Clinical evaluation with self-sequential longitudinal reference intervals: pregnancy outcome and neonatal thyroid stimulating hormone level associated with maternal thyroid diseases / Evaluación clínica con intervalos de referencia longitudinal auto-secuencial: evolución clínica del embarazo y niveles de la hormona estimulante de la tiroides en neonatos asociados con enfermedades tiroideas maternas

OBJECTIVE: We attempted to evaluate maternal thyroid function in a new self-sequential longitudinal reference interval (SLRI) which we established recently. By this method, we analysed the correlation between pregnancy outcome, neonatal thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level and maternal thyroid diseases. METHODS: A total of 1744 pregnant women participated in the study and 1747 babies were born from those women (three bore twins). The levels of TSH, free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO-Ab) of mothers were quantified by electrochemistry immunoassay (ECL). The levels of neonatal blood TSH were detected by time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay (TRFIA). All data were collected and statistically analysed by SPSS 13.0 software. RESULTS: With our new SLRI method, we found that 0.11%~3.84% pregnant women would get thyroid diseases. Subclinical hypothyroidism was the most common maternal thyroid disorder. Being positive for thyroid peroxidase antibodies was a significant risk factor of subclinical hypothyroidism during pregnancy. The median, P2.5~P97.5, and interquartile range (IQR) of neonatal TSH (N-TSH) of 1747 babies were 2.72 mIU/L, 0.10~8.01 mIU/L and 2.62 mIU/L, respectively; 28.6% of pregnant women with thyroid diseases developed pregnancy complications. The prevalence was significantly higher than in the normal thyroid function group (p< 0.001). The levels of N-TSH were low correlated with maternal TSH levels (p < 0.05), but there were no significant correlations between N-TSH and maternal FT4 and maternal TPO-Ab (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Thyroid disorders, especially subclinical hypothyroidism, are common in pregnant women. These disorders are associated with pregnancy and fetal outcome. Routine maternal thyroid function screening is important and should be recommended.

OBJETIVO: Intentamos evaluar la función tiroidea materna en un nuevo intervalo de referencia longitudinal auto-secuencial (SLRI) que establecimos recientemente. Por este método, analizamos la correlación entre el resultado del embarazo, el nivel de la hormona estimulante de la tiroides (TSH) en neonatos, y las enfermedades tiroideas maternas MÉTODOS: Un total de 1744 mujeres embarazadas participó en el estudio y 1747 bebés nacieron de esas mujeres (tres de ellas tuvieron gemelos). Los niveles de TSH, la tiroxina libre (FT4), y los anticuerpos de la peroxidasa tiroidea (TPO-Ab) de las madres, fueron cuantificados mediante inmunoensayo electroquímico (ECL). Los niveles de TSH en la sangre de los neonatos, fueron determinados mediante inmunoensayo por fluorescencia resuelto en el tiempo (TRFIA). Todos los datos fueron recogidos y analizados estadísticamente usando el software SPSS 13.0 RESULTADOS: Con nuestro nuevo método SLRI, encontramos que 0.11%~3.84% de las mujeres embarazadas contraerán enfermedades tiroideas. El hipotiroidismo subclínico fue el trastorno de la tiroides materna más común. Ser positivo a los anticuerpos de la peroxidasa tiroidea fue un factor de riesgo significativo del hipotiroidismo subclínico durante el embarazo. La mediana, P2.5~P97.5, y el rango intercuartil (IQR) de la TSH (N-TSH) neonatal de los 1747 bebés fueron 2.72 mIU/L, 0.10~8.01 mIU/L y 2.62 mIU/L respectivamente. El 28.6% de las mujeres embarazadas que tenían enfermedades tiroideas, desarrollaron complicaciones del embarazo. La prevalencia fue significativamente más alta que en el grupo con función tiroidea normal (p < 0.001). Los niveles de N-TSH fueron bajos en correlación con los niveles de TSH maternos (p < 0.05), pero no hubo ninguna correlación significativa entre la N-TSH y la FT4 materna, y la TPO-Ab materna (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIÓNS: Los trastornos tiroideos, especialmente el hipotiroidismo, son comunes en las mujeres embarazadas.Estos trastornos se hallan asociados con el resultado del embarazo y el resultado fetal. El tamizaje de rutina de la función tiroidea materna es importante y debe recomendarse.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi plasmid pR ST98 -mediated inhibition of autophagy promotes bacterial survival in infected fibroblasts.

pR ST98 is a chimeric plasmid isolated from Salmonella enterica serovar typhi (S. typhi) and mediates both drug-resistance and virulence of S. typhi. Autophagy has been recently reported as an important component of the innate immune response against intracellular pathogen. In this study, we investigated the effect of pR ST98 on cellular autophagy, apoptosis and bacterial survival in infected fibroblasts. S. typhi strain ST 8 carrying pR ST98 , Salmonella typhimurium strain SR-11 carrying a 100 Kb virulent plasmid, and avirulent S. typhi strain ST 10 without plasmid were tested in this experiment. Results showed that embryonic fibroblasts infected with ST 8 containing pR ST98 had decreased autophagy accompanied by increased bacterial survival and apoptosis. Further study showed that autophagy inducer rapamycin reversed pR ST98 -mediated inhibition of autophagy and reduced apoptosis in infected fibroblasts. Our data indicate that pR ST98 can inhibit autophagy, thus facilitating S. typhi survival and promoting apoptosis of host cells. This study contributes to understanding the underlying mechanism of pR ST98 -mediated virulence in S. typhi.