Salivary IgA, lysozyme and β-microglobulin in periodontal disease

Abstract — The concentrations of IgA, lysozyme and β-microglobulin (β₂-m) were quantitated in wax-stimulated mixed saliva from 28 patients with severe periodontitis and from 28 healthy controls. The mutual correlations between IgA, lysozyme and β₂-rn were determined. In patients with periodontitis decreased lysozyme concentrations were detected when compared with controls (P<0.05). The correlation between IgA and β₂-m concentrations was highly significant in both groups studied (P<0.0001, and P <0.002), whereas β₂-m and lysozyme concentrations were positively correlated in patients but not in controls. In addition, a significant correlation between IgA and lysozyme was found only in periodontal patients ( P <0.001).     

Evening primrose oil in the treatment of atopic eczema: effect on clinical status, plasma phospholipid fatty acids and circulating blood prostaglandins

In a double-blind trial patients with atopic eczema received either oral evening primrose oil (EPO) (n= 14) or placebo (n= 11) for 12 weeks. In the EPO group a statistically significant improvement was observed in the overall severity and grade of inflammation and in the percentage of the body surface involved by eczema as well as in dryness and itch. Patients in the placebo group showed a significant reduction in inflammation. The patients receiving EPO showed a significantly greater reduction in inflammation than those receiving placebo. Evening primrose oil caused a significant rise in the amount of dihomogammatinolenic acid in the plasma phospholipid fatty acids. Plasma levels of TXB₂, 6-keto-PGF₁, and PGE₁, and the amount of TXB₂ released into serum during clotting were not altered by evening primrose oil.     

Prevention of non-communicable diseases: Risk factors in youth: The North Karelia Youth Project (1984-88)

The North Karelia Youth Project is based on the results of previouspilot studies in North Karelia and forms part of the North Kareliaintegrated programme for non-communicable diseases prevention,co-ordinated by the WHO and conducted by the Finnish NationalPublic Health Institute. The project is designed to test thefeasibility and effects of a largescale health programme among12–16 year old schoolchildren. The educational programmeaims to prevent cigarette smoking and alcohol use mainly bytraining pupils to resist social pressures and by modifyingperceived social norms which may lead to smoking and alcoholuse. The dietary intervention aims to improve dietary habitsto decrease serum cholesterol and blood pressure level. Theprogramme also aims to promote positive decision-making andcoping skills and to increase social support for coping withstress. The study, which began in the autumn of 1984 provides a comprehensivethree-year programme for all seventh graders (ages 12–13)and succeeding age cohorts in North Karelia (24 schools) andin selected schools in the county of Kuopio (eight schools),including approximately 4 000 students in the first year and12 000 over the entire study period. Simultaneously successivemeasurements are implemented in all the intervention schoolsand in eight randomized reference schools, which will allowus to evaluate the programme and to test a number of hypothesesabout programme effects. The preventive programme is designedto make the best possible use of existing resources (teachers,parents, community) and will require only relatively modestnew expenditure so that, if proved effective, it can be continuedon a permanent basis. A baseline survey of the schools was carried out in the springof 1984 among ninth-graders. Twenty-four per cent of the boysand 18% of the girls reported smoking daily and 13% and 9% respectivelywere occasional smokers. About 20% had used alcohol during thepast week, 7% reported "passing out" because of drinking duringthe last year and 12% had been deeply drunk. The mean serumcholestrol level was 4.7 mmol/l and the mean blood pressure130/66 mmHg. At this baseline survey, the levels of these variableswere generally comparable in the different randomly assignedstudy groups, although there was a trend towards less smokingand alcohol use at baseline in the schools in North Kareliathan in those in the county of Kuopio.     

Microvolt T-Wave Alternans During Exercise and Pacing in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Cardiac Arrhythmias and Risk Stratification after Myocardial infarction (CARISMA) is a prospective multicenter trial designed to document the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and to assess the predictive accuracy of various arrhythmic risk markers. In this substudy of the CARISMA trial, microvolt T-wave alternans (TWA) was assessed with specific equipment 6 weeks after AMI during bicycle exercise, atrial (A) pacing, and simultaneous ventricular and atrial (V + A) pacing in 80 patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40%. The agreement between the acute test results was determined by overall proportion of concordance and the kappa statistic. Sustained TWA was observed in 24, 45, and 50% of the patients during the exercise test, A pacing, and V + A pacing, respectively. The number of indeterminate TWA was significantly lower during V + A pacing (n = 7) than exercise test (n = 34). The TWA concordance rate was 71% between exercise and V + A pacing (κ= 0.53, P = 0.001), 79% between exercise and A pacing (κ= 0.54, P < 0.001), and 95% between the two pacing modes (κ= 0.89, P < 0.001). Patients with positive TWA in all tests had lower LVEF (28 ± 7% vs 35 ± 9%, P < 0.01) and wider QT dispersion (99 ± 44 ms vs 67 ± 38 ms, P < 0.01) than those with inconsistent test result. The low number of indeterminate tests and high concordance between the test results indicate that V + A pacing may provide a valuable means to assess TWA in patients who cannot complete the exercise test.     

The East Finland Berry and Vegetable Project: A health-related structural intervention programme

The East Finland Berry and Vegetable Project was launched in1986 after the initiative of the North Karelia Project and asa broad co-operative effort to increase consumption of domesticberry and vegetable products. The aim is that as much as possibleof the increased consumption should be met from east Finland,where the bulk of berry farming is already located. The projectaims to combine health interests with several national and regional(east Finland) economic interests. The health interests relate,firstly, to the positive food choices provided by these productsand, secondly, to berry and vegetable growing being a potentialalternative to dairy farming, which will decline with the dropin consumption of dairy fat. The project employs a comprehensiveset of strategies, over the initial three-year period, includingresearch and evaluation, as discussed in this article.     

Twenty year smoking trends in a community-based cardiovascular diseases prevention programme: Results from the North Karelia Project

Objectives: to evaluate long-term changes associated with acommunity-based cardiovascular disease prevention programmeon smoking. Methods: the North Karelia Project was started in1972 to carry out a comprehensive community-based programmeto reduce the exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular diseases(CVD) in North Karelia, an eastern province in Finland. Amongthe main intermediate objectives was the reduction of smokingrates, particularly among the male population. The programmewas evaluated by standardized examinations of large representativecross-sectional population samples in 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987and 1992 in North Karelia and in the Kuopio province, anotherprovince in eastern Finland, which was initially chosen as referencearea for the first project period. Results: in men the percentageof current smokers decreased during the 20 years from 52 to32% in North Karelia and from 50 to 37% in the initial referencearea (p<0.05). Smoking declined faster in the first 10 years(from 1972 to 1982) than in the last 10 years. During the first10 years the decline was more remarkable in North Karelia thanin the reference area. The main reason for the decline in smokingduring the first 10 years was smoking cessation and during thelast 10 years the increase in the number of people who had neversmoked regularly. Among women the proportion of smokers increasedin both areas from approximately 10 to approximately 20%. Thisincrease was greatest in the youngest age group. Conclusions:the community-based cardiovascular disease prevention programmewas an effective way to reduce smoking in the general populationin men and sustained decline could be achieved.     

New aspects of the mechanism of corticosteroid–induced dermal atrophy

Glucocorticoids are effective for the treatment of various inflammatory skin diseases, but their long-term use may lead to serious side-effects such as osteoporosis and skin atrophy. The incidence of skin atrophy following application of potent corticosteroids is especially high among children and the elderly. During recent years the effects of glucocorticoids on connective tissue have been elucidated, and it is evident that skin atrophy is mostly due to a decrease in collagen synthesis. Since collagen is the most abundant protein in the skin, the inhibition of its synthesis leads to atrophy. This review discusses the molecular mechanisms of glucocorticosteroid-induced skin atrophy and therapeutic possibilities.     

Autonomic Dysfunction and New‐Onset Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction After Acute Myocardial Infarction: A CARISMA Substudy

Predicting New‐Onset AF. Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) increases morbidity and mortality in patients with previous myocardial infarction and left ventricular systolic dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to identify patients with a high risk for new‐onset AF in this population using invasive and noninvasive electrophysiological tests. Methods: The study included 271 patients from the Cardiac Arrhythmias and RIsk Stratification after Myocardial InfArction (CARISMA) study with an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40% without previous AF at enrollment. Within 21 days after the AMI, an implantable loop recorder was inserted and used to diagnose AF over the 2‐year study duration. The following tests were performed: heart rate variability (HRV) and turbulence (HRT) analyses from repeated 24‐hour Holter recordings, 2‐dimensional (2D)‐echocardiograms, exercise test, and programmed electrophysiologic stimulation. Results: A total of 101 patients (37%) developed AF during the study. Predictive measures included several indexes of HRV including reduced low‐frequency (LF) power from spectral HRV analysis (adjusted HR = 1.6, P = 0.034), HRT slope ≤2.5 (HR = 1.6, P = 0.032) and Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA1) from HRV analysis (HR = 1.8, P = 0.011); all are measures of cardiac autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Combined with age >60 years, low values for LF, HRT slope, and DFA1 provided a powerful risk score for prediction of new‐onset AF (1–2 points: HR = 4.3, P = 0.001, 3–4 points: HR = 7.0, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Abnormal HRV and HRT parameters, which are associated with disturbances in the cardiac autonomic regulation, are associated with increased risk of new‐onset AF independently of conventional clinical risk variables. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 21, pp. 983‐990, September 2010)     

Modified β-Cyclodextrin (SBE7-β-CyD) with Viscous Vehicle Improves the Ocular Delivery and Tolerability of Pilocarpine Prodrug in Rabbits

The complexation of pilocarpine prodrug, O,O'-dipropionyl-(1,4-xylylene) bispilocarpate, with various β-cyclodextrin (β-CyD) derivatives was studied by the phase solubility method. The effects of coadministered sulphobutyl ether β-CyD (SBE7-β-CyD) with and without poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) on the miotic response and eye irritation of the prodrug were investigated in pigmented rabbits. The pilocarpine prodrug formed 1:1 inclusion complexes with variably substituted sulphobutyl ether derivatives of β-CyD (SBE4-β-CyD and SBE7-β-CyD), and 1:1 and 1:2 complexes with hydroxypropyl-β-CyD (HP-β-CyD) at pH 7:4. Coadministered SBE7-β-CyD eliminated the eye irritation due to the pilocarpine prodrug, but also decreased the miotic response. Ocular absorption of the prodrug was improved by increasing the viscosity of prodrug/SBE7-β-CyD solution with PVA without inducing any eye irritation. Eye irritation due to viscous prodrug/SBE7-β-CyD solutions was comparable with isotonic NaCl solution. We conclude that administration of pilocarpine prodrug in viscous SBE7-β-CyD solution decreases substantially eye irritation while ocular absorption is not affected.     

Serum galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase in acute myocardial infarction and during subsequent collagen scar formation

Changes in serum galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase, an enzyme catalysing one of the intracellular post-translational modifications in collagen biosynthesis, were studied in twenty-four patients with acute myocardial infarction. The enzyme activity was monitored for 18 days from the onset of infarction, and at least a two-peaked pattern was observed. The first peak corresponded to the stage of acute myocardial injury, there being a highly significant correlation between the maximal values for serum glucosyltransferase and alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase. An average decreasing in serum glucosyltransferase activity of 41%, was noted during the following 24 h. A new gradual rise in serum glucosyltransferase activity, interpreted as indicating myocardial collagen scar formation, was observed 5 days after the onset of infarction, when the serum enzyme activities indicating myocardial injury had already declined. The average daily values for serum glucosyltransferase between 6 and 18 days correlated highly significantly with the maximal value for serum alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, which serves as a relative estimate of the size of the original myocardial infarction area. The data further suggest that certain other factors including heart failure and/or various drug treatments may also affect the magnitude of this second peak.