Effects of statins on thrombosis development in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid antibodies.

The objective of this study is to identify the effects of statins and risk factors for thrombosis in patients with new onset of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with or without antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). Consecutive patients with SLE without history of thrombotic events were retrospectively enrolled from April 1997 to February 2014. The development of first thrombosis and death caused by thrombosis were defined as the study endpoint. Risk and protective factors for developing thrombosis were analyzed. A total of 152 patients, 80 positive and 72 negative for aPL, were included. In aPL-positive patients, 15 developed arterial ( n = 6) and venous ( n = 9) thrombosis (median follow-up period 69 months). Cox's proportional hazards model showed that older age at SLE onset and IgG-anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) were statistically significant risks for thrombosis. Statin therapy was identified as a statistically significant protective factor against thrombosis (hazard ratio 0.12, 95% confidence interval 0.01-0.98). In aPL-negative patients (median follow-up period 46 months), seven patients developed thrombosis (five arterial and two venous). No risk factors for thrombosis were found in this group. In aPL-positive patients with SLE, the late disease onset and the presence of IgG-aCL represented additional risk factors for thrombosis. Statin treatment appeared as a protective factor for thrombosis.

Thrombotic risk stratification by platelet count in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies: a longitudinal study.

Essentials Thrombotic risk stratification is an unmet need in antiphospholipid antibody carriers. Platelet count and antiphospholipid score (aPL-S) were combined to predict thrombotic events. Patients with high aPL-S are at high thrombotic risk regardless of platelet count. If platelet count is low, patients with low aPL-S are also on high thrombotic risk. SUMMARY: Background Thrombocytopenia is a non-criteria clinical manifestation of antiphospholipid syndrome. However, it remains to be elucidated whether thrombocytopenia increases thrombotic risk in antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) carriers. Objectives To investigate the impact of platelet count in terms of predicting thrombotic events in aPL carriers, and to stratify the thrombotic risk by combining platelet count and antiphospholipid score (aPL-S), which represents a quantification of aPL varieties and titers. Patients/methods A single-center, retrospective, longitudinal study comprising 953 consecutive patients who were suspected of having autoimmune disease between January 2002 and December 2006 was performed. Low platelet count was defined as a count of < 150 × 103 µL-1 at the time of aPL testing. Results A negative correlation was observed between aPL-S and platelet count (r = - 0.2477). Among aPL-positive patients, those with a low platelet count developed thrombosis more frequently than those without (hazard ratio [HR] 2.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-7.88). Among aPL-negative patients, no difference was found in the predictive value of thrombosis regardless of platelet count. Patients with aPLs were further divided into two subgroups according to aPL-S. Among low-aPL-S patients, those with low platelet counts developed thrombosis more frequently than those without (HR 3.44, 95% CI 1.05-11.2). In contrast, high-aPL-S patients developed thrombosis frequently regardless of platelet count. Conclusions aPL carriers with low platelet counts are at high risk of developing thrombosis. In particular, 'low-aPL-S carriers' may be stratified by platelet count in terms of predicting future thrombotic events.

3,4-Dinitrophenyl N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide, a synthetic substrate for direct spectrophotometric assay of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase or N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase.

3,4-Dinitrophenyl N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide (3,4-dnpGlcNAc) was synthesized and proposed as an artificial substrate for N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.30) and N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.52) (collectively abbreviated as NAGase). 3,4-dnpGlcNAc is water soluble and is fairly stable in aqueous medium. 3,4-Dinitrophenol released from 3,4-dnpGlcNAc by NAGase absorbs light of 400 nm at pH near 5, where the activity of urinary NAGase is assayed for diagnostic use. Direct and sensitive spectrophotometric assay of NAGase is, thus, possible using 3,4-dnpGlcNAc as an artificial substrate by monitoring the increase of A400 due to the release of 3,4-dinitrophenol in a thermostated spectrophotometer.

1-Methoxy-5-methylphenazinium methyl sulfate. A photochemically stable electron mediator between NADH and various electron acceptors.

This paper describes the properties and application of 1-methoxy-5-methylphenazinium methyl sulfate (1-methoxyPMS), which is a photochemically stable, versatile electron carrier. Like 5-methylphenazinium methyl sulfate (PMS), it mediates electron transfer between NADH and various electron acceptors such as tetrazolium dyes or the electrode of an enzymic electric cell, and yet it does not deteriorate upon storage under scattered light in normal laboratories. The rate of reduction of 1-methoxyPMS coupled to the reoxidation of NADH produced by the lactate dehydrogenase reaction, was even faster than that of PMS. It was also successfully employed as an electron mediator in the enzymic electric cell method for the assay of NAD-linked dehydrogenases. 1-MethoxyPMS solution is rosy pink, and its standard redox potential (E0') is approximately +0.063 V. The use of 1-methoxyPMS will be beneficial in biochemistry as well as medical technology, where PMS has been used as an electron mediator in various electron transfer systems.