Vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) is overexpressed in psoriatic patients.

BACKGROUND: Vascular adhesion protein (VAP)-1 is an adhesion molecule with an enzymatic activity that partakes in the migration process of lymphocytes. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of VAP-1 in the skin and serum of psoriatic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventy-one patients suffering from psoriasis aged between 23 and 89 years were included in the study. The mean psoriasis severity assessed according to the psoriasis area and severity index was 14.2+/-9.6 points. The soluble VAP-1 serum concentration was evaluated by ELISA and VAP-1 expression in the skin (nine patients) immunohistochemically. RESULTS: The serum concentration of soluble VAP-1 was significantly higher in psoriatic patients than in healthy controls (403.4+/-130.8 ng/mL vs. 246.4+/-68.0 ng/mL; P<0.0001). No significant relationships were found between sVAP-1 concentration and studied clinical parameters, except the presence of pruritus. Mean number of VAP-1 positive vessels in psoriatic skin, both lesional (19.8+/-1.4) and non-lesional (9.4+/-1.4), was significantly higher than in healthy skin (5.4+/-1.5; P<0.005). Lesional psoriatic skin demonstrated significantly more VAP-1 positive vessels than non-lesional skin (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Significant overexpression of VAP-1 in both lesional and non-lesional psoriatic skin and higher serum level of soluble VAP-1 in psoriatic patients may indicate the role of VAP-1 in chronic inflammation occurring in psoriasis. However, because of lack of correlation between soluble VAP-1 serum levels and psoriasis severity this hypothesis needs further investigation.

[Reactive anxiety in patients during orthodontic treatment with crowns]. / Sostoianie reaktivnoi trevozhnosti u patsientov pri protezirovanii zubnymi koronkami.

Reactive anxiety of patients was evaluated at clinical stages of orthodontic treatment with polymeric crowns. Antistress therapy essentially decreased the number of patients with high reactive anxiety. Measures to control fear are obligatory before tooth preparation and impression making. At the rest stages it is hardly necessary to focus the dentist's and patient's attention at these measures.

Beta-endorphin concentrations in the sera of asthmatic patients.

Recent findings in animals indicate the influence of beta-endorphins on bronchial smooth muscle tone. The purpose of our study was to compare beta-endorphin concentrations in sera of asthmatics during the asymptomatic period and after histamine provocation. The study was performed in a group of 32 asthmatic patients and 12 healthy subjects. Beta-endorphin concentrations were evaluated by radioimmunoassay (J-125 beta-Endorphin Human) twice daily at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., and also before and after histamine provocation. No significant differences were found in endorphin concentrations for both normal controls and asthmatics at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. We demonstrated a statistically significant increase in endorphin concentrations in asthmatics as compared to the controls. We found a statistically significant decrease of beta-endorphin concentrations after histamine provocation in the asthmatic group.