Midkine Levels and its Relationship with Atherosclerotic Risk Factors in Essential Hypertensive Patients

Background and Objectives: Hypertension (HT) is one of the risk factors associated with atherosclerosis. Midkine (MK) plays a role as a growth factor in various biologic and pathologic events. In some reports, MK expression has been shown to be linked with vascular smooth muscle proliferation and neo-angiogenesis in atherosclerotic vessels. The aim was to research relationship of MK serum levels with some atherosclerotic risk factors in hypertensive patients. Methodology: This study examined 60 patients with essential HT and 30 healthy controls. Serum biochemistry, including lipid profile, MK, Vitamin B 12, C-reactive protein, zinc and copper levels were obtained. Results: MK levels of the HT patients were significantly higher than the control group (24.8 +/- 6.8 ng/mL vs. 18.39 +/- 5.6 ng/mL, respectively, P < 0.01). Lipid profile parameters such as total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were also significantly higher in HT patients (P < 0.021, P < 0.01, and P < 0.01, respectively). Zinc levels were 179.13 +/- 34.06 mu g/dL and 172.55 +/- 45.47 mu g/dL in the HT and control group, respectively. Serum MK levels were positively correlated with diastolic (r = 0.288, P < 0.05) and systolic blood pressures (r = 0.390, P < 0.002), and also with serum total cholesterol (r = 0.406, P < 0.002) and LDL cholesterol (r = 0.318, P < 0.015) levels. Furthermore MK was also negatively correlated with zinc and Vitamin B 12 levels (r = -0.298, P < 0.023, r = -0.334, P < 0.027, respectively). Conclusion: This study has demonstrated an important association between increased serum MK levels and risk factors of atherosclerosis such as HT, increased total and LDL cholesterol

Thyroid dysfunctions due to lithium treatment in bipolar disorder: changes in oxidative stress, trace elements, and hemorheological parameters

Lithium is one of the most widely used medications for the treatment of bipolar disorder (BD). It also has some side effects on thyroid functions. We aimed to investigate the role of oxidative stress, trace elements, and hemorheological parameters on the pathophysiology of thyroid dysfunctions developed by lithium treatment in patients with BD. Patients with BD were divided into three groups: patients that non-lithium-treated, lithium-treated patients for 4-6 weeks, and lithium-treated patients for 40-68 weeks. Blood samples for analysis were taken before and after the treatment period. After analysis, patients were divided into six groups: non-treatment BD group (Group 1); short-term lithium-treatment group that did not develop thyroid dysfunctions (Group 2); short-term lithium-treatment group that developed hyperthyroidism (Group 3); longterm lithium treatment group that developed hypothyroidism (Group 4), long-term lithium-treatment group that developed hyperthyroidism (Group 5), and long-term lithium-treatment group that did not develop thyroid dysfunctions (Group 6). Plasma and whole blood viscosity levels were significantly increased in Groups 4 and 6 compared to Groups 1, 2, and 3. Hemoglobin levels were lower in Group 4 than in Groups 1, 2, and 5. Fibrinogen values were higher in Groups 4 and 5 than Group 1. Plasma and erythrocyte malondialdehyde levels were higher in Group 4 than In Groups 1, 2, 3, and 5. Also, they were increased in Group 6 in comparison with Groups 2 and 3. Erythrocyte glutathione levels were lower in Groups 4 and 6 than Groups 1, 2, 3 and 5. Plasma protein carbonyls levels were higher in Group 4 than in Group 1, or in Group 5 than in Groups 1, 2, and 3, as well as in Group 6 than Groups 1, and 2. Serum zinc levels were higher in Groups 2, 3 and 6 than in Group1. Serum copper levels increased in Groups 2, 4 and 6 in comparison with Group1. The results of this study indicate that oxidative stress increased with treatment time in lithium-induced thyroid dysfunctions. Also, whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, fibrinogen, zinc, and copper levels were affected by lithium treatment and treatment duration induced thyroid dysfunctions

Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) Q192R and L55M polymorphisms, lipid profile, lipid peroxidation and lipoprotein-a levels in Turkish patients with pregnancy-related disorders

PMID = 3065466

Factors Predicting Patients that Will Not Benefit from Invasive Mechanical Ventilation

International Conference of the American-Thoracic-Society -- MAY 18-23, 2018 -- San Diego, CAWOS: 000449980301115Amer Thoracic So