Is glycated hemoglobin related to other dysmetabolic variables implicated in the increase of cardiovascular risk in polycystic ovary syndrome? A comparative study.

BACKGROUND: In non-PCOS patients the concentration of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) has been employed to identify individuals at higher risk for impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and diabetes mellitus. A few studies have examined the role of HbA1C in PCOS patients and current results are controversial. AIM: To compare the strength of the association between glycated hemoglobin and other predictors of cardiovascular risk in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 197 PCOS patients and 72 non-PCOS women. Transvaginal ultrasound, biochemical and hormone measurement were performed. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) was correlated with other variables related to dysmetabolic/vascular diseases. RESULTS: The HbA1C levels were 6.0±1.4% and 4.9±0.4% in PCOS patients and non-PCOS controls, respectively (p<0.001). The HbA1C levels were≥5.7% in 46.4% of PCOS and in none of the control subjects (OR=90.8). HbA1C was well-correlated with several anthropometric, metabolic and endocrine parameters. Stepwise multiple regression including HbA1C and other known predictors of cardiovascular risk resulted in a significant model in which body mass index (BMI) and free testosterone exhibited the best correlation with HbA1C (adjusted R(2)=0.530; F=39.8; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: HbA1C was elevated and correlated with anthropometric, biochemical and endocrine variables of metabolic/vascular disease risks in PCOS patients. Combined HbA1C, BMI and free testosterone levels provided a significant model with potential use to evaluate metabolic/vascular disease in PCOS patients.

Molecular typing and antifungal susceptibility of clinical and environmental Cryptococcus neoformans species complex isolates in Goiania, Brazil.

A total of 124 Cryptococcus isolates, including 84 clinical strains obtained from cerebrospinal fluid from AIDS patients and 40 environmental isolates from pigeon excreta and from Eucalyptus trees, were studied. The varieties, serotypes, phospholipase activity and molecular profile of these isolates were determined. Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii serotype A was identified in 120 isolates and Cryptococcus gattii serotype B in four isolates. The clinical isolates showed higher phospholipase activity than environmental isolates. Similar patterns of in vitro susceptibility to amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole and no resistance were found for all isolates. Molecular type VNI (C. neoformans var. grubii) was recovered in 80 clinical and 40 environmental isolates while the type VGIII (C. gattii) was found in four clinical isolates. This study demonstrated for the first time the molecular types of clinical and environmental Cryptococcus isolates in the midwest Brazil region.

The performance of semi-quantitative differential PCR is similar to that of real-time PCR for the detection of the MYCN gene in neuroblastomas.

Amplification of the MYCN gene in neuroblastomas is a potent biological marker of highly aggressive tumors, which are invariably fatal unless sound clinical management is applied. To determine the usefulness of semi-quantitative differential PCR (SQ-PCR) for accurate quantification of MYCN gene copy number, we evaluated the analytical performance of this method by comparing the results obtained with it for 101 tumor samples of neuroblastoma to that obtained by absolute and relative real-time PCR. Similar results were obtained for 100 (99%) samples, no significant difference was detected between the median log10 MYCN copy number (1.53 by SQ-PCR versus 1.55 by absolute real-time PCR), and the results of the two assays correlated closely (r = 0.8, Pearson correlation; P < 0.001). In the comparison of SQ-PCR and relative real-time PCR, SQ-PCR versus relative real-time PCR concordant results were found in 100 (99%) samples, no significant difference was found in median log10 MYCN copy number (1.53 by SQ-PCR versus 1.27 by relative real-time PCR), and the results of the two assays correlated closely (r = 0.8, Pearson correlation; P < 0.001). These findings indicate that the performance of SQ-PCR was comparable to that of real-time PCR for the amplification and quantification of MYCN copy number. Thus, SQ-PCR can be reliably used as an alternative assay in laboratories without facilities for real-time PCR.

The performance of semi-quantitative differential PCR is similar to that of real-time PCR for the detection of the MYCN gene in neuroblastomas

Amplification of the MYCN gene in neuroblastomas is a potent biological marker of highly aggressive tumors, which are invariably fatal unless sound clinical management is applied. To determine the usefulness of semi-quantitative differential PCR (SQ-PCR) for accurate quantification of MYCN gene copy number, we evaluated the analytical performance of this method by comparing the results obtained with it for 101 tumor samples of neuroblastoma to that obtained by absolute and relative real-time PCR. Similar results were obtained for 100 (99 percent) samples, no significant difference was detected between the median log10 MYCN copy number (1.53 by SQ-PCR versus 1.55 by absolute real-time PCR), and the results of the two assays correlated closely (r = 0.8, Pearson correlation; P < 0.001). In the comparison of SQ-PCR and relative real-time PCR, SQ-PCR versus relative real-time PCR concordant results were found in 100 (99 percent) samples, no significant difference was found in median log10 MYCN copy number (1.53 by SQ-PCR versus 1.27 by relative real-time PCR), and the results of the two assays correlated closely (r = 0.8, Pearson correlation; P < 0.001). These findings indicate that the performance of SQ-PCR was comparable to that of real-time PCR for the amplification and quantification of MYCN copy number. Thus, SQ-PCR can be reliably used as an alternative assay in laboratories without facilities for real-time PCR.