither positive nor negative (n = 16) consequences on the informal caregiver's health. Internal consistency varied from 0.48 to 0.99 and in half of the cases (n = 52), construct validity was reported. Scales comprised 1–200 questions. The Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI-12) was selected for the study and an operational definition of the concept of “main informal caregiver” was constructed.ConclusionThis review identified a large number of scales that can be used to assess the impact of caregiving, viewed through different dimensions. The Zarit Burden Interview can be a useful tool for researchers and clinicians due to its user-friendliness, extensively validation and international use, making comparisons between groups possible. Despite the fact that only the original version of each scale was selected, this inventory should be a useful tool for intervention studies and even clinicians work.     

Xanthine oxidase activity in patients with sepsis

ObjectiveDetermine the relation of xanthine oxidase (XO) activity and the outcome of septic patients and its relation to oxidative damage and clinical parameters of sepsis severity.Design and methodsPatients admitted over a 6-month period were enrolled. Patients were assigned to groups according to the diagnosis of sepsis (n = 8), severe sepsis (n = 28) or septic shock (n = 36). Blood samples were collected to the determination of thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS), protein carbonyls and XO activity.ResultsNone of the studied oxidative parameters determined at the time of diagnosis were related to sepsis severity. XO activity, but not oxidative damage parameters, at the time of sepsis diagnosis was significantly higher in non-survival septic patients. In contrast, 24 h after sepsis diagnosis, XO activity was lower in non-survivors septic patients.ConclusionsXO activity was increased in non-survivors patients and the variations in XO activity could be used for outcome prediction.     

Cytokine elevations in acute coronary syndrome and ovarian cancer: a mechanism for the up-regulation of the acute phase proteins in these different disease etiologies

Objectives:To identify if a common set of cytokines is elevated in both ovarian cancer and acute coronary syndrome (ACS).Design and methods:A cytokine array (Randox Ltd) was measured in healthy women (n = 33), women with ACS (n = 21) and ovarian cancer (n = 45).Results:Women with ACS or ovarian cancer had higher concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, VEGF, MCP-1, and EGF as compared to healthy volunteers.Discussion:Common cytokine elevations are present in both ACS and ovarian cancer.     

Patient selection has a strong impact on cystatin C and Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) estimated glomerular filtration rate

ObjectiveEstimation of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is essential for the evaluation of patients with kidney disease, and for correct dosage of drugs that are eliminated from the circulation by the kidneys. In most cases GFR is estimated based on serum creatinine and the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula. As both cystatin C and creatinine are used for the determination of GFR it is important to investigate if estimated GFR by the two methods differ in various patient groups.Design and methodsWe have compared cystatin C and MDRD estimated GFR calculated from the same request from primary care units (n = 488), a cardiology ward (n = 826), the cardiointensive care unit (n = 1026), two oncology wards (n = 919 and 1021), and the neurosurgical intensive care unit (n = 1515) in an observational cross-sectional study.ResultsWe found better agreement between the two GFR estimates in samples from primary care patients and patients in the cardiology wards, than in samples from oncology wards or the neurosurgical intensive care unit. In the latter settings there was a pronounced difference between the two GFR estimates.ConclusionThe comparisons show that differences in patient selections have a strong impact on the agreement between cystatin C and MDRD estimated glomerular filtration rate.     

Folate and choline metabolism gene variants and development of uterine cervical carcinoma

ObjectiveIt has been reported that aberrant DNA methylation can be associated with HPV infection and cervical tumorigenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility that polymorphic variants of genes that may affect DNA methylation status are associated with the risk of cervical cancer in the Polish population.Design and methodEmploying PCR-RFLPs and HRM analyses, we examined the prevalence of BHMT Arg239Gln (rs3733890), MTR Asp919Gly (rs1805087), MTHFR Ala222Val (rs1801133), MTHFD1 Arg653Gln (rs2236225) and MTRR Ile22Met (rs1801394) genotypes and alleles in patients with advanced cervical cancer (n = 124) and controls (n = 168).ResultsThe odds ratio (OR) for BHMT Gln/Gln genotype was 0.433 (95% CI = 0.1780–1.054; p = 0.0602). The OR for patients having the BHMT Arg/Gln or Gln/Gln genotypes was 0.579 (95% CI = 0.3622–0.924; p = 0.0216). We also observed a significantly higher frequency of the BHMT 239Gln allele in controls than in patients, p = 0.0165. The genotype and allele frequencies of the MTR Asp919Gly, MTHFR Ala222Val, MTHFD1 Arg653Gln and MTRR Ile22Met gene variants did not display statistical differences between patients with cervical cancer and controls. We also did not find a significant association between the distribution of any genotypes or alleles and cancer characteristics.ConclusionOur results might suggest the protective role of the BHMT 239Gln variant in cervical cancer incidence.     

Serum myeloperoxidase activity and oxidative stress in patients with acute brucellosis

ObjectivesThe role of infection in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis has been increasingly discussed. Previous studies have suggested that increased myeloperoxidase activity plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the serum myeloperoxidase activity and catalase activity along with lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH) levels in patients with acute brucellosis.Design and methodsThirty-two patients with brucellosis and 33 healthy controls were enrolled. Serum myeloperoxidase activity, catalase activity and LOOH levels were determined.ResultsSerum myeloperoxidase activity and LOOH levels were significantly higher in patients with brucellosis than controls (p < 0.05, p < 0.001), while catalase activity were significantly lower (p < 0.001). LOOH levels were found to be significantly positively correlated with MPO activity (r = 0.297, p = 0.016) in patients.ConclusionsThese results indicate that increased myeloperoxidase activity and decreased catalase activity is associated with increased oxidative stress, which may have a role in atherosclerotic processes in brucellosis patients.     

Characterization of chemosensory alterations in advanced cancer reveals specific chemosensory phenotypes impacting dietary intake and quality of life

ContextTaste and smell (chemosensory) alterations are common and distressing among advanced cancer patients, but their specific nature is poorly described and seldom linked to dietary intake. Details of altered chemosensory perception may help to explain food intake behaviors.ObjectivesOur goal was to characterize chemosensory alterations and their relationship with dietary intake and quality of life (QOL).MethodsAdult advanced cancer patients (n = 192) completed a chemosensory self-assessment questionnaire to characterize changes in their sense of smell and four basic tastes (sweet, sour, salty, and bitter) since the onset of cancer, three-day food record, and QOL questionnaire.ResultsPatients experienced either no alteration in any basic tastes and sense of smell sensations (26% of patients) or one of three altered chemosensory phenotypes: 1) stronger sensations overall (42%), 2) weaker sensations overall (18%), or 3) mixed (some sensations stronger and others weaker, 14%). For individual sensations (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and smell), stronger sensation was twice more prevalent than weaker sensation (P = 0.035). Patients reporting chemosensory alteration consumed 20%–25% fewer calories per day (P = 0.0018), experienced greater weight loss (P = 0.0036), and had poorer QOL scores (P = 0.0176) compared with patients with no alterations, but results did not vary by chemosensory phenotype. Chemosensory alterations were not related to tumor type (P = 0.884), gender (P = 0.286), or nausea (P = 0.278).ConclusionChemosensory alterations predict dietary intake and QOL; the identification of chemosensory phenotypes provides a rationale to adjust the properties of foods and dietary recommendations in function of the specific nature of these changes.     

Preliminary evidence of a reduced serum level of fibroblast growth factor 19 in patients with biopsy-proven nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

ObjectivesWe sought to determine whether serum concentrations of fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) – an ileum-derived enterokine which plays a role in the control of glucose and lipid homeostasis – are altered in patients with biopsy-proven nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).Design and methodsSerum levels of FGF19 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 91 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 74 controls.ResultsFGF19 levels were significantly lower in patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD (median: 130 pg/mL) than in controls (median: 210 pg/mL, P < 0.001). Serum FGF19 levels were significantly but modestly associated with hepatocyte ballooning scores in univariate analysis (r = ? 0.25, P < 0.05) but not after adjustment for potential confounders (β = ? 0.18; t = 1.78, P = 0.08).ConclusionsThis pilot study suggests that serum FGF19 levels are decreased in patients with NAFLD but are not independently associated with liver histology findings.