Experimental study of the influence of a neogalenical phytocomplex from the shoots of Ledum palustre on the course of acute bronchitis disease in rats

The aim of the experiment was to study the anti-inflammatory effect of the novogalene agent Ledum 50, obtained from Ledum palustre shoots, in a rat model of acute bronchitis. Materials and methods. Acute bronchitis was initiated by endotracheal administration of 1 % formalin solution. The effectiveness of Ledum 50 was investigated by the number of leukocytes and cell composition in isotonic BAL solution after 24 hours and after 8 days of the experiment. Serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), alkaline phosphatase (AP) and CIC were determined. Histological examination of the lungs was carried out. Results. Endotracheal injection of formalin caused irritation of the trachea and bronchi, excessive formation of bronchial secretions (heavy breathing, wheezing) in all the studied groups. The lethality of animals in the OB group on the 3rd day of the experiment (1 rat) was recorded, in the studied groups there was no death. The level of leukocytes in BAL after 24 hours exceeded the index of the IC group by 9.63 times (p<0.05), after 8 days – by 3.0 times (p<0.05). In the cellular composition of BAL, there was a significant increase in granulocytes (rod- and segmented neutrophils, eosinophils), monocytes and a decrease in the lymphocyte population against the IC group. Such changes were verified in the long term (8 days of the experiment), which indicates an inflammatory process. In the group of rats that received Ledum 50, leukocytes in the BAL significantly decreased, the number of monocytes and lymphocytes in the BAL decreased, the amount of CIC in the blood serum, CRP and AP normalized. In terms of effectiveness, Ledum 50 significantly exceeded the BAL values of the reference drug. The effectiveness of experimental therapy for acute bronchitis was also verified by studying the histostructure of the airways and the respiratory part of the lungs. Conclusions. Studies confirm the favorable course of acute bronchitis with Ledum 50 monotherapy. This fact is confirmed by the results of normalization of hematological parameters, leukocytes and BAL cell composition after 7 days of treatment with the claimed agent. This is the basis for further preclinical and clinical studies with the aim of creating an oral drug for the treatment of acute bronchitis.

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855 Both ramipril and telmisartan reduce serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein without affecting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol oxidation in patients with type II diabetes mellitus

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1016/s0195-668x(03)94193-5 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 24 (5) ◽

pp. 145 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

S KOULOURIS

Keyword(s):

Type Ii Diabetes ◽

Low Density Lipoprotein ◽

Density Lipoprotein ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Cholesterol Oxidation ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol ◽

Reactive Protein

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Genetic Variation in TNF-α, its Relation with Inflammatory Biomarkers and Susceptibility to Rheumatoid Arthritis

Annals of Immunology & Immunotherapy ◽

10.23880/aii-16000122 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Khadiga Ahmed Ismail

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Serum Level ◽

Functional Disability ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Amplification Refractory Mutation System ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Tnf Α ◽

Mutation System ◽

Potential Factor ◽

Factor Α

Background: Tumor necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) is encoded and controlled by TNF-α gene, which is involved in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) susceptibility. This research aimed to identify genetic variations of TNF-α (G308A) and to establish its association with inflammatory markers in Rheumatoid Arthritis predisposition. Methods: In the present study, fifty RA patients and fifty volunteers were involved and evaluated for the C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, and TNF-α were estimated by ELISA, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) by Wintergreen method and for TNF-α-308 G>A polymorphism by polymerase chain reaction with amplification refractory mutation system (PCR-ARMS). Results: The CRP, RF, ESR and TNF-α were significantly elevated in RA patients relative to controls. The serum level TNF-α was also significantly elevated in female patients and in patients ≥50 years. Analysis of TNF-308 gene polymorphism revealed that GG genotypes were more prevalent in RA patients than in the healthy individuals and that GG genotype may be a potential factor to RA. The G allele was more common in RA than in the control. Elevated TNF-α serum levels were significantly associated the GG genotype and functional disability in RA patients. Conclusion: TNF-α promoter 308polymorphism GG genotype may be considered as a risk factor for RA and the TNF-α serum level was significantly related to the functional disability in the disease.

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Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is associated with coronary macrophage infiltrates in patients with acute coronary syndrome

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/ehjci/ehaa946.1300 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽

Author(s):

R.A Montone ◽

M Camilli ◽

M Russo ◽

M Del Buono ◽

F Gurguglione ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Coronary Syndrome ◽

Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

St Segment Elevation ◽

Protein Levels ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Coronary Syndrome ◽

St Segment

Abstract Background Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophine that plays a key role in the regulation of both central and peripheral nervous system. Moreover, BDNF is secreted in multiple tissues and exerts systemic, autocrine, and paracrine effects in the cardiovascular system. Of importance, BDNF expression was enhanced in macrophages and smooth muscle cells in atherosclerotic coronary arteries and may be involved in thrombus formation. Thus, BDNF has been suggested as an important link between inflammation and thrombosis, potentially involved in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Purpose In our study we aimed at assessing serum levels of BDNF in patients with ACS, evaluating differences according to clinical presentation [ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) vs. Non-ST-segment elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS)]. Moreover, we assessed the presence of optical coherence (OCT)-defined macrophage infiltrates (MØI) in the culprit vessel of ACS patients and evaluated their relationship with BDNF levels. Methods ACS patients were prospectively selected. Blood samples were collected at admission and serum levels of BDNF were subsequently assessed. Presence of OCT-defined MØI along the culprit vessel was assessed. Results 166 ACS patients were enrolled [mean age 65.3±11.9 years, 125 (75.3%) male, 109 STEMI, 57 NSTE-ACS]. Serum levels of BDNF were higher among STEMI patients compared with NSTE-ACS [median (IQR) 2.48 pg/mL (1.54–3.34) vs. 2.12 pg/mL (1.34–2.47), p=0.007], while C-reactive protein levels did not differ between the two groups. OCT assessment was performed in 53 patients and MØI were detected in 27 patients. Of importance, patients with MØI in the culprit vessel had higher levels of BDNF compared with patients without MØI [median (IQR) 2.23 pg/mL (1.38–2.53) vs. 1.41 pg/mL (0.93–2.07), p=0.023], while C-reactive protein levels did not differ between the two groups. Of note, at multivariate regression analysis BDNF levels were independent predictor of MØI [OR: 2.20; 95% CI (1.02–4.74), p=0.043]. Conclusions Serum levels of BDNF may reliable identify the presence of local macrophage inflammatory infiltrates in patients with ACS. Moreover, BDNF levels are higher in patients with STEMI compared with NSTE-ACS. Taken together, these data suggest that BDNF may represent an interesting link between local inflammatory activation and enhanced thrombosis in ACS. BDNF serum levels Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

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POS1250 VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY IS MAINLY ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE LUNG INVOLVEMENT, LONGER DISEASE DURATION AND RISK OF DEATH IN ELDERLY COVID-19 PATIENTS

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases ◽

10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-eular.3576 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽

pp. 908.2-908

Author(s):

A. Sulli ◽

E. Gotelli ◽

A. Casabella ◽

M. Grosso ◽

C. Schenone ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Vitamin D Deficiency ◽

Disease Duration ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Significant Negative Correlation ◽

Pulmonary Involvement ◽

Lung Involvement ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Severe Lung

Background:Vitamin D regulates the innate and adaptive immune system responses and low vitamin D levels have been associated with the increased risk of respiratory tract infections (1). Vitamin D deficiency has been recently reported to interfere with the prognosis of COVID-19 (2,3).Objectives:The aim of this study was to correlate the 25OH-vitamin D serum levels with lung involvement and disease severity, in a cohort of elderly patients hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2 infection.Methods:Sixty-five COVID-19 patients (mean age 76±13 years) and sixty-five sex- and age-matched control subjects (CNT) were included in the study. Respiratory parameters (PaO2, SO2, PaCO2, PaO2/FiO2), clinical and laboratory parameters (including 25OH-vitamin D, D-dimer, C-reactive protein) and type of radiological pulmonary involvement were collected at hospital admission. Statistical analysis was performed by non-parametric tests.Results:Vitamin D sufficiency (>30 ng/ml), insufficiency (between 20 and 30 ng/ml), deficiency (between 10 and 20 ng/ml) and severe deficiency (<10 ng/ml) were observed respectively in 11, 11, 21 and 57 % of COVID-19 patients. Vitamin D serum levels were found significantly lower in COVID-19 patients than in CNT (median 8 vs 16 ng/ml, p=0.001). A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between vitamin D serum levels and SO2 (p=0.05), PaO2 (p=0.03), PaO2/FiO2 (p=0.02). A statistically significant negative correlation was found between vitamin D serum levels and severity of radiologic pulmonary involvement: vitamin D was significantly lower in COVID-19 patients with either diffuse/severe interstitial lung involvement (p=0.05) or multiple lung consolidations (p=0.0001) than in those with mild radiological lung involvement. Significantly lower vitamin D serum levels were found in COVID-19 patients who died during hospitalization, compared to those who survived (median 3 vs 8 ng/ml, p=0.05). Finally, a statistically significant negative correlation was found between vitamin D serum levels and D-dimer (p=0.04), C-reactive protein (p=0.04) and disease duration (p=0.05).Conclusion:This study confirms that severe vitamin D deficiency is associated with more severe lung involvement, longer disease duration and risk of death in elderly COVID-19 patients.References:[1]Cutolo M, et al. RMD Open. 2020; 6(3):e001454.[2]Bilezikian JP, et al. Eur J Endocrinol. 2020; 183(5):R133-R147.[3]Weir EK, et al. Clin Med (Lond). 2020; 20:e107-e108.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

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Serum C-reactive protein and WBC count in conservatively and operatively managed bacterial spondylodiscitis

Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery ◽

10.1177/2309499020968296 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

pp. 230949902096829

Author(s):

Christina van Gerven ◽

Kevin Eid ◽

Tobias Krüger ◽

Michael Fell ◽

Daniel Kendoff ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antibiotic Treatment ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Blood Chemistry ◽

Nonoperative Treatment ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Disc Disease ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Postoperative Serum ◽

Wbc Count ◽

And Control

Purpose: C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) count are routine blood chemistry parameters in monitoring infection. Little is known about the natural history of their serum levels in conservative and operative spondylodiscitis treatment. Methods: Pre- and postoperative serum levels of CRP and WBC count in 145 patients with spondylodiscitis were retrospectively assessed. One hundred and four patients were treated by debridement, spondylodesis, and an antibiotic regime, 41 only with a brace and antibiotics. The results of the surgical group were compared to 156 patients fused for degenerative disc disease (DDD). Results: Surgery had a significant effect on peak postoperative CRP levels. In surgically managed patients, CRP peaked at 2–3 days after surgery (spondylodiscitis: pre-OP: 90 mg/dl vs. post-OP days 2–3: 146 mg/dl; DDD: 9 mg/dl vs. 141 mg/dl; p < 0.001), followed by a sharp decline. Although values were higher for spondylodiscitis patients, dynamics of CRP values were similar in both groups. Nonoperative treatment showed a slower decline. Surgically managed spondylodiscitis showed a higher success rate in identifying bacteria. Specific antibiotic treatment led to a more predictable decline of CRP values. WBC did not show an interpretable profile. Conclusion: CRP is a predictable serum parameter in patients with spondylodiscitis. WBC count is unspecific. Initial CRP increase after surgery is of little value in monitoring infection. A preoperative CRP value, and control once during the first 3 days after surgery is sufficient. Closer monitoring should then be continued. Should a decline not be observed, therapy needs to be scrutinized, antibiotic treatment reassessed, and concomitant infection contemplated.

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Routine blood tests as a potential diagnostic tool for COVID-19

Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM) ◽

10.1515/cclm-2020-0398 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 58 (7) ◽

pp. 1095-1099 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Davide Ferrari ◽

Andrea Motta ◽

Marta Strollo ◽

Giuseppe Banfi ◽

Massimo Locatelli

Keyword(s):

Blood Test ◽

Hematological Parameters ◽

False Negative ◽

White Blood Cells ◽

Turnaround Time ◽

Test Analysis ◽

Infected People ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Routine Blood ◽

Glutamyl Transpeptidase

AbstractObjectivesThe outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to date, the epidemic has gradually spread to 209 countries worldwide with more than 1.5 million infected people and 100,000 deaths. Amplification of viral RNA by rRT-PCR serves as the gold standard for confirmation of infection, yet it needs a long turnaround time (3–4 h to generate results) and shows false-negative rates as large as 15%–20%. In addition, the need of certified laboratories, expensive equipment and trained personnel led many countries to limit the rRT-PCR tests only to individuals with pronounced respiratory syndrome symptoms. Thus, there is a need for alternative, less expensive and more accessible tests.MethodsWe analyzed the plasma levels of white blood cells (WBCs), platelets, C-reactive protein (CRP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of 207 patients who, after being admitted to the emergency room of the San Raffaele Hospital (Milan, Italy) with COVID-19 symptoms, were rRT-PCR tested. Of them, 105 tested positive, whereas 102 tested negative.ResultsStatistically significant differences were observed for WBC, CRP, AST, ALT and LDH. Empirical thresholds for AST and LDH allowed the identification of 70% of either COVID-19-positive or -negative patients on the basis of routine blood test results.ConclusionsCombining appropriate cutoffs for certain hematological parameters could help in identifying false-positive/negative rRT-PCR tests. Blood test analysis might be used as an alternative to rRT-PCR for identifying COVID-19-positive patients in those countries which suffer from a large shortage of rRT-PCR reagents and/or specialized laboratory.

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C1QTNF6 participates in the pathogenesis of PCOS by affecting the inflammatory response of granulosa cells

Biology of Reproduction ◽

10.1093/biolre/ioab094 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sisi Yan ◽

Jinli Ding ◽

Yi Zhang ◽

Jiayu Wang ◽

Sainan Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Inflammatory Response ◽

Mouse Models ◽

Granulosa Cells ◽

Polycystic Ovary ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Inflammatory Factors ◽

Low Grade ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Reproductive Endocrine ◽

Factor Α

Abstract Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common reproductive endocrine disease. It has been reported that chronic low-grade inflammation might participate in its pathogenesis. C1q and TNF related 6 (C1QTNF6) is a newly identified adiponectin paralog associated with inflammation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of C1QTNF6 in the development of chronic inflammation in PCOS and the underlying molecular mechanism. After analyzing the expression of C1QTNF6 in the serum and granulosa cells (GCs) of PCOS patients and healthy controls, we verified the roles of C1QTNF6 in inflammation through dehydroepiandrosterone-induced PCOS mouse models and cell models of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. The results demonstrated that C1QTNF6 expression in the serum and GCs of patients with PCOS was significantly elevated compared with those of the controls, and similar results were observed in the serum and ovary of PCOS mouse models. In PCOS mice and C1QTNF6-overexpressing PCOS mice, serum levels of pro-inflammatory factors including C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) were increased, while the opposite effects were observed when C1QTNF6 was downregulated in PCOS mice. Furthermore, C1QTNF6 overexpression upregulated the levels of TNFα, IL6, and CRP and activated the AKT/NF-κB pathway in LPS-treated KGN cells, whereas C1QTNF6 knockdown and BAY-117082 (an NF-κB inhibitor) treatment resulted in the opposite effects. Taken together, our results indicate that C1QTNF6 is involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS by affecting the inflammatory response via the AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway.

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Serum Neopterin Levels and the Clinical Presentation of COVID-19

Pteridines ◽

10.1515/pteridines-2020-0013 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 185-192

Author(s):

Deniz Öğütmen Koç ◽

Hande Sipahi ◽

Cemile Dilşah Sürmeli ◽

Mustafa Çalık ◽

Nilgün Bireroğlu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Disease Activity ◽

Clinical Presentation ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio ◽

Serum Neopterin ◽

Protein Levels ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Group 2 ◽

Immune Activation Marker ◽

Group 1

AbstractIn Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is important to evaluate disease activity and investigate possible biomarkers. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the relationship between disease activity and serum levels of possible immune activation marker neopterin in patients with COVID-19. The study enrolled 45 patients (23 females, 51.1%) treated for COVID-19. The patients were divided into two groups according to their clinical presentation: those who recovered quickly (Group 1) and those who worsened progressively (Group 2). The neopterin and C-reactive protein levels were high in all patients on admission. In Group 1, neopterin concentrations and serum neopterin/creatinine ratios were significantly higher on admission compared to Day 14 of the disease, whereas in Group 2, levels were significantly higher at Day 14 of the disease than on admission. Neopterin levels at admission were significantly higher in Group 1. The serum neopterin concentrations at admission were markedly higher in patients with a derived neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (dNLR) > 2.8 compared to those with a dNLR ≤ 2.8 (p < 0.05). Serum neopterin levels can be used as a prognostic biomarker in predicting disease activity in COVID-19.

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