Influence of Genetic Variation in the C-Reactive Protein Gene on the Inflammatory Response During and After Acute Coronary Ischemia

The aim of this research was to assess whether common genetic variants within the C-reactive protein gene ( CRP ) are related to the degree of acute rise in plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). While polymorphisms within CRP are associated with basal CRP levels in healthy men and women, less is known about the relationship of such genetic variants and the degree of CRP rise during and after acute ischemia. Plasma CRP is associated with increased rates of recurrent coronary events. We evaluated seven common genetic variants within CRP and assessed their relationship to the degree of rise in CRP levels immediately following an acute coronary syndrome in 1827 European American patients. Variants in the putative promoter region, −757T > C and −286C > T > A, were associated with the highest CRP elevations after ACS. Patients with two copies of the A allele of SNP −286C > T > A had median CRP values of 76.6 mg/L, compared to 11.1 mg/L in patients with no copies of the rare variant (p-value <0.0001), post ACS. The lowest CRP values were found for patients with minor alleles of the exonic 1059G > C and the 3'untranslated region 1846G > A SNPs. For example, patients homozygous for the minor allele of 1059G > C had 71% lower median CRP values than those homozygous for the major allele [3.5 vs 12.0 mg/L, p < 0.0001]. These trends persisted in the chronic stable phase after ischemia had resolved, and after adjustment for infarct size by peak creatinine kinase levels and clinical status by Killip class. Assessment of CRP genetic variants identified patients with higher and lower CRP elevation after acute coronary syndrome.     

Effect of age and diet on cyclic nucleotide concentrations in the intestinal mucosa of developing rats

Mucosa isolated from the proximal third of the small intestine of infant rats had much lower cyclic nucleotide concentrations (expressed both per unit wet weight and per unit DNA content) than those determined in the intestinal wall. The steady-state concentrations of both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP in jejunum showed dramatic increases during the first 5 d post partum. Another increase in cyclic nucleotide concentrations was observed in the isolated mucosa between d 15 and 21. Starvation for 24 h always resulted in lower intestinal cyclic nucleotide concentrations than those of the fed littermates. This effect was more pronounced in younger animals and more evident for cyclic AMP values. Three-week-old rats fed a high carbohydrate diet for 24-48 h exhibited more pronounced elevations in the concentrations of cyclic nucleotides from the jejunal mucosa than did rats fed a high fat diet.     

Sleep spindles in epilepsy

Spindles are a ubiquitous phenomenon in sleep, but their physiology and the effects of neurologic disorder on their frequency and amplitude are incompletely understood. We compared the incidence of three commonly defined spindle types (14-15 Hz, 12-13 Hz, and 10 Hz) and the frequency and amplitude of spindles during Stage II sleep in 50 patients with complex partial, partial and secondarily generalized, and primary generalized seizures, with and without interictal behavioral symptoms. All patients had 12-13 Hz and 14-15 Hz spindles of symmetric character in C3-A1 and C4-A2 derivations during prolonged sleep-deprived EEG recordings, which were normal except for partial or generalized epileptiform activity. Seventy-one per cent of complex partial seizure patients had 10 Hz spindles, and they occurred in 50% of the other two groups, predominating among those with interictal behavioral symptoms in all groups. Spindle frequency was significantly less in patients with generalized epilepsy than with partial seizures, and patients with complex partial seizures and partial seizures with secondary generalization differed significantly in spindle frequency. Spindle frequency was significantly lower with polypharmacy than with monotherapy. Patients whose regimens included phenobarbital had significantly lower spindle frequencies and spindle frequencies differed significantly between phenytoin and carbamazepine. Differences in spindle frequency may be due to residual medication effects, underlying encephalopathy or physiological differences between partial and generalized epilepsy.     

Effect of educational programs, rigid sharps containers, and universal precautions on reported needlestick injuries in healthcare workers

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of infection control programs on reported needlestick injuries in a general hospital. DESIGN: Surveillance of all reported needlestick injuries at the University of Cincinnati Hospital was maintained by the infection control department for five years, from 1985 through 1989. Data on individual workers were collected, tabulated on a monthly basis, and reviewed continually to monitor trends in injuries. During this time, the effects of each of three new infection control programs on reported injuries were evaluated sequentially. SETTING: A 700-bed general hospital that serves as the main teaching hospital of the University of Cincinnati. PARTICIPANTS: All employees of University Hospital who reported to personnel health for management of needlestick injuries. INTERVENTIONS: In 1986, an educational program to prevent injuries was initiated and continued throughout the surveillance period. In 1987, rigid sharps disposal containers were placed in all hospital rooms. In 1988, universal precautions were introduced with an intensive inservice. RESULTS: Surveillance identified 1,602 needlestick injuries (320/year) or 104/1,000/year. After the educational program began, reported injuries increased rather than decreased, and this was attributed to increased reporting. Subsequently, after installation of the new disposal containers, reported injuries returned to the levels seen prior to the educational program, but recapping injuries showed a significant decrease from 63/year to 30, or 20/1,000/year to 10. This decrease was observed in nurses but not in other healthcare workers. After universal precautions were instituted, total injuries increased slightly, but recapping injuries remained at 50% of the levels reported prior to the use of rigid sharps disposal containers. CONCLUSIONS: The three infection control programs failed to produce a major reduction in reported needlestick injuries, except for a decrease in recapping injuries associated with the placement of rigid sharps disposal containers in all patient rooms. These observations indicate that new approaches are needed to reduce needlestick injuries.