ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To examine possible associations of ABO blood types with the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in pregnancy and the puerperium. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study within a cohort of 71,729 women who gave birth to 126,783 children in the North Jutland County, Denmark, from 1980 to 2001. We identified 129 cases with VTE in pregnancy (n = 61) or the puerperium (n = 68), and 258 controls with no VTE. We collected information on ABO blood groups and possible maternal confounding factors and estimated the relative risk [odds ratio (OR)]. RESULTS: Women with an A or AB blood group had elevated risk estimates of VTE in pregnancy or the puerperium compared with women with a O blood group [adjusted ORs 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3, 4.3, and 2.0, 95% CI 0.7, 5.8, respectively]. No increased risk estimate was found for group B (adjusted OR 1.2, 95% CI 0.5, 3.0). The increased risk estimates of VTE for blood groups A and AB appeared present in both pregnancy (adjusted ORs of 3.9, 95% CI 1.5, 9.7, and 2.2, 95% CI 0.4, 12.5) and in the puerperium (adjusted ORs of 2.4, 95% CI 1.0, 4.9 and 2.7, 95% CI 0.8, 9.3). Furthermore, blood groups A and AB appeared to be associated with increased risk estimates for both DVT and pulmonary embolism. CONCLUSION: Keeping the modest statistical precision of our study in mind, blood groups A and AB may be associated with increased risk estimates for VTE in pregnancy and the puerperium.
Subject(s)
ABO Blood-Group System/physiology , Postpartum Period/blood , Predictive Value of Tests , Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular/etiology , Venous Thrombosis/etiology , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Female , Humans , Odds Ratio , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular/blood , Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular/epidemiology , Risk Assessment , Thromboembolism/blood , Thromboembolism/epidemiology , Thromboembolism/etiology , Venous Thrombosis/blood , Venous Thrombosis/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Cystatin C, a protein inhibitor of lysosomal cysteine proteinases, was demonstrated by immunohistochemical techniques to be present in most luteinizing hormone- (LH-)containing cells in simian and human adenohypophyses. Immunoreactivity of cystatin C was also found in simian adrenocorticotrophic hormone- (ACTH-)containing cells localized to an area corresponding to the pars intermedia but not in the ACTH-containing cells of the anterior pituitary lobe of monkey. No immunoreactivity of cystatin C was detected in the growth hormone- (GH-) and prolactin-containing cells of monkey and man.
Subject(s)
Cystatins , Pituitary Gland, Anterior/metabolism , Proteins/metabolism , Adrenocorticotropic Hormone/metabolism , Aged , Animals , Chlorocebus aethiops , Cystatin C , Female , Growth Hormone/metabolism , Humans , Immunoenzyme Techniques , Luteinizing Hormone/metabolism , Male , Middle Aged , Pituitary Gland, Anterior/cytology , Prolactin/metabolismABSTRACT
gamma-Trace, a small protein occurring in body fluids and in secretory and neuroendocrine cells, was demonstrated by immunohistochemical techniques in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells of 13 pituitary adenomas obtained at surgery and autopsy. Seven of the adenomas also contained LH immunoreactivity. FSH, TSH, and ACTH were each found in one gamma-trace-containing adenoma. gamma-Trace was also demonstrated in extracts of 1 pituitary adenoma and of 5 nontumorous adenohypophyses. The immunoreactive protein found in the extracts had a molecular weight and electrophoretic mobility characteristic of gamma-trace. Computerized amino acid sequence comparisons between the primary structure of gamma-trace and those of known hormonal peptides showed no significant similarities.
