Pharmacovariome scanning using whole pharmacogene resequencing coupled with deep computational analysis and machine learning for clinical pharmacogenomics.

BACKGROUND: This pilot study aims to identify and functionally assess pharmacovariants in whole exome sequencing data. While detection of known variants has benefited from pharmacogenomic-dedicated bioinformatics tools before, in this paper we have tested novel deep computational analysis in addition to artificial intelligence as possible approaches for functional analysis of unknown markers within less studied drug-related genes. METHODS: Pharmacovariants from 1800 drug-related genes from 100 WES data files underwent (a) deep computational analysis by eight bioinformatic algorithms (overall containing 23 tools) and (b) random forest (RF) classifier as the machine learning (ML) approach separately. ML model efficiency was calculated by internal and external cross-validation during recursive feature elimination. Protein modelling was also performed for predicted highly damaging variants with lower frequencies. Genotype-phenotype correlations were implemented for top selected variants in terms of highest possibility of being damaging. RESULTS: Five deleterious pharmacovariants in the RYR1, POLG, ANXA11, CCNH, and CDH23 genes identified in step (a) and subsequent analysis displayed high impact on drug-related phenotypes. Also, the utilization of recursive feature elimination achieved a subset of 175 malfunction pharmacovariants in 135 drug-related genes that were used by the RF model with fivefold internal cross-validation, resulting in an area under the curve of 0.9736842 with an average accuracy of 0.9818 (95% CI: 0.89, 0.99) on predicting whether a carrying individuals will develop adverse drug reactions or not. However, the external cross-validation of the same model indicated a possible false positive result when dealing with a low number of observations, as only 60 important variants in 49 genes were displayed, giving an AUC of 0.5384848 with an average accuracy of 0.9512 (95% CI: 0.83, 0.99). CONCLUSION: While there are some technologies for functionally assess not-interpreted pharmacovariants, there is still an essential need for the development of tools, methods, and algorithms which are able to provide a functional prediction for every single pharmacovariant in both large-scale datasets and small cohorts. Our approaches may bring new insights for choosing the right computational assessment algorithms out of high throughput DNA sequencing data from small cohorts to be used for personalized drug therapy implementation.

Medical Misinformation in Polish on the World Wide Web During the COVID-19 Pandemic Period: Infodemiology Study.

BACKGROUND: Although researchers extensively study the rapid generation and spread of misinformation about the novel coronavirus during the pandemic, numerous other health-related topics are contaminating the internet with misinformation that have not received as much attention. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to gauge the reach of the most popular medical content on the World Wide Web, extending beyond the confines of the pandemic. We conducted evaluations of subject matter and credibility for the years 2021 and 2022, following the principles of evidence-based medicine with assessments performed by experienced clinicians. METHODS: We used 274 keywords to conduct web page searches through the BuzzSumo Enterprise Application. These keywords were chosen based on medical topics derived from surveys administered to medical practitioners. The search parameters were confined to 2 distinct date ranges: (1) January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021; (2) January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. Our searches were specifically limited to web pages in the Polish language and filtered by the specified date ranges. The analysis encompassed 161 web pages retrieved in 2021 and 105 retrieved in 2022. Each web page underwent scrutiny by a seasoned doctor to assess its credibility, aligning with evidence-based medicine standards. Furthermore, we gathered data on social media engagements associated with the web pages, considering platforms such as Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, and Twitter. RESULTS: In 2022, the prevalence of unreliable information related to COVID-19 saw a noteworthy decline compared to 2021. Specifically, the percentage of noncredible web pages discussing COVID-19 and general vaccinations decreased from 57% (43/76) to 24% (6/25) and 42% (10/25) to 30% (3/10), respectively. However, during the same period, there was a considerable uptick in the dissemination of untrustworthy content on social media pertaining to other medical topics. The percentage of noncredible web pages covering cholesterol, statins, and cardiology rose from 11% (3/28) to 26% (9/35) and from 18% (5/28) to 26% (6/23), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic to curb the dissemination of misinformation seem to have yielded positive results. Nevertheless, our analysis suggests that these interventions need to be consistently implemented across both established and emerging medical subjects. It appears that as interest in the pandemic waned, other topics gained prominence, essentially "filling the vacuum" and necessitating ongoing measures to address misinformation across a broader spectrum of health-related subjects.

Optimizing a Diagnostic Model of Periodontitis by Using Targeted Proteomics.

Periodontitis (PD), a widespread chronic infectious disease, compromises oral health and is associated with various systemic conditions and hematological alterations. Yet, to date, it is not clear whether serum protein profiling improves the assessment of PD. We collected general health data, performed dental examinations, and generated serum protein profiles using novel Proximity Extension Assay technology for 654 participants of the Bialystok PLUS study. To evaluate the incremental benefit of proteomics, we constructed two logistic regression models assessing the risk of having PD according to the CDC/AAP definition; the first one contained established PD predictors, and in addition, the second one was enhanced by extensive protein information. We then compared both models in terms of overall fit, discrimination, and calibration. For internal model validation, we performed bootstrap resampling (n = 2000). We identified 14 proteins, which improved the global fit and discrimination of a model of established PD risk factors, while maintaining reasonable calibration (area under the curve 0.82 vs 0.86; P < 0.001). Our results suggest that proteomic technologies offer an interesting advancement in the goal of finding easy-to-use and scalable diagnostic applications for PD that do not require direct examination of the periodontium.

Impact of diabetes mellitus on disease severity and patient survival in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension: data from the Polish multicentre registry (BNP-PL).

BACKGROUND: Recent studies revealed that alterations in glucose and lipid metabolism in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) are associated with disease severity and poor survival. However, data regarding the impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the prognosis of patients with IPAH remain scarce. The aim of our study was to determine that impact using data from a national multicentre prospective pulmonary hypertension registry. METHODS: We analysed data of adult patients with IPAH from the Database of Pulmonary Hypertension in the Polish population (BNP­PL) between March 1, 2018 and August 31, 2020. Upon admission, clinical, echocardiographic, and haemodynamic data were collected at 21 Polish IPAH reference centres. The all-cause mortality was assessed during a 30-month follow-up period. To adjust for differences in age, body mass index (BMI), and comorbidities between patients with and without DM, a 2-group propensity score matching was performed using a 1:1 pairing algorithm. RESULTS: A total of 532 patients with IPAH were included in the study and 25.6% were diagnosed with DM. Further matched analysis was performed in 136 patients with DM and 136 without DM. DM was associated with older age, higher BMI, more advanced exertional dyspnea, increased levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, larger right atrial area, increased mean right atrial pressure, mean pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, and all-cause mortality compared with no DM. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with IPAH and DM present with more advanced pulmonary vascular disease and worse survival than counterparts without DM independently of age, BMI, and cardiovascular comorbidities.

Estimation of recurrent atherosclerotic cardiovascular event risk in patients with established cardiovascular disease: the updated SMART2 algorithm.

AIMS: The 10-year risk of recurrent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events in patients with established ASCVD can be estimated with the Secondary Manifestations of ARTerial disease (SMART) risk score, and may help refine clinical management. To broaden generalizability across regions, we updated the existing tool (SMART2 risk score) and recalibrated it with regional incidence rates and assessed its performance in external populations. METHODS AND RESULTS: Individuals with coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral artery disease, or abdominal aortic aneurysms were included from the Utrecht Cardiovascular Cohort-SMART cohort [n = 8355; 1706 ASCVD events during a median follow-up of 8.2 years (interquartile range 4.2-12.5)] to derive a 10-year risk prediction model for recurrent ASCVD events (non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, or cardiovascular mortality) using a Fine and Gray competing risk-adjusted model. The model was recalibrated to four regions across Europe, and to Asia (excluding Japan), Japan, Australia, North America, and Latin America using contemporary cohort data from each target region. External validation used data from seven cohorts [Clinical Practice Research Datalink, SWEDEHEART, the international REduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) Registry, Estonian Biobank, Spanish Biomarkers in Acute Coronary Syndrome and Biomarkers in Acute Myocardial Infarction (BACS/BAMI), the Norwegian COgnitive Impairment After STroke, and Bialystok PLUS/Polaspire] and included 369 044 individuals with established ASCVD of whom 62 807 experienced an ASCVD event. C-statistics ranged from 0.605 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.547-0.664] in BACS/BAMI to 0.772 (95% CI 0.659-0.886) in REACH Europe high-risk region. The clinical utility of the model was demonstrated across a range of clinically relevant treatment thresholds for intensified treatment options. CONCLUSION: The SMART2 risk score provides an updated, validated tool for the prediction of recurrent ASCVD events in patients with established ASCVD across European and non-European populations. The use of this tool could allow for a more personalized approach to secondary prevention based upon quantitative rather than qualitative estimates of residual risk.

Targeted proteomics in a population-based study identifies serum PECAM-1 and TRIM21 as inflammation markers for periodontitis.

OBJECTIVES: Periodontitis (PD) can cause systematic inflammation and is associated with various metabolic processes in the body. However, robust serum markers for these relationships are still lacking. This study aims to identify novel circulating inflammation-related proteins associated with PD using targeted proteomics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used population-based, cross-sectional data from 619 participants of the Polish Longitudinal University Study (Bialystok PLUS). Mean pocket probing depth (mPPD) and proportion of bleeding on probing (pBOP) served as exposure variables. Fifty-two inflammation-related proteins were measured using the Olink Target 96 Cardiovascular III and the Olink Target 96 Immune Response panels. Associations between periodontal measures and proteins were tested using covariate-adjusted linear regression models. RESULTS: At a false discovery rate of < 0.05, we identified associations of mPPD and pBOP with platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) and tripartite motif-containing protein 21 (TRIM21). CONCLUSION: This study revealed novel associations between PD and serum levels of PECAM-1 and TRIM21. Our results suggest that these proteins might be affected by molecular processes that take place in the inflamed periodontium. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Novel associations of PECAM-1 and TRIM21 with PD indicate promising serum markers for understanding the disease's pathophysiological processes and call for further biomedical investigations.

The relationships between FLAIS, a novel insulin sensitivity index, and cardiovascular risk factors in a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Recently, we have developed a novel index, FLAIS (Fasting Laboratory Assessment of Insulin Sensitivity), which accurately reflects insulin sensitivity, measured with hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, in different groups of subjects. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship of FLAIS with cardiovascular risk factors in a population-based study. METHODS: The study group comprised 339 individuals from the ongoing Bialystok Plus study, without previously known diabetes. Clinical examination, oral glucose tolerance test and the measurement of blood laboratory parameters were performed. RESULTS: Prediabetes (impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance) was diagnosed in 165 individuals whereas type 2 diabetes was diagnosed in 19 subjects. FLAIS was lower in individuals with prediabetes and diabetes in comparison with individuals with normal glucose tolerance. FLAIS was significantly related to waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in the entire study group and in the subgroups with normal glucose tolerance and with prediabetes/diabetes. HOMA-IR, QUICKI and Matsuda index were not related to blood pressure and LDL-cholesterol in individuals with normal glucose tolerance. Majority of the adjusted models with FLAIS were characterized by better fit with the data in comparison with other indices for all cardiovascular risk factors except waist circumference. CONCLUSIONS: FLAIS represents useful index to assess the cluster of insulin resistance-associated cardiovascular risk factors in general population.

Multimodal assessment of right ventricle overload-metabolic and clinical consequences in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

BACKGROUND: In pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) increased afterload leads to adaptive processes of the right ventricle (RV) that help to maintain arterio-ventricular coupling of RV and preserve cardiac output, but with time the adaptive mechanisms fail. In this study, we propose a multimodal approach which allows to estimate prognostic value of RV coupling parameters in PAH patients. METHODS: Twenty-seven stable PAH patients (49.5 ± 15.5 years) and 12 controls underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). CMR feature tracking analysis was performed for RV global longitudinal strain assessment (RV GLS). RV-arterial coupling was evaluated by combination of RV GLS and three proposed surrogates of RV afterload-pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and pulmonary artery compliance (PAC). 18-FDG positron emission tomography (PET) analysis was used to assess RV glucose uptake presented as SUVRV/LV. Follow-up time of this study was 25 months and the clinical end-point was defined as death or clinical deterioration. RESULTS: Coupling parameters (RV GLS/PASP, RV GLS/PVR and RV GLS*PAC) significantly correlated with RV function and standardized uptake value (SUVRV/LV). Patients who experienced a clinical end-point (n = 18) had a significantly worse coupling parameters at the baseline visit. RV GLS/PASP had the highest area under curve in predicting a clinical end-point and patients with a value higher than (-)0.29%/mmHg had significantly worse prognosis. It was also a statistically significant predictor of clinical end-point in multivariate analysis (adjusted R2 = 0.68; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Coupling parameters are linked with RV hemodynamics and glucose metabolism in PAH. Combining CMR and hemodynamic measurements offers more comprehensive assessment of RV function required for prognostication of PAH patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03688698, 09/26/2018, retrospectively registered; Protocol ID: 2017/25/N/NZ5/02689.

Increased platelet content of SDF-1alpha is associated with worse prognosis in patients with pulmonary prterial hypertension.

Inflammatory processes and platelet activity play an important role in the pathophysiology of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Enhanced IL-6 signaling and higher concentration of stromal-derived factor alpha (SDF-1) have been previously shown to be linked with prognosis in PAH. We hypothesized that platelets of PAH patients have higher content of IL-6 and SDF-1 and thus are involved in disease progression. We enrolled into study 22 PAH patients and 18 healthy controls. Patients with PAH presented significantly higher plasma concentrations and platelet contents of IL-6, sIL-6R, and SDF-1 than healthy subjects (platelet content normalized to protein concentration: IL-6 (0.85*10-10 [0.29 - 1.37] vs. 0.45*10-10 [0.19-0.65], sIL-6R 1.54*10-7 [1.32-2.21] vs. 1.14*10-7 [1.01-1.28] and SDF-1 (2.72*10-7 [1.85-3.23] vs. 1.70*10-7 [1.43-2.60], all p < 0.05). Patients with disease progression (death, WHO class worsening, or therapy escalation, n = 10) had a significantly higher platelet SDF-1/total platelet protein ratio (3.68*10-7 [2.45-4.62] vs. 1.69*10-7 [1.04-2.28], p = 0.001), with no significant differences between plasma levels. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients with higher platelet SDF-1/total platelet protein ratio had more frequently deterioration of PAH in the follow-up (15.24 ± 4.26 months, log-rank test, p = 0.01). Concentrations of IL-6, sIL-6 receptor and SDF-1 in plasma and platelets are elevated in PAH patients. Higher content of SDF-1 in platelets is associated with poorer prognosis. Our study, despite of limitation due to small number of enrolled patients, suggests that activated platelets may be an important source of cytokines at the site of endothelial injury, but their exact role in the pathogenesis of PAH requires further investigation.

The significance of diminished sTWEAK and P-selectin content in platelets of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease characterized by proliferative changes in pulmonary arteries. There is growing evidence suggesting that soluble tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) and P-selectin could be involved in PAH development and progression. Here we investigate whether circulating platelets may be a source of sTWEAK and contribute to diminished availability of sTWEAK and P-selectin in PAH patients. We have prospectively enrolled two independent study groups of stable patients with confirmed PAH and age matched controls: derivation (10 PAH; 15 controls) and validation (20 PAH; 12 controls). P-selectin and sTWEAK concentrations were measured in platelet-poor plasma and platelet lysate. To avoid procedural bias, in each group we employed different protocols for platelet isolation. Consistently, both in derivation and validation groups PAH patients presented significantly lower sTWEAK content in platelets than control group with no significant differences in plasma levels. Similarly, patients presented comparable to controls plasma P-selectin concentrations and lower concentration in platelet lysate. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients with low platelet sTWEAK/total protein concentration ratio had more frequently detoriation of PAH in the follow-up (16.51 ±â€¯3.32 months), log-rank test, p = .03. Patients diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension present diminished sTWEAK and P-selectin storage capacity in platelets. Thrombocytes appear to be a major source of sTWEAK that could be released upon local injury and its decreased availability could have an impact on pathophysiology and prognosis in PAH.

Alterations of soluble TWEAK and CD163 concentrations in patients with chronic heart failure.

UNLABELLED: Inflammatory activation plays a pivotal role in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF). A novel mediator from TNF family: soluble tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) along its soluble decoy receptor CD163 (sCD163) recently has been investigated in other cardiovascular pathologies. We aimed to evaluate sTWEAK and sCD163 concentrations in HF-REF patients. The study enrolled 79 patients with stable HF-REF, EF < 35%. The control population without history of heart failure included two groups: 26 comorbidities matched patients and 27 healthy volunteers. sTWEAK and sCD163 serum concentrations were determined using ELISA kits. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to assess variables affecting concentration of sTWEAK and sCD163. HF-REF patients were characterized by higher sTWEAK (median 374 IQR: 321-429 vs 201 IQR: 145-412pg/ml, P=0.005), sCD163 (median 744 IQR: 570-1068 vs 584 IQR: 483-665pg/ml, P=0.03) concentrations and sTWEAK/sCD163 ratio (median 0.53 IQR: 0.32-0.7 vs 0.3 IQR: 0.22-0.37, P=0.001) comparing to healthy volunteers. Comparing to comorbidities matched controls, HF-REF patients had lower sTWEAK levels (median 374 IQR: 321-429 vs 524 IQR: 384-652pg/ml; P=0.002), while sCD163 and sTWEAK/sCD163 ratio didn't differ. Concentration of sTWEAK in HF-REF was affected by white blood cell count and aspirin intake, while sCD163 by exercise capacity, LV diastolic volume, CRP and presence of arterial hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: HF-REF patients present increased sTWEAK and sCD163 levels as well as sTWEAK/sCD163 ratio when compared to healthy subjects, however CHF itself appears to be associated with down-regulation of sTWEAK.

The influence of renal function on the association of rs854560 polymorphism of paraoxonase 1 gene with long-term prognosis in patients after myocardial infarction.

Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is an enzyme responsible for the antioxidant properties of high density lipoprotein (HDL). The activity of PON1 is decreased in patients with coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction or chronic kidney disease. rs662 and rs854560 are single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with PON1 activity and 10-year cardiovascular mortality of patients with stable coronary artery disease. We investigated the association of rs662 and rs854560 SNPs of the PON1 gene with 5-year mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated invasively. We analyzed the data of consecutive patients with STEMI treated with primary PCI. Genotyping was performed with the TaqMan method. The analyzed end-point was total 5-year mortality. Additional subgroup analysis was performed for survival of patients depending on their eGFR. The study group comprised 634 patients (mean age 62.3 ± 11.85 years; 25.2% of women, n = 160; PCI successful in 92.3%, n = 585). No clinically relevant differences in baseline characteristics were found between the genotypes. No association between either genotype and 5-year mortality was found: p = 0.4 for the rs662 SNP, p = 0.73 for the rs854560 one (log-rank test). However, in a subgroup of patients with eGFR below median value (78.6 ml/min/1.73m2) the rs854560 AA homozygotes had a significantly lower probability of survival (p = 0.047, log-rank test). The AA genotype of the rs854560 SNPs of the PON1 gene is associated with increased mortality in patients after myocardial infarction in the subpopulation of patients with lowered eGFR. This phenomenon may be explained by potentially lower PON1 activity in kidney disease.

The 9p21 polymorphism is linked with atrial fibrillation during acute phase of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

The aim of the study was to find whether patients carrying polymorphic allele of the rs10757278 polymorphism from 9p21 locus have changed risk of arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation, AF; sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, sVT/VF) during acute phase of myocardial infarction. Retrospective analysis of data collected prospectively from two independent centers was performed. The clinical data were pooled from two independent cardiac registries: (1) the Warsaw ACS genetic registry (STEMI and NSTEMI/UA patients hospitalized in the years 2008-2011; only STEMI patients were analyzed); (2) the Bialystok STEMI genetic registry (STEMI patients hospitalized in years 2001-2005, who survived the first 48 h from hospital admission). Data regarding sVT/VF and AF within first 24 h were analyzed. The patients were genotyped with rs10757278 polymorphism. 1083 patients were included in the analysis; 62 (5.7 %) patients had sVT/VF during acute phase and 78 (7.2 %) patients had AF, 46 (4.2 %) patients had new-onset AF. Minor allele frequency in all patients with AF was significantly different from those without AF (0.40 vs 0.51, p = 0.0096). When only new-onset AF was analyzed, the trend was the same, with significant protective effect in recessive model [OR 0.41 (95 % CI 0.17-0.97), p = 0.025]. The effect was independent of age and GRACE score. No relationship was found between sVT/VF and rs10757278. Patients with STEMI, who survived until hospitalization with polymorphic allele of 9p21 rs10757278 SNP have less AF during acute phase of STEMI. SNP rs10757278 is not linked with sVT/VF in acute phase of STEMI.

Enhanced IL-6 trans-signaling in pulmonary arterial hypertension and its potential role in disease-related systemic damage.

BACKGROUND: The role of IL-6 in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) has been reported but the prevalence of soluble receptors for IL-6: sIL-6R and sgp130 and its potential role in PAH have not been studied.Our aim was to examine the IL-6 together with the soluble receptors and to assess its relationship with clinical status of PAH patients as well as to assess its potential prognostic significance. METHODS: Serum concentrations of IL-6, sIL-6R and sgp130 were quantified by ELISA in 26 patients with PAH and 27 healthy controls and related to functional and biochemical parameters and clinical outcome in PAH group. The PAH patients were followed up for 1 year, noting the end point of clinical deterioration (WHO class change, the need for escalation of therapy) or death. RESULTS: The PAH group was characterized by higher median serum IL-6 [2.38 (IQR 1.56-3.75) vs 0.87 (0.63-1.3) pg/ml, p=0.000003] and sIL-6R concentrations [69.7 (IQR 60.4-84.4 vs 45.7 (34.6-70.3) ng/ml, p=0.0036] compared to control subjects. Both groups did not differ in sgp130 concentrations. There were significant correlations in PAH group between IL-6 levels and uric acid, parameters of ventilatory efficiency in cardiopulmonary exercise testing: VE/VO2, VE/VCO2, VE/VCO2 slope and peak PetCO2. sIL-6R levels inversely correlated with LDL cholesterol. After 1 year the clinical deterioration occurred in 11 patients, 15 remained stable. Patients in whom the clinical deterioration occurred showed significantly higher baseline concentrations of IL-6 [3.25 (IQR 2.46-5.4) pg/ml vs 1.68 (1.38-2.78) pg/ml, p=0.004], but not sIL-6R. Median IL-6 ⩾ 2.3 pg/ml (91% sensitivity, 73% specificity) identified subjects with worse clinical course. In the univariate analysis, higher IL-6 level at baseline was associated with increased risk and earlier occurrence of clinical deterioration (HR 1.42, 95%CI 1.08-1.85, p=0.015). CONCLUSIONS: IL-6 trans-signaling is enhanced in PAH. Elevated concentration of sIL-6R suggests its potential unfavorable role in systemic amplification of IL-6 signaling in PAH. Levels of IL-6 are associated with clinical indicators of disease severity as well as indirectly with systemic metabolic alterations. IL-6 shows prognostic value regarding predicting clinical deterioration.

Serum levels of CD163 and TWEAK in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We evaluated the concentrations of serum sTWEAK, its scavenger receptor sCD163 and sTWEAK/sCD163 ratio in patients with PAH. DESIGN: The study enrolled 26 stable patients with PAH confirmed by right heart catheterization and 24 healthy volunteers matched for age, sex and body weight. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography, cardiopulmonary exercise test, 6-min walk test, measurement of lung diffusing capacity for the carbon monoxide (DLCO) and venous blood tests. Concentrations of sTWEAK and sCD163 were determined using ELISA kits. RESULTS: The PAH patients were characterized by significantly higher median serum sCD163 levels (1072 vs 890ng/ml, p=0.04) together with lower serum sTWEAK concentrations (200 vs 278.1pg/ml, p=0.003) comparing to control subjects. sTWEAK/sCD163 ratio was therefore significantly lower in PAH group (0.18 vs 0.33, p=0.0005). No correlation was found between sTWEAK and sCD163 concentrations in both groups. We observed statistically significant inverse correlation between peak VO2 consumption and sCD163 concentrations (r=-0.52, p<0.05) and positive with sTWEAK/sCD163 ratio (r=0.45, p<0.05) in PAH group. Moreover, sTWEAK/sCD163 ratio positively correlated with % of predicted values of DLCO (r=0.42, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with PAH present altered serum sTWEAK and sCD163 levels. The sTWEAK/sCD163 ratio appears to be a better indicator of the severity of PAH as compared to sTWEAK or sCD163 alone. The exact role of sCD163 or interaction between CD163 and sTWEAK in the initiation or progression of PAH as well as their potential prognostic significance remains to be established.

Cardiac PET/MRI: Recent Developments and Future Aspects.

Positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance (PET/MRI) hybrid imaging is now available for over a decade and although the quantity of installed systems is rather low, the number of emerging applications for cardiovascular diseases is still growing. PET/MRI provides integrated images of high quality anatomical and functional assessment obtained by MRI with the possibilities of PET for quantification of molecular parameters such as metabolism, inflammation, and perfusion. In recent years, sequential co-registration of myocardial tissue characterization with its molecular data had become an increasingly helpful tool in clinical practice and an integrated device simplifies this task. This review summarizes recent developments and future possibilities in the use of the PET/MRI in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disorders.

Detraining among Athletes-Is Withdrawal of Adaptive Cardiovascular Changes a Hint for the Differential Diagnosis of Physically Active People?

An athlete's training aims to achieve the highest possible sports results by improving physical dispositions which lead to cardiac adaptive changes. The annual training cycle is divided into periods. The preparatory period begins with gradually increasing training intensity and volume until the competitive period occurs, when the athlete's maximum performance is expected. Finally, the athlete enters a phase of loss of fitness, which is called detraining. Detraining is a time of resting both physically and mentally from the training regime and usually lasts about 4 weeks for endurance athletes. We collected data from much research on athletes' detraining. According to these data, the earliest change after detraining seems to be a decrease in left ventricular wall thickness and left ventricular mass, followed by decreased performance parameters, diastolic diameter of the left ventricle and size of the left atrium. A reversal of adaptive changes affects the left heart chamber first, then the right atrium and, finally, the right ventricle. Training reduction is often proposed as a method of differentiating an athlete's heart from cardiomyopathies. The aim of this study is to consider the diagnostic value of detraining in differentiating athletes' hearts from cardiomyopathies. We suggest that detraining cannot be conclusive in differentiating the disease from adaptive changes. Although a withdrawal of the characteristic morphological, functional and electrocardiographic changes occurs in healthy athletes during detraining, it can also concern individuals with cardiomyopathies due to the lower expression of abnormal features after decreased training loads. Therefore, a quick diagnosis and individual assessments using imaging and genetic tests are essential to recommend a proper type of activity.

Alteration in kynurenine pathway metabolites in young women with autoimmune thyroiditis.

The kynurenine pathway (KP) of tryptophan degradation includes several compounds that reveal immunomodulatory properties. The present study aimed to investigate the alteration in KP metabolites in young women with autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) and their associations with thyroid function. The thyroid function tests, antithyroid antibodies measurement and ultrasonography of the thyroid gland have been performed in 57 young women with AIT and 38 age-matched healthy controls. The serum levels of tryptophan, kynurenine (KYN) and its metabolites were determined, and the activity of KP enzymes was calculated indirectly as product-to-substrate ratios. KP was activated and dysregulated in AIT, along with significantly elevated levels of KYN and anthranilic acid (AA), at the expense of the reduction of kynurenic acid (KYNA), which was reflected by the increase in the AA/KYNA ratio (p < 0.001). In univariate and multiple regression analyses, peripheral deiodinase (SPINA-GD) activity in AIT was positively associated with KYNA, AA, and quinolinic acid (QA). The merger of AA, AA/KYNA ratio, QA and SPINA-GD exhibited the highest sensitivity and specificity to predict AIT (p < 0.001) in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. In conclusion, the serum KYN metabolite profile is dysregulated in young women with AIT and could serve as a new predictor of AIT risk.

Inflammation and Neurodegeneration in Glaucoma: Isolated Eye Disease or a Part of a Systemic Disorder? - Serum Proteomic Analysis.

Introduction: Glaucoma is the most common optic neuropathy and the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, which affects 3.54% of the population aged 40-80 years. Despite numerous published studies, some aspects of glaucoma pathogenesis, serum biomarkers, and their potential link with other diseases remain unclear. Recent articles have proposed that autoimmune, oxidative stress and inflammation may be involved in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Methods: We investigated the serum expression of 92 inflammatory and neurotrophic factors in glaucoma patients. The study group consisted of 26 glaucoma patients and 192 healthy subjects based on digital fundography. Results: Patients with glaucoma had significantly lower serum expression of IL-2Rß, TWEAK, CX3CL1, CD6, CD5, LAP TGF-beta1, LIF-R, TRAIL, NT-3, and CCL23 and significantly higher expression of IL-22Rα1. Conclusion: Our results indicate that patients with glaucoma tend to have lower levels of neuroprotective proteins and higher levels of neuroinflammatory proteins, similar to those observed in psychiatric, neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases, indicating a potential link between these conditions and glaucoma pathogenesis.

Assessment of smell disturbances 6 months after COVID-19 in Polish population.

Considering the frequency and severity of olfactory disorders associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, attention to the olfactory loss has expanded. The aim of our study was to assess of smell disturbances 6 months after COVID-19. The study population consisted of 2 groups: 196 Post-COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized because of COVID-19, control sample-130 patients without reported smell disorders from general population-Bialystok PLUS study. People from both groups were asked to participate in the Sniffin Sticks Test (half year after the disease). Sniffin Sticks Test consisted of 12 standardized smell samples. The participant's test score was counted based on correct scent recognition. Middle/older age was related with lower likelihood of olfaction recovery. The biggest differences in recognition of particular fragrances were observed for: orange and lemon, lemon and coffee (p.adj < 0.001). Patients had the greatest problem in assessing smell of lemon. The comparison of scores between Delta, Omicron, Wild Type, Wild Type Alpha waves showed statistically significant difference between Delta and Wild Type waves (p = 0.006). Duration of the disease (r = 0.218), age (r = -0.253), IL-6 (r = -0.281) showed significant negative correlations with the score. Statistically significant variables in the case of smell disorders were Omicron wave (CI = 0.045-0.902; P = 0.046) and Wild Type wave (CI = 0.135-0.716; P = 0.007) compared to Delta wave reference. Moreover, patients with PLT count below 150 000/µl had greater olfactory disorders than those with PLT count over 150 000/µl. There are: smell differences between post-COVID-19 patients and healthy population; statistically significant difference between Delta and Wild Type waves in Post-COVID-19 group in score of the Sniffin Sticks Test. Smell disturbances depend on the age, cognitive impairments, clinical characteristics of the COVID-19 disease and sex of the patient.