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Extensive intracranial calcification is rare in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. This article reported a patient with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus, complicated with bilateral symmetrical extensive intracranial calcification. By reviewing literature, the results suggested that the flare of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies may be risk factors for intracranial calcification. Therefore, in order to prevent the formation of intracranial calcification, it is necessary to maintain continuous disease remission and anticoagulant therapy.
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Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of dermatomyositis (DM) patients with positive anti-melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) antibody-complicated with pneumomediastinum.Methods:Clinical data of patients with anti-MDA5 antibody-positive DM with or without pneumomediastinum from March 2017 to December 2019 in Ningbo First Hospital were collected and analyzed. The international literature were reviewed and compared. T-test or Mann-Whitney U test was used for measurement data, chi-square test or Fisher exact probability was used for count data. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors for anti-MDA5 antibody-positive DM with pneumomediastinum. Results:Twelve DM patients with -positive anti-MDA5 antibody without pneumomediastinum, and 1 DM patient with positive anti-MDA5 antibody-complicated with pneumomediastinum. Pooling with literature review, 16 DM patients with positive anti-MDA5 antibody-complicated with pneumomediastinum were compared. It was found that the serum ferritin (SF) level [991.6(548.5, 2875.1) ng/ml vs 355 (143.5, 395) ng/ml, Z=-2.506, P=0.012] and the rate of rapid progressive pulmonary interstitial disease (RPILD) in the pneumo-mediastinum group [76.5% vs 16.7%, χ2=10.076, P=0.002] were significantly higher than those in the non-pneumome-diastinum group. Further Logi-stic regression analysis did not show male gender [ OR=0.192, 95% CI(0.009, 4.125), P=0.291]; SF [ OR=1.002, 95% CI(0.998, 1.006), P=0.279]; RPILD[ OR=0.084, 95% CI(0.003, 2.178), P=0.136]; CADM[ OR=0.258, 95% CI(0.009, 7.419), P=0.429] was risk factor for pneumomediastinum. Conclusion:DM patients with positive anti-MDA5 antibody and high seral SF level and rapid progression of pulmonary interstitial disease are more likely to complicate with pneumomediastinum.
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Objective To identify primary gout biomarkers. Methods Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) technique combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to screen differentially expressed proteins, and to identify potential biomarkers by analysis of the biological process, cellular components, molecular functions, KEGG pathways and protein-protein interactions. Difference between two groups were measured byt test. Results We identified 95 differentially expressed proteins (50 up-regulated proteins and 45 down-regulated proteins, respectively), and 20 significant KEGG pathways. Among them, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), α-enolase (ENOA), phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK1), glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (G6PI) and moesin might play a role in the pathogenesis of primary gout. Conclusion iTRAQ technology can detect differentially expressed proteins from proteome, provides a strong theoretical basis for the study of biomarkers and evidence for the mechanisms in primary gout. However, further studies are needed.
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Objective To preliminarily investigate the levels of interleukin (IL)-1 family and IL-34 in serum of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and their roles.Methods Serum IL-1 family levels were detected from 6 AS patients and 4 healthy controls by using protein-chip technique.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was used to detect the levels of serum IL-34 from 65 AS patients and 85 healthy controls and the relationships of serum IL-34 levels and clinical or laboratory features were analyzed.T test and Spearman correlation were used for statistical analysis.Results IL-1Ra [(3302±1352) pg/ml vs (10778±2764) pg/ml]and IL-36Ra [(1363±194) pg/ml vs (3875±996) pg/ml] levels were significantly down-regulated in AS patients compared with that of healthy controls (t=5.363 and 4.289 respectively,both P＜0.05).The levels of IL-1α,IL-18,IL-36α and IL-37 were increased more remarkable in AS patients than in healthy controls (t=-2.532,-5.400,-5.023 and-5.783 respectively,both P＜0.05).Moreover,serum IL-34 levels were elevated more significantly in AS patients than in healthy controls [(169±153) pg/ml vs (54±31) pg/ml,t=6.722,P＜0.01] and were positively correlated with the levels of CRP and ESR.Serum IL-34 levels were markedly up-regulated in human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27 positive patients than in HLA-B27 negative patients(P＜0.05).Conclusion Part of IL-1 family and IL-34 may be involved in inflammatory or immunological process of AS.
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Objective To evaluate the clinical significance of serum level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF),angiopoietin (Ang)-1 and Ang-2 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods Serum levels of VEGF,Ang-1 and Ang-2 were measured with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Twenty-one healthy subjects,24 osteoarthritis patients and 82 rheumatoid arthritis patients were included.We defined active and inactive group according to RA disease active score,while early active RA and late active RA group were defined on the basis of disease course.There were 28 early active patients,32 late active patients and 22 inactive patients with rheumatoid arthritis.At the same time 29 RA patients were examined with ultrasound.Synovial hypertrophy (US joint count SH,US index SH),synovial fluid(US joint count SF,US index SF),resistance index and power Doppler signal (US joint PD,TSS) were scored.The correlation was analyzed.We also detected the serum levels of VEGF,Ang-1,Ang-2,ESR,CRP and DAS28 in 25patients with active RA after 3 month regular treatment.We used one-way ANOVA to compare the differences between groups,and Wilcoxon test to compare the differences between before and after treatment.We analyzed the correlation with linear correlation or Spearman rank test.Results The serum level of VEGF [(1285 ±272) pg/ml],Ang-1 [(0.55±0.25)ng/ml] in patients with rheumatoid arthritis were higher than osteoarthritis patients [(934±80) pg/ml,(0.32±0.16) ng/ml] and normal controls [(565±115) pg/ml,(0.24±0.21) ng/ml],and the serum level of Ang-2 [(1.36±0.40) ng/ml] was higher than normal controls [(0.52±0.32) ng/ml].The serum level of VEGF [(1355±194) pg/ml] in early active patients was higher than late active patients [(1096±477) pg/ml] and inactive patients [(862±91) pg/ml].The serum level of Ang-1 in early active patients,late active patients and inactive patients with rheumatoid arthritis had no statistically significant differences.The serum level of Ang-2 in inactive patients [(2.0±2.0) ng/ml] was significantly higher than late active patients [0.9±0.8) ng/ml].The serum level of VEGF was positively correlated with US joint SH,US index SH,US joint PD,and TSS.The serum level of Ang-1 was positively correlated with US joint SH,US joint PD,and TSS.The serum level of VEGF and Ang-1 were negatively correlated with RI.The serum level of Ang-2 was not correlated with US joint SH,US index SH,US joint SF,US index SF,US joint PD,TSS and RI.In the active RA patients,the serum level of VEGF,Ang-1 and Ang-2 was positively correlated with each other.In the inactive RA patients,the serum level of VEGF,Ang-1 and Ang-2 was not correlated with each other.The serum level of VEGF and Ang-1 before treatment was slightly higher than that of after treatment,but the difference was not statistically significant.The serum level of Ang-2 after treatment was significantly higher than that before treatment.ESR,CRP and DAS28 of after treatment were lower than those before treatment.Conclusion The serum VEGF and Ang-1 level could be used as useful index to reflect RA synovial thickening and angiogenesis The serum level of Ang-2 could be used as one of the efficacy indices.They may influence each other,and they may be the key factors that mediate the onset and development of RA angiogenesis and synovial inflammation.