Plasma levels of receptor interacting protein kinase-3 correlated with coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Necroptosis plays an important role in human atherosclerosis and atheroma development. Since receptor interacting protein kinase-3 (RIP3) acts as a key mediator of necroptosis, this study aimed to explore its relationship between plasma RIP3 levels and coronary artery disease (CAD) and discover a potential new biomarker for screening CAD subtypes and severity. METHODS: A total of 318 patients with CAD who had coronary angiography and 166 controls in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from September 2017 to January 2018 were enrolled in this study. Patients with CAD were divided into three subgroups: patients with stable coronary artery disease (SCAD), patients with unstable angina (UA), and patients with myocardial infarction (MI). The severity of atherosclerosis was determined by Gensini score (GSS). Logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between plasma RIP3 levels and CAD. The correlation between plasma RIP3 and GSS was calculated using multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: Overall, plasma RIP3 levels were significantly higher than serum RIP3 levels. Plasma RIP3 levels in patients with CAD were significantly higher than those in controls. Plasma RIP3 levels were strongly associated with CAD (odds ratio: 6.00, 95% confidence interval 3.04-11.81; P < 0.001). Plasma RIP3 levels increased linearly from controls to patients with SCAD, then patients with UA, and finally to patients with MI. We found a significantly positive correlation between proportion of cases of acute coronary syndrome in subjects and their plasma RIP3 level quartile. Plasma RIP3 levels were also associated with GSS (B 0.027; standard error 0.012; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma RIP3 levels were independently associated with CAD. Plasma RIP3 levels could potentially supplement clinical assessment to screen CAD and determine CAD severity.

[Effects of acupuncture on lactoferrin content in tears and tear secretion in patients suffering from dry eyes: a randomized controlled trial].

BACKGROUND: With the understanding of the immune inflammatory response in the pathogenesis of dry eyes, and the limitations of widely used artificial tears and numerous pharmaceuticals and methods to promote tear secretion, clinicians pay more attention to the therapies that can promote tear secretion actively. Acupuncture treatment for dry eye may meet this requirement. OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture treatment on dry eye and the effects on duration, and to examine the mechanisms of acupuncture in treating patients with dye eyes. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: The study was performed at Department of Ophthalmology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from August 2010 to May 2011. Patients with the primary diagnosis of dry eye were enrolled. Sixty-five patients were randomly divided into treatment group and control group, and were given 3 weeks of acupuncture treatment or artificial tear therapy respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the lactoferrin content of the tears before and after treatment. In order to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment methods, the Schirmer I test and break-up time were also measured. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, the lactoferrin content in the tears of patients in the treatment group increased, break-up time was prolonged and the result of the Schirmer I test showed improvement after 3 weeks of treatment. The indexes mentioned above did not change in the control group after treatment. There were no significant differences in tear lactoferrin and Schirmer I test between one week after treatment and after 3-week treatment in the treatment group, but break-up time was significantly shortened. The result of Schirmer I test in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group one week after treatment. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can increase tear lactoferrin level, extend tear film break-up time and promote tear secretion in patients with dry eye in a time-limited trial. With the end of treatment, the effect decreased.