Effects of varicocelectomy on anti-sperm antibody in patients with varicocele

Anti-sperm antibody [ASA] can decrease sperm motility and, therefore, it is a cause of male infertility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of varicocelectomy on anti-sperm antibody in patients with varicocele. This observational study was conducted on 90 patients with varicocele at Sina and Imam Khomeini hospitals during 2006 to 2009. All varicocelectomy candidates were selected for ASA assessment both in semen and serum before and after surgery. ASA level was measured using a direct method for semen and an indirect method of Sperm MAR test, for serum. Paired t-test and McNemar's test were used for data analysis, and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. ASA level in semen was 13.7% before, and 15.7% after three month of varicocelectomy [p=0.881]. Serum level of ASA before and after surgery were 13.6% and 21.7%, respectively [p=0.033]. Three parameters including sperm count, motility and morphology showed recovery following, varicocelectomy, but only the difference in sperm motility was significant [p<0.05]. This study showed that varicocelectomy has no effect on semen ASA. Although serum antibody has been shown to increase after varicocelectomy but sperm motility will improve. Varicocelectomy seems to have a beneficial effect on semen parameters in infertile men with varicocele

Modification and evaluation of avidity IgG testing for differentiating of toxoplasma gondii infection in early stage of pregnancy

Toxoplasma gondii infection, an intracellular parasite, is often asymptomatic or is caused by different clinical diseases without being detected. Evaluation of IgG, IgA, and IgM in order to diagnose the pending Toxoplasmosis may confront some problems. Several researches has showned that Toxo IgG avidity can be useful in the recent active Toxoplasmosis. In current study, modification and importance of improved Toxoplasma Avidity IgG testing has been evlauated for differentiating Toxoplasma gondii infection in early stage of pregnancy. This experimental study included 300 pregnant women with risk of Toxoplasmosis in their initial months of pregnancy. We randomly divided 300 serum samples into A group [n=60] with high avidity and B group [n=40] with borderline avidity. The samples with Toxo IgG levels were classified to four subgroups. IgG avidity was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] method. The mean absorbance of 100 samples in two groups was calculated, and then, two dilutaion curves with plotted absorbance against dilution were drawn for each serum sample. The results of this study showed that in groups with different concentrations of toxo IgG, appropriate dilution of serum is suitable for testing of Avidity. Our findings revealed the subgroups of 1, 2, 3, and 4 with serum dilutios of 1/3, 1/6, 1/9, and 1/18 respectively, had real and good avidity. One of the issues affectig the results of avidity is high concenteration of Toxo IgG in serum sample. As shown in this study, the best points of dilution for well avidity in both high and borderline avidities are marked with arrows in figures 1-8. This study confirmed that improved methods of measuring Toxo Avidity IgG are very important

IgG avidity test for the diagnosis of acute toxoplasma gondii infection in early pregnancy

Toxoplasmosis is well known as an important infection in pregnant women. Although many serologic methods are available, diagnosis of early Toxoplasmosis may be extremely difficult. To detect the Toxoplasma IgG antibodies developed at the early stage of infection in pregnant women. 225 pregnant women, who were in the 2[nd] to 4[th] month of their pregnancy, enrolled in this study. Anti-toxoplasma IgG, IgM and IgG avidity were evaluated by ELISA method. The patients were categorized into three groups as follows: Group A, 124 cases; IgG+, IgM+, 55.1%; group B, 99 cases; IgG+, IgM-, 44%; and group C, 2 cases; IgG -, IgM +, 0.9%. Fifty five percent of the pregnant women had positive IgG and IgM among which 7.1% had low avidity which revealed an active infection in the pregnant women. In the current study, 44% of pregnant women had positive IgG and negative IgM, all of which had high avidity, which is an indication that in our population the level of toxoplasmosis infection is high and most women have had contacts with this parasite before pregnancy. In this study, the low avidity test was 7.1% showing that the occurrence of toxoplasmosis infection is still a serious issue. Observation of 45.8% high avidity among group A suggests that either IgM has a high half-life or there is a false positive IgM as a result of rheumatologic disorders. Therefore, avidity test is important in predicting maternal toxoplasmosis which is of value in disease treatment

Comparison of immunoblotting and ELISA for detection of anti-ganglioside antibodies in children with Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Anti-ganglioside antibody assays are widely used for diagnosis of auto-immune peripheral neuropathies. This study aimed to determine serum levels of anti-ganglioside antibodies in children with Guillain-Barre syndrome by immunoblotting technique and compare the results with those obtained by ELISA method. In this investigation, 50 children with Guillain-Barre syndrome [GBS] who were admitted from July 2006 to July 2008, to Tabriz Children's hospital in the north-west of Iran were studied. 30 children admitted for various other reasons than GBS were randomly selected as a control group. The levels of anti-ganglioside antibodies in serum were measured by ELISA and immunoblotting methods using commercial kits. Anti-ganglioside antibodies [IgG] were detected in 16 [32%] GBS patients and in 1 [3.3%] control using ELISA assay. However, by employing immunoblotting technique, antibodies against seven gangliosides were found positive in 28 [56%] GBS patients and none in the control group. The sensitivities of immunoblotting and ELISA methods were 56% and 32% and their specificities were 100% and 97%, respectively [p<0.001]. According to the clinical criteria of GBS, the specificity and sensitivity of immunoblotting was better than those of ELISA. It is important to notice that the immunoblotting method is able to measure the seven types of antibodies [GM1, GM2, GM3, GD1a, GD1b, GT1b, and Gq1b] simultaneously and it is an easy, routine method with a lower cost

Campylobacter jejuni infection and childhood guillain-barre syndrome

Guillain-Barre syndrome [GBS], acute postinfectious polyneuritis, is the most common cause of acute neuromuscular paralysis. Infection with Campylobacter jejuni is recognized as a common antecedent of the GBS. This study aimed to determine the frequency of this infection in children with GBS and, the clinical and epidemiologic features of this association. We performed a prospective case-control study on a cohort of 47 children with GBS admitted to Tabriz Childrens Hospital in the northwest of Iran between July 2006 and July 2008. Serologic investigations were used to diagnose preceding C. jejuni infection. We found evidence of recent C. jejuni infection in 40.4% of the patients with GBS, as compared with 6.1% in household controls [odds ratio 10.5, 95% CI: 2.2-49.2, P<0.001]. Duration to achieve independent walking was longer in C. jejuni-associated patients [P<0.013]. However 95% of C. jejuni-associated GBS patients achieved independent walking at end of one year. The patients with preceding C jejuni infection were more likely to have axonal neuropathy [P<0.05]. Campylobacter jejuni infection is an important antecedent illness in childhood Guillain-Barre syndrome in Iranian children, and is associated with good prognosis

Arterial atherosclerosis in patients with chronic kidney disease and its relationship with serum and tissue

We investigated the correlation between atherosclerosis and tissue and serum levels of endothelin-1 in patients with chronic kidney disease [CKD]. Arterial samples were obtained from 35 patients with CKD during arteriovenous fistula placement. Thirty-one patients with cardiovascular disease who underwent coronary artery bypass graft [CABG] were selected as the atherosclerotic group, and a piece of their aorta punched during CABG was obtained. Also, a small piece of the renal artery was dissected during donation in 24 kidney donors [control group]. Tissue endothelin-1 level was measured and atherosclerosis grading was determined by pathologic examination. Serum levels of endothelin-1 were also measured in the three groups. The mean tissue endothelin-1 levels were 10.73 +/- 7.57 pg/ mL, 12.16 +/- 3.95 pg/mL, and 0.93 +/- 1.06 pg/mL in the patients with CKD, those with CABG, and donors, respectively [P < .001]. The mean serum endothelin-1 level was 25.23 +/- 15.15 pg/mL in the patients with CKD, 21.13 +/- 17.22 pg/mL in the patients with CABG, and 2.66 +/- 1.51 pg/mL in the donors [P < .001]. Atherosclerosis grades correlated with tissue endothelin-1 level [r = 0.823, P < .001] and serum endothelin-1 level [r = 0.608, P < .001] in the patients with CKD. Multiple regression analysis showed tissue endothelin-1 level as the main predicting factor of atherosclerosis [P < .001]. Tissue endothelin-1 concentration is more important than serum endothelin-1 or lipids levels in prediction of atherosclerosis. Thus, blockade of tissue endothelin-1 receptors with its antagonists may prevent atherosclerosis progression