Usefulness of glycated albumin as a biomarker for glucose control and prognostic factor in chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis (CKD-G5D)

In chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis (CKD-G5D) accurate assessment of glycemic control is vital to improve their outcome and survival. The best glycemic marker for glucose control in these patients is still debated because several clinical and pharmacological factors may affect the ability of the available biomarkers to reflect the patient's glycemic status properly. This review discusses the role of glycated albumin (GA) both as a biomarker for glucose control and as a prognostic factor in CKD-G5D; it also looks at the pros and cons of GA in comparison to the other markers and its usefulness in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis

Serum NT-proBNP Levels Are Not Related to Vitamin D Status in Young Patients with Congenital Heart Defects

Context. Hypovitaminosis D frequently occurs in early life and increases with age. Vitamin D has been suggested to influence cardiac performance and N-terminal-pro-type B natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) release in adults with heart failure. Objectives. To assess the vitamin D status and the impact of hypovitaminosis D on circulating NT-proBNP levels in young patients with congenital heart defects (CHD). Design and Patients. This cross-sectional study included the assessment of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), parathyroid function markers, and NT-proBNP levels in a series of 230 young in-patients (117 females, 113 males; 6.4 (4.0-9.1) years (median, interquartile range)) with CHD. Results. Serum 25OHD levels <20 ng/mL were detected in 55.3% of patients. Optimal 25OHD levels (>30 ng/mL) occurred in 25% of patients. Serum 25OHD levels inversely correlated with age ( = −0.169, = 0.013) and height standard deviation score ( = −0.269, = 0.001). After correction for age, 25OHD negatively correlated with serum PTH levels ( = −0.200, = 0.002). PTH levels above the upper quartile (44 pg/mL) occurred in 32% of hypovitaminosis D patients. Serum NT-proBNP levels were not correlated with 25OHD and PTH levels. Conclusions. Half of the young CHD patients were diagnosed with 25OHD deficiency and a third of hypovitaminosis D patients experienced hyperparathyroidism. Nonetheless, serum NT-proBNP levels were not associated with hypovitaminosis D as well as hyperparathyroidism

Serum NT-proBNP Levels Are Not Related to Vitamin D Status in Young Patients with Congenital Heart Defects

Context. Hypovitaminosis D frequently occurs in early life and increases with age. Vitamin D has been suggested to influence cardiac performance and N-terminal-pro-type B natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) release in adults with heart failure. Objectives. To assess the vitamin D status and the impact of hypovitaminosis D on circulating NT-proBNP levels in young patients with congenital heart defects (CHD). Design and Patients. This cross-sectional study included the assessment of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), parathyroid function markers, and NT-proBNP levels in a series of 230 young in-patients (117 females, 113 males; 6.4 (4.0-9.1) years (median, interquartile range)) with CHD. Results. Serum 25OHD levels 30 ng/mL) occurred in 25% of patients. Serum 25OHD levels inversely correlated with age (r =-0.169, P = 0.013) and height standard deviation score (r =-0.269, P = 0.001). After correction for age, 25OHD negatively correlated with serum PTH levels (\u3b2 =-0.200, P = 0.002). PTH levels above the upper quartile (44 pg/mL) occurred in 32% of hypovitaminosis D patients. Serum NT-proBNP levels were not correlated with 25OHD and PTH levels. Conclusions. Half of the young CHD patients were diagnosed with 25OHD deficiency and a third of hypovitaminosis D patients experienced hyperparathyroidism. Nonetheless, serum NT-proBNP levels were not associated with hypovitaminosis D as well as hyperparathyroidism

Anti-TNF-Mediated Modulation of Prohepcidin Improves Iron Availability in Inflammatory Bowel Disease, in an IL-6-Mediated Fashion

Background. Anaemia is common in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), frequently resulting from a combination of iron deficiency and of anaemia of chronic disease (ACD). ACD is characterized by macrophage iron retention induced by proinflammatory cytokines. Hepcidin is the master inducer of iron accumulation during ACD, and its production is mainly regulated by IL-6 and the novel erythroid hormone erythroferrone (ERFE). This study evaluates whether anti-TNF monoclonal antibodies therapy modurates hepcidin production and the levels of its main regulators, leading to a restoration of iron homeostasis. Methods. Sera were collected from 21 IBD patients, before each anti-TNF administration, for the first 6 weeks of therapy. Prohepcidin, erythropoietin, erythroferrone, C reactive protein, interleukin-6, iron markers, and haemoglobin levels were measured and clinical activity indexes were evaluated. Results. Serum prohepcidin, IL-6, CRP, and ferritin were significantly reduced after 6-week treatment; an increase in serum iron and total transferrin was observed. No changes in the EPO-ERFE axis were found. Remarkably, haemoglobin was significantly increased. Conclusions. Anti-TNF therapy improves iron metabolism and, subsequently, anaemia in IBD. This effect appears to be related to the modulation of the cytokine network and specifically IL-6 leading to a relevant decrease of hepcidin, a master regulator of ACD

Soluble Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products and Its Forms in {COVID}-19 Patients with and without Diabetes Mellitus : A Pilot Study on Their Role as Disease Biomarkers

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), a well-known player of diabetes mellitus (DM)-related morbidities, was supposed to be involved in coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), but no data exist about COVID-19, DM, and the soluble RAGE (sRAGE) forms. We quantified total sRAGE and its forms, the endogenously secretory esRAGE and the membrane-cleaved cRAGE, in COVID-19 patients with and without DM and in healthy individuals to explore how COVID-19 may affect these molecules and their potential role as biomarkers. Circulating sRAGE and esRAGE were quantified by enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assays. cRAGE was obtained by subtracting esRAGE from total sRAGE. sRAGE, esRAGE, cRAGE, and the cRAGE/esRAGE ratio did not differ between DM and non-DM patients and had the same trend when compared to healthy individuals. Levels of total sRAGE, cRAGE, and cRAGE/esRAGE ratio were upregulated, while esRAGE was downregulated. The lack of difference between DM and non-DM COVID-19 patients in the levels of sRAGE and its forms supports the hypothesis that in COVID-19 the RAGE system is modulated regardless of glycemic control. Identifying how sRAGE and its forms associate to COVID-19 prognosis and the potential of RAGE as a therapeutic target to control inflammatory burden seem of relevance to help treatment of COVID-19

Determination of the macromolecular dimensions of hydrophobically modified polymers by micellar size exclusion chromatography coupled with multiangle light scattering

cited By 13International audienceThe present work demonstrates that the use of a nonionic surfactant in the mobile phase together with light scattering coupled to size exclusion chromatography (SEC) provides an accurate determination of macromolecular dimensions of hydrophobically modified water-soluble polymer and polyelectrolyte, i.e., weight-average molar mass Mw and polydispersity Ip. This method, called micellar SEC, is based on the dissociation of the aggregates in aqueous solution and the formation of mixed micelles between the surfactant and the polymer hydrophobic groups. The methodology and its application are presented for synthetic sulfonated polyacrylamides (5 and 20 mol %) modified with three hydrophobic alkyl side groups (C8, C12, and C18) and with Triton X-100 as a nonionic surfactant and are discussed according to the associativity of polymers. The results are compared to those obtained by classical SEC in 0.1 M NaNO3 and by static light scattering in formamide solution

Serum and salivary cortisol measurement in obese women: correlation with psycho-psysiological profiles

The study aimed to measure salivary cortisol and cortisone concentrations, and then correlated both with the levels of total serum cortisol (determined by immunoassay) and free cortisol and cortisone in serum. The study concluded that both psychophysiological investigation and salivary cortisol measurement is a useful tool for assessing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity in obese women1