Cancer-Related Fatigue and Circulating Biomarkers in Breast Cancer Survivors.

PURPOSE: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most common and disruptive symptom experienced by cancer survivors and because of its frequency and severity is especially worrisome in breast cancer survivors (BCS). Despite a great deal of research, the mechanisms underlying CRF have not been determined. The present study aims to describe associations between CRF in BCS and different blood biomarkers. METHODS: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted. A set of biomarkers assessing inflammation were measured in BCS: C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF); HPA axis dysfunction (cortisol), autonomic dysfunction (noradrenaline); oxidative stress (8-OH deoxyguanosine); insulin resistance markers (insulin, IGF-I, IGFBP3) and sexual hormones (estrogens, progesterone, testosterone). RESULTS: NLR (p = .00) and cortisol (p = .02) were positive and negatively associated with CRF, respectively. The rest of the blood markers were not associated with CRF. CONCLUSION: Our results increase the evidence on pathophysiological mechanisms driving CRF in BCS. However, longitudinal studies are needed to explore the role of these factors as potential causal mechanisms.

Biosignature of self-injury behaviors in adolescence: Role of ß-endorphin in an acute inpatient unit.

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) (either non-suicidal self-injury, NSSI; or suicide attempts, SA) is a common reason for adolescent psychiatric emergency hospitalizations. Altered basal serum ß-endorphin (BE) levels have been reported in adults with a history of SIB, but information is lacking in adolescents. We analyzed the psychoclinical profile and serum BE level of 39 adolescents admitted to the acute unit at a hospital in Spain due to SIB. The Mean (SD) serum BE level was high (190.53 ± 74.83). Regarding time sequence, the onset age of NSSI and SA were related (p < 0.001). The older the onset age of NSSI, the shorter the transition between NSSI and the onset of SA behavior (p = 0.05), but this difference does not lead the variation of BE (p = 0.81). Patients diagnosed with depression had lower serum BE levels than adolescents with other diagnoses (p = 0.03). Although adolescents who seem to be addicted to SIB had higher levels of BE, this finding was not statistically significant. The relationship between serum BE levels and SIB in adolescents requires further investigation.

Effect of Expanded Hemodialysis with Theranova® in Patients with COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: Cytokine storm control is the main target for improving severe COVID-19 by using immunosuppressive treatment. Effective renal replacement therapy (RRT) could give us an advantage removing cytokines in patients with RRT requirements superimposed on COVID-19. METHODS: This is a prospective observational study in COVID-19 patients who required hemodialysis (HD). Patients were assigned to online hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF) and expanded HD (HDx) according to Brescia group recommendations. We measured several cytokines, ß2 microglobulin and albumin levels pre/post-dialysis and on 1st-2nd week. We compared levels among both techniques and control group (HD without COVID-19). RESULTS: We included 26 patients: 18 with COVID-19 on RRT (5 of them had acute kidney injury [AKI]) and 8 controls. We confirm higher cytokine levels in COVID-19 patients than controls and even higher in patients with AKI than in those with chronic kidney disease. Most cytokines raised during HD session, except IL-10 and TNFα. IL-10 was eliminated by any dialysis technique, while clearance of TNFα was higher in the HDx group. HDx achieved a deeper normalization of cytokines and ß2 microglobulin reduction. Mortality was higher in the OL-HDF group than the HDx group. DISCUSSION: Not all cytokines behave equally along HD session. The following characteristics should be taken into account, such as intrinsic kinetic profile during a HD session. HDx seems to get better performance, probably due to the combination of different factors; however, we did not reach statistical significance due to the small sample size, dropout, and reduction of AKI incidence during the 2nd pandemic wave. CONCLUSION: HDx appears to provide better clearance for TNFα and ß2 microglobulin during HD session and associates lower mortality. We propose the HDx technique for COVID-19 patients with RRT requirements since it seems to be safe and more effective than OL-HDF. Further studies are still needed, but we hope that our preliminary data may help us in future pandemic waves of SARS-CoV-2 or other viruses still to come.

Exploring the potential relationship between collagen cross-linking and impaired myocardial relaxation in Marfan syndrome: An observational study using serum biomarkers.

BACKGROUND: Increased collagen cross-linking (CCL) has been described in hypertensive cardiomyopathy by means of reduced serum ratio of serum carboxyterminal telopeptide of collagen type I (CITP) to matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP1). Previous studies have demonstrated the existence of primary impaired diastole in patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS), but little is known about the pathophysiology of this condition. METHODS: 60 MFS patients (without previous cardiovascular surgery or significant valvular regurgitation) and 24 healthy controls (age and sex-matched) were enrolled. All participants underwent a comprehensive transthoracic echocardiographic study, including left atrial and left ventricular speckle-tracking strain analysis. CITP and MMP1 were measured in peripheral blood. RESULTS: All participants had normal diastolic function according to guidelines. Peak left atrial strain in the reservoir phase (LASr) was significantly reduced in the MFS cohort compared to controls (32.2 ± 9.4 vs 43.9 ± 7.0%; p < 0.001). Serum CITP and CITP:MMP1 ratio were lower among MFS patients, showing significant correlations with LASr (R = 0.311; p = 0.020 and R = 0.437; p = 0.001, respectively). The MFS cohort was divided into quartiles of LASr. MFS patients in the lowest quartile of LASr (<26%) had significantly lower values of CITP:MMP1 ratio compared to the other quartiles. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of serum biomarkers revealed the presence of increased CCL in association with reduced LASr in the MFS cohort. Our results suggest that excessive CCL may play a role in the development of primary myocardial impairment in these patients. Future studies are needed to confirm our findings and evaluate the prognostic role of CCL markers in the MFS population.

C-Reactive Protein Is Associated with Physical Fitness in Breast Cancer Survivors.

Background: Physical fitness (PF) is an expression of the physiological functioning of multiple body components. PF is an important prognostic factor in terms of cardiovascular mortality, cancer mortality, and all-cause mortality. PF has been related to some biomarkers in the general population but not in breast cancer survivors (BCS). Purpose: To evaluate the effects of PF on biomarkers potentially related to physical activity (PA) in a sample of BCS. Methods: Cross-sectional study. A total of 84 BCS (mean age 54) who had finished their treatment were recruited. Different components of PF were evaluated, namely body composition (anthropometry), cardiorespiratory fitness (one-mile walk test), muscular (handgrip and sit-to-stand timed test), and motor (gait speed) components. Sexual hormones, inflammation, and insulin resistance biomarkers were measured. Results: C-Reactive Protein (CRP) was associated with every component of physical fitness: cardiorespiratory fitness (p-value = 0.002), muscular (sit-to-stand timed test, p-value = 0.002) and motor (gait speed, p-value = 0.004) components, and body composition (body mass index, p-value = 0.003; waist, p-value < 0.000; and waist-to-hip index, p-value = 0.012). CRP also was associated with "poor physical condition," a constructed variable that encompasses all components of physical fitness (p-value < 0.001). Insulin was associated with cardiorespiratory fitness and gait speed (p-values = 0.002 and 0.024, respectively). Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 was negatively associated with waist perimeter and waist-to-hip ratio. Conclusions: CRP can also be considered an indicator of poor PF in BCS. Implications for cancer survivors: in case of elevation of CRP indicating cardiovascular risk, health professionals should recommend lifestyle changes to improve BCS physical condition.

Serum endocannabinoid levels in suicide attempters: A pilot study.

The search for a biomarker for suicide risk is a longstanding pursuit in clinical psychiatry. Literature addressing the role of endocannabinoids in suicide attempters (SA) is sparse. This cross-sectional study is aimed at comparing 8 AM serum concentrations of 4 endogenous cannabinoids (anandamide, AEA; 2-arachidonoylglycerol, 2-AG; N-palmitoiletanolamida, PEA; and oleoylethanolamide, OEA) in 30 suicide attempters (SA) and 12 psychiatric controls (PC). 8 AM AEA and PEA serum levels were higher in SA compared to PC without controlling for cannabis use (n = 42) (3.58 ± 5.77 vs. 1.62 ± 2.49, F = 3.04, P = 0.089; and 3.31 ± 4.82 vs. 1.21 ± 1.20, F = 6.22, p = 0.017, respectively). Serum ACTH was higher in PC compared to SA (32.11 ± 21.60 vs. 20.05 ± 9.96, F = 9.031, p = 0.0.005). After controlling for cannabis use in the urine test (n = 28), 8 AM AEA and PEA serum levels remained higher in SA compared to PC (4.57 ± 6.38 vs. 0.64 ± 1.11, F = 4.852, P = 0.037; and 4.35 ± 5.46 vs. 1.21 ± 1.25, F = 4.125, p = 0.053, respectively). The present study offers preliminary evidence about the role of AEA and PEA in suicidal behavior (SB). Furthermore, in the context of the mental pain model of SB, our findings suggest that some endocannabinoids may play a role in the pathophysiology of SB. Our pilot study deserves replication by other studies with bigger sample sizes.

Serum ß-endorphin levels are associated with addiction to suicidal behavior: A pilot study.

The literature provides partial support for the hypothesis that some suicide attempters develop a behavioral addiction to suicidal behavior (SB). We hypothesized that major suicide repeaters (MR) (≥5 lifetime suicide attempts) are addicted to suicide attempts as measured by modified DSM-IV criteria for substance dependence. In this cross-sectional study with 13 psychiatric controls (PC), 55 non-major suicide attempters (NMR), and 9 MR we found that MR are characterized by emotional abuse and neglect, as well as higher scores on the Personality and Life Event scale (short version). The levels of 8 AM serum ACTH, cortisol and ß-endorphin were elevated in all three groups. Serum ß-endorphin (pg/mL) was particularly high in PC diagnosed with schizophrenia 220.34 (±56.30). The level of 8 AM serum ß-endorphin rose with increased numbers of criteria met for addiction to SB from 130.31 (±88.16) (≥ 3 criteria met for addiction to SB) to 174.84 (±114.93) (≥ 6 criteria met for addiction to SB) whereas serum ACTH and cortisol did not change. SB addicts (≥ 6 criteria) displayed higher serum ß-endorphin concentrations than non-addicts (174.84 ± 114.93 vs. 116.93 ± 61.70, FET p = 0.09). The present study brings some support to the addictive hypothesis of SB. Our results delineate ß-endorphin as a promising biomarker of SB addiction, and offer a good basis for future studies that test whether buprenorphine can be used to prevent repetitive suicide attempts, non-suicidal-self-injury (NSSI), and the development of an addiction to SB.