Increased serum visfatin as a risk factor for atherosclerosis in patients with ischaemic cerebrovascular disease

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>The present study aimed to investigate the possible associations between serum levels of visfatin, an adipokine, and atherosclerosis in patients with ischaemic cerebrovascular disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 95 participants were recruited for this study. Group A comprised 35 individuals with no history of cerebrovascular disease (control group) and Group B comprised 60 patients with ischaemic cerebrovascular disease. Group B was further categorised into two subgroups based on the ultrasonographic findings of the common carotid artery intima‑media thickness (CCA‑IMT) - Group B1 consisted of 21 patients with no atherosclerosis (i.e. CCA‑IMT ≤ 0.9 mm) and Group B2 consisted of 39 patients with atherosclerosis (i.e. CCA‑IMT > 0.9 mm). The body mass index, fasting blood total cholesterol, triglycerides, high‑density lipoprotein cholesterol, low‑density lipoprotein cholesterol and glucose levels of each patient were measured. Serum visfatin levels were determined using enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assays. Visfatin levels were compared between groups, and stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for atherosclerosis, including visfatin levels.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean serum visfatin level of the patients in Group B was higher than that in Group A (75.5 ± 77.80 ng/mL vs. 8.6 ± 4.69 ng/mL; p < 0.05) and the level was higher in patients from Group B2 than those from Group B1 (89.0 ± 80.68 ng/mL vs. 50.4 ± 72.44 ng/mL; p < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that CCA‑IMT values were not significantly associated with visfatin levels. However, logistic regression analysis showed that serum visfatin was an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis (odds ratio 37.80; p = 0.004).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Serum visfatin may be an independent risk factor for cerebral infarction, as high serum visfatin levels are positively associated with the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of ischaemic cerebrovascular disease.</p>

The changes and clinical significance of CD62P、 PAIgG、 Tr cell in children with acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura pateints / 国际儿科学杂志

Objective To analyze the changes of PAIgG, CD62P, CD4+CD25+ Foxp3+Tr,and IL-18 before and after treatment in peripheral blood of children with acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP) and investigate the function of these factors in the pathogenesis of ITP.Methods Forty-one cases of acute ITP children were divided into the effective group(35cases) and the ineffective group (6cases) according to the clinical treatment. To detect PAIgG,CD62P,and the number of Tr cells by using flow cytometry ,IL-18 plasma levels by ELISA assay,and analyze the variations of these indicators before and after treatment in children with acute ITP. Results In the effective treatment group, PAIgG, CD62P before treatment were 53.05%,(14.18±5.04 )%, which were significantly higher than that after treatment [18.62%, ( 8.36±1.95 )%] and control group[5.26%,(2.65±0.59) %,all P<0.01],and PAIgG,CD62P after treatment were also higher than that in control group [all P<0.05].IL-18,CD4 + T lymphocytes, Tr/CD4+T-lymphocyte ratios before treatment [415.47 ±38.92 ) ng/L,( 25.64 ± 5.81 )%,( 2.67 ± 0.14 )%]were significantly lower than that after treatment [(512.85±42. 17)ng/L,(35.08±6.07)% ,(4.76±0.58)%] and control group[(506. 39±32.28) ng/L,(35.32±2.27)% ,(5.37 ±0.69)% ,all P<0.01]. IL-18, CD4 +T lymphocytes, Tr/CD4 +T-lymphocyte ratios after treatmenthad no statistically significant difference compared with control group( all P<0.05 ). In ineffective group, the test results of PAIgG, CD62P, IL-18, CD4 +T lymphocytes, Tr/CD4+ T-lymphocyte ratios showed no significant change before and after treatment( all P<0.05 ).IL-18 had negative correlations with PAIgG,CD62P respectively before and after treatment(all P<0.05 ). Tr cells / CD4 + T had negative correlations with PAIgG,CD62P respectively (all P<0.05). Conclusions The amount of Tr, IL-18 were reduced, while CD62P and PAIgG increased in peripheral blood of children with acute ITP. IL-18, Tr , CD62P and PAIgG play important roles in the pathogenesis of acute ITP.

The detection of relationship between cellular immune function and CD4 + T lymphocytes apoptosis in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis / 中国医师杂志

ObjectiveTo study the apoptosis of CD4 + T lymphocytes and the detection of immune function in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and explore the clinical significance.MethodsThe mononuclear cells were separated from the blood of the tuberculosis patients or the healthy.The flow cytometry was used to measure the percentage of apoptotic CD4 + T lymphocytes,and the standard of T-lymphocyte subsets were detected by using SAP technology.The red cell immune function were determined by using yeast wreath way.Results The apoptosis rate of CD4 + T lymphocytes and CD8 + T lymphocyte was ( 15.882 ± 4.65 ) ％,and (27.69 ± 0.74) ％.The Immune complex positive rate ( 19.40 ± 0.58) ％ in patients with tuberculosis was significantly higher than those in controls ( P ＜ 0.01 ).C3b receptor positive rate in red blood cells was ( 17.73 ± 0.63 ) ％,( 46.48 ± 1.34 ) ％ in CD3 + T lymphocyte,( 28.12 ±0.69 ) ％ in CD4 + T lymphocyte,and the ratio of CD4/CD8 ( 1.0223 ± 0.09362) in the patients with tuberculosis was lower than the control group( P ＜ 0.01 ).There were certain relationships between the apoptosis rate of CD4 + T lymphocytes and the percentages of CD4 + T lymphocyte,the standard of T lymphocyte subsets and the red cell immune function.ConclusionsThe apoptosis rate of CD4 + T lympho,cytes in patients with tuberculosis were significantly higher than the healthy,which led to reducing the number of CD4 + T lymphocytes.There was positive correlation between red cell immunity and T-lymphocyte immunity,and the immunity in red cell and T- lymphocyte was lower than normal controls,which may be related to the immune pathogenesis of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Deep Fungal Hospital Infection: A 360 Case Investigation and Prevention Measures / 中华医院感染学杂志

OBJECTIVE To investigate deep fungal hospital infection and methods of its decreasing. METHODS Case histories of near 3 years of hospitalized patients from Jan 2002 to Dec 2004 were analyzed according to Diagnosis Standard of Nosocomical Infection under the items,such as the patients,age,underlying disease,sample,strain,and species distribution. RESULTS There were 360 fungus strains belonged to 15 species in all samples;the patients age was 14-94 with 20 kinds of various underlying diseases;the fungi included Candida albicans,and C.tropicalis,accounted for 61.1% and 17.2%,respectively;the samples were sputum,urine,vaginal secretion,BLA,throat swab and pus,which were 42.2%,21.1%,13.9%,8.4%,5.8%,and 3.6%,respectively;the respiratory department,ICU,and urology department were mainly involved. CONCLUSIONS To prevent fungal infection, measures such as hospital′s environment and management including reasonable use of antibiotics play a great role in monitoring hospital fungal infection and its epidemiology.