The relationship between plasma microRNAs and serum trace elements levels in primary hyperlipidemia.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between plasma microRNA expression levels, which are associated with lipid metabolism and serum trace element levels in patients with primary hyperlipidemia. METHODS: This study was performed on 46 (21M / 25F) primary hyperlipidemia patients aged 25-65 years and 37 (18 M/19 F) healthy people aged 25-65 years. RESULTS: The following miRNAs were upregulated: miR-33a-5p, miR-370-5p, miR-378a-3p, miR-27a-3p, miR-27a-5p and miR-335-5p. Additionally, the levels of Co (p < 0.001), Ni (p < 0.01), Cd (p < 0.001) were significantly higher and the level of Cr (p < 0.01), Fe (p < 0.05), Mn (p < 0.01), Se (p < 0.001) and Mo (p < 0.001) was significantly lower in the primary hyperlipidemic patients compared to the healthy people . Also, miR-33a-5p was negatively correlated with serum Cr levels in patients with primary hyperlipidemia (r = -0.376, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that miR-33a-5p and Cr element may regulate abnormal lipid homeostasis. Also, miR-370, miR-378, miR-27-a and miR-335 might aid in the identification of new therapies to treat patients with primary hyperlipidemia (Tab. 3, Ref. 36).

Cilostazol-induced relaxation of calf cardiac vein and coronary artery during cooling.

OBJECTIVE: At present very little is known about the role of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) in the effects of temperature on vascular reactivity. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the influence of cooling (to 28 °C) on the vasodilatation induced by cilostazol(10-9-3x10-4M) on carbachol (10-6)-precontracted calf cardiac vein and coronary artery and the role of NO in these effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ring preparations of great cardiac vein and the anterior interventricular branch of left coronary artery were used. RESULTS: Cilostazol produced concentration-dependent relaxation of calf cardiac vein and coronary artery rings precontracted with carbachol. During cooling, the pIC50 values, but not the maximal responses to cilostazol were significantly lower than at 37 °C in both preparations. Cooling to 28 °C in the presence of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10-4 M) did not modify the effect of temperature both in cardiac vein and coronary artery. These results demonstrate for the first time that cooling-induced changes of cilostazol in calf cardiac vein and coronary artery are independent of NO (Tab. 2, Fig. 3, Ref. 32).

Evaluation of echocardiographic indices for the prediction of major adverse events during long-term follow-up in chronic hemodialysis patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in endstage renal failure. Prognostic role of echocardiography has not been fully elucidated in chronic hemodialysis patients. AIM: To assess the ability of Doppler echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function along with conventional echocardiographic indices to predict long-term adverse major events in chronic hemodialysis patients with normal LV ejection fraction (EF). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 45 chronic hemodialysis patients (aged 49 +/- 15 years) were included to the study. All patients underwent complete standard and tissue Doppler imaging echocardiography before and immediately after hemodialysis session and were followed-up prospectively. Major outcome measure was the combination of all-cause death and hospitalization for any cardiovascular event. RESULTS: During the follow up period (52 +/- 26 months) 23 major events occured (17 all-cause deaths and 6 cardiovascular events requring hospitalization). Post-dialytic values of mean left atrial diameter, mitral E (peak early mitral inflow velocity), E/Vp [ratio of mitral E to flow propagation velocity (Vp)] and E/Ea [ratio of mitral E to peak early diastolic mitral annular velocity (Ea)] (average of 4 segments of mitral annulus) were significantly higher in patients who had major events. In Cox proportional hazard analysis only E/Ea ratio predicted combined endpoint of all-cause mortality and nonfatal cardiovascular events (hazard ratio: 1.20; confidence interval: 1.03-1.39; p = 0.018). The optimum cut-off value for E/Ea determined by ROC curve analysis revealed that E/Ea ratio higher than 9.8 predicted future events with sensitivity of 74% and specificity of 86%. CONCLUSIONS: E/Ea might be an accurate echocardiographic indice during long-term follow up for the prediction of major adverse events in chronic hemodialysis patients with normal LV EF.

Neonatal Onset Glaucoma in a Case with Gorlin-Goltz Syndrome: An Unusual Association.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: To report a unique presentation of Gorlin-Goltz syndrome (GGS) with congenital glaucoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We report a case of a 3-month-old female patient with bilateral uncontrolled intraocular pressures (IOP), who was already diagnosed with GGS. Examination under anesthesia demonstrated microcornea, iris coloboma, lens subluxation in both eyes, and edematous cornea in the left eye. Intraocular pressure was 17 mm Hg in OD and 35 mm Hg in OS with Icare (Icare® PRO) tonometer on repetitive measurements. On dilated fundus examination, a large chorioretinal coloboma was seen on both eyes. RESULTS: On physical examination, cutaneous, dental, and skeletal anomalies associated with the GGS were found. As previously reported ocular abnormalities associated with the GGS; coloboma and microphthalmia were noted. In addition, congenital glaucoma which is not one of the known associations of GGS was also detected. For treatment, 270° transscleral diode cyclophotoablation was performed for the left eye and medical treatment was reorganized for both eyes. CONCLUSION: Neonatal-onset glaucoma might be one of the important ocular manifestations of GGS. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Tefon Aribas AB, Aktas Z, Özdek S. Neonatal Onset Glaucoma in a Case with Gorlin-Goltz Syndrome: An Unusual Association. J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2021;15(2):99-101.

The association of total sialic acid and malondialdehyde levels with metabolic and anthropometric variables in obesity.

Serum sialic acid levels are abnormally high in pathological states that exhibit tissue destruction, tissue proliferation or inflammation. We measured total serum sialic acid levels in 139 women and 125 men. Subjects were divided into quartiles according to their body mass index (BMI): Q1 (18-24.9 kg/m(2)), Q2 (25-29.9 kg/m(2)), Q3 (30-39.9 kg/m(2)) and Q4 (> 40 kg/m(2)). The patients in Q1 constituted the control group. Serum sialic acid levels of subjects in Q2, Q3 and Q4 were significantly higher than those in Q1. Higher BMI quartiles also were associated with higher levels of serum glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, malondialdehyde levels, waist circumference, blood pressure and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance in both women and men. Lower BMI quartiles were associated with higher levels of serum HDL-cholesterol levels in both women and men. We found positive associations among serum sialic acid levels, BMI and oxidative stress. Serum sialic acid also is related to some conventional cardiovascular risk factors including elevated lipid profile, increased blood pressure, increased serum glucose and insulin levels, and insulin resistance in obese people.

The role of ischemia modified albumin in acute pulmonary embolism.

BACKGROUND: Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening and a relatively common cardiovascular pathology. Although the pathogenesis of PE is well defined, there is no ideal diagnostic biochemical marker. Previous studies showed an increased ischemia modified albumin (IMA) levels in acute PE; however, the relationship between IMA and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction has not been examined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of IMA and the relationship with RV dysfunction in acute PE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 145 patients (70 females) with suspected acute PE was enrolled to the study. Eighty-nine patients were diagnosed with acute PE via computed tomographic pulmonary angiography. Sixty-five patients with similar demographic and clinical characteristics were assigned to the control group. All patients were evaluated for RV dysfunction using transthoracic echocardiography. RESULTS: Serum IMA levels were significantly increased in acute PE compared with control group (0.41 ± 0.06 vs. 0.34 ± 0.11, P = 0.001). There was no relationship between serum IMA levels and RV dysfunction. IMA levels were positively correlated with shock index and heart rate. Receiver operating curve analysis demonstrated that serum IMA levels higher than 0.4 put the diagnosis at sensitivity of 53.85% and at specificity of 85.96%. CONCLUSIONS: Although IMA levels are increased in patients with acute PE, it failed to predict RV dysfunction.