scholarly journals Is Depression Related to Low Folate Levels in People with Epilepsy? An Observational Study and Meta-analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 08 (03) ◽  
pp. 381-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhargavi Ramanujam ◽  
Bhupender Kumar Bajaj ◽  
Kirandeep Kaur ◽  
Kuljeet Singh Anand ◽  
Gurdeep Buxi

ABSTRACT Background: Both depression and low serum levels of folate are common in people with epilepsy (PWE), the latter especially in patients on hepatic enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). We did a cross-sectional study and a meta-analysis to assess if lower folate levels have any relation with depression in PWE. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and one PWE were recruited and assessed for depression using the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Rated (IDS-SR) and Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician Rated; serum folate levels were measured in them at the same time. Literature search was carried out and studies with data on depression as well as folate levels in PWE were included. Statistical analysis to determine frequency of depression, low folate levels, and relation between them among our cases and the pooled data from the included studies was done. Results: Depression was observed in 65.68% and low serum folate (<4 ng/ml) in 48.75% of PWE (over 80% on older AEDs); there was no statistically significant correlation between them. However, on analyzing the pooled data of six studies including the present, the Fisher’s z-transformed correlation coefficient was −0.1690 (95% confidence interval [−0.3175, −0.0124], P = 0.0464). Conclusions: Depression and low folate levels are common in PWE. Low folate levels have a mild but significant negative correlation with depression in this population, and folate supplementation would be advisable for those on the older AEDs.

Toxins ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 520 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanmugakumar Chinnappa ◽  
Yu-Kang Tu ◽  
Yi Chun Yeh ◽  
Griet Glorieux ◽  
Raymond Vanholder ◽  
...  

Although the relationship between protein-bound uremic toxins (PBUTs) and cardiac structure and cardiac mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been studied in the past, the association between cardiac dysfunction and PBUTs has not yet been studied. We therefore evaluated the association between impaired peak cardiac performance and the serum free and total concentrations of potentially cardiotoxic PBUTs. In a cross-sectional study of 56 male CKD patients (stages 2–5 (pre-dialysis)) who were asymptomatic with no known cardiac diseases or diabetes we measured peak cardiac power (CPOmax), aerobic exercise capacity (VO2max), and echocardiographic parameters of cardiac morphology and evaluated their association with PBUTs. The serum total and free concentrations of indoxyl sulfate (IXS), p-cresyl sulfate (PCS), p-cresyl glucuronide, indole acetic acid, and hippuric acid showed significant negative correlation with CPOmax and VO2max. IXS and PCS were independently associated with CPOmax and VO2max even after controlling for eGFR. No correlation between left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and PBUTs was seen. The present study for the first time has demonstrated the association between subclinical cardiac dysfunction in CKD and serum levels of a panel of PBUTs. Further studies are required to evaluate the mechanism of cardiotoxicity of the individual uremic toxins.


2003 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Rösche ◽  
C. Uhlmann ◽  
R. Weber ◽  
W. Fröscher

Background:Folate deficiency is common in patients with epilepsy and also occurs in patients with depression or cognitive deficits.Objective:This study investigates whether low serum folate levels may contribute to depressive mood and difficulties in mental processing in patients with epilepsy treated with anti-epileptic drugs inducing the cytochrome P450.Methods:We analysed the serum folate levels, the score in the Self Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and the results of a bedside test in mental processing in 54 patients with epilepsy.Results:There was a significant negative correlation between the serum folate levels and the score in SDS and significant positive correlations between the score in SDS and the time needed to process an interference task or a letter-reading task.Conclusions:Low serum folate levels may contribute to depressive mood and therefore to difficulties in mental processing. Further studies utilizing total plasma homocysteine as a sensitive measure of functional folate deficiency and more elaborate tests of mental processing are required to elucidate the impact of folate metabolism on depressive mood and cognitive function in patients with epilepsy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-106
Author(s):  
OO Olawale ◽  
VO Dada ◽  
FM Abbiyesuku ◽  
OO Eluyera ◽  
EW Olooto ◽  
...  

Background: Studies have shown that serum levels of Anti-Mullerian Hormones (AMH) decrease with age as it is also an early and sensitive marker of ovarian reserve in women in the North American, European and Asian regions. Various research works have also generated data about AMH in the Caucasian, Americans and Asians There was a need to compare these known data with African data. Objectives: To assess the serum levels of AMH in healthy women of reproductive age and determine the relationship between AMH, age, Body Mass Index, parity and menstrual cycle in healthy regularly menstruating women. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 200 apparently healthy women aged 21-45 years was carried out between January and May 2014. Serum AMH and FSH levels were measured in the participants using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Results: The median AMH value was 4.07ng/mL, while the median FSH value was 9.65mIU/mL. The reference 90% CI of AMH was 0.60 -9.71 ng/ml. There was a significant negative correlation between serum level of AMH and age (r = - 0.718, p<0.001). Conclusion: The serum AMH levels gradually declined throughout the reproductive lifespan of a woman.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rin Yokoyama ◽  
Makoto Kurano ◽  
Yuki Nakano ◽  
Yoshifumi Morita ◽  
Hiroko Ohmiya ◽  
...  

Background: Several types of laboratory tests for COVID-19 have been established to date; however, the clinical significance of the serum SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) antigen levels remains to be fully elucidated. In the present study, we attempted to elucidate the usefulness and clinical significance of the serum N antigen levels.Methods: We measured the serum N antigen levels in 391 serum samples collected from symptomatic patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 and 96 serum samples collected from patients with non-COVID-19, using a fully automated chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer.Results: Receiver operating characteristic analysis identified the optimal cutoff value of the serum N antigen level (cutoff index, based on Youden’s index) as 0.255, which yielded a sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of COVID-19 of 91.0 and 81.3%, respectively. The serum N antigen levels were significantly higher in the patient groups with moderate and severe COVID-19 than with mild disease. Moreover, a significant negative correlation was observed between the serum N antigen levels and the SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody titers, especially in patients with severe COVID-19.Conclusion: Serum N antigen testing might be useful both for the diagnosis of COVID-19 and for obtaining a better understanding of the clinical features of the disease.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Un Chul Park ◽  
Eun Kyoung Lee ◽  
Bo Hee Kim ◽  
Baek-Lok Oh

AbstractIn this cross-sectional study, we investigated choroidal thickness (CT) and scleral thickness (ST) in highly myopic eyes and their associations with ocular factors. Patients underwent widefield swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) to measure the CT and ST at the subfovea and 3000 μm superior, inferior, temporal, and nasal to the fovea and macular curvature. A total of 237 eyes (154 patients) were included. At all five measurement points, thinner CTs and STs were associated with longer axial lengths (r = − 0.548 to − 0.357, all P < 0.001) and greater macular curvatures (r = − 0.542 to − 0.305, all P < 0.001). The CT and ST were significantly thinner in eyes with posterior staphyloma than in those without at all measurement points (all P ≤ 0.006) but did not differ between eyes with the wide macular and narrow macular type of staphyloma. Eyes with myopic maculopathy of category ≥ 3 according to the International Meta-Analysis for Pathologic Myopia classification had significantly thinner CTs and STs than those with category ≤ 2 (all P ≤ 0.005). In highly myopic eyes, a decrease in the CT and ST was more pronounced in eyes with more structural changes, such as longer axial length, steeper macular curvature, and the presence of posterior staphyloma.


Author(s):  
Elaine Cristina Rocha Pádua ◽  
Silvia Daher ◽  
Isa de Pádua Cintra Sampaio ◽  
Edward Araujo Júnior ◽  
Cristina Falbo Guazzelli

Abstract Objective To evaluate serum levels of adiponectin in pregnant adolescents between 30 and 36 weeks of gestation. Method: A prospective cross-sectional study enrolled 67 normal pregnant women between 30 and 36 weeks of gestation and eutrophic (body mass index [BMI]: 18.5–25 kg/m2), of which 36 were adolescents (< 20 years old) and 31 adults (≥ 20 years old). Serum adiponectin levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The t-student or Mann-Whitney tests were used for intergroup comparison. Results Pregnant adolescents showed significantly higher serum adiponectin concentrations compared with pregnant adults (p = 0.04). No differences were observed in adiponectin levels in younger pregnant adolescents (< 16 years old) compared with older pregnant adolescents (≥ 16 years old). Adiponectin values were divided into 3 subgroups: < 3,000 ng/mL, between 3,000 and 5,000 ng/mL, and > 5,000 ng/mL. Birthweight was significantly higher in women > 5,000 ng/mL when compared with < 3,000 ng/mL in the adolescent group. No association between pregestational adiponectin levels and BMI, gestational weight gain, and gestational age was observed; however, there was a positive relation with birthweight (p = 0.0239). Conclusion Serum adiponectin values in pregnant adolescents between 30 and 36 weeks of gestation were higher compared with pregnant adults; however, no differences between younger and older pregnant adolescents were observed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 937-945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Órpez-Zafra ◽  
Jose Pavía ◽  
Isaac Hurtado-Guerrero ◽  
Maria J Pinto-Medel ◽  
Jose Luis Rodriguez Bada ◽  
...  

Background: The soluble isoform of the interferon-β (IFN-β) receptor (sIFNAR2) could modulate the activity of both endogenous and systemically administered IFN-β. Previously, we described lower serum sIFNAR2 levels in untreated multiple sclerosis (MS) than in healthy controls (HCs). Objective: To assess sIFNAR2 levels in a new cohort of MS patients and HCs, as well as in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and with other inflammatory neurological disorders (OIND) and to assess its ability as a diagnostic biomarker. Methods: The cross-sectional study included 148 MS (84 treatment naive and 64 treated), 87 CIS, 42 OIND, and 96 HCs. Longitudinal study included 94 MS pretreatment and after 1 year of therapy with IFN-β, glatiramer acetate (GA), or natalizumab. sIFNAR2 serum levels were measured by a quantitative ELISA developed and validated in our laboratory. Results: Naive MS and CIS patients showed significantly lower sIFNAR2 levels than HCs and OIND patients. The sensitivity and specificity to discriminate between MS and OIND, for a sIFNAR2 cutoff value of 122.02 ng/mL, were 70.1%, and 79.4%, respectively. sIFNAR2 increased significantly in IFN-β-treated patients during the first year of therapy in contrast to GA- and natalizumab-treated patients who showed non-significant changes. Conclusion: The results suggest that sIFNAR2 could be a potential diagnostic biomarker for MS.


2021 ◽  
Vol 129 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinaldo C Oliveira ◽  
Edivaldo Mendes Filho ◽  
Mariana Barros ◽  
Carolina Oliveira ◽  
Joao Vitor Cabral ◽  
...  

Introduction: Interleukin L-17 is produced by Th 17 cells and other cells. There is a debate if IL 17 is atherogenic or atheroprotective. The true role of this interleukin during the development and progression of the coronary artery disease is not known. Objective: To evaluate if there are differences between the IL17 A serum levels according to clinical presentation of the coronary artery disease. Methods: This is a cross sectional study which enrolled 101 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), 100 patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) and 100 healthy volunteers. Blood samples were taken from patients ( at admission) and controls to analysis the level of IL17A. Clinical characteristics were collected through questionnaires. This research was approved by ethical committee. Results: Comparisons of the clinical characteristics between patients with ACS and CCS revealed: mean age ( 62 ± 12.4 vs 63.3 ± 9.8, p = 0.4 ), male (63.4% vs 58%, p = 0.4) hypertension (85.1% vs 79%, p = 0.1) , disyipidemia (48% vs 31%, p =0.01), Diabetes Mellitus (47.5% vs 41%, p = 0.3), previous myocardial infarction (57.4% vs 40%, p = 0,01), smoking (29.7% vs 38%, p = 1). The peripheral concentrations of IL17A according to ACS, CCS and controls were: 5.36 ± 8.83 vs 6.69 ± 17.92 vs 6.26 ± 11.13, p = 0.6. Besides, the comparison between ACS and CCS showed: 5.36 ± 8.83 vs 6.69 ± 17.92, p = 0.3. Conclusion: The main finding os this study was that the circulating IL 17 concentrations were similar in patients with ACS, CCS and healthy volunteers). Besides, there was no difference between patients with ACS and CCS. Therefore, our hypothesis is that in patients with ACS and CCS the circulating IL 17 A concentrations are low or undetectable.


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