Relationship between serum sialic acid levels and prolidase activity with airflow obstruction in patients with COPD.

ABSTRACT: Our aim in this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of sialic acid (SA) and prolidase activity and to evaluate the association between airflow obstruction severity and these parameters in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.Ninety-four patients (84 M, 10 F) and 34 healthy subjects (19 M, 15 F) were included into the study. COPD staging was performed to COPD patients according to new global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease criteria which includes pulmonary function tests, symptoms and hospitalization; COPD patients were divided into 4 subgroups as group A (n = 25), group B (n = 19), group C (n = 20), and group D (n = 28).SA and C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher than the control group in all COPD groups. SA levels were significantly higher in group B patients than the control and group A. Prolidase activity was significantly lower than control group in total COPD groups (P < .05). There was a weak negative correlation between SA and forced vital capacity (r = -0.217, P = .038) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) (r = -0.210, P = .045), whereas weak positive correlation was present between SA and Creactive protein (r = 0.247, P = .018) in all patient groups. There was weak positive correlation between prolidase and FEV1 (r = 0.222, P = .033) and FEV1/forced vital capacity (r = 0.230, P = .027).Our study shows that systemic inflammation, prolidase activity, and SA levels in stable COPD patients are associated with airflow obstruction severity. In addition to the prolidase activity; SA levels might be associated with inflammation.

Preoperative Fibrinogen and Hematological Indexes in the Differential Diagnosis of Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis and Breast Cancer.

Background and Aim: Studies on hematological parameters in the differential diagnosis of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) and breast cancer (BC) are limited. This study investigated whether preoperative fibrinogen and hematological indexes can be used in the differential diagnosis of patients with IGM and early-onset BC. Methods: Fifty patients with BC, 55 patients with IGM, and 50 healthy volunteer women were included in the study. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the IGM and the BC with respect to fibrinogen, fibrinogen/albumin (Fib/Alb) ratio, C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cells (WBC), neutrophils, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte values. When fibrinogen (p < 0.001), the Fib/Alb ratio (p < 0.001), CRP (p < 0.001), WBC (p < 0.001), neutrophil (p < 0.001), NLR (p < 0.001), monocyte (p = 0.008), and 2-hour sedimentation rate (p < 0.001) were compared between the groups, the highest levels were found in the IGM group. There was a negative relationship between CRP and albumin, and a positive relationship was observed between CRP and WBC, NLR, PLR, and 2-h sedimentation rate. CRP had the highest sensitivity (95%), whereas the Fib/Alb ratio (86%) had the highest specificity. Patients with recurrent IGM had increased fibrinogen, Fib/Alb, CRP, neutrophils, NLR, and 2-h erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and decreased lymphocyte levels compared to non-recurrent patients. Conclusions: Preoperative CRP, albumin, fibrinogen, Fib/Alb, WBC, neutrophil, NLR, monocyte, and 2-h ESR have considerable potential to be early and sensitive biomarkers of IGM caused by inflammation compared to BC. These parameters also have a significant effect on the recurrence of the disease, suggesting their potential as a practical guide for the differential diagnosis of BC from IGM.

Circulating miR-155, let-7c, miR-21, and PTEN levels in differential diagnosis and prognosis of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis and breast cancer.

This study investigates whether the circulating miR-155, let-7c, miR-21, and PTEN levels to be used in the differential diagnosis of patients with idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) and breast cancer (BC). Forty-five patients with BC, 50 patients with IGM, and 48 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Serum miR-21 expression was significantly higher in BC (fold change = 2.42) and IGM group (fold change = 1.33) compared to control (p < .001). Serum miR-155 and let-7c expression levels were significantly lower in both groups compared to the control group (p < .001). miR-21 expression in BC was significantly higher than IGM (fold change = 1.976; p < .001). PTEN levels in BC were significantly higher than IGM (p < .001) and significantly lower than the control group (p < .001); the IGM group was significantly lower than the control group (p < .001). In addition to radiological data, serum miR-21 and PTEN levels may be noninvasive biomarkers that can help differentiate IGM from BC. The results of the study will lead to future studies in the differential diagnosis of IGM and BC.

Evaluation of plasma antimicrobial peptide LL-37 and nuclear factor-kappaB levels in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial peptides are effectors of host defence against infection and inflammation and can encourage wound repair. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to investigate the plasma antimicrobial peptide LL-37 and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) levels in patients with stable COPD compared with a control group and to highlight their importance in immune inflammation. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-eight stable COPD patients and 33 control subjects were enrolled in the study. The COPD patients were classified into four groups based on FEV1 (groups I-IV) and also divided into "low-risk and high-risk" groups (groups A-B [low risk], C-D [high risk]). RESULTS: Plasma LL-37 levels were significantly lower while plasma NF-κB levels of the COPD patients were significantly higher than those of the control subjects (P<0.001, both). LL-37 levels were significantly lower in group IV than in groups I, II, and III (P<0.01, all). NF-κB levels were significantly higher in groups III and IV than in groups I and II (P<0.05, both). There was a positive correlation between FEV1 and FEV1/FVC in all COPD patients (r=0.742, P<0.001) and in group D (r=0.741, P<0.001). Furthermore, there was an inverse correlation between LL-37 and NF-κB in both the groups C (r=-0.566, P<0.001) and D (r=-0.694, P<0.001) and group C+D combined (r=-0.593, P<0.001). Furthermore, in group C, LL-37 and FEV1 were positively correlated (r=0.633, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Our study indicated that plasma LL-37 and NF-κB may play an important role in chronic immune inflammation. Decreased LL-37 levels may be particularly high risk for patients in stage IV disease. The role of LL-37 as a target for treatment of the immune system and COPD must be widely evaluated.