Dimethylarginines in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: Relation with the glycaemic control

We tested the relationship between plasma levels of dimethylarginines (ADMA and SDMA) and glycaemic control in 43 type 2 diabetic patients. Type 2 diabetics with poor glycaemic control (HbA1c > 6.5) had significantly lower SDMA and higher ADMA concentrations than those with well-controlled glycaemia (HbA1c < 6.5). (C) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Serum ghrelin and adiponectin levels are increased but serum leptin level is unchanged in low weight Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients.

Background: Weight loss and muscle wasting are common features reported in COPD patients and they are all related with systemic inflammation. In this study, the relationship between pulmonary functions and inflammatory and metabolic parameters in low weight COPD patients were investigated

Natural killer cell activity in multidrug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis

Background. Multidrug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (MDRTB), a major problem in developing countries, may result from either insufficiency of host cellular immune response or mycobacterial mechanisms which has been more intensively investigated so far. Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate natural killer cell activity (NKA) and T lymphocyte subsets in HIV- patients with secondary MDRTB. Methods: 20 male patients with MDRTB (mean age 38 +/- 8 years), 15 nonresistant tuberculosis male patients (NRTB) (mean age 36 +/- 11 years) and 12 healthy male controls (mean age 35 +/- 8 years) were included. The percentages of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD25+, CD11b+ and CD16+56+ cells were measured by flow-cytometric analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). NKA was evaluated using the anticandidal index method. Results: The mean tuberculin response was higher in MDRTB and NRTB patients compared to controls (15.4 +/- 3.8, 15.1 +/- 3.3 and 10.9 +/- 2.8 mm, respectively; p < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between PPD response and PBL subsets or NKA. The percentages of both CD3+ and CD3+CD4+ T lymphocytes were significantly lower in MDRTB (62.4 +/- 12.1 and 33.9 +/- 9.0%) compared to NRTB (70.8 +/- 7.5 and 42.9 +/- 8-6%; p < 0.05). Patients with MDRTB had significantly lower NKA compared to NRTB and controls (30.9 +/- 11.3, 49.7 +/- 15.5 and 40.0 +/- 8.5%, respectively; p < 0.01). Conclusion: This reduction in NKA may suggest a role for impaired NK function in the pathogenesis of MDRTB in HIV- patients

Serum ghrelin and adiponectin levels are increased but serum leptin level is unchanged in low weight Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients

Background: Weight loss and muscle wasting are common features reported in COPD patients and they are all related with systemic inflammation. In this study, the relationship between pulmonary functions and inflammatory and metabolic parameters in low weight COPD patients were investigated

Alkaline phosphatase: can it be considered as an indicator of liver fibrosis in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis with type 2 diabetes?

Objective: While isolated hepatosteatosis is a benign disease, in minority of cases non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) may even lead to cirrhosis in long-term. In order to find the stage of the disease and determine the prognosis, a liver biopsy is indicated. In this study, we studied the relationship of liver histopathological findings with serum levels of hepatic enzymes

Polymorphisms of interferon-γ, interleukin-10, and interleukin-12 genes in myasthenia gravis

To assess the involvement of polymorphisms in genetic susceptibility to myasthenia gravis (MG), this study analyzed four polymorphisms of interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-10, and IL-12 genes in 115 patients and 204 healthy controls (HC). IFNG +874T carriers were less frequent in MG, in patients with anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) (63%) and anti-titin (56.2%) antibodies compared with HC (p = 0.01 for all, OR: 0.5, 0.5, and 0.4, respectively). The presence of thymoma was also associated with lower frequency of IFNG +874T allele (p = 0.018, OR = 0.34). At IL10, -2763A allele was found to be slightly more frequent in MG and in patients with anti-AChR than in HC group (p = 0.05, OR = 1.7, p = 0.036, OR = 1.83). However, these associations did not remain significant after correction for multiple comparisons. IL12B allele distribution was not different among groups. These data suggest that some cytokine gene polymorphisms may contribute to susceptibility to or antibody production in MG. These findings need to be replicated in further studies. © 2007 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics