Evaluation of ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 enzyme levels in patients with epilepsy / Avaliação dos níveis de enzima ubiquitina C-terminal hidrolase-L1 em pacientes com epilepsia

ABSTRACT Objective: Ubiquitin C-terminal Hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1) enzyme levels were investigated in patients with epilepsy, epileptic seizure, remission period, and healthy individuals. Methods: Three main groups were evaluated, including epileptic seizure, patients with epilepsy in the non-seizure period, and healthy volunteers. The patients having a seizure in the Emergency department or brought by a postictal confusion were included in the epileptic attack group. The patients having a seizure attack or presenting to the Neurology outpatient department for follow up were included in the non-seizure (remission period) group. Results: The UCH-L1 enzyme levels of 160 patients with epilepsy (80 patients with epileptic attack and 80 patients with epilepsy in the non-seizure period) and 100 healthy volunteers were compared. Whereas the UCH-L1 enzyme levels were 8.30 (IQR=6.57‒11.40) ng/mL in all patients with epilepsy, they were detected as 3.90 (IQR=3.31‒7.22) ng/mL in healthy volunteers, and significantly increased in numbers for those with epilepsy (p<0.001). However, whereas the UCH-L1 levels were 8.50 (IQR=6.93‒11.16) ng/mL in the patients with epileptic seizures, they were 8.10 (IQR=6.22‒11.93) ng/mL in the non-seizure period, and no significant difference was detected (p=0.6123). When the UCH-L1 cut-off value was taken as 4.34 mg/mL in Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve analysis, the sensitivity and specificity detected were 93.75 and 66.00%, respectively (AUG=0.801; p<0.0001; 95%CI 0.747‒0.848) for patients with epilepsy. Conclusion: Even though UCH-L1 levels significantly increased more in patients with epilepsy than in healthy individuals, there was no difference between epileptic seizure and non-seizure periods.

RESUMO Objetivo: Níveis da enzima ubiquitina C-terminal hidrolase-L1 (UCH-L1) foram investigados em pacientes com epilepsia, crise epiléptica, período de remissão e indivíduos saudáveis. Método: Foram avaliados três grupos principais, incluindo crise epiléptica, epilepsia no período não convulsivo e voluntários saudáveis. Pacientes com convulsão no departamento de emergência ou trazidos por confusão pós-ictal foram incluídos no grupo de crise epiléptica. Os pacientes que tiveram crise epiléptica ou foram ao ambulatório de Neurologia para acompanhamento foram incluídos no grupo não convulsivo (período de remissão). Resultados: Os níveis da enzima UCH-L1 de 160 pacientes com epilepsia (80 pacientes com crise epiléptica e 80 pacientes com epilepsia no período não convulsivo) e 100 voluntários saudáveis foram comparados. Enquanto os níveis da enzima UCH-L1 foram 8,30 (IQR=6,57‒11,40) ng/mL em todos os pacientes com epilepsia, os níveis detectados foram de 3,90 (IQR=3,31‒7,22) ng/mL em voluntários saudáveis e aumentaram significativamente na epilepsia (p<0,001). No entanto, ao passo que os níveis de UCH-L1 foram 8,50 (IQR=6,93‒11,16) ng/mL nos pacientes com crise epiléptica, foram 8,10 (IQR=6,22‒11,93) ng/mL no período não convulsivo, e nenhuma diferença significativa foi detectada (p=0,6123). Quando o valor de corte de UCH-L1 foi considerado 4,34 mg/mL com base na análise da curva ROC, sensibilidade e especificidade foram detectadas como 93,75 e 66,00%, respectivamente (AUG=0,801; p<0,0001; IC95% 0,747‒0,848) para os pacientes com epilepsia. Conclusão: Embora os níveis de UCH-L1 tenham aumentado significativamente nos pacientes com epilepsia em relação aos indivíduos saudáveis, não foi observada diferença entre crise epiléptica e períodos não convulsivos.

Retinal nitric oxide and malonyldialdehyde levels following photodynamic therapy.

Background: To determine the retinal nitric oxide (NO) and malonyldialdehyde (MDA) levels following photodynamic therapy (PDT). Materials and Methods: Seven Dutch-belted rabbits received dextrose, while seven others received 2 mg/kg verteporfin infusion over a period of 15 minutes in a dim-lit room. Irradiation to a 1.5 mm diameter intact chorioretinal area in the right eye of verteporfin-infused rabbits, was started 5 minutes after the end of infusion. Three groups were control (dextrose infusion), infusion with verteporfin (left eyes were not irradiated), and irradiation after verteporfin injection (right eyes were irradiated). On the fifth day of the experiment, the eyes were enucleated. The retinas were subsequently frozen and homogenized. Nitrite, a stable end-product of NO and MDA, was measured using the spectrophotometer. Protein concentrations were measured by the Lowry method. Tissue NO and MDA levels were expressed as μmol/gprt and nmol/mgprt, respectively. Results: The mean retinal NO and MDA levels of the control, infusion, and irradiation groups were 24.67 ± 6.66, 0.11 ± 0.02; 45.90 ± 15.52, 0.21 ± 0.09; and 84.43 ± 14.96 μmol/gprt, 0.58 ± 0.14 nmol/mgprt, respectively. The mean retinal NO levels were significantly elevated in the infusion and irradiation groups compared with the control group (P:0.004; P:0.001). The mean retinal MDA levels were significantly elevated in the infusion and irradiation groups compared to the control one (P:0.026; P:0.001). Also the mean retinal NO and MDA levels in the irradiation group were found to be significantly higher than the infusion group (P:0.018; P:0.018). Conclusion: Not only PDT, but also verteporfin infusion alone resulted in NO and MDA level increments in the retina, which might be toxic.

Comparison of serum glycosylated hemoglobin levels in patients with diabetic cystoid macular edema with and without serous macular detachment.

Aim: A clinical comparative trial was conducted to compare the levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in patients with diabetic cystoid macular edema (CME) with and without serous macula detachment (SMD). Materials and Methods: Thirty patients (group 1) with diabetic CME in both eyes, but without SMD, and 30 patients (group 2) with diabetic CME and SMD in both eyes documented by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), were included in the study. In addition to the measurement of central macular thickness by OCT and visual acuity (VA) (as logMAR) using the the early treatment diabetic retinopathy study (ETDRS) chart, the concentrations of HbA1c were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Statistical analysis was done by independent samples t test. Results: The mean logMAR VA was 0.8 ± 0.22 (1.0–0.5) in group 1and 0.7 ± 0.16 (1.0–0.6) in group 2. The mean central macular thickness, as determined by OCT, was 468.70 ± 70.44 μm (344–602 μm) in group 1 and 477.80 ± 73.34 μm (354–612 μm) in group 2. The difference between the groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.626). The mean HbA1c levels were 8.16 ± 0.99% in group 1 and 10.05 ± 1.66% in group 2. The difference between the groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The presence of SMD and high HbA1c levels in the patients with diabetic CME may be indirectly suggestive of retinal pigment epithelium dysfunction.

Effectiveness of a diabetes education and intervention program on blood glucose control for patients with type 2 diabetes in a Turkish community.

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of patient education and other interventions (regular exercise and diet), combined with existing oral antidiabetic therapy, on blood glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Two out of 16 primary health care centers present in Elazig, an eastern Turkish city, were randomly selected for this study; the patients had type 2 DM, lived in the service area of these health centers. Of a total of 100 participants, 33 were instructed to follow the standard diet for type 2 DM patients, 28 performed exercise in addition to the standard diet, and 39 did not participate in either exercise or follow the diabetic diet; they served as the control group. The percentage of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA(1C)) was measured before and after the 8-week program and comparisons between the groups were made. At the beginning of the program, the HbA(1C) percentage in the diet-plus-exercise group (9.9 +/- 2.6%) was higher than in the diet (7.8 +/- 2.2%) and control groups (7.5 +/- 2.1%). After the intervention program, the HbA(1C) value of the control group had not changed significantly, while the most dramatic change in this value was obtained in the diet + exercise group, which was significantly reduced to 7.9 +/- 1.5%. The results of this 8-week intervention program indicate that a diabetes education and intervention program involving the combination of exercise and diet enhanced the effectiveness oral therapy on blood glucose control in patients with type 2 DM.

Interleukin-8 levels in children with bacterial, tuberculous and aseptic meningitis.

OBJECTIVE: lnterleukin-8 (IL-8) is produced in monocytes and vascular endothelial cells in response to stimulation with bacteria or lipopolysaccharides, and is released from these cells into blood stream or tissue fluid. METHODS: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of interleukin-8 in 56 children with nonbacterial, bacterial and tuberculous meningitis (TBM), and in 15 control subjects were analyzed to evaluate the involvement of this cytokine in the pathogenesis acute bacterial meningitis and their discriminative value between different etiologies of meningitis. The kinetics of IL-8 concentrations during the course of bacterial meningitis was also evaluated in patients. IL-8 levels were significantly higher in bacterial and TBM than in aseptic meningitis and in control subjects (p < 0.0001). RESULTS: There was no difference in the levels of IL-8 between the non-bacterial meningitis and control groups. The analysis of the kinetics of production of IL-8 in patients with bacterial meningitis showed that the SSF concentrations of this cytokine decreased to undetectable values in recovery stage. Conversely in patients with TBM the concentrations of IL-8 were elevated in two weeks after beginning the specific treatment. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that determining IL-8 levels may be useful in the differential diagnosis.