Oxidant and antioxidant parameters in patients with Brucella canis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the oxidative status in patient with Brucella canis (B. canis) and healthy controls by measurement of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidant capacity (TOS), and calculation of oxidative stress index (OSI). DESIGN AND METHODS: Six patients with B. canis and 6 healthy control subjects were included in this study. Diagnosis of B. canis was made by rapid slide agglutination test (RSAT) and Modified Plate Agglutination Test (MPAT). The serum samples of B. canis positive patients and controls were used for measurement of TAC and TOS levels. RESULTS: The TOS and OSI index were significantly higher in brucellosis positive patients than control group (p<0.001 and p<0.0001, respectively), while TAC level was found similar in patient and control groups. CONCLUSION: Findings of this study have shown that B. canis generate low TOS and OSI index in man compared with smooth Brucella species infection. This difference may help to provide understanding about the pathogenesis of B. canis infection in man.

An important role for VCAM-1, but not for ICAM-1 in restenosis following coronary stent implantation.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we evaluated the possibility that, levels of circulating adhesion molecules following direct stent implantation may be a marker of restenosis. METHODS: This prospective, observational study investigated levels of circulating intercellular (ICAM-1), and vascular cell (VCAM-1) adhesion molecules in 15 patients with stable angina pectoris before and after coronary stent implantation for single vessel-single lesion disease in proximal left anterior descending artery. All patients received bare-metal stents. Patients underwent repeat coronary angiography for detection of restenosis at 6 month. Continuous data between patients with and without restenosis were compared using Mann-Whitney U test. Repeated measurements were compared using Wilcoxon T test. Categorical data were compared using Chi-square statistics. RESULTS: Baseline ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 concentrations before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were 4.89±2.28 and 46.35±22.96 ng/ml respectively. Levels of ICAM and VCAM increased nonsignificantly 24 hours after PCI (5.01±2.35 ng/ml and 52.57±19.40 ng/ml, respectively). Six patients (40%) developed restenosis within 6 months. Mean stent length, mean stent diameter, and mean dilatation pressure were comparable in patient groups with and without restenosis. Levels of plasma VCAM-1 measured before and after PCI did not change significantly in patients without restenosis. However, these levels increased significantly in the group of restenosis. At 6 months, patients who developed restenosis, had higher VCAM-1 levels, as compared to baseline values (from 45.1±21.0 to 57.2±14.3 ng/ml, p=0.05). Plasma levels of pre and post PCI ICAM-1 did not differ significantly between groups with and without restenosis. CONCLUSION: These results suggest a more dominant role for VCAM-1, but not for ICAM-1 in development of restenosis following coronary stent implantation.