Neuropsychological and Syntactic Deficits in HIV Seropositive Males

Objective: Given the underlying frontal-basal ganglia circuit neuropathogenesis of HIV-infected individuals, it is surprising that little is reported about potential language deficits as part of their higher cognitive dysfunctional profile. This study aims to elucidate whether HIV-positive individuals have linguistic impairments that may originate from or be intensified by deficits in cognitive functions. The research questions address (i) quantitative differences in sentence repetition abilities involving complex syntactic phenomena between adults with HIV and non-HIV healthy controls (ii) correlations of sentence repetition scores with neurocognitive measures and (iii) correlation of sentence repetition performance with duration and severity of HIV. Methods: A battery of neuropsychological tests were administered to 40 HIV - seropositive males and 40 demographically matched healthy controls to assess verbal learning/episodic memory, psychomotor speed, executive functions and visuospatial abilities. Language abilities were evaluated using a repetition task that screened specific complex syntactic operations at the sentence-level. Results: A significant difference was noted between the two groups regarding correct repetition of the sentence repetition task with the control group outperforming the HIV-seropositive group. For the HIV group, significant correlations were found for correct sentence repetition with years of education, duration of illness, Mini-Mental State Examination, semantic and phonemic fluency, symbol digit modality test scores, and the Trail Making Test (parts A and B). Conclusion: Speech-language pathologists and neuropsychologists should screen for language deficits associated with the different clinical syndromes in HIV patients as part of their routine clinical care.

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Dopamine adjusts the circadian gene expression of Per2 and Per3 in human dermal fibroblasts from ADHD patients

Journal of Neural Transmission ◽

10.1007/s00702-021-02374-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Frank Faltraco ◽

Denise Palm ◽

Adriana Uzoni ◽

Lena Borchert ◽

Frederick Simon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Dermal Fibroblast ◽

Sleep Onset ◽

Dermal Fibroblasts ◽

Control Group ◽

Adhd Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Circadian Gene ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Circadian Preference

AbstractA link between dopamine levels, circadian gene expression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has already been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to investigate the extent of these relationships by measuring circadian gene expression in primary human-derived dermal fibroblast cultures (HDF) after dopamine exposure. We analyzed circadian preference, behavioral circadian and sleep parameters as well as the circadian gene expression in a cohort of healthy controls and participants with ADHD. Circadian preference was evaluated with German Morningness-Eveningness-Questionnaire (D-MEQ) and rhythms of sleep/wake behavior were assessed via actigraphy. After ex vivo exposure to different dopamine concentrations in human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cultures, the rhythmicity of circadian gene expression (Clock, Bmal1, Per1-3, Cry1) was analyzed via qRT-PCR. We found no statistical significant effect in the actigraphy of both groups (healthy controls, ADHD group) for mid-sleep on weekend days, mid-sleep on weekdays, social jetlag, wake after sleep onset, and total number of wake bouts. D-MEQ scores indicated that healthy controls had no evening preference, whereas subjects with ADHD displayed both definitive and moderate evening preferences. Dopamine has no effect on Per3 expression in healthy controls, but produces a significant difference in the ADHD group at ZT24 and ZT28. In the ADHD group, incubation with dopamine, either 1 µM or 10 µM, resulted in an adjustment of Per3 expression to control levels. A similar effect also was found in the expression of Per2. Statistical significant differences in the expression of Per2 (ZT4) in the control group compared to the ADHD group were found, following incubation with dopamine. The present study illustrates that dopamine impacts on circadian function. The results lead to the suggestion that dopamine may improve the sleep quality as well as ADHD symptoms by adjustment of the circadian gene expression, especially for Per2 and Per3.

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MO477SERUM C-REACTIVE PROTEIN AND PROCALCITONIN LEVELS IN HEMODIALYSIS AND INTRADIALYTIC ALTERATIONS

Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation ◽

10.1093/ndt/gfab090.0039 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 36 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Makrouhi Sonikian ◽

Aggeliki Barbatsi ◽

Eugenia Karakou ◽

Theodoros Chiras ◽

Jacob Skarakis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthy Subjects ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Polysulfone Membrane ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Markers Of Inflammation ◽

Dialysate Flow Rate ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Serum Crp

Abstract Introduction C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) are widely used as markers of inflammation and infection in general population and in chronic hemodialysis (HD) as well. However, in dialysis (D) patients, serum CRP and PCT levels may be elevated even in the absence of inflammatory or infectious disease and diagnostic process is a challenge in such cases. We studied HD patients' laboratory profile concerning CRP and PCT. Subjects and Methods We studied 25 stable HD patients, M/F=22/3, aged 68(44-89) years, dialyzed thrice weekly for 55(6-274) months with a dialysate flow rate of 700 ml/min, with a residual daily diuresis less than 200 ml, Kt/V values of 1,44±0,3 and no signs of infection. Patients were classified in two groups. Group A included 10 patients on pre-dilution online hemodiafiltration (HDF). Group B consisted of 15 patients on conventional HD with low-flux polysulfone membrane. Twenty healthy subjects formed a control group C. Serum CRP and PCT levels were measured in duplicate in A and B groups before and at the end of mid-week dialysis sessions and also in C group. Results Pre-D serum CRP values in the total of patients were higher than those in healthy controls (10,89±19,29 vs 2,54±1,28 mg/L-p=0,004). Compared with group C, pre-D CRP values were higher only in B group (15,98±24,54 mg/L-p=0,001) but not in A group (4,09±3,33 mg/L-p=NS). There was a significant difference in pre-D serum CRP values between A and B groups (p=0,028). At the end of D session serum CRP values showed a tendency to increase in both groups A (5,16±4,81 mg/L) and B (17,00±27,00 mg/L) but differences were not significant. Pre-D serum PCT values in the total of patients were higher than those in healthy controls (0,82±0,9 vs 0,29±0,55 ng/ml-p<0,001). Compared with group C, pre-D PCT values were higher in both A group (0,52±0,15 ng/ml-p<0,001) and B group (1,01±1,13 ng/ml-p=0,006). There was no significant difference in pre-D serum PCT values between A and B groups (p=0,261). At the end of D session serum PCT values decreased in A group (0,32±0,11 ng/ml-p<0,001) and increased in B group (1,12±1,21 ng/ml-p=0,014). Conclusions In patients on both conventional low-flux HD and online HDF pre-D serum CRP and PCT levels were higher than those in healthy subjects. Dialysis modality and membrane flux did not affect post-D serum CRP values, but post-PCT values decreased in online HDF. PCT usefulness might be limited in dialysis with high-flux membranes. Cut-off values have to be established for both markers to eliminate confusion in diagnosis of inflammatory and infectious diseases in hemodialyzed patients.

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Exploring The Clinical Significance of Serum Angiopoietin-2 In Breast Cancer Patients

QJM ◽

10.1093/qjmed/hcab091.014 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 114 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Abeer I Abd Elmagid ◽

Hala Abdel Al ◽

Wessam El Sayed Saad ◽

Seham Kamal Mohamed

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Tnm Staging ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Breast Cancer Patients ◽

Female Patients ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Angiopoietin 2

Abstract Background Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and one of the most important causes of death among them.Angiogenesis is an important step for primary tumor growth, invasiveness, and metastases. Angiopoietins are well-recognized endothelial growth factors that are involved in angiogenesis associated with tumors. Aim To explore the diagnostic significance of serum angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in breast cancer and to evaluate its prognostic efficacy through studying the degree of its association with the TNM staging of the disease. Patients and Methods This study was conducted on (35) Egyptian female patients who were diagnosed as breast cancer according to histopathological examination of breast biopsy (Group 1, Breast Cancer Patients) and (25) female patients with benign breast diseases (Group II, Pathological Control Patients), in addition to (20) age - matched apparently healthy, free mammogram, females serving as healthy controls (Group III, Healthy Controls). For all participants, measurement of serum Ang-2 was done using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Results A highly significant increased levels of Ang-2 was observed in breast cancer patients when compared to healthy control group (Z = 4.95, p < 0.01). However, no significant difference was observed in Ang-2 levels between breast cancer patients group and pathological control group (Z = 3.37, p > 0.05). No significant difference was detected in Ang-2 levels in relation to TNM stage and histological grade. No significant correlation was found between Ang-2 levels and serum levels of CA15-3, hormone receptors, HER2/new receptor status (p > 0.05, respectively). Conclusion This study revealed that Ang-2 serum levels were significantly increased in patient with breast cancer compared with healthy controls, indicating that high Ang-2 level is a promising non invasive biomarker for breast cancer diagnosis. However, no significant difference of Ang-2 levels was detected in relation of breast TNM staging in the population studied.

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Brain Volumetric Changes and Cognitive Functions in Epileptic Patients

QJM ◽

10.1093/qjmed/hcaa054 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 113 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

A A Ashour ◽

A M A Nassef ◽

E M Awad ◽

A M Hazzou ◽

M A Nada ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Functions ◽

Brain Volume ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Whole Brain ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Epileptic Patients ◽

Generalized Epilepsy ◽

Patients With Epilepsy ◽

And Control

Abstract Background Epilepsy is a serious common neurological disorder that can affect any age. Cognitive functions are highly prevalent in patients with epilepsy and is more likely to occur in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE). Associations were found between cognitive functions and brain volume loss in patients with epilepsy. Objective This work was carried out to assess the volumetric changes in brain of epileptic patients to use it as a biomarker for cognitive dysfunction in adult and adolescent patients with epilepsy. Patients and Methods A case control study was conducted to include 61 patients, 20 of which diagnosed with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE), 21 with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and 20 with frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) who were selected from the epilepsy outpatient clinic in Ain Shams university hospitals along with 23 age and sex matched healthy controls. Both cases and control groups were subjected to Magnetic resonance imaging MRI brain volumetry and detailed cognitive testing. An informed consent was taken from each adult patient, guardian of adolescent patient and healthy control. Results Statistically significant difference in comprehension subcategory of the Wechsler adult intelligence scale (WAIS) between patients with IGE and healthy controls denoting poorer social judgment in the IGE group. The IGE group also showed poorer performance in digit symbol subcategory of the same test denoting worse psychomotor speed and sustained attention. Also, significant difference in similarities subcategory was found between TLE group and control group denoting poorer abstract thinking among the TLE group. The IGE and TLE groups also showed lower attention and concentration than control group in the mental control subcategory of the Wechsler memory scale (WMS) yet failed to show superiority over each other. No statistically significant difference was found on comparing the whole brain volume between cases and control groups. A statistically significant direct relationship was found between the arithmetic subcategory of WAIS and the whole brain volume of the patients among the patients of the FLE group. Conclusion Patients with IGE had worse psychomotor speed, sustained attention and concentration than healthy controls in addition to poorer social judgment. Also, patients with TLE showed lower attention and concentration together with poorer abstract thinking despite normal IQ. The study also concluded that increased whole brain volume in patients with frontal lobe epilepsy is associated with better mathematical problem solving.

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Evaluation of Olfactory Function With Objective Tests in COVID-19-Positive Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Ear Nose & Throat Journal ◽

10.1177/0145561320975510 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 014556132097551

Author(s):

E. Deniz Gözen ◽

Chinara Aliyeva ◽

Fırat Tevetoğlu ◽

Rıdvan Karaali ◽

İlker İnanç Balkan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tertiary Hospital ◽

Olfactory Dysfunction ◽

Test Method ◽

Objective Test ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Smell Loss ◽

Group 1

Objective: Olfactory dysfunction is relatively high in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence of olfactory disorder objectively in patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection. Material and Method: The study included 31 healthy controls and 59 COVID-19 patients who were diagnosed and treated in the COVID departments in a tertiary hospital. The patients with corona virus infection were screened by a questionnaire and were classified into 2 groups as either group 2 (patients without self-reported smell loss) or group 3 (patients with self-reported smell loss). Age and gender matched healthy controls who do not have chronic nasal condition or nasal surgery history comprised the control group (group 1). All of the patients and subjects in the control group were tested by the Sniffin’ Sticks test. All of the answers and scores were recorded, and the comparisons were made. Results: The rate of self-reported smell and taste loss in all COVID-19 patients in this study was 52.5% and 42%, respectively. There was a significant difference in threshold, discrimination, identification, and Threshold, Discrimination, Identification (TDI) scores between groups 1 and 2. When the comparisons between group 1 and 3 were made, again threshold, discrimination, identification, and TDI scores were significantly different. The comparison between groups 2 and 3 demonstrated a significant difference in discrimination, identification, and TDI scores, but threshold score was not different statistically. With questionnaire, the rate of olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients was 52.5%, but with objective test, the rate was calculated as 83%. Conclusion: Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions are common in COVID-19 patients. According to findings with the objective test method in this study, smell disorder in COVID-19 patients was much higher than those detected by questionnaires.

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Sacral Reflex Characteristics of Patients with Multiple System Atrophy

Parkinson s Disease ◽

10.1155/2020/6167989 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Zhifang Pan ◽

Xueming Zhang ◽

Xun Wang ◽

Binbin Deng ◽

Wanli Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple System Atrophy ◽

Extraction Rate ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Disease Course ◽

Initiation Rate ◽

Rate Decrease ◽

Reflex Latency ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Sacral Reflex

Objectives. To observe and analyze the parameters of the sacral reflex and pudendal nerve somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) with respect to factors such as age, disease course, and subtype and provide evidence for the clinical diagnosis of MSA. Materials and Methods. A total of 51 MSA patients and 30 healthy controls were selected from the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from May 2013 to November 2015. Electrophysiological sacral reflex detection and SSEP detection were performed using the Keypoint EMG/EP system. The extraction rate, latency, and amplitude of the sacral reflex and SSEP in the MSA group and control group were compared. Results. The sacral reflex latency and amplitude in patients with MSA were statistically different from those of the healthy controls. The latency of sacral reflex increases with the prolongation of the disease course, and the amplitude and initiation rate decrease with the prolongation of the disease course. There was no significant difference in sacral reflex latency and amplitude between MSA patients of different ages and subtypes. There was no significant difference in the latency or amplitude of SSEP between the MSA group and healthy control group. Conclusions. The latency of sacral reflex increases with the prolongation of the disease course, and the amplitude and extraction rate decrease with the prolongation of the disease course. There was no significant difference in the parameters of sacral reflex between young MSA patients and elderly patients. And there was no statistically significant difference between MSA-P subtypes and MSA-C subtypes. This trial is registered with ISRCTNCR2009041.

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Quantitative changes of extravillous trophoblast cells in heavy smoker mothers compared with healthy controls

Reproduction Fertility and Development ◽

10.1071/rd17041 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 409 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Zahra Heidari ◽

Hamidreza Mahmoudzadeh-Sagheb ◽

Nadia Sheibak

Keyword(s):

Maternal Smoking ◽

Extravillous Trophoblast ◽

Heavy Smoker ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Trophoblast Cells ◽

Smoking During Pregnancy ◽

Functional Changes ◽

Quantitative Parameters ◽

Significant Difference

Maternal smoking during pregnancy can induce structural and functional changes in the placenta. Placentas from heavy smoker (>20 cigarettes per day) mothers and non-smoker healthy controls (n = 10 in each group) were enrolled in the present case-control study. Sample selection and sectioning were performed by systematic uniform random sampling (SURS). Selected sections were stained using Masson’s trichrome to estimate quantitative parameters of placental extravillous trophoblast cells (EVTs) and the number of EVTs. Differences between groups were evaluated using the Mann–Whitney U-test, with significance set at P < 0.05. There was a significant difference in placental weight and the total volume of the placenta between the heavy smoker and control groups (P < 0.05). The total volume of EVTs, nucleus diameter, cytoplasm diameter, the volume of the nucleus and cytoplasm and the nucleus to cytoplasm ratio of EVTs were significantly greater in the heavy smoker compared with control group (P < 0.05 for all). In placentas from heavy smokers, the total number of EVTs per unit volume of placental bed were significantly greater than in the control group (P < 0.05 for both). In conclusion, the findings suggest that maternal smoking could affect fetal health by changing the quantitative parameters of the placenta, and likely the invasive properties of EVTs.

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Differential Expression Of TREM-1 In Myelogenous Leukemia Cells

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v122.21.4951.4951 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 122 (21) ◽

pp. 4951-4951 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Huiyu Li ◽

Wenying Li ◽

Xiaoling Yi ◽

Shiang Huang ◽

Wei Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Complete Remission ◽

Patient Group ◽

Peripheral Blood ◽

Myelogenous Leukemia ◽

Leukemia Cells ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Patient Groups

Abstract Objectives Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM) -1 is a receptor as a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily expressed on the cell-surface of neutrophils, monocytes and macrophages. This receptor amplifies the inflammatory response, activating the signaling pathway. TREM-1 expression is associated with mature myeloid cell development. TREM-1 is shed from the membrane of activated macrophages without the transmembrane and intracellular domains, and can be found as soluble TREM (sTREM)-1. Soluble TREM-1 is thought to negatively regulate TREM receptor signaling. Some studies currently reported that TREM-1 regulates the malignant behavior of cancer cells in lung cancer and HCC. However, no related studies about the role of TREM-1 in leukemia have been carried out. The aims of this study was investigated the TREM-1 expression in myelogenous leukemia cells. Methods Thirty-five patients with AML, twenty-five patients with CML and a control group of eleven healthy people were subjected to the study. TREM-1 expressions on the surfaces of leukemia cells were measured by flow cytometry. Plasma sTREM-1 levels were measured by ELISA. Results In this study, our results provide the first evidence that TREM-1 was differentially expressed in myelogenous leukemia cells. The TREM-1 mean ratio of median fluorescence intensity (mean ratio of MFI) was 3.13±0.88 and 2.52±0.40 in CML and AML patients, respectively. The TREM-1 mean ratio of MFI was 3.03±1.40 in myelogenous leukemia cell lines (K562, HL60, THP-1). The TREM-1 mean ratio of MFI was 5.37±0.88 in healthy controls. Compared to healthy controls, myelogenous leukemia cells had decreased TREM-1 expressions (P<0.001). The TREM-1 mean ratio of MFI was 4.89±0.60 in patients who are in complete remission after Novartis's Gleevec therapy. Compared with CML patient groups, patients who are in complete remission after Gleevec therapy had rising TREM-1 expressions (P<0.01). TREM-1 expressions of patients who are in complete remission after Gleevec therapy were slightly lower than the healthy controls, but this did not reach significance. No significant difference in TREM-1 expressions was seen between AML and CML patient groups, male and female patient groups, and cells derived from peripheral blood and bone marrow of the same leukemia patients (p>0.1). In addition, the plasma sTREM-1 levels were measured by ELISA. sTREM-1 levels was 48.54±57.63pg/mL for AML group and 43.72±23.93pg/mL for CML group. Results indicated that plasma sTREM-1 levels significantly higher in AML and CML patients than that in healthy controls (P<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in plasma sTREM-1 levels observed in AML patient group compared with CML patient group, male patients group compared with female patients group, and plasma from peripheral blood compared with plasma from bone marrow of the same leukemia patients (p>0.1). An ongoing project focuses on the relationship between the function of TREM-1 and occurrence, progression and prognosis of myelogenous leukemia, advances will be reported in time. Conclusion TREM-1 expression on leukemia cells was significantly lower in patients with AML and CML than those in healthy controls and patients in complete remission had increased TREM-1 expression. Patients with AML and CML had increased plasma soluble TREM-1. The TREM-1 expression on leukemia cells had an inverse correlation with plasma sTREM-1 level in AML and CML patients. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Cognitive Functions in Combat Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Collegium Antropologicum ◽

10.5671/ca.44.4.2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 44 (4) ◽

pp. 199-207

Author(s):

Ana Havelka Meštrović ◽

Marina Domijan ◽

Vlatko Mičković ◽

Zoran Lončar

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Cognitive Functions ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Control Group ◽

Additional Contribution ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Study Results ◽

Significant Difference

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with changes in cognitive functions. The aim of the study was to investigate differences in cognitive abilities between PTSD patients and healthy controls. As PTSD is often accompanied by comorbidity, the PTSD patients with comorbid diagnoses were also included in our study. The study participants included 254 Croatian combat veterans (60 PTSD and 194 PTSD plus comorbidity) and control group of 125 healthy Croatian military and civilian pilots. The diagnosis of PTSD was made by clinical scale for PTSD assessment (CAPS), while cognitive abilities were measured by Wechsler intelligence scale (WAIS-III-R) and Rey test (ROCFT). The study results have confirmed that there is a significant difference in cognitive functions between the PTSD patients and healthy controls regarding age and education. The PTSD patients (PTSD only and PTSD with comorbidity) have shown lower general intellectual abilities, reduced capacity of working, numerical and visual memory, and decreased executive functions when compared to healthy controls. These results are an additional contribution to a better understanding and determination of changes in cognitive functions that occur in combat PTSD as a result of traumatic stress.

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Quantification of human plasma metalloproteins in multiple sclerosis, ischemic stroke and healthy controls reveals an association of haptoglobin-hemoglobin complexes with age

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0262160 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. e0262160

Author(s):

Sophia Sarpong-Kumankomah ◽

Katherine B. Knox ◽

Michael E. Kelly ◽

Gary Hunter ◽

Bogdan Popescu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽

Rank Correlation ◽

Positive Association ◽

Disease Diagnosis ◽

Size Exclusion ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Significant Difference

Advanced analytical methods play an important role in quantifying serum disease biomarkers. The problem of separating thousands of proteins can be reduced by analyzing for a ‘sub-proteome’, such as the ‘metalloproteome’, defined as all proteins that contain bound metals. We employed size exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled to an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES) to analyze plasma from multiple sclerosis (MS) participants (n = 21), acute ischemic stroke (AIS) participants (n = 17) and healthy controls (n = 21) for Fe, Cu and Zn-metalloproteins. Using ANOVA analysis to compare the mean peak areas among the groups revealed no statistically significant differences for ceruloplasmin (p = 0.31), α2macroglobulin (p = 0.51) and transferrin (p = 0.31). However, a statistically significant difference was observed for the haptoglobin-hemoglobin (Hp-Hb) complex (p = 0.04), being driven by the difference between the control group and AIS (p = 0.012), but not with the MS group (p = 0.13), based on Dunnes test. A linear regression model for Hp-Hb complex with the groups now adjusted for age found no statistically significant differences between the groups (p = 0.95), but was suggestive for age (p = 0.057). To measure the strength of association between the Hp-Hb complex and age without possible modifications due to disease, we calculated the Spearman rank correlation in the healthy controls. The latter revealed a positive association (r = 0.39, 95% Confidence Interval = (-0.05, 0.83), which suggests that either the removal of Hp-Hb complexes from the blood circulation slows with age or that the release of Hb from red blood cells increases with age. We also observed that the Fe-peak corresponding to the Hp-Hb complex eluted ~100 s later in ~14% of all study samples, which was not correlated with age or disease diagnosis, but is consistent with the presence of the smaller Hp (1–1) isoform in 15% of the population.

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