Proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine profile in pediatric patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There is evidence that patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have a low degree of inflammation in the intestinal mucosa. The aim of the study was to evaluate the profile of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in plasma in Mexican pediatric patients with IBS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients with IBS according to Rome III criteria for childhood and 15 healthy children, matched by age and sex, were included in the study. Plasma levels of tumoral necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukins 10 and 12 (IL-10, IL-12) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) were quantified and compared between groups. RESULTS: Plasma levels of IL-10 were lower in patients with IBS (86.07+21.3 pg/mL vs. 118.71+58.62 pg/mL: P=.045) and IL-12 levels were higher in patients with IBS compared to the control group of healthy children (1,204.2±585.9 pg/mL vs. 655.04±557.80 pg/mL; P=.011). The IL-10/IL-12 index was lower in patients with IBS (0.097±0.07 vs. 0.295±0.336; P=.025). Plasma concentration of TGF-ß was higher in patients with IBS (545.67±337.69 pg/mL vs. 208.48±142.21 pg/mL; P=.001). There was no difference in plasma levels of TNF-α between groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that children with IBS have a state of altered immune regulation. This is consistent with the theory of low-grade inflammatory state in these patients. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role played by these cytokines, specifically TGF-ß in the pathogenesis of IBS.

Supplementation of ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol is useful to preventing bone loss linked to oxidative stress in elderly.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol on oxidative stress and bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly people. DESIGN: A double-blind, controlled clinical assay was carried out in a sample of 90 elderly subjects divided into three age-paired random groups with 30 subjects in each group. Group Tx0 received placebo, group Tx1 received 500 mg of ascorbic acid and 400 IU of alpha-tocopherol, whereas group Tx2 received 1,000 mg of ascorbic acid and 400 IU of alpha-tocopherol, for a 12-month period. MEASUREMENTS: We measured thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total antioxidant status (TAS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutation peroxidase (GPx); BMD was obtained on DXA of hip and spine before and after the 12-month treatment period with supplementation of vitamins C and E. RESULTS: We found a positive correlation between hip-BMD and SOD (r = 0.298, p < 0.05) and GPx (r = 0.214, p < 0.05). Also, a significantly lower decrease of LPO (p < 0.05) was observed as linked with hip bone loss in the Tx2 group than in the Tx0 group. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that that administration of 1,000 mg of ascorbic acid together with 400 IU of alpha-tocopherol could be useful in preventing or aiding in the treatment of age-related osteoporosis.

[Anatomopathologic and ultrastructural study of cardiac myxomas]. / Estudio anatomopatológico y ultraestructural de los mixomas cardíacos.

For clinicians, cardiac myxomas has been a diagnostic challenge. It may simulate a valvular disfunction. The present paper displays the morphologic aspects on 17 patients with the diagnosis of atrial myxoma. In 14 cases the tumor was located in the left atrium. In all the cases stellate shaped cells were seen within a myxoid matrix. The findings in this report support the idea that myxomas are tumors and not thrombi as it has been speculated in the literature. We also consider that the cell of origin of this neoplasm is a pluripotential cell which needs further studies.

[Follicular bronchiolitis in connective tissue disease and its repercussions on the pulmonary arteries]. / Bronquiolitis folicular en enfermedad del tejido conjuntivo y su repercusión sobre las arterias pulmonares.

Connective tissue diseases may be associated with both an obstructive or a restrictive ventilatory defect. RAdiographic and microscopic findings usually reveal interstitial disease. This study describes a series of 11 patients with a connective tissue disease. Radiologically an interstitial pattern was observed, however, lung biopsies disclosed a bronchiolar lesion in which no pathology could be detected in alveolar septa. Vascular lesions were present in some cases an correlated roughly with time of onset. The bronchiolar lesions had no correlation with time of onset. We conclude that "interstitial disease" diagnosed by X-rays and pulmonary function studies may in fact, be caused by thickening of bronchioles and some blood vessels.