Can immune parameters be used as predictors to distinguish between pulmonary multidrug-resistant and drug-sensitive tuberculosis?

Introduction: Despite the development and wide implementation of Directly Observed Therapy Strategies (DOTS), multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) remains a serious global health threat. In this study, the role of host immune response in patients with MDR-TB is investigated and compared with that of patients with smear-positive drug-sensitive tuberculosis (SP-TB

Effects of estrogen and tamoxifen on the ultrastructural characteristics of female rat prolactin cells as evaluated by immunogold technique

Estrogens and antiestrogens are known to have effects on protactin (PRL)-producing cells in the anterior pituitary. This study was planned to investigate the effects of estrogen and tamoxifen at immunohistochemical. and immunoelectron microscopic levels on PRL cells of female rat pituitary. Animals were divided into three groups of eight adult female rats each. The first group was the control. group. 200-mu g/day of estrogen was administered subcutaneously for 11 weeks to 16 rats. Tamoxifen was administered to eight of them for the Last 15 days. In diethylstilbestrol (DES)-induced group, serum PRL levels and pituitary weights were found to be elevated when compared with the control group. In the DES plus tamoxifen group the readings were close to that of the control group. PRL-positive cells were enlarged and strongly immunostained in DES-induced group when assessed by tight microscopy. Tamoxifen prevented this effect. At the ultrastructural. level., in the tamoxifen treated group, PRL-producing cells contained both immunopositive and immunonegative secretory granules. Numerous PRL-producing cells exhibited progressive morphological changes in the nuclei compatible with the apoptotic process. The results of this study indicate that tamoxifen prevents not only the proliferative effect of estrogen but also inhibits the secretion mechanism of the cells. (c) 2005 Elsevier GmbH. ALL rights reserved

Lipoprotein lipase gene PvuII polymorphism serum lipids and risk for coronary artery disease: Meta-analysis

Our aim was to determine whether lipoprotein lipase gene PvuII polymorphism can be considered as an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) by conducting a meta-analysis of all available published trials, including our own study. In 7 seperate studies, 3289 subjects were screened for this substitution; meta-analysis included only some of these individuals. Among the 7 studies, 6 were performed on white subjects, whereas I was on patients with Saudi Arabic descent. Subgroup analysis indicated that individuals with PvuII substitution does not have an increased risk for CAD. The LPL-PvuII genotype and allele frequency distributions did not differ significantly between CAD patients and healthy controls. There was no difference in the distribution of LPL-PvuII genotypes between the healthy subjects and the patients with CAD. However, no significant differences in lipid variables (triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol) were determined for the PvuII polymorphisms in the patients with CAD. No significant differences were found in serum triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol levels for LPL-PvuII genotypes when the control and CAD groups were pooled. In conclusion, LPL-PvuII polymorphism cannot be used as independent genetic risk factor for CAD

Lipoprotein Lipase Gene PvuII Polymorphism Serum Lipids and Risk for Coronary Artery Disease: Meta-Analysis

Our aim was to determine whether lipoprotein lipase gene PvuII polymorphism can be considered as an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) by conducting a meta-analysis of all available published trials, including our own study. In 7 seperate studies, 3289 subjects were screened for this substitution; meta-analysis included only some of these individuals. Among the 7 studies, 6 were performed on white subjects, whereas 1 was on patients with Saudi Arabic descent.Subgroup analysis indicated that individuals with PvuII substitution does not have an increased risk for CAD. The LPL-PvuII genotype and allele frequency distributions did not differ significantly between CAD patients and healthy controls. There was no difference in the distribution of LPL-PvuII genotypes between the healthy subjects and the patients with CAD. However, no significant differences in lipid variables (triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol) were determined for the PvuII polymorphisms in the patients with CAD. No significant differences were found in serum triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol levels for LPL-PvuII genotypes when the control and CAD groups were pooled. In conclusion, LPL-Pvu II polymorphism cannot be used as independent genetic risk factor for CAD

Levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha and IL-1a in newly diagnosed and multidrug resistant tuberculosis

Background: The pro-inflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and IL-1 alpha play key roles in host defence against tuberculosis (TB) but there is little knowledge of their levels in multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB). The aim of the present study was to investigate the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1 alpha and their relationship with the levels of T helper (CD4'), T suppressor (CD8') and total lymphocytes (CD45(+)) in newly diagnosed TB (N-TB) and MDR-TB

Comparison of arterial and venous blood gases in patients with obesity hypoventilation syndrome and neuromuscular disease

OBJECTIVES: Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) and some neuromuscular diseases (NMD) present with hypercapnic respiratory failure. Arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis is important in the diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment response of these diseases. However, ABG sampling is difficult in these patients because of excessive subcutaneous fat tissue, muscle atrophy, or contracture. The aim of this study is to investigate the value of venous blood gas (VBG), which is an easier and less complicated method, among stable patients with OHS and NMD. METHODS: The study included stable OHS and NMD patients who had been previously diagnosed and followed up between March 2017 and May 2017 in the outpatient clinic. ABG was taken from all patients in room air, and peripheral VBG was taken within 5 min after ABG sampling. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients with OHS and 46 patients with NMD were included in the study. There was a moderate positive correlation between arterial and venous pH values for all patients (rs= 0.590, P < 0.001). There were a strong and very strong positive correlations between arterial and venous pCO2and HCO3values (rs= 0.725 and rs= 0.934, respectively) (P < 0.001). There was no correlation between arterial and venous pO2and saturation values. There was an agreement in BlanduAltman method for the values of ABG and VBG (pH, pCO2, and HCO3). CONCLUSIONS: There was a correlation between ABG and VBG values (pH, pCO2, and HCO3). VBG parameters (pH, pCO2, and HCO3) can be used safely instead of ABG parameters which have many risks, during treatment and follow-up of patients with OHS and NMD