Evaluation of the dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis in patients with chronic venous insufficiency.

OBJECTIVE: There is no study in the literature evaluating the dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis in patients with chronic venous insufficiency. Thus, we designed this study to evaluate the dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis as a novel indicator of oxidative stress in patients with chronic venous insufficiency. METHODS: This was a prospective case-control study performed at the department of cardiovascular surgery of a tertiary referral hospital in Turkey. A total of 80 (CEAP C3-C6) patients with lower extremity chronic venous insufficiency (as the study group) and 80 healthy subjects (as the control group) were enrolled to the study. The participants' basic demographic and clinical characteristics as well as serum levels of some laboratory parameters including albumin, ferroxidase, myeloperoxidase, native thiol, total thiol, disulphide, native thiol/total thiol, disulphide/native thiol, and disulphide/total thiol were determined, and then compared between the groups. RESULTS: In terms of basic demographic and clinical characteristics, both groups were statistically similar, and there were no significant differences between the groups. When the laboratory parameters were considered, serum ferroxidase and myeloperoxidase levels were detected to be significantly higher, whereas albumin, native thiol, total thiol, and disulphide levels were detected to be significantly lower in the study group than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis could be considered as an indicator reflecting the oxidative stress status in patients with chronic venous insufficiency.

COVID-19 patients with altered steroid hormone levels are more likely to have higher disease severity.

PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate the correlations between the severity of the disease and serum steroid levels by analyzing the serum steroid levels in COVID-19 patients with different levels of disease progression and the control group. METHODS: Morning serum Aldosterone, 11-deoxycortisol, Androstenedione, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), Corticosterone, Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), Estrone, Estradiol, Progesterone, 11-deoxycorticosterone, Cortisol, Corticosterone, Androsterone, Pregnenolone, 17-hydroxypregnenolone and 21-deoxycortisol levels were measured in 153 consecutive patients were grouped as mild, moderate, and severe based on the WHO COVID-19 disease severity classification and the control group. Steroid hormone levels were analyzed at once with a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method (LC-MS/MS). RESULTS: In our study, nearly all steroids were statistically significantly higher in the patients' group than in the control group (p < 0.001). Also, DHEA was an independent indicator of the disease severity with COVID-19 CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals that the alteration in steroid hormone levels was correlated with disease severity. Also, steroid hormone levels should be followed up during COVID-19 disease management.

Can chlorogenic acid reduce oxidative stress and in an experimental spinal cord injury?

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate antioxidant and neuroprotective properties of chlorogenic acid in spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: Twenty-one rats were divided into three groups. Laminectomy was performed in group L (n=7), spinal cord trauma was induced in group T (n=7), and spinal cord trauma was induced and chlorogenic acid treatment was started in group C (n=7). Blood samples were collected to analyze baseline values and the 12th h, 1st day, 3rd day, and 5th day catalase, native thiol (NT), total thiol (TT), disulfide (SS), SS/TT, SS/NT, and NT/TT levels. Functional analysis with Basso-Beattie and Bresnahan scores was performed at the same time points. Total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidative stress, oxidative stress index, and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) were examined in the spinal cord of rats euthanized on day 7; results were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: On day 7, catalase levels in Group C were significantly higher than baseline levels, whereas those in Group T were significantly lower than baseline levels; Group L showed no significant difference (p=0.008). SS values on day 7 were lower in Group T than in Groups C and L. Group C showed the lowest decrease in NT/TT level after trauma. On day 7, SS/TT level was high in Group T but stable in Groups C and L (p=0.04). Histopathological examination revealed significantly lower Cox-2 and TAS levels in Group C than in Group T (p=0.003, p=0.017, respectively). CONCLUSION: In this study, SCI was primarily examined through thiol-SS balance, and it was demonstrated by experimental models that chlorogenic acid has antioxidant and neuroprotective effects in SCI.

Serum endocan level and diastolic functions in the case of lead exposure

Background/aim: Lead can cause morphological and functional changes in heart, and inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in vasculature. Endocan, as a novel indicator of endothelial dysfunction, has been used for cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated the relationship between lead exposure, endocan levels, and diastolic functions. Materials and methods: A total of 51 lead-exposed workers without a known cardiovascular disease or risk factors and 54 healthy controls were enrolled. All participants underwent transthoracic echocardiography. Blood lead and serum endocan levels were analyzed. Results: Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were found to be similar between groups. Median blood lead (32 vs 1.5 µg/dL, P < 0.001) and serum endocan levels (67 vs 57.1 pg/mL, P = 0.02) were significantly higher in the lead-exposed group. Serum endocan level showed a positive correlation with blood lead levels (r = 0.404, P = 0.003) in lead-exposed workers. Serum endocan level was an independent risk factor for increased E/E' ratio (ß = 0.704, P = 0.002) and left atrial volume index (ß = 1.158, P = 0.011) and higher level of lead in blood was an independent risk factor for increased E wave (ß = 8.004, P = 0.022) in lead-exposed workers. Conclusion: Worsened diastolic functions may be seen in the course of lead exposure. Due to sharing a similar mechanism, a higher serum level of endocan may be a valuable laboratory clue for impaired diastolic function in this population.

Occupational exposure to asphalt fume can cause oxidative DNA damage among road paving workers.

OBJECTIVES: We designed the present study to determine the effect of occupational exposure to asphalt fumes on oxidative status and DNA damage in road paving workers. METHODS: Sixty road paving workers exposed to asphalt fumes and forty non-exposed control subjects were recruited. Occupational exposure to PAHs was assessed by urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) excretion. Serum thiol disulfide homeostasis (TDH), total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) and urinary 8-hydro-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) level were evaluated by automated colourimetric method. RESULTS: The urinary concentrations of 1-OHP and 8-OH-dG were significantly higher in the exposed group than in the control group (P < 0.001). Disulfide/thiol ratio, TOS, and TAS were also significantly higher for the asphalt workers. A positive correlation existed between urinary 1-OHP and 8-OH-dG, TOS and TAS. CONCLUSION: Study results indicate that exposure to PAHs induces oxidative stress and causes genotoxic effects in asphalt workers.

Effects of Occupational Silica Exposure on OXIDATIVE Stress and Immune System Parameters in Ceramic Workers in TURKEY.

Silica is the second most common element after oxygen, and therefore, exposures to crystalline silica dust occur in a large variety of occupations such as metal foundries, constructions, and ceramic, quarry, and pottery industries. Since crystalline silica exposure has been linked with silicosis, lung cancer, and other pulmonary diseases, adverse effect attributed to this element has be a cause for concern worldwide. Silica dust exposure in workers is still considered to be important health problem especially in developing countries. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of occupational silica exposure on oxidative stress parameters including the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and levels of total glutathione (GSH) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) as well as immune system parameters such as interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in Turkish ceramic workers. In this study, nearly 50% of Turkish ceramic workers were diagnosed with silicosis. Eighty-four percent of these silicotic workers were found to present with profusion category 1 silicosis, whereas controls (n = 81) all displayed normal chest radiographs. Data demonstrated a significant decrease in levels of GSH and activities of CAT, SOD, and GPx, but a significant increase in MDA levels and activity of GR in all workers. Further, workers possessed significantly higher levels of IL-1α, IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α. These observations suggest that ceramic workers may have impaired antioxidant/oxidant status and activated immune system indicative of inflammatory responses.

Biochemical, radiologic, ultrastructural, and genetic evaluation of iron overload in acute leukemia and iron-chelation therapy.

Iron overload in hereditary hemochromatosis and hematologic malignancy has unfavorable effects on morbidity. Herein, 53 children (age 108.4±58.3 mo, 25 girls and 28 boys) with acute myeloblastic and lymphoblastic leukemia, who received 4 different chemotherapy protocols, were evaluated for iron overload throughout chemotherapy. Iron overload arose: (1) before chemotherapy, which was dependent on neither chemotherapy nor packed red blood cell transfusions and (2) after chemotherapy, which was dependent on the duration and nature of chemotherapy and partially on transfusion of packed red blood cells. Iron overload was documented in 75% of patients with a ferritin level >1000 ng/mL, by liver and heart magnetic resonance imaging, and they were administered iron-chelation therapy with success. Three of 10 radiologically iron-overloaded patients were heterozygous for H63D mutation. Aminolevulinic acid and porphobilinogen levels were normal. Light microscopic examination of the bone marrow revealed increased iron granules in erythroblasts, platelets, and megakaryocytes, iron-laden macrophages, free iron in the matrix, dyshematopoiesis, and apoptotic cells. Electron microscopic examination revealed iron-laden secondary lysosomes and autolysosomes in normoblasts and iron-laden primary granules in promyelocytes, irrelevant to the ferritin level, implying autophagia due to chemotherapy as a source of the excess iron. We think that iron overload, which is an important complication of acute leukemia, should be evaluated separately from "transfusion overload," and the management principles specific to leukemia should be implemented.