Serum Levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, IL-17, and IL-18 in Patients With Active Psoriasis and Correlation With Disease Severity

Recent progress in the understanding of psoriasis has shown that the regulation of local and systemic cytokines plays an important role in its pathogenesis. The most often used psoriasis score is the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI). A simple laboratory test from a blood sample would be an attractive, patient-independent, and observer-independent marker of disease severity. To this end, we evaluated the association of serum levels of some proinflammatory cytokines in vivo and their correlation with severity of psoriasis. The serum levels of cytokines levels were determined with the use of the ELISA method. All mean values except IL-17 levels of patients were significantly higher than those of controls. There was a significant correlation between serum levels of IFN-γ, IL-12, IL-17, and IL-18, and severity of the disease. Psoriasis can be described as a T-cell-mediated disease, with a complex role for a variety of cytokines, which has led to the development of new immunomodulatory therapies. In this study, serum TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, and IL-18 levels were significantly higher in active psoriatic patients than in controls. Furthermore, high levels of IFN-γ, IL-12, and IL-18 correlated with the clinical severity and activity of psoriasis, and those measurements of serum levels of these cytokines may be objective parameters for the disease severity

The Effects of Oxidative Stress in Urinary Tract Infection

We aimed to determine the effects of oxidative stress in urinary tract infection (UTI). One hundred sixty-four urine samples obtained from patients with the prediagnosis of acute UTI admitted to the Faculty of Medicine, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, were included in this study. Urine cultures were performed according to standard techniques. Urinary isolates were identified by using API ID 32E. The catalase and superoxide dismutase activity and the lipid peroxidation levels known as oxidative stress markers were measured in all urine samples. Thirty-six pathogen microorganisms were identified in positive urine cultures. These microorganisms were as follows: 23 (63.8%) E coli, 5 (13.8%) P mirabilis, 4 (11.1%) K pneumoniae, 2 (5.5%) Candida spp, 1 (2.7%) S saprophyticus, and 1 (2.7%) P aeruginosa. It was observed that lipid peroxidation levels were increased while catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were decreased in positive urine cultures, compared to negative cultures. We conclude that urinary tract infection causes oxidative stress, increases lipid peroxidation level, and leads to insufficiency of antioxidant enzymes

Comparison of Effects of Smoking and Smokeless Tobacco “Maras Powder” Use on Humoral Immune System Parameters

Background. The aim of this study is to assess the impacts of “Maras powder” and cigarette smoking on the parameters of the humoral immune system. Material and Methods. One hundred seventy seven subjects were included in the study. The IgA, IgG, IgM, C3 and C4 levels were detected via nephelometric method. Results. In 1.4% of the control group IgM levels were below normal where it was 10.8% and 18.6% in Maras powder group and in cigarette smoking group respectively. The IgM levels of both groups were significantly lower compared to the control group (P < .05). Nonetheless, the IgE levels of Maras powder group and smoking group were found to be remarkably higher compared to the control group (P < .01). Conclusion. Effects of Maras powder on humoral immune response were found to be similar to that of smoking

Efficacy of Vancomycin, Teicoplanin and Fusidic Acid as Prophylactic Agents in Prevention of Vascular Graft Infection: An Experimental Study in Rat

AbstractObjectivesTo compare the efficacy of a single prophylactic dose of intra-peritoneal vancomycin and teicoplanin with anti-biotic treated Dacron grafts (vancomycin, teicoplanin, 10 or 40% fusidic acid-soaked grafts) in preventing vascular graft infections in a rat model.DesignProspective, randomized, controlled animal study.Materials and methodsThe graft infections were established in the subcutaneous tissues of 80 female Sprague–Dawley rats by the implantation of Dacron prostheses followed by the topical inoculation with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The study groups were as follows: (1) uncontaminated control group, (2) untreated contaminated group, (3) contaminated group with intra-peritoneal vancomycin, (4) contaminated group with intra-peritoneal teicoplanin, (5) contaminated group received vancomycin-soaked Dacron graft, (6) contaminated group received teicoplanin-soaked Dacron graft, (7) contaminated group received 40% fusidic acid-soaked Dacron graft, and (8) contaminated group received 10% fusidic acid-soaked Dacron graft prophylaxis. The grafts were removed after 7 days and evaluated by a quantitative culture analysis.ResultsNo infection was detected in controls. The untreated contaminated group had a high bacteria count (6.0×104CFU/cm2 Dacron graft). Groups that received intra-peritoneal vancomycin or teicoplanin had less bacterial growth (4.8×103 and 3.9×103CFU/cm2 Dacron graft, respectively). Similarly, the group that received 10% fusidic acid-soaked graft showed less bacterial growth (3.6×103CFU/cm2 Dacron graft). The groups with vancomycin-, teicoplanin- and 40% fusidic acid-soaked grafts showed no evidence of infection. Statistical analyses demonstrated that intra-peritoneal prophylactic antibiotic treatment was less effective in inhibiting bacterial growth than high concentration antimicrobial-soaking of grafts.ConclusionThe use of vancomycin-, teicoplanin- and 40% fusidic acid-soaked grafts was effective in preventing primary prosthetic vascular graft infection

The Effects of Oxidative Stress in Urinary Tract Infection During Pregnancy

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of urinary tract infection (UTI) on antioxidant systems and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels during pregnancy. We also investigated if these antioxidant systems and LPO levels differed in each trimester. One hundred forty-three nonpregnant women, as a control group, and 77 pregnant women were included in the study. Urine cultures were performed according to standard techniques. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and LPO levels were measured using a spectrophotometer. UTI was observed in 14 of 77 pregnant women and the isolated microorganisms were Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus. CAT, SOD, and LPO levels were increased in pregnant women compared with nonpregnant women (P < .01). CAT, SOD activities, and LPO levels were increased from the first trimester to the third trimester in pregnancy without UTI. However, CAT and SOD activities were decreased, LPO levels were increased from the first trimester to the third trimester in pregnancy with UTI (P < .01). Pregnancy causes oxidative stress and also UTI during pregnancy may aggravate oxidative stress

New markers: Urine xanthine oxidase and myeloperoxidase in the early detection of urinary tract infection

PubMedID: 24591758Objectives. The aim of this study was to evaluate if xanthine oxidase and myeloperoxidase levels quantitation method may alternate routine culture method, which takes more time in the diagnosis of urinary tract infections. Material and Methods. Five hundred and forty-nine outpatients who had admitted to Clinic Microbiology Laboratory were included in the study. The microorganisms were identified by using VITEK System. The urine specimens that were negative from the quantitative urine culture were used as controls. The activities of MPO and XO in spot urine were measured by spectrophotometric method. Results. Through the urine cultures, 167 bacteria were isolated from 163 urine specimens; 386 cultures yielded no bacterial growth. E. coli was the most frequent pathogen. In infection with E. coli both XO and MPO levels were increased the most. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for XO were 100%, 100%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. These values for MPO were 87%, 100%, 100%, and 94%, respectively. Conclusion. These data obtained suggest that urine XO and MPO levels may be new markers in the early detection of UTI. © 2014 Pinar Ciragil et al

New Markers: Urine Xanthine Oxidase and Myeloperoxidase in the Early Detection of Urinary Tract Infection

Objectives. The aim of this study was to evaluate if xanthine oxidase and myeloperoxidase levels quantitation method may alternate routine culture method, which takes more time in the diagnosis of urinary tract infections. Material and Methods. Five hundred and forty-nine outpatients who had admitted to Clinic Microbiology Laboratory were included in the study. The microorganisms were identified by using VITEK System. The urine specimens that were negative from the quantitative urine culture were used as controls. The activities of MPO and XO in spot urine were measured by spectrophotometric method. Results. Through the urine cultures, 167 bacteria were isolated from 163 urine specimens; 386 cultures yielded no bacterial growth. E. coli was the most frequent pathogen. In infection with E. coli both XO and MPO levels were increased the most. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for XO were 100%, 100%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. These values for MPO were 87%, 100%, 100%, and 94%, respectively. Conclusion. These data obtained suggest that urine XO and MPO levels may be new markers in the early detection of UTI

Evaluation of a new chromogenic medium for isolation and identification of common urinary tract pathogens

In the study presented here, a new chromogenic medium (CPS ID 3; bioMerieux, Marcy l'Etoile, France) was compared to routine media for the isolation, identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bacteria recovered from urine specimens, and a cost analysis was performed. Escherichia coli, Proteeae tribe, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus spp. and Streptococcus agalactiae grew on the chromogenic medium as typical differentiated colonies and were accurately identified even in mixed cultures. Although the similarity of colors produced by isolates belonging to the Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Serratia and Citrobacter (KESC) group prevents differentiation among them, members of KESC were easily identified as coliforms. No substantial difference was observed when comparing the results of antimicrobial susceptibility testing performed on colonies selected from reference media versus CPS ID 3. Use of the new medium was associated with a savings of 75% over the conventional methods and the API system. Furthermore, this medium facilitated a remarkable reduction in the laboratory workload and consequently resulted in additional time and cost savings