ABSTRACT
Objective To estimate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and thyroid autoantibodies in adults with alopecia areata (AA), and to analyze the relationship between alopecia areata (AA) and thyroid autoimmunity in adults.Methods A predesigned questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic information, medical history,and family history of AA in first-degree relatives from patients with AA.Thyroid function was evaluated, and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab) was screened in all the patieuts.Statistical analysis was carried out by the chi-square test and Fisher's exact test.Results Totally, 209 patients with AA were enrolled.Of these patients, 6.7％ were complicated by thyroid diseases, 20.6％ were positive for TPO-Ab.Compared with the patients without TPO-Ab, those with TPO-Ab showed a significant increase in the proportion of patients with early-onset (＜ 18 years) AA (x2 =5.589, P =0.025),prevalence rate of alopecia totalis/alopecia universalis (x2 =9.990, P=0.006) and thyroid diseases (x2 =12.279, P =0.002), and incidence rate of AA in first-degree relatives (x2 =14.426, P =0.001).Conclusions The positive rate of TPO-Ab is increased in patients with AA.It is recommended to evaluate thyroid function and to screen for thyroid autoantibodies in patients with AA despite of the absence of clinical manifestations of thyroid diseases.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the mRNA expression of Fc gamma RⅡA(FcγR ⅡA)on polymorphonuclear neutrophils(PMN)from patients with Beh(c)et's disease(BD).Methods Twenty-five patients with active BD and 20 healthy human controls were included in this study.Blood samples were obtained from all patients with active BD before treatment,from 15 patients with inactive BD after treatment and from healthy controls.PMN were isolated.The FcγR Ⅱ A mRNA expression on PMNs was detected by RT-PCR,and plasma myeloperoxidase (MPO)activity which represented neutrophil activation,was measured spectrophotometricaily.Results The relative expression level of FcγR Ⅱ A on PMN and plasma MPO aetivity were 1.80 1±0.829 and 32±5 U/L.respectively,in patients with active BD,0.820±0.625 and 27±4 U/L,respectively,in those with inactive BD,and 0.745 ±0.931 and 29±5 U/L,respectively,in normal controls;the differences were significant in the two parameters between the patients with active and inactive BD (both P＜0.01),while no statistical difference was observed between inactive patients and normal human controls(P＞0.05).There was a positive eorrelation between the expression level of FcγR Ⅱ A on PMN and plasma MPO activity in patients with BD(r=0.39,P＜0.0 1).Conclusions The mRNA expression of FcγR ⅡA on neutrophils is up-regulated in patients with active BD.It is likely that FcγR Ⅱ A is involved in the activation of neutrophils in BD.
ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the expression of neutrophil adhesion molecule CD11b,and plasma level of elastase in patients with anaphylactoid purpura during different clinical phases and their correlation with disease activity.Methods A total of 20 patients with anaphylactoid purpura were recruited into this study,along with 20 normal human controls.Two blood samples were collected from each patients at the first visit(active phase)and after 3～5 weeks of treatment(remission phase).The expression of CD11b was measured by flow cytometry in 12 patients and normal controls,and plasma levels of elastase by ELISA in 20 patients and normal controls.Results Increased CD11b expression and elastase level were noted in patients in active phase compared with those in patients in remission phase(3367.25±434.57 vs 2569.33±411.06.13.98±2.05 vs 4.29±0.80.both P＜0.01).No significant difference was found in CD11b expression between patients in remission phase and normal controls(P＞0.05).while the elastase level was higher in patients in remission phase than in normal controls(4.29±0.80 vs 3.67±0.54.P＜0.05).In active phase of anaphylactoid purpura,the expression of CD11b was positively correlated with the plasma level of elastase(r=0.73,P＜0.01),while no correlation was noticed between them in remission phase(r=0.20,P=0.54).Conclusion Peripheral neutrophils are activated in anaphylactoid purpura,which seems to be more obvious in active phase than in remission phase.