Estudio prospectivo de las variables psicopatológicas asociadas a tentativas de suicidio en pacientes esquizofrénicos / A prospective study of the psychopathological variables associated with suicidality among schizophrenic patients

Introducción. Este estudio se realizó para identificar el perfil psicopatológico de los pacientes esquizofrénicos suicidas en período de estabilidad y contribuir a definir los aspectos de rasgo de estas variables. Método. Los pacientes esquizofrénicos que ingresaron consecutivamente y que cumplían criterios de «suicidas» y «no suicidas» fueron evaluados en situación basal y al año, en cuanto a variables sociodemográficas, clínicas generales y psicopatológicas, mediante las subescalas positiva y negativa de la Escala de Síndromes Negativo y Positivo (PANSS), Escala de Depresión de Calgary, Escala de Desesperanza de Beck y Escala de Insight de Amador (primeros tres ítems). Resultados. Ciencuenta y siete de 73 pacientes pudieron ser reevaluados. El grupo suicida mostró mayores puntuaciones de depresión y desesperanza. La desesperanza y la menor sintomatología negativa permitieron identificar a la mayoría de los pacientes suicidas (66,7%) y no suicidas (70%). La desesperanza fue la variable más importante para identificar el riesgo de suicidio. Conclusiones. El perfil hallado en condiciones de estabilidad clínica complementa el perfil identificado en fase aguda en la literatura y podría permitir una mejora en la identificación del riesgo suicida y orientar intervenciones preventivas (AU)

Introduction. This study aimed to of identify the psychopathological profile of suicidal schizophrenic patients during a period of stability, thereby helping to define the trait aspect of these variables. Method. Consecutively admitted schizophrenic patients fulfilling criteria for «suicidal» and «non-suicidal» groups were assessed at baseline and one year later for sociodemographic, general clinical and psychopathological features, by the positive and negative subscales of the Positive and Negative Syndromes Scale (PANSS), Calgary Depression Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale and Amador Insight Scale (first three items). Results. A total of 57 of 73 patients were available for re-evaluation. The suicidal group showed higher depression and hopelessness scores. Hopelessness and lower negative symptomatology identified most of the suicidal (66.7%) and non-suicidal (70%) patients. Hopelessness was the most important variable for identifying suicidality. Conclusions. Under conditions of illness stability, this profile complements the acute phase profiles identified by most studies in the literature, and should foster improved risk recognition for targeting preventive interventions (AU)

5-Lipoxygenase pathway gene polymorphisms: lack of association with asthma in a Spanish population.

BACKGROUND: Cysteinyl-leukotrienes are mediators of inflammatory responses in bronchial asthma. We studied the genes encoding the enzymes involved in their synthesis to identify risk factors for asthma. The promoter polymorphisms LTC4S -444 A/C, ALOX5 -176/-147, and ALOX5AP -169/-146 have been reported to be associated with bronchial asthma. METHODS: We analyzed the effects of LTC4S -444 A/C, ALOX5 -176/-147, and ALOX5AP -169/-146 on asthma susceptibility by means of a case-control study with 193 ethnically matched, unrelated individuals. Participants were classified as severe asthmatics, nonsevere asthmatics, and nonasthmatics, using a combination of 2 techniques: polymerase chain reaction-restricted fragment length polymorphism and multiplex capillary electrophoresis. RESULTS: No association was found between these polymorphisms and asthma, neither individually nor in combination. CONCLUSION: Although the studied polymorphisms have been previously reported to constitute risk factors for the disease, we found no association between LTC4S -444 A/C, ALOX5 -176/-147, and ALOX5AP -169/-146 polymorphisms and bronchial asthma.

Insight into the role of CYBA A640G and C242T gene variants and coronary heart disease risk. A case-control study.

The CYBA gene variants have been inconsistently associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. A case-control study was conducted genotyping 619 subjects to explore the contribution of C242T and A640G to CHD risk in the population. A significant risk was found associated with GG homozygosity (odds ratio (OR) 2.132, 95% confidence interval, 1.113-4.085). The C242T variant was associated with CHD risk in women. Bias due to population stratification was analysed. Phenotype changes linked to these polymorphisms were evaluated. Superoxide measurements revealed higher production as indicated by the presence of the G and T alleles. Differences in mRNA concentration in heterozygous A640G samples were analysed. Higher levels of G allele mRNA compared with A allele mRNA were found. NAD(P)H oxidase p22phox sub-unit expression was evaluated with Western blot. Experiments revealed a gradual relationship in p22phox protein expression according to genotypes of the analysed variants. Those GG TT double homozygous showed increased p22phox protein expressions regarding AA CC double homozygous. This study has demonstrated increased expression and activity of the NAD(P)H system components during atherogenesis and the results could help explain the relevance of the A640G variant as a CHD marker.

Rosiglitazone but not losartan prevents Nrf-2 dependent CD36 gene expression up-regulation in an in vivo atherosclerosis model.

BACKGROUND: Thiazolidinediones exert anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative roles and attenuate atherosclerosis by mechanisms partially independent of their metabolizing actions. High doses of angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R) blocker losartan (LST) seem to promote fat cell formation by preserving PPARgamma activity. METHODS: C57BL/6J diet-induced atherosclerotic susceptible mice randomly received a normal or a high-fat high-cholesterol (HFHC) diet and were treated with rosiglitazone (RG), LST or a vehicle for 12 weeks. RESULTS: HFHC was associated with increased PPARgamma gene expression without an over regulation of PPARgamma responsive genes, whereas RG and LST treatments were found to maintain PPARgamma activity without resulting in increased PPARgamma gene expression. A better anti-inflammatory and antioxidant profile in mice treated with RG regarding LST was observed in spite of a similar PPARgamma preserved activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays revealed that animals under HFHC diet treated with RG showed a significant nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (Nrf2)-dependent down-regulation of the expression of the CD36 gene. CONCLUSION: The PPARgamma agonist RG exerts antioxidant properties that significantly reduced Nrf-2-dependent CD-36 up-regulation in mice under HFHC diet. Because LST treatment was also associated with a preserved PPARgamma activity, our data suggests that these RG antioxidant effects are partially independent of its PPARgamma metabolizing properties.

[Arterial blood pressure variations: homocysteine and nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphisms (NOS3)]. / Presión arterial, homocisteína y variantes polimórficas del gen de la óxido nítrico sintasa (NOS3).

BACKGROUND: The nitric oxide synthase (NOS3) G894T gene polymorphism seems as a genetic determinant of total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations through an effect on folate catabolism. We tested for a significant contribution to blood pressure values for the NOS3 G894T and 4a/b gene polymorphisms and whether those changes could explain the modulating effect on tHcy concentrations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed 158 healthy men. The NOS3 gene polymorphisms were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment analysis (G894T) and by PCR (4a/b). Total homocysteine concentrations were evaluated by the fluorescence polarization immunoassay method. RESULTS: In our population we did not obtain a significant contribution of the G894T to blood pressure variations. However, tHcy mean concentration values differed according G894T genotypes (P = 0.01). Interestingly, we did not obtain a significant modulating effect on tHcy concentrations according to 4a/b genotypes although the 4a/b genotype distribution was statistically associated with blood pressure variations. CONCLUSION: Our results showed a modulating effect of the NOS3 4a/b gene variant on tHcy concentrations that is at least partially provoked by discrete blood pressure increments. Nevertheless, our multivariate analysis did not show a statistical significant role for the NOS3 G894T gene polymorphism on tHcy concentrations.