Discrepancies between plasma procalcitonin and C-reactive protein levels are common in acute illness.

AIM: Procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are biomarkers of bacterial infection with distinct clinical qualities. This study aimed to determine the occurrence and significance of discrepancies in plasma PCT and CRP levels in hospitalised children. METHODS: This was a single centre, retrospective analysis of simultaneous PCT and CRP measurements. Clinical characteristics, microbiological findings and diagnoses were compared between cases in which only PCT or CRP levels were elevated. RESULTS: We studied 635 pairs of PCT and CRP measurements and found discrepancies in 29% of these. In the group with increased PCT and low CRP, there were more children with hypoxia or haemodynamic stress (14 versus 0, p < 0.001) and more bacteraemic patients (eight versus zero, p = 0.001) than in the group with low PCT and increased CRP. The latter group was associated with focal bacterial infections (three versus 18, p = 0.009), inflammatory conditions (one versus 12, p = 0.016) and postoperative setting (one versus 19, p = 0.001). Diabetic ketoacidosis was associated with a marked elevation of PCT. CONCLUSION: Discrepancies in plasma PCT and CRP levels occurred in 29% of acutely ill children. Both biomarkers can increase in the absence of bacterial infection, but PCT may offer an advantage over CRP in the diagnosis of bacteraemia.

Myocardial blood flow and its transit time, oxygen utilization, and efficiency of highly endurance-trained human heart.

Highly endurance-trained athlete's heart represents the most extreme form of cardiac adaptation to physical stress, but its circulatory alterations remain obscure. In the present study, myocardial blood flow (MBF), blood mean transit time (MTT), oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) and consumption (MVO2), and efficiency of cardiac work were quantified in highly trained male endurance athletes and control subjects at rest and during supine cycling exercise using [(15)O]-labeled radiotracers and positron emission tomography. Heart rate and MBF were lower in athletes both at rest and during exercise. OEF increased in response to exercise in both groups, but was higher in athletes (70 ± 21 vs. 63 ± 11 % at rest and 86 ± 13 vs. 73 ± 10 % during exercise). MTT was longer and vascular resistance higher in athletes both at rest and during exercise, but arterial content of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (oxygen affinity) was unchanged. MVO2 per gram of myocardium trended (p = 0.08) lower in athletes both at rest and during exercise, while myocardial efficiency of work and MVO2 per beat were not different between groups. Arterial levels of free fatty acids were ~twofold higher in athletes likely leading to higher myocardial fatty acid oxidation and hence oxygen cost, which may have blunted the bradycardia-induced decrease in MVO2. Finally, the observed group differences in MBF, OEF, MTT and vascular resistance remained significant also after they were controlled for differences in MVO2. In conclusion, in highly endurance-trained human heart, increased myocardial blood transition time enables higher oxygen extraction levels with a lower myocardial blood flow and higher vascular resistance. These physiological adaptations to exercise training occur independently of the level of oxygen consumption and together with training-induced bradycardia may serve as mechanisms to increase functional reserve of the human heart.

Maternal smoking affects lung function and airway inflammation in young children with multiple-trigger wheeze.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to tobacco smoke is a well-known risk factor for childhood asthma and reduced lung function, but the effect on airway inflammation in preschool-aged children is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of parental smoking on lung function and fractional concentration of exhaled nitric oxide (Feno) in relation to both parental reports and children's urine cotinine concentrations in preschool-aged children with multiple-trigger wheeze. METHODS: A total of 105 3- to 7-year-old children with multiple-trigger wheeze and lung function abnormalities were recruited. Lung function was assessed by impulse oscillometry, and Feno measurements were performed. Exposure to tobacco smoke was determined by parental reports and measurement of children's urinary cotinine concentrations. RESULTS: Forty-three percent of the children were exposed to environmental tobacco smoke according to parental reports. The Feno level was significantly higher in children with a smoking mother (n = 27) than in children with a nonsmoking mother (23.4 vs 12.5 ppb, P = .006). The Feno level expressed as z score and the cotinine level correlated significantly (P = .03). Respiratory resistance at 5 Hz was higher in children exposed to maternal smoking than in others (0.99 vs 0.88 kPas/L, P = .005). Urinary cotinine concentrations reflected well parental reports on their daily smoking and increased relative to the number of cigarettes smoked in the family (P < .01). Atopy was found in 75% of the children, but it was not associated with the Feno value (P = .65). CONCLUSION: Maternal smoking was associated with increased Feno value and poorer lung function in steroid-naive preschool children with multiple-trigger wheeze. Larger controlled trials are needed to generalize the results.

Early initiation of enzyme replacement therapy improves metabolic correction in the brain tissue of aspartylglycosaminuria mice.

Aspartylglycosaminuria (AGU) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by deficient activity of glycosylasparaginase (AGA), and characterized by motor and mental retardation. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in adult AGU mice with AGA removes the accumulating substance aspartylglucosamine from and reverses pathology in many somatic tissues, but has only limited efficacy in the brain tissue of the animals. In the current work, ERT of AGU mice was initiated at the age of 1 week with three different dosage schedules of recombinant glycosylasparaginase. The animals received either 3.4 U of AGA/kg every second day for 2 weeks (Group 1), 1.7 U/kg every second day for 9 days followed by an enzyme injection once a week for 4 weeks (Group 2) or 17 U/kg at the age of 7 and 9 days (Group 3). In the Group 1 and Group 3 mice, ERT reduced the amount of aspartylglucosamine by 34 and 41% in the brain tissue, respectively. No therapeutic effect was observed in the brain tissue of Group 2 mice. As in the case of adult AGU mice, the AGA therapy was much more effective in the somatic tissues than in the brain tissue of the newborn AGU mice. The combined evidence demonstrates that a high dose ERT with AGA in newborn AGU mice is up to twofold more effective in reducing the amount of the accumulated storage material from the brain tissue than ERT in adult AGU animals, indicating the importance of early detection and treatment of the disease.

Cardiopulmonary involvement in Fabry's disease.

BACKGROUND: Fabry's disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disease caused by deficiency of alpha-galactosidase A enzyme activity. Decreased enzyme activity leads to accumulation of glycosphingolipid in different tissues, including endothelial and smooth-muscle cells and cardiomyocytes. OBJECTIVES: There is controversial data on cardiopulmonary involvement in Fabry's disease, because many reports are based on small and selected populations with Fabry's disease. Furthermore, the aetiology of cardiopulmonary symptoms in Fabry's disease is poorly understood. METHODS: We studied cardiopulmonary involvement in seventeen patients with Fabry's disease (20-65 years, 6 men) using ECG, bicycle stress, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, spirometry, diffusing capacity and pulmonary high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) tests. Cardiopulmonary symptoms were compared to observed parameters in cardiopulmonary tests. RESULTS: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and reduced exercise capacity are the most apparent cardiac changes in both genders with Fabry's disease. ECG parameters were normal when excluding changes related to LVH. Spirometry showed mild reduction in vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV I), and mean values in diffusing capacity tests were within normal limits. Generally, only slight morphological pulmonary changes were detected using pulmonary HRCT, and they were not associated with changes in pulmonary function. The self-reported amount of pulmonary symptoms associated only with lower ejection fraction (P < 0.001) and longer QRS-duration (P = 0.04) of all measured cardiopulmonary parameters, whereas cardiac symptoms have no statistically significant association with any of these parameters. CONCLUSION: LVH and reduced exercise capacity are the most apparent cardiopulmonary changes in Fabry's disease but they have only a minor association to cardiopulmonary symptoms.Therefore, routine cardiopulmonary evaluation in Fabry's disease using echocardiography is maybe enough when integrated to counselling for aerobic exercise training.

Aspartylglycosaminuria: a review.

Aspartylglucosaminuria (AGU), a recessively inherited lysosomal storage disease, is the most common disorder of glycoprotein degradation with a high prevalence in the Finnish population. It is a lifelong condition affecting on the patient's appearance, cognition, adaptive skills, physical growth, personality, body structure, and health. An infantile growth spurt and development of macrocephalia associated to hernias and respiratory infections are the key signs to an early identification of AGU. Progressive intellectual and physical disability is the main symptom leading to death usually before the age of 50 years.The disease is caused by the deficient activity of the lysosomal enzyme glycosylasparaginase (aspartylglucosaminidase, AGA), which leads to a disorder in the degradation of glycoasparagines - aspartylglucosamine or other glycoconjugates with an aspartylglucosamine moiety at their reducing end - and accumulation of these undegraded glycoasparagines in tissues and body fluids. A single nucleotide change in the AGA gene resulting in a cysteine to serine substitution (C163S) in the AGA enzyme protein causes the deficiency of the glycosylasparaginase activity in the Finnish population. Homozygosity for the single nucleotide change causing the C163S mutation is responsible for 98% of the AGU cases in Finland simplifying the carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis of the disorder in the Finnish population. A mouse strain, which completely lacks the Aga activity has been generated through targeted disruption of the Aga gene in embryonic stem cells. These Aga-deficient mice share most of the clinical, histopathologic and biochemical characteristics of human AGU disease. Treatment of AGU mice with recombinant AGA resulted in rapid correction of the pathophysiologic characteristics of AGU in non-neuronal tissues of the animals. The accumulation of aspartylglucosamine was reduced by up to 40% in the brain tissue of the animals depending on the age of the animals and the therapeutic protocol. Enzyme replacement trials on human AGU patients have not been reported so far. Allogenic stem cell transplantation has not proved effective in curing AGU.

Beta-aspartylpeptides as substrates of L-asparaginases from Escherichia coli and Erwinia chrysanthemi.

L-Asparaginase is known to catalyze the hydrolysis of L-asparagine to L-aspartic and ammonia, but little is known about its action on peptides. When we incubated L-asparaginases purified either from Escherichia coli or Erwinia chrysanthemi - commonly used as chemotherapeutic agents because of their antitumour activity - with eight small beta-aspartylpeptides such as beta-aspartylserineamide, beta-aspartylalanineamide, beta-aspartylglycineamide and beta-aspartylglycine, we found that both L-asparaginases could catalyze the hydrolysis of five of them yielding L-aspartic acid and amino acids or peptides. Our data show that L-asparaginases can hydrolyze beta-aspartylpeptides and suggest that L-asparaginase therapy may affect the metabolism of beta-aspartylpeptides present in human body.

Echocardiography in Fabry disease: diagnostic value of endocardial border binary appearance.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: It has been reported that the endocardium in Fabry disease has a binary appearance on transthoracic echocardiography. It has been suggested that this sign could be used with good accuracy to differentiate Fabry disease from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and even as a first filter to screen for suspected Fabry disease. METHODS: Therefore, we performed a blinded echocardiography in a non-selected population of patients with Fabry disease and matched controls. We included 23 echocardiographic studies of Fabry patients. RESULTS: Two of the Fabry patients had binary appearance of the endocardium. One of them had left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and the other had a normal left ventricular mass. Binary appearance of the endocardium was detected in four of the controls, and one of them had LVH. Subgroup analysis of patients who had LVH indicated a sensitivity of 12.5% and a specificity of 66.7% for binary appearance of the endocardium to detect Fabry disease as the underlying cause of LVH. Overall, binary appearance of the endocardium had a sensitivity and a specificity of 15.4 and 73.3%, respectively, to distinguish patients with Fabry disease from controls in our population. CONCLUSIONS: Binary appearance of the endocardium is not feasible for screening Fabry disease by echocardiography.

Massive accumulation of Man2GlcNAc2-Asn in nonneuronal tissues of glycosylasparaginase-deficient mice and its removal by enzyme replacement therapy.

Aspartylglycosaminuria (AGU) is caused by deficient enzymatic activity of glycosylasparaginase (GA). The disease is characterized by accumulation of aspartylglucosamine (GlcNAc-Asn) and other glycoasparagines in tissues and body fluids of AGU patients and in an AGU mouse model. In the current study, we characterized a glycoasparagine carrying the tetrasaccharide moiety of alpha-D-Man-(1-->6)-beta-D-Man-(1-->4)-beta-D-GlcNAc-(1-->4)-beta-D-GlcNAc-(1-->N)-Asn (Man2GlcNAc2-Asn) in urine of an AGU patient and also in the tissues of the AGU mouse model. Quantitative analysis demonstrated a massive accumulation of the compound especially in nonneuronal tissues of the AGU mice, in which the levels of Man2GlcNAc2-Asn were typically 30-87% of those of GlcNAc-Asn. The highest level of Man2GlcNAc2-Asn was found in the liver, spleen, and heart tissues of the AGU mice, the respective amounts being 87%, 76%, and 57% of the GlcNAc-Asn levels. In the brain tissue of AGU mice the Man2GlcNAc2-Asn storage was only 9% of that of GlcNAc-Asn. In contrast to GlcNAc-Asn, the storage of Man2GlcNAc2-Asn markedly increased in the liver and spleen tissues of AGU mice as they grew older. Enzyme replacement therapy with glycosylasparaginase for 3.5 weeks reduced the amount of Man2GlcNAc2-Asn by 66-97% in nonneuronal tissues, but only by 13% in the brain tissue of the AGU mice. In conclusion, there is evidence for a role for storage of glycoasparagines other than aspartylglucosamine in the pathogenesis of AGU, and this possibility should be taken into consideration in the treatment of the disease.

Serious neutropenia in ALL patients treated with L-asparaginase may be avoided by therapeutic monitoring of the enzyme activity in the circulation.

The antineoplastic enzyme L-asparaginase is commonly used for the induction of remission in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). L-Asparagine is an essential amino acid for many lymphoid tumor cells and L-asparaginase catalyzes its conversion to L-aspartic acid and ammonia. The dosage of this highly toxic drug is individualized based on the body surface area of the patient, but monitoring of L-asparaginase activity during the L-asparaginase therapy is not commonly used. We measured L-asparaginase activity in the serum of ten children (aged 3-13 y) with ALL (ALL NOPHO-92 standard or intermediate risk groups) during their L-asparaginase therapy. L-asparaginase was given 30,000 IU/m2 IM during days 37-46 of the induction therapy and no other chemotherapeutic drug except for prednisone was given at the same time. We observed that this dosage schedule resulted in almost 6-fold differences in the serum activity of L-asparaginase between the patients. There was also a relationship between the area under the L-asparaginase activity-time curve (AUC) and even peak L-asparaginase activity in serum during the enzyme therapy and neutropenia after the therapy in the patients: the higher the AUC or peak value was, the more severe was the neutropenia in the patients after treatment. Monitoring L-asparaginase in serum could be useful in optimization of the therapy with this toxic drug.