29 research outputs found
Lichen planus and hepatitis C virus infection
Producción CientíficaThe association of lichen planus (LP) with liver diseases is well established. The reported
prevalence rates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies in patients with LP tend to appear quite variable.
The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of HCV antibodies in a group of patients with
LP and evaluate the clinical characteristics of the subgroup with LP associated with HCV.2015-09-0
Antibodies against Chlamydia pneumoniae and their relation to lymphocyte population levels
Producción CientíficaChlamydia pneumoniae infection has long been suspected as a possible cause of atherosclerosis and has been frequently detected in
atheromatous plaques of the coronary arteries. Nevertheless, its distribution is not correlated to the severity or extent of the disease, but it
would support the hypothesis that the organism may be an active factor in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. A group of patients with
stable angina were examined as to whether or not the positivity of antibodies against Chlamydia pneumoniae modified cellular
populations as mechanisms responsible for the alterations of inflammatory response. We concluded that the presence of IgG anti-C.
pneumoniae antibodies do not participate in the activation of inflammatory mechanisms that may intervene in the genesis of
atherosclerosis in patients with stable angina
Polymorphisms of the WNT10B Gene, Bone Mineral Density, and Fractures in Postmenopausal Women
Producción CientíficaWnt ligands are important regulators of skeletal
homeostasis. Wnt10B tends to stimulate the differentiation
of common mesenchymal precursors toward the osteoblastic
lineage, while inhibiting adipocytic differentiation.
Hence, we decided to explore the association of WNT10B
allelic variants with bone mineral density and osteoporotic
fractures. A set of tag SNPs capturing most common
variations of the WNT10B gene was genotyped in 1438
Caucasian postmenopausal women, including 146 with
vertebral fractures and 432 with hip fractures. We found no
association between single SNPs and spine or hip bone
mineral density (BMD). In the multilocus analysis, some
haplotypes showed a slight association with spine BMD
(P = 0.03), but it was not significant after multiple-test
correction. There was no association between genotype and
vertebral or hip fractures. Transcripts of WNT10B and
other Wnt ligands were detected in human bone samples by
real-time PCR. However, there was no relationship
between genotype and RNA abundance. Thus, WNT10B is
expressed in the bone microenvironment and may be an
important regulator of osteoblastogenesis, but we have not found evidence for a robust association of common
WNT10B gene allelic variants with either BMD or fractures
in postmenopausal women
Sarcoidosis and sacroiliitis, a case report
Producción CientíficaSarcoidosis is amultisystem disorder of unknown
etiology characterized by the presence of non-caseating
granulomas in the organs affected. Sarcoid arthropathy is a
rare manifestation, and sacroiliitis is an unusual first manifestation
of the disorde
Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms modify the response to vitamin D supplementation: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Producción CientíficaThe vitamin D receptor (VDR), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily of transcriptional regulators, is crucial to calcitriol signalling. VDR is regulated by genetic and environmental factors and it is hypothesised that the response to vitamin D supplementation could be modulated by genetic variants in the VDR gene. The best studied polymorphisms in the VDR gene are Apal (rs7975232), BsmI (rs1544410), Taql (rs731236) and Fokl (rs10735810). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the response to vitamin D supplementation according to the BsmI, TaqI, ApaI and FokI polymorphisms. We included studies that analysed the relationship between the response to vitamin D supplementation and the genotypic distribution of these polymorphisms. We included eight studies that enrolled 1038 subjects. The results showed no significant association with the BsmI and ApaI polymorphisms (p = 0.081 and p = 0.63) and that the variant allele (Tt+tt) of the TaqI polymorphism and the FF genotype of the FokI variant were associated with a better response to vitamin D supplementation (p = 0.02 and p < 0.001). In conclusion, the TaqI and FokI polymorphisms could play a role in the modulation of the response to vitamin D supplementation, as they are associated with a better response to supplementation
Genetic polymorphisms of the wint receptor LRP5 are differentially associated with trochanteric and cervical hip fractures
Producción CientíficaPurpose. Epidemiological studies suggest that cervical and trochanteric hip fractures have
different pathogenesis. We planned to test the hypothesis that genetic factors have different
influences on both types of fractures.
Methods. Ten polymorphisms of genes known to play an important role in skeletal homeostasis
(estrogen receptor alpha [ESR1], aromatase [CYP19A1], type I collagen [COL1A1], and
lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 [LRP5]) were analyzed in 471 Spanish patients with
fragility hip fractures.
Results. Two polymorphisms of the LRP5 gene (rs7116604 and rs3781600) were associated
with the type of fracture (p-value 0.0085 and 0.0047, respectively). The presence of rare alleles
at each locus was associated with trochanteric fractures over cervical fractures (OR 1.7 in
individuals with at least one rare allele at rs7116604 or rs3781600 loci, in comparison with the
common homozygotes). Considering individuals bearing the four common alleles as reference,
the OR for trochanteric fractures was 1.6 in those with 1 or 2 rare alleles, and 7.5 in those with 3
or 4 rare alleles (p-value for trend 0.0074), which is consistent with an allele-dosage effect.
There were no significant differences in the frequency distributions of the ESR1, CYP19A1 and
COL1A1 genotypes between trochanteric and cervical fractures in either the original group or in
an extended group of 818 patients.
Conclusions. These results suggest LRP5 alleles influence the type of hip fractures. They
support the view that different genetic factors are involved in cervical and trochanteric fractures,
which should be taken into consideration in future genetic association studies
Influence of obesity on bone turnover markers and fracture risk in postmenopausal women
Producción CientíficaBackground and aims: The relationship between obesity and bone metabolism is controversial. In recent decades, the protective role of obesity in the development of osteoporosis is questioned. The aims of this study are the following: to evaluate the differences in bone turnover markers between postmenopausal women with and without obesity and to compare the risk of fracture at five years between these groups. Methods: An observational longitudinal prospective cohort study of postmenopausal women with obesity (O) (body mass index (BMI) > 30 kg/m2) and non-obesity (NoO) (BMI < 30 kg/m2) is designed. 250 postmenopausal women are included in the study (NoO: 124 (49.6%) and O: 126 (50.4%)). It measures epidemiological variables, dietary variables (calcium intake, vitamin D intake, smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity), biochemicals (β-crosslap, type I procollagen amino-terminal peptide (P1NP), 25OH-vitamin D, and parathyroid hormone (PTH)), anthropometric variables, and fracture data five years after the start of the study. The mean age is 56.17 (3.91) years. Women with obesity showed lower levels of vitamin D (O: 17.27 (7.85) ng/mL, NoO: 24.51 (9.60) ng/mL; p < 0.01), and higher levels of PTH (O: 53.24 (38.44–65.96) pg/mL, NoO: 35.24 (25.36–42.40) pg/mL; p < 0.01). Regarding the bone formation marker (P1NP), it was found to be high in women without obesity, O: 45.46 (34.39–55.16) ng/mL, NoO: 56.74 (45.34–70.74) ng/mL; p < 0.01; the bone resorption marker (β-crosslap) was found to be high in women with obesity, being significant in those older than 59 years (O: 0.39 (0.14) ng/mL, NoO 0.24 (0.09) ng/mL; p < 0.05). No differences are observed in the risk of fracture at 5 years based on BMI (OR = 0.90 (95%CI 0.30–2.72); p = 0.85). Conclusions: Postmenopausal women with obesity showed lower levels of bone formation markers; older women with obesity showed higher markers of bone resorption
Antibodies against Chlamydia pneumoniae in stable angina and interleukin-6 levels
Producción CientíficaInflammation is a key mechanism in atherogenesis and the rapid progression of coronary artery disease. Tissue lesion occasions the release of chemical mediators, cytokines, accompanied by an increase in the blood concentrations of acute phase reactants, such as fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A protein, sialic acid and ceruloplasmin and a reduction
of those of albumin. It has been observed that these proteins are higher in patients with is-chemic heart disease and, furthermore, who have a higher tendency to present adverse cardiovascular incidents [1]. On the other hand, the inflammation appears
to be directly linked to the ‘vulnerability’ or ‘instability’ of the atheromatous plaques that pre-dispose to disruption and acute coronary incidents. The inflammatory mechanism, therefore, can repre-sent the final common connection channel of chronic infection between atherogenesis and the clinical manifestations of coronary artery disease [2]
Effects of Atorvastatin on Vitamin D Levels in Patients With Acute Ischemic Heart Disease
Producción CientíficaVitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for osteoporosis and other chronic diseases, including
type 1 diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and ischemic heart disease. Cholesterol
and vitamin D share the 7-dehydrocolesterol metabolic pathway. This study evaluated the
possible effect of atorvastatin on vitamin D levels in patients with acute ischemic heart
disease. Eighty-three patients (52 men and 31 women) with an acute coronary syndrome
(75 with acute myocardial infarction and 8 with unstable angina) were included. After
diagnosis, patients received atorvastatin as secondary prevention. Serum vitamin D was
measured by high-performance liquid chromatography at baseline and at 12 months.
Atorvastatin treatment produced a statistically significant decrease in cholesterol and
triglyceride levels and an increase in vitamin D levels (41 19 vs 47 19 nmol/L, p
0.003). Vitamin D deficiency was decreased by 75% to 57% at 12 months. In conclusion,
atorvastatin increases vitamin D levels. This increase could explain some of the beneficial
effects of atorvastatin at the cardiovascular level that are unrelated to cholesterol
levels
Effect of the TNF -308 G/A Polymorphism on the Changes Produced by Atorvastatin in Bone Mineral Density in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome
Producción CientíficaAims: To evaluate the effect of atorvastatin on bone mass
and markers of bone remodeling in patients with acute coronary
syndrome depending on the tumor necrosis factor-
(TNF )-308 G/A polymorphism. Methods: Sixty-two patients
with acute coronary syndrome (35 males and 27 females),
average age 60 8 10 years, were included. Patients
were given low (10–20 mg) and high doses (40–80 mg) atorvastatin
according to their baseline levels of cholesterol and
triglycerides and their index of vascular risk. Patients were
studied during hospital admission (baseline) and at 12
months of follow-up. Cholesterol, triglycerides, total calcium,
phosphorus, magnesium, osteocalcin and urinary deoxypyridinoline
were determined in all patients at baseline
and at 12 months of follow-up. Densitometric studies were
conducted in the lumbar spine (L 2 –L 4 ), femoral neck and
trochanter using an X-ray densitometer. The TNF -308 G/A
polymorphism was determined by the polymerase chain reaction.
Results: Forty-five patients were homozygous for
G/G (72.5%) and 17 were heterozygous for G/A (27.5%). The
prevalence of osteoporosis (T score ^ 2.5 in the lumbar spineand/or hip) was 33% for the G/G genotype and 35% for the
G/A genotype, with no statistically significant differences
between groups. There was a statistically significant increase
in bone mineral density (BMD) in the lumbar spine (1.107 8
0.32 vs. 1.129 8 0.23; p = 0.0001) in patients with the G/G
genotype. No changes were observed in patients with the
G/A genotype. Conclusion: In patients with acute coronary
syndrome, atorvastatin increases lumbar spine BMD solely
in patients with the G/G genotype of the TNF -308 G/A polymorphism