ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) is a rare and potentially life-threatening condition after receiving coronavirus disease vaccines. It is characterized by symptom onset at 5 to 30 d postvaccination, thrombocytopenia, thrombosis, high D-dimer level, and antiplatelet factor 4 (anti-PF4) antibody positivity. VITT can progress very fast, requiring urgent management. Only few studies have described its detailed clinical course and imaging changes. We report a typical VITT case in a patient who underwent regular repeated brain imaging examinations. CASE SUMMARY: A young woman presented with headaches at 7 d after the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) injection. She then showed progressive symptoms of left upper limb clumsiness. Brain computed tomography revealed venous infarction at the right parietal lobe with a hyperacute thrombus in the cortical vein. Two hours later, brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed hemorrhage at the same area. Magnetic resonance venography showed an irregular contour of the right transverse sinus. Laboratory examination revealed a high D-dimer level, thrombocytopenia, and a high titer for anti-PF4 antibodies. She was treated with anticoagulants, intravenous immunoglobulin, and steroids and analgesic agents were administered for pain control. She had a marked improvement on headaches and clumsiness after treatment along with radiological thrombus resolution. During follow-up at the outpatient department, her modified Rankin scale at 90 d was 1. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should be alerted whenever patients present with persistent and progressive headaches or focal motor/sensory deficits postvaccination.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Soluble α-Klotho (s-Klotho) is a circulating protein with pleiotropic effects that mainly induce protective effects. Our study investigates the associations between s-Klotho and several established inflammatory biomarkers, with the aim of examining whether s-Klotho levels are representative of inflammatory states. METHODS: A total of 11,128 eligible participants from NHANES 2007-2016 were included in our study. Levels of four inflammatory biomarkers, uric acid (UA), C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC) count, and mean platelet volume (MPV), were examined for their relationship with s-Klotho levels. Sub-analyses sorted the total population by gender and into four quartiles. Linear regression models were used to evaluate the strengths of associations. RESULTS: All four inflammatory biomarkers were significantly associated with s-Klotho levels. UA, CRP, and WBC count showed an inverse association, while MPV showed a direct one. Of the four markers, UA was most strongly correlated with s-Klotho levels (ß coefficient: -28.89 in unadjusted model, p<.001), and this relationship was stronger in women than in men (ß coefficient of UA in men: -22.01, p<.001; in women: -31.54, p<.001). In addition, all four biomarkers manifested stronger associations with s-Klotho in higher quartiles, and the highest absolute values of ß coefficients appeared in Q4 vs. Q1. CONCLUSION: s-Klotho is significantly associated with well-recognized inflammatory biomarkers. A decrease in s-Klotho levels implies a general inflammatory status; therefore, s-Klotho serves as a potential biomarker that is inversely correlated with inflammatory conditions. Further applications in clinical practice will provide us with a better understanding of its role.Key messagesSoluble α-Klotho (s-Klotho) levels are significantly associated with the inflammatory markers uric acid, C-reactive protein, white blood cell count, and mean platelet volume.S-Klotho is involved in inflammatory processes and plays a protective role.S-Klotho may serve as an inverse indicator of inflammation.