Accelerated kynurenine pathway downregulates immune activation in patients with axial spondyloarthritis.

Various studies reported that the kynurenine (Kyn) pathway plays a pivotal role in regulating the balance between activation and inhibition of the immune system. Proinflammatory cytokines can accelerate the Kyn pathway by altering indoleamine (2, 3)- dioxygenase (IDO) allosteric enzyme activity. Excessive cytokine release and immune system activation have essential roles in the pathogenesis of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). We aimed to investigate the relationship of the Kyn pathway with proinflammatory cytokines and with the severity of the disease in patients with axSpA. The study included 104 patients with axSpA and 54 healthy volunteers. The severity of the disease was determined by Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI). The Kyn pathway was evaluated by IDO activity calculated with Kyn/Tryptophan (Trp) ratio. Plasma Trp and Kyn concentrations were measured with tandem mass spectrometry. Serum IL 17/23 and IFN-γ concentrations were measured with ELISA. These groups were compared in terms of IDO, IL-17, IL-23, IFN-γ, and BASDAI. Plasma IDO activity was significantly increased, however, serum IL-17, IL-23, and IFN-γ levels were significantly decreased in patients compared to healthy volunteers. While IFN-γ was positively correlated with the severity of the disease (p = 0.02), it also had a significant inverse correlation with IDO activity (p < 0.001). However, these correlations are weak. As a result of this study, the Kyn pathway is accelerated and proinflammatory cytokine levels are decreased in patients with axSpA. All of these results with an indirect weak negative association between high IDO and low disease activity suggest that an accelerated Kyn pathway may limit the immune system activation in axSpA disease.

Altered pulmonary functions due to biomass smoke in a rural population of Turkish women: a descriptive study.

INTRODUCTION: Wood or other organic sources of fuel are used as source of energy for heating or cooking particularly in developing countries. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the association between biomass exposure time and parameters of pulmonary function tests. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four hundred twenty-four consecutive women who lived and exposed to biomass smoke in a small province in Eastern Turkey were involved. This study was performed with women who had come to pulmonology out-patient clinic with symptom of dyspnea. RESULT: The independent variables assessed in the study patients were age, BMI, starting age of cooking, hours per day and weeks per month spent cooking, and cooking years; the dependent variables were PFT parameters. Ninety-two (21.6%) patients had an obstructive PFT pattern. Sixty-seven (73%) of these patients were classified as GOLD 2 and 25 (27%) patients were classified as GOLD 3. Seventy-five (17.6 %) of the patients had restrictive lung disease; 54 (72%) of these patients were found to have a mild and 21 (27%) had a moderate restrictive pattern. Increased number of years in cooking and to start cooking at younger ages were a risk factors for the development of obstructive and restrictive disease. There was a statistically significant and negative correlation between increased number of years and the value of FEV1 (r= -0.917; p=< 0.001), FEV1/FVC (r= -0.739; p< 0.001), and FVC (r= -0.906; p< 0.001). The median time of cooking required was 23 years for the development of obstruction, and 25 years for restriction, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Cumulative biomass exposure time is associated with impairment in PFT parameters; results in both obstructive and restrictive lung disease. Biomass exposure is a public health problem and pre-cautions should be taken in order to prevent impaired pulmonary functions.

The thiol/disulfide balance is shifted towards oxidation in psoriatic arthritis compared to controls and is associated with higher disease activity.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to compare thiol/disulfide and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels between psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and healthy controls and evaluate the correlation between these molecules and the disease activity scores used in PsA. METHODS: A total of 63 PsA patients and 49 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), modified disease activity score 28 (DAS28), and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) scores were used as disease activity indices for PsA patients. Calculations of native thiol (-SH), disulfide (-SS), and total thiol (-SH+-SS) molecules were made by the automatic spectrophotometric method, and the albumin cobalt binding test was used to measure IMA levels. RESULTS: In the PsA group, -SS/-SH and -SS/(-SH+-SS) levels were higher and -SH/(-SH+-SS) levels were lower than in controls. In the linear regression analysis, a significant correlation relationship was detected between DAS28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and -SS/(-SH+-SS) (ß = 0.795, CI 95%, 0.196-1.395; P = .010), -SH/(-SH+-SS) (ß = -0.475, CI 95%, 0.114-0.836; P = .010) and IMA (ß = 3.932, CI 95%, 0.859-7.005; P = .013). Additionally, a significant correlation was detected between IMA and BASDAI and BASFI. CONCLUSION: In PsA, thiol/disulfide homeostasis has shifted in favor of disulfide as an oxidative indicator. Serum thiol/disulfide levels are correlated with PsA disease activity indices.

Is Every Thyroid Antibody a Bad Sign?: The Complex Relationship of Antithyroid Antibodies and Obsessive-compulsive Symptoms.

Objective: : Several immunological factors are emphasized in the etiology of autoimmune thyroid diseases and obsessivecompulsive disorder. Obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) are commonly seen in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between OCS and antithyroid antibodies. Methods: : The study included 145 patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis or Graves' disease and 42 healthy controls. Thyroid function tests and serum thyroid autobody levels (anti-thyroglobulin [TG], anti-thyroid peroxidase [TPO], and anti-thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH]) of the patients were measured. The socio-demographic data and OCS of the participants were evaluated with Dimensional OCS (DOCS). Results: : DOCS scores were higher in patients than in the control group. There was not found a significant relationship between free T3, free T4, and TSH levels and DOCS scores. Anti-TG positivity in females was associated with lower DOCS scores. Anti-TPO positivity in males had a positive correlation with DOCS scores. There was no correlation between sex and the presence of anti-TSH in terms of OCS severity. Univariate analysis found the highest OCS scores in anti-TPO positive, anti-TG, and anti-TSH negative patients. The group with the lowest OCS scores was found to be anti-TG positive, anti-TPO, and anti-TSH negative patients. Conclusion: : OCS severity could be affected by different thyroid autoantibody profiles in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases. While anti-TG serves a protective role against OCS in females, the presence of anti-TPO may worsen the OCS in men. Additionally, the co-existence of different antithyroid antibodies may affect the severity of OCS differently according to sex.

Serum netrin-1 levels are high in Rheumatoid arthritis associated interstitial lung disease.

BACKGROUND: Recent data show that netrin-1 has a role in development of pulmonary fibrosis. This study was aimed to investigate serum netrin-1 level and its relation to interstitial lung disease(ILD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHOD: 42 RA patients with RA-ILD, 58 RA patients without RA-ILD (RA non-ILD group), and 61 healthy volunteers were included in this study. The modified DAS28-ESR score was used to calculate disease activity in RA patients. Using the quantitative immunoassay method, Serum netrin-1 levels were measured with an ELISA kit (Catalog number: E-EL-H2328; lab science, lot number: GZWTKZ5SWK, Texas, USA). RESULTS: The median value of netrin-1 was found to be significantly higher in the RA-ILD group (82.9 [59.9-124]) compared to both the RA non-ILD group(52.9 [49.5-73.1])(B = -0.006, OR = 0.994, CI 95 %=0.989-0.999, P = 0.018) and the control group(53.5 [49.5-87.5]) (B: -0.005, OR: 0.994, CI 95 %: 0.990-0.999, p: 0.022). A cut-off value of 61.78 for netrin-1 was found to have a sensitivity of 73.8 % and a specificity of 69 % for the diagnosis of RA-ILD (AUC [95 %Cl] = 0.771 [0.679-0.862], p < 0.0001).It was found that high serum netrin-1 level was strongly associated with the RA-usual interstitial pneumonia(UIP) pattern and poorly related to the RA-nonspecific interstitial pneumonia(NSIP) pattern compared to the RA non-ILD group. CONCLUSIONS: Netrin-1 is elevated in the serum of patients with RA-ILD, especially in the UIP pattern. Netrin-1 may be a potential candidate for predicting the development of RA-ILD that should be investigated in the pathophysiological and therapeutic fields..

Comparison of the effects of stabilization exercise plus kinesio taping and stabilization exercise alone on pain and well-being in fibromyalgia.

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of spinal stabilization exercise (SSE) plus kinesio taping (KT) and SSE alone on pain and well-being in women with fibromyalgia (FM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with FM were randomly allocated into SSE (n:19) and SSE + KT (n:17) groups. Pain and fatigue with Visual Analog Scale, health status with Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, quality of life (QoL) with Nottingham Health Profile, depression with Beck Depression Inventory, sleep quality with Jenkins Sleep Scale were assessed. SSE and KT with fascial correction technique were carried out 2 days a week for 6 weeks. RESULTS: SSE + KT was more effective in decreasing pain and fatigue, and improving some parameters related to health status and the QoL compared to SSE alone (p < 0.05). After treatment, pain, depression, health status, QoL, and sleep quality improved in both groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: SSE with KT was superior for improving pain and general well-being compared to SSE alone.

Effects of biomass smoke on pulmonary functions: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: Biomass smoke is the leading cause of COPD in developing countries such as Turkey. In rural areas of Turkey, females are more exposed to biomass smoke because of traditional lifestyles. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the adverse effects of biomass smoke on pulmonary functions and define the relationship between duration in years and an index (cumulative exposure index) with altered pulmonary function test results. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A total of 115 females who lived in the village of Kagizman (a borough of Kars located in the eastern part of Turkey) and were exposed to biomass smoke were included in the study. The control group was generated with 73 individuals living in the same area who were never exposed to biomass smoke. RESULTS: Twenty-seven (23.8%) females in the study group and four (5.5%) in the control group had small airway disease (P=0.038). Twenty-two (19.1%) females in the study group and ten (13.7%) in the control group had obstruction (P=0.223). Twenty (17.3%) females in the study group who were exposed to biomass smoke had restriction compared with ten (13%) in the control group (P=0.189). The duration needed for the existence of small airway disease was 16 years, for obstructive airway disease was 17 years, and for restrictive airway disease was 17 years. The intensity of biomass smoke was defined in terms of cumulative exposure index; it was calculated by multiplying hours per day, weeks per month, and total years of smoke exposure and dividing the result by three. CONCLUSION: Exposure to biomass smoke is a serious public health problem, especially in rural areas of developing countries, because of its negative effects on pulmonary functions. As the duration and the intensity of exposure increase, the probability of having altered pulmonary function test results is higher.