Serum YKL‐40 and gestational diabetes – an observational cohort study

To examine serum YKL‐40 in women developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In the present large observational cohort study of 1179 pregnant women, we determined serum YKL‐40 four times during pregnancy (at gestational age 12, 20, 25, and 32 weeks). Pregnancy outcome was obtained from medical records. Sixty‐eight women (5.8%) developed GDM. Serum YKL‐40 increased from gestational age (GA) 12 weeks and the following weeks in the women who developed GDM and was independent of BMI, parity, and maternal age (OR = 2.69, 95% CI: 1.45–5.00, p = 0.002). No association was found between serum YKL‐40 and the oral glucose tolerance test results. In conclusion, YKL‐40 significantly increased in pregnant women with GDM compared with women without GDM, probably reflecting the low‐grade inflammation of GDM. However, we did not find an association between serum concentrations of YKL‐40 in early pregnancy and the development of GDM and thus we conclude that YKL‐40 alone is not usable as a biomarker for early prediction of GDM.     

唾液中白细胞介素与口腔癌的关系

唾液用于疾病的诊断越来越受到重视,由于口腔癌（OCC）发生部位的特点,唾液中白细胞介素（IL）可作为OCC诊断的生物标志物,并与OCC的发生、发展、侵袭、转移密切相关。本文对唾液中IL的检测方法及其与OCC发生、发展的关系等方面的研究进展进行综述。     

Alteration of serum thymus and activation‐regulated chemokine level during biologic therapy for psoriasis: Possibility as a marker reflecting favorable response to anti‐interleukin‐17A agents

Biologics show great efficacy in treating psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease. The high cost and side‐effects of biologics, dose‐reduction, elongation of administration interval and suspension are possible options. However, there has been no reliable biomarker we can use when we consider these moderations in therapy. This study was conducted to test the possibility of using serum thymus and activation‐regulated chemokine (TARC) level as an indicator for step down of biologic therapy. Serum TARC level was measured in 70 psoriatic patients at Asahikawa Medical University, and a correlation of TARC and severity of skin lesions was analyzed. Referring to serum TARC level, psoriatic patients can be divided into two groups. One is a population in which serum TARC level is positively correlated with severity of skin lesions, and the other is a population with low psoriatic severity and high TARC level. Serum TARC level was higher in the group that achieved PASI‐clear with biologics than in the group which did not achieve PASI‐clear. Among biologics, the group treated with secukinumab, an anti‐interleukin (IL)‐17A agent, showed significantly higher TARC level compared with the group treated with anti‐tumor necrosis factor agents. In certain populations achieving PASI‐clear, serum TARC level may be a potent marker reflecting better response to IL‐17A inhibitors, and in this case step down of treatment for psoriasis is possible.     

A new functional data‐based biomarker for monitoring cardiovascular behavior

Cardiac safety assessment in drug development concerns the ventricular repolarization (represented by electrocardiogram (ECG) T‐wave) abnormalities of a cardiac cycle, which are widely believed to be linked with torsades de pointes, a potentially life‐threatening arrhythmia. The most often used biomarker for such abnormalities is the prolongation of the QT interval, which relies on the correct annotation of onset of QRS complex and offset of T‐wave on ECG. A new biomarker generated from a functional data‐based methodology is developed to quantify the T‐wave morphology changes from placebo to drug interventions. Comparisons of T‐wave‐form characters through a multivariate linear mixed model are made to assess cardiovascular risk of drugs. Data from a study with 60 subjects participating in a two‐period placebo‐controlled crossover trial with repeat ECGs obtained at baseline and 12 time points after interventions are used to illustrate this methodology; different types of wave form changes were characterized and motivated further investigation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

PRIMARY BIOMARKERS IN CEREBRAL SPINAL FLUID OBTAINED FROM PATIENTS WITH INFLUENZA-ASSOCIATED ENCEPHALOPATHY ANALYZED BY METABOLOMICS

In order to search for the specific biomarkers of patients with influenza-associated encephalopathy this article analyzed all metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by using metabolome analysis. In all metabolites, the peaks of two molecular weights, 246.0092 and 204.0611, were significantly higher than those in other diseases including influenza without convulsion (p < .05). The peak of a molecular weight 228.0247 in all of the patients except one was less than that in other patients. These results indicate that the new metabolites detected in CSF would be primary markers for the diagnosis of influenza-associated encephalopathy.     

Urinary Liver-Type Fatty Acid-Binding Protein Linked with Increased Risk of Acute Kidney Injury after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

Stem cell transplantation (SCT) involves a great risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). Urinary liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (uL-FABP) is a sensitive biomarker to detect kidney damage before an increase in serum creatinine (Cr); however, the utility of uL-FABP is not fully understood in the platform of SCT. A prospective study was conducted in 84 allogeneic SCT recipients to ascertain a link between the uL-FABP level before preparative procedures and AKI incidence after SCT. The association between them was analyzed using Gray's method and a multivariate Fine-Gray proportional hazards regression model. The recipients were stratified into high and low uL-FABP groups, according to the reference value for healthy subjects (8.4 μg/g Cr). AKI developed more frequently in the high (n = 20) than low (n = 64) group (55.0% versus 26.6% at day 30, P = .005), and high uL-FABP was an independent risk for the emergence of AKI (hazard ratio, 2.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.24 to 6.22, P = .01). In conclusion, increased baseline uL-FABP, which may indicate previous incipient kidney injury, is linked with a high risk of AKI after allogeneic SCT.