Relation of clinical symptoms, ECG alterations and serum levels by the toxicological examination of an antiarrhitmic compound on beagle dogs

Abstract Background and Study Aims Thyroid-associated orbitopathy, the most common extrathyroidal manifestation of Graves’ disease, is an autoimmune inflammation of orbital soft tissue. We report the study assessing the effect of immunosuppressive treatment with methylprednisolone on selected antioxidant parameters in patients with Graves’ disease with active thyroid-associated orbitopathy. Patients and Methods Activity and serum levels of selected antioxidant parameters as well as lipid peroxidation products were determined in a group of 56 patients with active thyroid-associated orbitopathy at three time-points: at baseline, after the discontinuation of intravenous methylprednisolone treatment and at 3 months after the discontinuation of additional oral methylprednisolone treatment. A control group consisted of 20 healthy age- and sex-matched volunteers. Results We found an increased activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase and increased serum levels of uric acid, malondialdehyde and conjugated dienes, as well as a reduced activity of paraoxonase-1 and reduced serum vitamin C level in the study group at baseline. Systemic intravenous and oral methylprednisolone therapy led to normalization of activity and concentration of the most studied parameters. Conclusion Results of our study confirmed that oxidative stress is one of the factors involved in the pathogenesis of thyroid-associated orbitopathy and the methyloprednisolone treatment is effective in reducing both clinical symptoms and oxidative stress in patients with this disease.

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Longitudinal assessment of S100B serum levels and clinical factors in youth patients with mood disorders

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-91577-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Aleksandra Rajewska-Rager ◽

Monika Dmitrzak-Weglarz ◽

Pawel Kapelski ◽

Natalia Lepczynska ◽

Joanna Pawlak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mood Disorders ◽

Calcium Binding ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Small Sample Size ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Small Sample ◽

Drop Out ◽

Control Group ◽

Longitudinal Assessment ◽

Depressed Group

AbstractMood disorders have been discussed as being in relation to glial pathology. S100B is a calcium-binding protein, and a marker of glial dysfunctions. Although alterations in the S100B expression may play a role in various central nervous system diseases, there are no studies on the potential role of S100B in mood disorders in adolescents and young adults . In a prospective two-year follow-up study, peripheral levels of S100B were investigated in 79 adolescent/young adult patients (aged 14–24 years), diagnosed with mood disorders and compared with 31 healthy control subjects. A comprehensive clinical interview was conducted which focused on clinical symptoms and diagnosis change. The diagnosis was established and verified at each control visit. Serum S100B concentrations were determined. We detected: lower S100B levels in medicated patients, compared with those who were drug-free, and healthy controls; higher S100B levels in a depressed group with a family history of affective disorder; correlations between age and medication status; sex-dependent differences in S100B levels; and lack a of correlation between the severity of depressive or hypo/manic symptoms. The results of our study indicate that S100B might be a trait-dependent rather than a state-dependent marker. Due to the lack of such studies in the youth population, further research should be performed. A relatively small sample size, a lack of exact age-matched control group, a high drop-out rate.

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D-thyroxine reduces lipoprotein(a) serum concentration in dialysis patients.

Journal of the American Society of Nephrology ◽

10.1681/asn.v9190 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 90-96

Author(s):

C Bommer ◽

E Werle ◽

I Walter-Sack ◽

C Keller ◽

F Gehlen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Serum Concentration ◽

Ldl Cholesterol ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Hormone Secretion ◽

Elevated Serum ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Dialysis Patients ◽

Lipoprotein A ◽

Thyroxine Therapy

Uremia raises lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) serum concentration and the risk of arteriosclerosis in dialysis patients. The treatment of high Lp(a) levels is not satisfactory today. The decrease of Lp(a) in hypothyroid patients on L-T4 therapy raised the question of whether dextro-thyroxine (D-thyroxine) reduces not only serum cholesterol, but also Lp(a) serum concentration. In a single-blind placebo-controlled study, the influence of D-thyroxine therapy on Lp(a) serum concentration was evaluated in 30 hemodialysis patients with elevated Lp(a) serum levels. Lp(a) was quantified in parallel by two methods, i.e., rocket immunoelectrophoresis and nephelometry, and apo(a) isoforms were determined by a sensitive immunoblotting technique. Regardless of the apo(a) isoforms, 6 mg/d D-thyroxine reduced elevated Lp(a) levels significantly by 27 +/- 13% in 20 dialysis patients (P < 0.001) compared with 10 control subjects (-9.9 +/- 8.4%). In parallel, D-thyroxine therapy significantly lowered total cholesterol (P < 0.001), LDL cholesterol (P < 0.001), and LDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio (P < 0.01); raised T4 and T3 serum levels; and suppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone secretion without causing clinical symptoms of hyperthyroidism in any of the patients. D-Thyroxine reduces elevated serum Lp(a) concentration in dialysis patients. The effect in nondialysis patients can be expected but remains to be proven.

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Circulating miRNA-181b-5p, miRNA-223-3p, miRNA-210-3p, let 7i-5p, miRNA-21-5p and miRNA-29a-3p in patients with localized scleroderma as potential biomarkers

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-76995-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Katarzyna Wolska-Gawron ◽

Joanna Bartosińska ◽

Marta Rusek ◽

Małgorzata Kowal ◽

Dorota Raczkiewicz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Research ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Surfactant Protein ◽

Localized Scleroderma ◽

Surfactant Protein D ◽

Chemokine Ligand ◽

Dipeptidylpeptidase 4 ◽

Potential Biomarkers

AbstractLocalized scleroderma (LoSc) is a rare disease manifested by an inflammation and sclerosis of the skin. The latest studies focused on glycoprotein Krebs von den Lungen-6, surfactant protein-D, chemokine ligand 18 and dipeptidylpeptidase 4 as potential biomarkers of skin fibrosis in systemic scleroderma. Our study aimed to identify 6 miRNAs with elevated or decreased levels in 38 LoSc patients (31 females, 7 males) compared to healthy volunteers (HVs) and to correlate the selected miRNAs’ serum levels with the severity and the clinical symptoms of LoSc and some laboratory parameters with the selected miRNAs’ serum levels. The serum levels of miRNAs, i.e. miRNA-181b-5p, miRNA-223-3p, miRNA-21-5p, let 7i-5p, miRNA-29a-3p and miRNA-210-3p were significantly increased in the LoSc patients compared to the HVs. The level of let-7i increase in the female LoSc patients correlated negatively with BSA (r = − 0.355, p = 0.049) and mLoSSI (r = − 0.432, p = 0.015). Moreover, the female patients with inactive LoSc had significantly higher level of let-7i (2.68-fold on average) in comparison to those with active disease (p = 0.045). The exact role of those molecules has not been revealed in LoSc and a long-term longitudinal research is pivotal to confirm their prognostic value.

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Dynamic Changes of Th1 Cytokines and the Clinical Significance of the IFN-γ/TNF-α Ratio in Acute Brucellosis

Mediators of Inflammation ◽

10.1155/2019/5869257 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Guang Xu ◽

Peng Zhang ◽

Rongjing Dang ◽

Yanfang Jiang ◽

Feng Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthy Subjects ◽

Clinical Decision Making ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Clinical Decision ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Post Treatment ◽

Clinical Severity ◽

Th1 Cells ◽

Dynamic Changes ◽

Necrosis Factor Alpha

Background. T-helper type 1 (Th1) cells and Th1-produced cytokines play essential roles in the immune response to foreign pathogens, such as Brucella spp. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dynamic changes of Th1 cells and Th1-produced cytokines in patients with acute brucellosis and their impact on clinical decision-making. Methods. Fifty-one individuals with acute brucellosis and 17 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. The brucellosis patients were diagnosed based on clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, and clinical examination. The levels of serum gamma-interferon (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), along with the percentage of Th1 cells, were determined by flow cytometry bead arrays (CBA). Results. The frequency of Th1 cells, along with the levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α, was negatively correlated with the clinical parameters. The mean serum levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α and the frequency of Th1 cells were significantly higher in the brucellosis patients in comparison with the healthy subjects (p<0.05). Besides, the cytokine levels were not significantly different between the positive and negative blood culture groups. IFN-γ levels significantly decreased from 6 months to 12 months post treatment (p<0.05). However, the IFN-γ levels remained higher than those of the healthy subjects by 12 months post treatment (p<0.05). The IFN-γ/TNF-α ratio was significantly higher in severe cases than in nonsevere cases (p<0.05). Conclusions. The IFN-γ levels secreted by Th1 cells remain significantly higher than those of healthy subjects more than 12 months after treatment with antibiotics. This finding is different from similar studies. The IFN-γ/TNF-α ratio may be a feasible parameter for assessing clinical severity, yet further longitudinal studies of the immunization and inflammatory reaction of brucellosis are needed in larger patient populations.

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The systemic nature of mustard lung: Comparison with COPD patients

Interdisciplinary Toxicology ◽

10.1515/intox-2017-0018 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 114-127 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Alireza Shahriary ◽

Mostafa Ghanei ◽

Hossein Rahmani

Keyword(s):

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Airway Remodeling ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Nuclear Factor Κb ◽

Chemical Warfare Agent ◽

Pulmonary Complications ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Necrosis Factor Alpha ◽

Copd Patients ◽

Systemic Nature

AbstractSulphur mustard (SM) is a powerful blister-causing alkylating chemical warfare agent used by Iraqi forces against Iran. One of the known complications of mustard gas inhalation is mustard lung which is discussed as a phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this complication, there are clinical symptoms close to COPD with common etiologies, such as in smokers. Based on information gradually obtained by conducting the studies on mustard lung patients, systemic symptoms along with pulmonary disorders have attracted the attention of researchers. Changes in serum levels of inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), interleukin (IL), chemokines, selectins, immunoglobulins, and signs of imbalance in oxidant-antioxidant system at serum level, present the systemic changes in these patients. In addition to these, reports of extra-pulmonary complications, such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease are also presented. In this study, the chance of developing the systemic nature of this lung disease have been followed on using the comparative study of changes in the mentioned markers in mustard lung and COPD patients at stable phases and the mechanisms of pathogenesis and phenomena, such as airway remodeling in these patients.

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Relative value of serum cytokines and clinical factors in predicting weight loss in advanced pancreatic cancer (PC).

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2011.29.4_suppl.208 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 29 (4_suppl) ◽

pp. 208-208

Author(s):

D. R. Fogelman ◽

X. S. Wang ◽

M. Hassan ◽

D. Li ◽

M. M. Javle ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Weight Loss ◽

High Risk ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Advanced Pancreatic Cancer ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Baseline Serum ◽

Mean Values ◽

Cytokine Analysis ◽

Predict Weight Loss ◽

The Mean

208 Background: The identification of PC patients at high risk for cachexia may allow for early intervention to prevent this outcome. Symptoms such as pain, nausea, and anorexia might predict weight loss. Likewise, inflammatory cytokines are also associated with cachexia. We evaluated the ability of each to predict weight loss in patients beginning treatment for PC. Methods: We evaluated 44 newly diagnosed advanced or metastatic PC patients for baseline symptomatology via the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI). This survey assesses symptom severity, such as nausea, vomiting, fatigue, pain, diarrhea, and constipation, on a 1-10 scale. Baseline serum levels of IL-1a, IL-1b, IGF-1, CXCL-12, CXCL-16, CRP, IL-6, IL-8, VEGF, CEA, and CA 19-9 were assessed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval (CI) for the association of different parameters with 10% weight loss at 60 days from treatment initiation. Student t-test was used to compare the mean values across different strata. Results: A weight loss of >10% was observed in 15 patients (34%). Only the use of mild (but not strong) opioids was associated with weight loss; estimated OR = 6.2 (C.I. 1.2-31.9, p=.03). No association was observed for the MDASI parameters. Baseline levels of cytokines were available for 23 patients. We observed significant differences in the mean values of CXCL-16 (p=.05) and IL-6 (p=.045) in patients with weight loss as compared to those without weight loss. Moreover, serum level of erythropoietin may be negatively associated with weight loss (p=0.06). Conclusions: Alterations in serum cytokine levels may correlate more strongly with cachexia than clinical symptoms and underscore the importance of cytokine analysis in identifying PC patients at high risk for cachexia. [Table: see text]

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The effects of motor rehabilitation training on clinical symptoms and serum BDNF levels in Parkinson’s disease subjects

Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology ◽

10.1139/cjpp-2015-0322 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 94 (4) ◽

pp. 455-461 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Francesco Angelucci ◽

Jacopo Piermaria ◽

Francesca Gelfo ◽

Jacob Shofany ◽

Marco Tramontano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Motor Rehabilitation ◽

Walking Test ◽

Rehabilitation Training ◽

Extrapyramidal Signs ◽

Serum Bdnf

Increasing evidence suggests that motor rehabilitation may delay Parkinson’s disease (PD) progression. Moreover, parallel treatments in animals up-regulate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Thus, we investigated the effect of a motor rehabilitation protocol on PD symptoms and BDNF serum levels. Motor rehabilitation training consisted of a cycle of 20 days/month of physiotherapy divided in 3 daily sessions. Clinical data were collected at the beginning, at the end, and at 90 days follow-up. BDNF serum levels were detected by ELISA at 0, 7, 14, 21, 30, and 90 days. The follow-up period had a duration of 60 days (T30–T90). The results showed that at the end of the treatment (day 30), an improvement in extrapyramidal signs (UPDRS III; UPDRS III – Gait and Balance items), motor (6 Minute Walking Test), and daily living activities (UPDRS II; PDQ-39) was observed. BDNF levels were increased at day 7 as compared with baseline. After that, no changes in BDNF were observed during the treatment and in the successive follow-up. This study demonstrates that motor rehabilitation training is able to ameliorate PD symptoms and to increase temporarily BDNF serum levels. The latter effect may potentially contribute to the therapeutic action.

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The role of angiogenic factors in preeclampsia

Orvosi Hetilap ◽

10.1556/oh.2014.30042 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 155 (47) ◽

pp. 1860-1866 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Bálint Alasztics ◽

Nóra Gullai ◽

Attila Molvarec ◽

János Rigó Jr.

Keyword(s):

Growth Factor ◽

Tyrosine Kinase ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Point Of Care ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Maternal Blood ◽

Placental Growth Factor ◽

Maternal Circulation ◽

Early Onset Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is one of the most common and most serious complications of pregnancy and the management of this condition still challenges obstetricians. Despite intensive research the etiology of preeclampsia still remains unclear. At the beginning of the 2000s preeclampsia-related research was directed towards factors that influence angiogenesis. Most studies have been carried out on the placental growth factor and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1. Most publications confirm the increased concentrations of antiangiogenic factors and decreased concentrations of proangiogenic factors in maternal blood samples in preeclampsia even before the onset of clinical symptoms. According to our current knowledge antiangiogenic proteins are responsible for the endothelial dysfunction in the symptomatic stage of the disease. Placental growth factor and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 may have important roles in the prediction and treatment of the disease. The point of care detection of placental growth factor and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 may be used to predict preeclampsia. Rapid tests are available to determine the serum levels of the two proteins. Removal of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 from maternal circulation is a potential treatment option for early onset preeclampsia. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(47), 1860–1866.

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Castration prevents calcium channel blocker-induced gingival hyperplasia in beagle dogs

Human & Experimental Toxicology ◽

10.1177/096032719801700706 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 17 (7) ◽

pp. 396-402 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dan Dayan ◽

Avital Kozlovsky ◽

Haim Tal ◽

Noam Kariv ◽

Mordechai Shemesh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Calcium Channel ◽

Calcium Channel Blocker ◽

Significant Positive Correlation ◽

Channel Blocker ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Plasma Testosterone ◽

Gingival Hyperplasia ◽

Gingival Index ◽

Beagle Dogs ◽

Intact Male

1 The purpose of this study was to investigate testosterone's role on the calcium channel antagonist oxodi-pine-inducing gingival hyperplasia in a dog model. 2 Two experiments were conducted using castrated and intact male dogs. Oxodipine was administered orally for 90 days, at a dose of 24 mg/kg/day. In the first experiment, the occurrence of gingival hyperplasia was evaluated. In the second, the gingival index (GI) and gingival hyperplasia index (GHI) were recorded and correlated with serum levels of testosterone. 3 A significant positive correlation between GI, GHI and plasma testosterone was noted. Castrated dogs were injected with testosterone, 4 months after the start of oxodipine treatment, while in the non-castrated dogs, administration of oxodipine was stopped. Castration correlated with lack of GH, while testosterone injection to the same dogs was associated with an increase of GI and GHI. 4 Since it is known that testosterone receptors are present in the gingiva, it is proposed that oxodipine-induced gingival hyperplasia could be mediated by the calcium channel blocker on plasma testosterone levels.

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