Expression of monocyte and lymphocyte adhesion molecules is increased in isolated coronary artery ectasia.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery ectasia is defined as localized or diffuse dilation of the coronary arteries exceeding the 1.5-fold of normal adjacent segment. Scarce data are available about the role of inflammation in coronary artery ectasia. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the expression of CD11b and CD45 adhesion molecules in peripheral blood granulocytes, monocytes and lymphocytes from the patients with coronary artery ectasia as possible indicators of inflammation. METHOD: The study consisted of 14 patients who had angiographically normal coronary arteries with coronary artery ectasia and 13 age and sex-matched controls without coronary artery ectasia. Cell surface adhesion molecules were detected by direct immunofluorescence evaluated by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies tagged with fluorescent markers. Venous blood samples were taken after coronary angiography. RESULTS: Mean fluorescence intensity of CD45 (33.8+/-3.1 vs. 13.0+/-0.7, P<0.001) and CD11b (39.1+/-13.5 vs. 19.5+/-1.32, P<0.001) on the monocyte surface of patients with coronary artery ectasia were higher than those of controls. Similarly in patients with coronary artery ectasia, the expression of CD11b (7.5+/-0.61 vs. 5.6+/-0.2, P=0.009) and CD45 (47.5+/-3.6 vs. 36.2+/-2.5, P=0.02) on lymphocytes was also significantly higher than those of controls. CONCLUSION: Increased levels of cellular adhesion molecules in patients with coronary artery ectasia may be an indicator of endothelial activation and inflammation and are likely to be in the causal pathway leading to coronary artery ectasia.

Nocturnal enuresis and allergy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether an interaction exists between nocturnal enuresis and allergy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-seven (20 boys, 17 girls) children with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis were recruited. We studied an allergy panel that included total IgE, 10 examples of inhalant-specific IgE, 10 examples of food-specific IgE, eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) and Phadiotop. The same panel was studied in a control group of 18 children without monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis. RESULTS: We did not determine statistically significant differences between the enuretic group and the control group in terms of levels of total IgE, the 10 examples of inhalant-specific IgE and Phadiotop. However, two (soybean and hazelnut) of the 10 food-specific IgE and ECP levels did differ significantly between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: This first specific IgE study showed that there may be a relationship between nocturnal enuresis and soybean and hazelnut food allergens. Our findings may explain some cases of nocturnal enuresis. However, further studies are necessary to explain the underlying mechanisms and management of this disorder.

Correlation of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-4 and soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels with radiologic and clinical manifestations in active pulmonary tuberculosis.

The precise clinical manifestations of tuberculosis are likely to result from a complex interaction between the host and the pathogen. We took serum samples from a group of patients with a variety of clinical and radiological stages of pulmonary tuberculosis in order to characterize tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) response. We further evaluated whether the levels of TNF-alpha, IL-4 and soluble IL-2R are related with each other, and also evaluated the levels of TNF-alpha, IL-4 and sIL-2R after anti-tuberculosis therapy and relation with radiologic scores. Forty-three inpatients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and 19 healthy controls participated in the study. Patients were divided into four categories radiologically on chest X-ray (minimal, moderate-advanced, far-advanced and with miliary infiltration). Concentrations of TNF-alpha (20.9+/-10/15.4+/-8 pg/ml) and sIL-2R (2569+/-842/1444+/-514 pg/ml) were statistically different between patients and controls (p=0.02 and p=0.0001, respectively). Before chemotherapy there was a positive correlation between TNF-alpha and sIL-2R (r=0.34), but there was no correlation between IL-4 and TNF-alpha, and between IL-4 and sIL-2R (r=-0.23 and r=-0.22). The TNF-alpha level was not statistically different in four groups before and after chemotherapy. Results of this study provided some evidence confirming the previously reported role of TNF-alpha, IL-4 and sIL 2R in the control of tuberculosis, but these cytokines were not found related with disease severity.