Association of Serum Osteoprotegerin Level With Myocardial Injury and Cardiovascular Calcification in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients.

Background: Chronic kidney disease has emerged as a significant independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular calcification is an active process involving a complex interaction of inducers and inhibitors. High sensitivity cardiac troponin T assay detects troponin T with higher sensitivity and precision at an earlier point of time than the conventional assays, and is associated with poor outcomes. Serum osteoprotegerin is classed as an inhibitory factor for cardiovascular calcification. It is involved in the pathological processes of vascular damage and linked to the excess cardiovascular morbidity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the extent of cardiovascular calcification and serum high sensitivity cardiac troponin T level, and their association with serum osteoprotegerin level in patients with chronic kidney disease stages 3-5. Methods: 90 chronic kidney disease patients were enrolled in this study, and they were divided into two groups: group (1) included 45 non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease patients (stages 3-5) and group (2) included 45 chronic hemodialysis patients. Each group further subdivided according to the presence of cardiovascular calcification into subgroup A and B. Vascular calcifications were assessed by lateral lumbar, pelvis and hands X-ray radiographs. Valvular calcification was assessed by echocardiography. Serum cardiac troponin T was measured by high sensitivity assay and serum osteoprotegerin was measured by ELISA. Results: Cardiovascular calcification distribution was 22.2% in group (1) and 33.3% in group (2). Serum osteoprotegerin and troponin T in calcification groups (1A and 2A) were significantly higher than non-calcification groups (1B and 2B; P < 0.001). Osteoprotegerin correlated positively with high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (rs = 0.72, P < 0.001). cardiovascular calcification correlated positively with osteoprotegerin, troponin T, and phosphorus. osteoprotegerin and phosphorus were significant independent predictors of cardiovascular calcification at cut-off values ≥4.6 ng/L and ≥6.95 mg/dl, respectively (P < 0.001). Serum phosphorus and creatinine were independent predictors of osteoprotegerin (P < 0.001 and 0.048, respectively). Conclusion: Osteoprotegerin is strongly associated with cardiovascular calcification and high sensitivity cardiac troponin T. In addition, there is a positive association between calcification and troponin T. This suggests a role for osteoprotegerin in the pathogenesis and risk stratification of cardiovascular calcification and myocardial injury in chronic kidney disease patients with a potential role as a therapeutic target.

Amyloid A in Serum and Ascitic Fluid as a Novel Diagnostic Marker of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis (SBP) depends mainly on ascetic fluid culture which may be negative in spite of the clinical suggestion of SBP and high ascetic fluid neutrophilic count. AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the biological importance of amyloid A biomarker in both serum and ascetic fluid to diagnose SBP as early as possible and to compare it to other markers (C-reactive protein (CRP), and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR)). METHODS: This study included 37 patients with hepatic ascites; twenty-two of them had SBP, and 15 patients did not have SBP. Serum and ascetic fluid amyloid A, ascetic fluid neutrophil, C-reactive protein, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were measured in all subjects before the start of antimicrobial chemotherapy to the infected ones. RESULTS: Both the serum and ascetic fluid amyloid and also, CRP were significantly higher in patients infected with ascetic fluid than others. The cut-off point of serum amyloid A for early detection of SBP was 9.25ug/ml with the high sensitivity and specificity. For ascetic amyloid A, the sensitivity and specificity were 90.09% and 60% at cut-off point 2.85ug/ml, respectively. CONCLUSION: Amyloid A in serum and ascitic fluid can be considered as a good biomarker for early diagnosis of SBP.

Serum Alpha-fetoprotein Levels and Response to Direct Antiviral Therapy in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C: Real-world Results from 1716 Patients in Egypt.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Direct Antiretroviral Agents (DAAs), sofosbuvir-based therapies, have opened a new era in the treatment of chronic HCV infection. The aim of the study was to investigate the potential use of baseline and in serial serum, AFP levels as a predictor for response to DAAs in patients with Chronic Hepatitis C. METHODS: This multicenter observational study was carried out on 1716 chronic hepatitis C virusinfected patients who received direct anti-viral drugs for 12 weeks. The primary end point was sustained virological response at 12 weeks after the end of treatment determined by quantitative PCR for HCV RNA. Serum AFP was quantitatively assessed at baseline then after 12week after stoppage of treatment (SVR12). RESULTS: SVR12 rate was 97.8%. Elevated serum AFP was significantly higher in non -SVR group p value (<0.001). There was a significantly marked decrease in AFP after treatment in comparison to pretreatment values. The multivariate logistic regression analysis on the resulting significant variable from the univariate analysis revealed that only AFP was significantly related to the response to direct antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C with p <0.001, OR 1.10 (95% CI 1.07:1.12). Other sociodemographic (e.g. Age, gender, BMI, ..) or laboratory factors (Hb, ANC, WBCs, …) did not show any significant association with the patients' response to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Serum AFP levels were a predictor for response in patients with chronic HCV with the administration of direct antiviral drugs.