Antineutrophil antibodies define clinical and genetic subgroups in primary sclerosing cholangitis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The strongest genetic risk factors in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are encoded in the HLA complex. Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) have been reported in up to 94% of PSC patients, but their clinical significance and immunogenetic basis are ill defined. We aimed to characterize clinical and genetic associations of ANCA in PSC. METHODS: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were analysed with indirect immunofluorescence in 241 Norwegian PSC patients. HLA-B and HLA-DRB1 genotyping was performed in the patients and in 368 healthy controls. Data on perinuclear ANCA (pANCA) and HLA-DRB1 were available from 274 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients without known liver disease. RESULTS: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were found in 193 (80%) of the PSC patients, with pANCA in 169 (70%). ANCA-positive patients were younger than ANCA negative at diagnosis of PSC and had a lower frequency of biliary cancer (9% vs 19%, P=.047). There were no differences between PSC patients with and without inflammatory bowel disease. Genetically, the strong PSC risk factors HLA-B*08 (frequency in healthy 13%) and DRB1*03 (14%) were more prevalent in ANCA-positive than -negative patients (43% vs 25%, P=.0012 and 43% vs 25%, P=.0015 respectively). The results were similar when restricting the analysis to pANCA-positive patients. In UC patients without liver disease, HLA-DRB1*03 was more prevalent in pANCA-positive compared with -negative patients (P=.03). CONCLUSIONS: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies identified PSC patients with particular clinical and genetic characteristics, suggesting that ANCA may mark a clinically relevant pathogenetic subgroup in the PSC-UC disease spectrum.

Leptin levels and adipose tissue percentage in adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome.

The main purpose of the research is to compare serum leptin (Lep) levels and adipose tissue percentage in adolescents diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and those in healthy subjects. The results showed a greater percentage of patients with increased adipose tissue and significantly higher serum Lep levels in the PCOS group compared to the healthy controls. It was proved that there is a correlation between Lep and body mass index, body adipose tissue, waist circumference and HOMA index. PCOS in adolescents is a condition related to highly predominant overweight and obesity with exceeding level of body adipose tissue and higher serum Lep levels compared to healthy age-matched controls.

Simple limbal epithelial transplantation: a review on current approach and future directions.

Simple limbal epithelial transplantation is a recently developed technique for treating limbal stem cell deficiency caused by ocular burns. A small limbal biopsy from the donor eye, usually from the patient's healthy eye, is excised and dissected into multiple pieces. An amniotic membrane is atttached using fibrin glue on the diseased eye after removing the conjunctivalized pannus from the corneal surface. The limbal biopsy pieces are placed onto the amniotic membrane, fixed with fibrin glue, followed by bandaging of the ocular surface with a contact lens. This technique (auto simple limbal epithelial transplantation) offers easier surgical manipulations and economic advantages over other techniques for the treatment of limbal stem cell deficiency. We therefore review simple limbal epithelial transplantation along with recent modifications in the technique and case studies, including challenges and failures.