Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Polymorphism and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in the Saudi Male Population

2000 ◽  
Vol 124 (4) ◽  
pp. 531-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nduna Dzimiri ◽  
Chona Basco ◽  
Azadali Moorji ◽  
Brian F. Meyer

Abstract Objective.—To determine the relevance of angiotensin I–converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism for coronary artery disease (CAD) in the Saudi population. Methods and Results.—DNA of 84 male Saudi patients with established CAD, 36 male controls who underwent angiography, and 327 healthy Saudi male blood donors was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, using oligonucleotide primers flanking the insertion (I)/deletion (D) sites in the polymorphic region of intron 16 of the ACE gene. Polymerase chain reaction amplification resulted in 490-bp (II), 190-bp (DD), or 490- and 190-bp (ID) fragments. The genotype II distribution was 16.7% in the control group, 7.3% in the blood donor group, and 7.2% in the patients with CAD, and the distribution for DD was 58.3%, 47.1%, and 41.0%, respectively. Notably, 61.9% (P < .0001) of CAD patients presented with angina on admission, and 52.4% had diabetes mellitus. Conclusions.—The results show no increased risk of CAD in association with either the II or DD genotypes in the Saudi population. However, further investigation of genotype II as a predictor for atherosclerosis rather than increased risk of coronary heart disease may be indicated.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 2050313X2110400
Author(s):  
Bilal Chaudhry ◽  
Lidiya Didenko ◽  
Maaria Chaudhry ◽  
Andrew Malek ◽  
Kirill Alekseyev

Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia was first noted in Wuhan, China. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been millions of cases diagnosed. The average time from onset of symptoms to testing negative SARS-CoV-2 via reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction is roughly 25 days. In patients who continually test positive for COVID-19, it is essential to determine precisely which risk factors contribute to the increase in viral shedding duration. We present a case about a 62-year-old man who has persistently tested positive for COVID-19 for more than 230 days. We followed his treatment course, in which he had been hospitalized multiple times since the onset of symptoms back in April 2020. We have determined that patients with immunosuppression, especially those taking corticosteroids, are at increased risk of prolonged viral shedding. It is essential to continually monitor these immunocompromised patients as they required a greater time period in order to have an appropriate immune response in which antibodies are created.


2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (5) ◽  
pp. 784-789
Author(s):  
Tetyana A. Andrushchenko ◽  
Sergiy V. Goncharov ◽  
Victor E. Dosenko ◽  
Konstantin E. Ishhejkin

Introduction: The frequency of alleles and genotypes of DNA repair genes in people working due to the influence of industrial aerosols (miners and workers of asbestos-cement plants (n = 215)) was studied. The aim of the work was to identify allelic polymorphisms affecting the formation of resistance or leading to an increased risk of developing bronchopulmonary pathology. Materials and methods: In 90 patients with bronchopulmonary pathology and 125 persons working under the same conditions but without respiratory system diseases, the polymerase chain reaction in real time was determined by the polymorphisms of DNA repair genes: XPD (rs13181, rs799793), ERCC1 (rs11615), XRCC1 ( rs25487) and XRCC3 (rs861539), ATM (rs664677), XRCC7 (rs7003908) and MLH1 (rs1799977). Results: In the course of this study the alleles and genotypes contributing to resistance to the development of respiratory system pathologies were determined: XRCC1•G/A (rs25487) (OR=0.57; 95% CI: 0.32-1.02; P≤0.040; χ²=4.14); MLH1•A (rs1799977) (OR=0.62; 95% CI: 0.40-0.96; P≤0.020; χ²=5.06); MLH1•A/A (rs1799977) (OR=0.43; 95% CI: 0.24-0.79; P≤0.003; χ²=8.73). Also, we established the alleles and genotypes associated with the risk of developing bronchopulmonary pathology: XPD•C/C (rs13181) (OR=2.20, 95% CI: 1.02-4.77; P≤0.020; χ²=4.85); XRCC1•A/A (rs25487) (OR=3.37; 95 % CI: 1.22-9.63; P≤0.008; χ²=6.94); ATM•T/T (rs664677) (OR=2.48; 95% CI: 1.16-5.31; Р≤0.010; χ²=6.61); MLH1•G (rs1799977) (OR=1.61; 95% CI: 1.04-2.49; P≤0.020; χ²=5.06); MLH1•A/G (rs1799977) (OR=2.32; 95% CI: 1.29-4.21; P≤0.002; χ²=9.01). Conclusions: The results indicate the influence of allelic polymorphisms of DNA repair genes on the formation of resistance to the development of bronchopulmonary pathology under the action of industrial aerosols and open up prospects for the development of modern preventive measures.


Author(s):  
Shahrzad Azizi ◽  
Elahe Tajbakhsh ◽  
Mohammad R. Hajimirzaei ◽  
Mohssen Gholami Varnamkhast ◽  
Hossein Sadeghian ◽  
...  

The presence of white spots in the kidneys of cattle at slaughter (so-called white-spotted kidneys) can be an indication of infection with Leptospira, a spirochaete of public health concern because it causes zoonotic disease. In this study, 24 kidneys of 180 slaughtered cows (13.3%) showed focal to multifocal white spots at inspection. These kidneys, together with matching urine (n = 18) and blood (n = 24) samples, were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the LipL32 gene. Leptospiral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was detected in 19 (79.2%) out of 24 kidneys, as well as 7 (29.2%) blood and 10 (55.5%) urine samples of cows with white spots in their kidneys. Histopathological findings revealed multifocal infiltration of mononuclear cells, including lymphocytes and a few plasma cells in the renal interstitial tissues. In addition, 14 apparently normal kidneys and associated urine and blood samples were similarly examined by PCR but did not provide any positive results. In this study, high detection of leptospirosis in kidneys with interstitial nephritis suggests that Leptospira spp. are associated with white spotted kidneys. The present findings indicate that white spotted kidneys can be due to leptospirosis in this region in southwestern Iran, which indicates an increased risk of zoonotic disease. The data show that LipL32-based primers are useful for PCR-based diagnosis of leptospirosis.


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