Serum Levels of Annexin A2 as a Candidate Biomarker for Hepatic Fibrosis in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B

Background:

Hepatologists have studied serologic markers of liver injury for decades. Annexins are a prominent group of such markers and annexin A2 (AnxA2) is one of the best characterized annexins. AnxA2 inhibits HBV polymerase among other functions. Its expression is up-regulated in regenerative hepatocytes.

Objectives:

To determine if serum AnxA2 level has a role in estimating liver damage in chronic HBV infection and investigate whether AnxA2 levels correlate with hepatic fibrosis.

Patients and Methods:

This study included 173 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 51 healthy controls. Liver fibrosis was graded histologically on liver biopsy samples. Blood samples were taken from patients during biopsy and serum AnxA2 levels were measured with ELISA.

Results:

In a group of adult patients with CHB, AnxA2 values were far higher than those of the control group (P = 0.001). When we assessed AnxA2 levels based on fibrosis stages, serum AnxA2 levels of patients with early stage fibrosis (stages 1 - 3) were significantly higher than those of patients with advanced stage fibrosis (stages 4 - 5; P = 0.001).

Conclusions:

AnxA2 is a useful biomarker for early stage fibrosis in patients with CHB.     

The impact of gender and sex on diagnosis,treatment outcomes and health-related quality of life in patients with axial spondyloarthritis

Clinical Rheumatology - Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic condition, historically considered a predominantly male disease. However, increasing evidence suggests a...     

前房内给予莫西沙星预防眼内炎在白内障手术中的应用

目的：评价在白内障手术中采用前房内应用莫西沙星预防眼内炎的安全性和效果。

方法：选取2012年1-6mo在我院行白内障手术患者65例65眼。部分患者手术结束时前房给予莫西沙星,另外一部分作为对照组未使用莫西沙星。对患者术前和术后logMAR最佳矫正视力、眼内压、角膜水肿、前房形态进行检查。

结果：共33例患者(男19,女14)使用了莫西沙星,平均年龄64.81±11.61(41～82)岁; 32例患者(男15,女17)没有使用,平均年龄65.43±11.10(42-81)岁。患者的年龄(P=0.827)和性别(P=0.396)无统计学差异。术前两组的最佳矫正视力均接近20/130。术后,莫西沙星组和对照组的最佳矫正视力分别为20/25和20/23(P=0.160)。术前莫西沙星组眼内压为14.93±2.77(11-21)mmHg,对照组为15.06±2.42(12-21)mmHg(P=0.850)。术后,两组眼内压均无统计学差异\〖莫西沙星组：14.06±2.31(10-19)mmHg; 对照组：14.03±2.36(10-19)mmHg(P=0.726)\〗。两组角膜水肿(P=0.623)与前房细胞发生率(P=0.726)均无统计学差异。

结论：白内障手术后给予莫西沙星预防眼内炎是安全而有效的。     

Management of intestinal bleeding with single‐dose cyclophosphamide in Henoch–Schönlein purpura

In these case series, we report on six children (3 girls, 3 boys) aged 5–13 years with Henoch–Schönlein purpura (HSP) who developed severe gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding resistant to both 2 mg/kg or pulse (10–30 mg/kg) i.v. methylprednisolone. All patients responded to single‐dose (500 mg/m²) i.v. cyclophosphamide (CPA) and none of them developed new GI bleeding after CPA treatment. No patients required surgical intervention. Single high‐dose CPA may be beneficial in HSP with severe GI involvement, in which bleeding is non‐responsive to high‐dose steroids.     

Prevalence of ankylosing spondylitis and related spondyloarthritides in an urban area of Izmir, Turkey

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and related spondyloarthritides (SpA) in an adult urban population of Izmir, Turkey. METHODS: A survey was conducted of 2887 subjects aged 20 years or over, selected by cluster sampling. Those who responded positively to the screening questions were contacted by 2 rheumatologists and evaluated in detail to establish presence of AS (modified New York criteria) or related SpA (ESSG criteria). RESULTS: In the initial screening, 2835 subjects participated; 422 were considered screening-positive and a telephone interview was done with 328 (78%). Based on their clinical history, 145 subjects were invited to the hospital and 120 (83%) agreed to do so. After detailed evaluation, 31 subjects were classified as having SpA (including 14 with AS). The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence was estimated to be 0.49% for AS (95% CI 0.26-0.85), and 1.05% for SpA (95% CI 0.70-1.50). The prevalence of AS was 0.54% in men (95% CI 0.19-1.20) and 0.44% in women (95% CI 0.19-0.88), and that of SpA was 0.88% in men (95% CI 0.42-1.59) and 1.22% in women (95% CI 0.73-1.89). CONCLUSION: This epidemiological study suggests a high prevalence (0.49%) of AS in an adult urban population from western Turkey, which equals that of rheumatoid arthritis in the same population. The overall prevalence of SpA, including AS, was 1.05%. A minimal male predominance was noted among AS patients, which disappeared among the whole group of patients with SpA.     

HIV type 1-infected dendritic cells induce apoptotic death in infected and uninfected primary CD4 T lymphocytes

In addition to their essential role in adaptive immunity, dendritic cells (DCs) participate in innate immunity. In the context of measles virus (MV) or cytomegalovirus infections, they develop cytotoxic functions that may contribute in vivo to the elimination of virus-infected cells, but that also kill infected and noninfected T lymphocytes. Because the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) induces T cell depletion through mechanisms that are still obscure, we investigated its ability to trigger DC cytotoxicity. When incubated with HIV, monocyte-derived DCs induced apoptosis in MDA-231 cells, which are sensitive to MV-induced DC cytotoxicity, and in uninfected as well as HIV-infected H9 CD4+ T cell lines. This apoptosis was inhibited by a mixture of FasL, TRAIL, TNF-alpha, and TWEAK inhibitors. Indeed, HIV infection induced or enhanced sensitivity to TRAIL, TNF-alpha, and TWEAK in H9 cells. Moreover, dendritic cells incubated with HIV-1 BAL or a wildtype HIV-1 isolate induced apoptosis in autologous primary CD4+ T lymphocytes, infected or not with a wild-type HIV-1 isolate. Therefore, induction of DC cytotoxicity by HIV may be relevant to in vivo HIV infection. Induction of cytotoxicity in DCs by HIV might contribute to HIV-associated T cell depletion through induction of apoptosis, especially in the early stages of infection. It may also contribute to elimination of infected cells in vivo, thereby enhancing cross-presentation of HIV by DCs. Therefore this new cytotoxic function of DCs may play an important role in innate and adaptive immunity during HIV infection.     

Aseptic drainage associated with polyglactine sutures used for repair of Achilles tendon ruptures

The aim of surgical treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures is to restore stability of the tendon. Various suture techniques and materials can be used for this purpose. Suture materials may be polyfilament or monofilament, absorbable or nonabsorbable. We presented four patients who developed severe chronic discharges associated with thick polyglactine (Vicryl) used during open repair of acute Achilles tendon ruptures. Surgical removal of suture materials and debridement resulted in complete improvement without any complications. The use of thick suture materials and large knots should be avoided in the repair of Achilles tendon ruptures. Polyfilament and absorbable sutures may pose problems due to their tendency to cause bacterial colonization and tissue rejection.     

An amperometric biosensor for uric acid determination prepared from uricase immobilized in polypyrrole film

In order to prepare a biosensor for the determination of uric acid, electropolymerization of pyrrole on Pt surface was carried out with an electrochemical cell containing pyrrole, ferrocene (as a electron mediator) and tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborat in acetonitrile by cyclic voltammetry between 0.0 and 1.0 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) at a scan rate of 50 mV/s upon Pt electrode. Uricase was immobilized by a glutaraldehyde/gelatine croslinking procedure on to polypyrrole film after the electropolymerization processes. The response of the biosensor against uric acid was measured after 330 seconds following the application of a constant potential of +0.7 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The resulting biosensor exhibits excellent electrocatalysis for the uric acid. The amperometric determination is based on the electrochemical detection of H2O2, which is generated in enzymatic reaction of uric acid. The sensor responds to uric acid with a detection limit of 5.0 x 10(-7) M. The sensor remains relatively stable for 5 weeks. Interference effect were investigated on the amperometric response of the biosensor. Determination of uric acid was carried out in the biological fluids by biosensor.     

Plasma orexin A, ghrelin, cholecystokinin, visfatin, leptin and agouti-related protein levels during 6-week olanzapine treatment in first-episode male patients with psychosis

The objective of the study was to investigate the change of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, lipid profile, leptin, ghrelin, orexin, visfatin, agouti-related protein, and cholecystokinin levels during 6 weeks of olanzapine treatment in newly diagnosed first-episode drug naive, young adult, nonobese male patients with psychosis. Twenty male participants who were all first-episode drug naive psychotic patients without prominent affective signs and symptoms and 22 healthy male controls of similar age were included. BMI, waist circumference, fasting glucose, and lipid profiles were measured, and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale scores were obtained at baseline, during the second and sixth week of treatment, and the aforementioned neuropeptide levels were measured at baseline and during the sixth week of treatment. Treatment was associated with significant increases in BMI, waist circumference, serum triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein levels. BMI levels increased more than 7% in over 75% of the patients. Leptin increased, and ghrelin and orexin decreased significantly with olanzapine treatment, whereas cholecystokinin, visfatin, and agouti-related protein levels did not change significantly. In conclusion, consistent with previous studies, we found increased BMI, leptin and lipids during olanzapine treatment. Association of neuropeptide level changes with symptom improvement might be mediated by the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems.     

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among inpatients with schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular disease is one of the most prevalent factors responsible for excess mortality in schizophrenia. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with the development of coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus. The aim in this cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence of MetS in schizophrenic Turkish inpatients. METHOD: The study was conducted from January 2006 to June 2006, and included 231 patients with schizophrenia. All participants were enrolled from inpatients attending the Samsun Mental Health Hospital psychiatry clinic. All subjects were aged between 18 and 65 and met the DSM IV criteria for schizophrenia. MetS was taken as central obesity (defined as waist circumference: men > or = 94 cm, women > or = 80 cm) and meeting > or = 2 of the following abnormalities described by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF): a serum triglyceride level > 150 mg/dL, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol < 40 mg/dL in men and < 50 mg/dL in women, blood pressure > or = 130/85 mm Hg, and a fasting serum glucose level > or = 100 mg/d/L. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 174 male and 57 female patients. Mean age was 38.5 +/- 10.5 and mean duration of illness was 15.76 +/- 9.95 years. The overall prevalence of MetS diagnosed according to the IDF criteria was 32.0% (n = 74) and was higher in females (61.4%) than in males (22.4%; p = 0.0001). In logistic regression analysis the last step of the regression model was gender (B = 1.70, p = 0.0001, OR = 5.50, 95% CI = 2.90-10.45). CONCLUSION: This study shows that the prevalence of MetS in Turkish patients with schizophrenia is similar to that of the general population, but lower than in other reports regarding the schizophrenia population.