Empagliflozin and Dapagliflozin Improve Endothelial Function in Mexican Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Double-Blind Clinical Trial.

AIM: To assess the acute effect of empagliflozin versus dapagliflozin administration on flow-mediated vasodilation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. DESIGN: A double-blind clinical trial, at the Experimental and Clinical Therapeutics Institute, University Health Sciences Center, at the Universidad de Guadalajara, in inpatients with T2D according to the 2023 ADA criteria. METHODS: Thirty patients (15 males and 15 females), aged between 35 and 65 years, were included in this study, according to the 2023 ADA criteria. The eligible patients were randomly assigned to three groups: empagliflozin 25 mg once daily, dapagliflozin 10 mg once daily, or placebo once daily. Anthropometric parameters were taken using validated techniques. FMD was measured using a high-resolution semiautomatic ultrasound UNEX-EF 38G (UNEX Co., Ltd., Nagoya, Japan). Arterial tension was determined with the OMRON electronic digital sphygmomanometer (HEM 907 XL, Kyoto, Japan). RESULTS: The group of patients who received empagliflozin had a significantly lower baseline flow-mediated dilation (FMD) compared to the group receiving dapagliflozin (p = 0.017); at the end of this study, the empagliflozin group achieved a comparable FMD to the dapagliflozin group (p = 0.88). CONCLUSION: After the treatment period, the empagliflozin and dapagliflozin groups achieved similar FMD, suggesting a class effect.

Strategies to prevent, diagnose and treat kidney disease related to systemic arterial hypertension: a narrative review from the Mexican Group of Experts on Arterial Hypertension.

This narrative review highlights strategies proposed by the Mexican Group of Experts on Arterial Hypertension endorsed to prevent, diagnose, and treat chronic kidney disease (CKD) related to systemic arterial hypertension (SAH). Given the growing prevalence of CKD in Mexico and Latin America caused by SAH, there is a need for context-specific approaches to address the effects of SAH, given the diverse population and unique challenges faced by the region. This narrative review provides clinical strategies for healthcare providers on preventing, diagnosing, and treating kidney disease related to SAH, focusing on primary prevention, early detection, evidence-based diagnostic approaches, and selecting pharmacological treatments. Key-strategies are focused on six fundamental areas: 1) Strategies to mitigate kidney disease in SAH, 2) early detection of CKD in SAH, 3) diagnosis and monitoring of SAH, 4) blood pressure targets in patients living with CKD, 5) hypertensive treatment in patients with CKD and 6) diuretics and Non-Steroidal Mineralocorticoid Receptor Inhibitors in Patients with CKD. This review aims to provide relevant strategies for the Mexican and Latin American clinical context, highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to managing SAH, and the role of community-based programs in improving the quality of life for affected individuals. This position paper seeks to contribute to reducing the burden of SAH-related CKD and its complications in Mexico and Latin America.

Percentage of change and increment of the glucose level after a normal oral tolerance curve between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.

AIM: To determine the percentage of change and increment in glucose levels after a normal oral glucose tolerance test between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. METHODS: We studied 3510 pregnant women who attended their obstetric delivery at a tertiary care hospital in Guadalajara, Mexico in 2018, according to characteristics and risk 1647 (47%) patients were screened for diabetes diagnosis using the oral glucose tolerance test, 501 patients reported normal values between their 24th and 28th week of pregnancy, only 400 patients had their fasting glucose level measured on the same day of their obstetric delivery, to be compared. RESULTS: Average age was 30 years, with an average of 25.3 weeks of pregnancy. The fasting serum glucose levels taken after 28 weeks of pregnancy and before the obstetrical delivery showed an increase of 1.1 mmol/L in women who develop gestational diabetes mellitus, in contrast to women who did not develop gestational diabetes mellitus after 28 weeks their blood glucose only increased on average 0.4 mmol/L. The incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus in the study population during 2018 was 32.7%. Patients who developed gestational diabetes mellitus after a normal oral glucose tolerance test had greater body mass index before the pregnancy and newborns had a higher weight than babies born to mothers without gestational diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSION: Changes in glucose levels after the oral tolerance test of normal glucose require strict monitoring, in that it was demonstrated that 3% of patients developed gestational diabetes mellitus after week 28 of gestation.

Tadalafil Improves Haemodynamics and Arterial Stiffness but Not Flow- Mediated Dilation in Grade 1 Obesity. A Single-dose, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity, a major health issue worldwide, is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, endothelial dysfunction, and arterial stiffness. Tadalafil has been demonstrated to improve vascular parameters. AIM: To evaluate the effect of a single 20 mg dose of tadalafil on flow-mediated dilation and hemodynamic and arterial stiffness markers. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted on 80 participants (41 assigned to placebo and 39 to tadalafil) with grade 1 obesity, to evaluate the acute effect of a single dose of 20 mg of tadalafil on flow-mediated dilation and hemodynamic and arterial stiffness markers. RESULTS: Tadalafil did not modify flow-mediated dilation. However, it significantly lowered systolic blood pressure (SBP) (130.6±17.1 vs. 125.0±12.7 mmHg, p=0.011), diastolic blood pressure (82.7±18.2 vs. 76.5±11.8 mmHg, p≤0.001), central systolic blood pressure (116.33±19.16 vs. 109.90±15.05 mmHg, p=0.001), the augmentation index (69.1±17.1 vs. 65.7±14.4, p=0.012), and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (1229.7±218.4 vs. 1164.0±181.7, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: A single dose of tadalafil did not modify flow-mediated dilation in patients with grade 1 obesity but improved blood pressure and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity.

Absence of Anti-RBD Antibodies in SARS-CoV-2 Infected or Naive Individuals Prior to Vaccination with CoronaVac Leads to Short Protection of Only Four Months Duration.

The COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest public health threat facing the world today. Multiple vaccines have been approved; however, the emergence of viral variants such as the recent Omicron raises the possibility of booster doses to achieve adequate protection. In Brazil, the CoronaVac (Sinovac, Beijing, China) vaccine was used; however, it is important to assess the immune response to this vaccine over time. This study aimed to monitor the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses in those immunized with CoronaVac and SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals. Samples were collected between August 2020 and August 2021. Within the vaccinated cohort, some individuals had a history of infection by SARS-CoV-2 prior to immunization, while others did not. We analyzed RBD-specific and neutralizing-antibodies. Anti-RBD antibodies were detected in both cohorts, with a peak between 45-90 days post infection or vaccination, followed by a steady decline over time. In those with a previous history of COVID-19, a higher, longer, more persistent response was observed. This trend was mirrored in the neutralization assays, where infection, followed by immunization, resulted in higher, longer lasting responses which were conditioned on the presence of levels of RBD antibodies right before the vaccination. This supports the necessity of booster doses of CoronaVac in due course to prevent serious disease.

Green Tea Extract Increases Soluble RAGE and Improves Renal Function in Patients with Diabetic Nephropathy.

One of the proposed mechanisms for the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the increase of end products of advanced glycosylation (AGEs), which bind to its receptor (RAGE), favoring nephron cellular damage. An isoform of this receptor is soluble RAGE (sRAGE), which can antagonize AGE-altered intracellular signaling. It has known that green tea extract (GTE) increases the expression of sRAGE, but it is unknown whether this could improve kidney function. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the administration of GTE on the concentrations of sRAGE, renal function, and metabolic profile in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and DN. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was carried out in 39 patients who received GTE (400 mg every 12 h) or placebo for 3 months. sRAGE levels, renal function, and metabolic parameters were determined before and after the intervention. In the GTE group, there were statistically significant increase on sRAGE (320.55 ± 157.63 pg/mL vs. 357.59 ± 144.99 pg/mL; P = .04) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR; 66.44 ± 15.17 mL/min/1.73 m2 vs. 71.70 ± 19.33 mL/min/1.73 m2; P = .04), and a statistically significant decrease in fasting serum glucose (7.62 ± 3.00 mmol/L vs. 5.86 ± 1.36 mmol/L; P ≤ .01) and triacylglycerols (1.91 ± 0.76 mmol/L vs. 1.58 ± 0.69; P = .02). Administration of GTE increases the serum concentration of sRAGE and the GFR and decreases the concentration of fasting serum glucose and triacylglycerols. The study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov with the identifier NCT03622762.

FANTOM II Trial: safety and performance study of the fantom sirolimus-eluting bioresorbable coronary scaffold: first report: final 5-year clinical outcomes

BACKGROUND The primary objective of the FANTOM II study was to evaluate the safety and performance of native coronary artery stent ing using the Fantom sirolimus-eluting bioresorbable coronary scaf fold (Tyrocore, Reva Medical LLC) by assessing the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and late lumen loss. The Fantom scaffold is a fully resorbable scaffold, which is composed mainly of an iodinated, polycarbonate copolymer of tyrosine ana logs. Fantom is completely radiopaque and is composed of thin struts (125 microns) that facilitate device delivery and precise target-lesion treatment. METHODS The FANTOM II study is a prospective multicenter trial that enrolled 240 patients with single de novo coronary stenosis with reference vessel diameter 2.5 to 3.5 mm diameter and lesion length 20 mm. MACE through 48 months of follow-up were assessed. Angiographic follow-up was performed in consecutive patient cohorts at 6 months (n » 117) and 9 months (n » 123). Additional angiographic and optical coherence tomography serial imaging has been performed in a subset of patients at 24 months. RESULTS Acute delivery success, acute technical success, acute procedural success, and clinical procedural success rates as defined in the clinical protocol were 97.9% (235 of 240), 95.8% (230 of 240), 99.1% (228 of 230) and 99.6% (227 of 228), respectively. The mean in-stent late lumen loss at 6 months and 9 months were 0.25 0.40 mm and 0.33 0.36 mm, respectively, and in-segment binary restenosis occurred in 2.0% and 7.6% of patients respec tively. Patient follow-up is now complete through the planned 60- month endpoint. Adjudication of all events is in process and final clinical outcomes through 60 months will be reported for the first time at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) conference. CONCLUSION The Fantom sirolimus-eluting bioresorbable coronary scaffold demonstrated favorable safety and effectiveness perfor mance at 5 years of follow-up. Longer-term follow-up in real-world clinical post-market evaluations is ongoing to examine the late out comes with this novel device.

Community mental health care in Mexico: a regional perspective from a mid-income country.

BACKGROUND: Access to mental health care is a worldwide public health challenge. In Mexico, an unacceptably high percentage of the population with mental disorders does not receive the necessary treatment, which is mainly due to the lack of access to mental health care. The community mental health care model was created and has been implemented to improve this situation. In order to properly plan and implement this model a precise situational diagnosis of the mental health care network is required, thus this is a first approach to evaluate the community mental health networks in the state of Jalisco. METHODS: Two components from the EvaRedCom-TMS instrument were used including a general description and accessibility of the community mental health care network. A geographic and economic accessibility evaluation was carried out for the different regions of the state ranging from scattered rural to urban communities using information gathered from health institutions, telephone interviews and computer applications. RESULTS: Jalisco's community mental health network includes a total of 31 centers and 0.64 mental health workers for every 10,000 inhabitants > 15 years of age. The mean transportation cost required to access mental health care was 16.25 USD per visit. The time needed to reach the closest mental health center in 7 of the 13 analyzed regions was more than 30 min and the mean time required to reach a prolonged stay center was 172.7 min with transportation cost (taxi, private and public transport) of 22.3 USD. Some marginalized regions in the state have a mean 114 min required to reach the closest mental health care center and 386 min to reach a prolonged stay center. CONCLUSIONS: This first approach to evaluate the mental health networks in Mexico showed that there are multiple barriers to access its care including an unfavorable number of human resources, long distances, and high costs. The identification of Jalisco's mental health network deficiencies is the first step towards establishing a properly planned community mental health care model within the country.

Aortic stiffness and central hemodynamics in treatment-naïve HIV infection: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). HIV infection causes a chronic inflammatory state and increases oxidative stress which can cause endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness. Aortic stiffness measured by carotid femoral-pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and central hemodynamics are independent cardiovascular risk factors and have the prognostic ability for CVD. We assessed cfPWV and central hemodynamics in young individuals with recent HIV infection diagnosis and without antiretroviral therapy. We hypothesized that individuals living with HIV would present greater cfPWV and central hemodynamics (central systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure) compared to uninfected controls. METHODS: We recruited 51 treatment-naïve individuals living with HIV (HIV(+)) without previous CVD and 51 age- and sex-matched controls (HIV negative (-)). We evaluated traditional CVD risk factors including metabolic profile, blood pressure (BP), smoking, HIV viral load, and CD4+ T-cells count. Arterial stiffness and central hemodynamics were evaluated by cfPWV, central systolic BP, and central pulse pressure (cPP) via applanation tonometry. RESULTS: HIV(+) individuals presented a greater prevalence of smoking, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and body mass index. 65.9% of HIV(+) individuals exhibited lymphocyte CD4+ T-cells count < 500 cells/µL. There was no difference in brachial or central BP between groups; however, HIV(+) individuals showed significantly lower cPP. We observed a greater cfPWV (mean difference = 0.5 m/s; p < 0.01) in HIV(+) compared to controls, even after adjusting for heart rate, mean arterial pressure and smoking. CONCLUSION: In the early stages of infection, non-treated HIV individuals present a greater prevalence of traditional CVD risk factors, arterial stiffness, and normal or in some cases central hemodynamics.

Serum Neuropeptide Y Levels Are Associated with TNF-α Levels and Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a sympathetic neurotransmitter with effects on the regulation of inflammatory cells. The role of NPY on autoimmune inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is not completely understood. Therefore, we evaluate if NPY levels are markers of disease activity in RA and if there is a correlation between NPY levels and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), leptin, and interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels. METHODS: Cross-sectional design, including 108 women with RA. We assessed disease activity by DAS28-ESR (considering active disease a score of ≥2.6). Serum NPY levels and anti-CCP2 antibody, TNF-α, IL-6, and leptin levels were quantified (ELISA). RESULTS: Sixty-eight RA had an active disease (RA-active), and 40 were in remission (RA-remission). RA-active patients had higher NPY levels vs. RA-remission (22.8 ± 13.6 vs. 17.8 ± 10.3; p = 0.04). NPY levels correlated with increased TNF-α levels (r = 0.32, p = 0.001). Leptin or IL-6 did not correlate with NPY levels. In the logistic regression analysis, NPY increased the risk of disease activity (OR: 1.04, 95% CI 1.006-1.09, and p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Higher NPY levels are an independent marker of disease activity in RA. This study encourages the quantification of NPY levels as a surrogate marker for RA-active. Future studies evaluating the role of NPY levels interacting with other proinflammatory cytokines are required.

Granzyme a in Chikungunya and other arboviral infections

Granzyme A (GzmA) is secreted by cytotoxic lymphocytes and has traditionally been viewed as a mediator of cell death. However, a growing body of data suggests the physiological role of GzmA is promotion of inflammation. Here, we show that GzmA is significantly elevated in the sera of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) patients and that GzmA levels correlated with viral loads and disease scores in these patients. Serum GzmA levels were also elevated in CHIKV mouse models, with NK cells the likely source. Infection of mice deficient in type I interferon responses with CHIKV, Zika virus, or dengue virus resulted in high levels of circulating GzmA. We also show that subcutaneous injection of enzymically active recombinant mouse GzmA was able to mediate inflammation, both locally at the injection site as well as at a distant site. Protease activated receptors (PARs) may represent targets for GzmA, and we show that treatment with PAR antagonist ameliorated GzmA- and CHIKV-mediated inflammation.

Effect of green tea extract on arterial stiffness, lipid profile and sRAGE in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with premature atherosclerosis and arterial stiffening due to the accumulation of advanced glycation end-products in vessel walls. Green tea polyphenols are considered cardio-protective substances. In this randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial (NCT02627898), we evaluated the effect of Green tea extract on arterial stiffness parameters, lipids, body composition and sRAGE levels. Twenty normotensive patients with T2DM treated with the standard therapy and statins, mean age 53.2 ± 9.4 years and mean BMI 30.1 ± 4.5 kg/m2, were randomised to receive a daily dose of 400 mg of green tea extract (polyphenols ≥90%, EGCG ≥45%) or placebo for 12 weeks. Compared to placebo, administration of green tea extract decreased central augmentation index (-3.05 ± 10.8% vs. 6.7 ± 0.1%, p = .04). These findings suggest that green tea extract could be used as an adjunct to the standard therapy to improve arterial stiffness in T2DM.

Enalapril Influence on Arterial Stiffness in Rheumatoid Arthritis Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Introduction: Cardiovascular parameters disruption can be found in patients at early stages of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The primary endpoint of this study was the reduction of arterial stiffness in RA patients without traditional cardiovascular risk factors or previous comorbidities, measured by cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) through the enalapril intervention. The secondary endpoints were the enalapril influence on carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), carotid artery distensibility (cDistensibility), Young's incremental elastic modulus (Einc)]. Materials and Methods: Fifty-three patients were enrolled in a clinical, randomized, closed-label trial. The subjects were randomly assigned into two groups: One receiving 5 mg of enalapril (27) or placebo (26), both twice a day. The drug was acquired at Victory Enterprises®. The placebo was kindly provided by the Universidad de Guadalajara (UdeG), as well as the blinding into two groups: A and B. Enalapril and placebo were packed into bottles without labeling. Clinical assessment included a structured questionnaire to gather demographic and clinical variables as well as determination of CAVI, cfPWV, cIMT, carotid artery distensibility and Einc. The whole set of evaluations were analyzed at the baseline and at the end of 12 weeks of intervention. Results: The CAVI measurement at baseline was 7.1 ± 1.4 and increased up to 7.5 ± 1.2 at the end of 12 weeks. Meanwhile, the enalapril group was as follows: 7.4 ± 1.2 and at the of intervention, reduced to 7.1 ± 0.9. A reduction in delta CAVI of 0.21 in the enalapril intervention group was found. In contrast, an increase of 0.39 was observed in the placebo group. The delta CAVI reduction was not influenced by age or peripheral systolic blood pressure (pSBP). Discussion: Enalapril seems to be effective in CAVI reduction in RA patients. The effect of enalapril intervention on arterial stiffness translated to the clinical context might be interpreted as a reduction of 6.4 years of arterial aging. Trial Registration: The protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board with the register CI-0117 from UdeG, and 0211/18 from Hospital Civil "Dr. Juan I. Menchaca", Secretaría de Salud Jalisco: DGSP/DDI/D.INV.28/18 and retrospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Registration and Results System: NCT03667131.

Granzyme A in Chikungunya and Other Arboviral Infections.

Granzyme A (GzmA) is secreted by cytotoxic lymphocytes and has traditionally been viewed as a mediator of cell death. However, a growing body of data suggests the physiological role of GzmA is promotion of inflammation. Here, we show that GzmA is significantly elevated in the sera of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) patients and that GzmA levels correlated with viral loads and disease scores in these patients. Serum GzmA levels were also elevated in CHIKV mouse models, with NK cells the likely source. Infection of mice deficient in type I interferon responses with CHIKV, Zika virus, or dengue virus resulted in high levels of circulating GzmA. We also show that subcutaneous injection of enzymically active recombinant mouse GzmA was able to mediate inflammation, both locally at the injection site as well as at a distant site. Protease activated receptors (PARs) may represent targets for GzmA, and we show that treatment with PAR antagonist ameliorated GzmA- and CHIKV-mediated inflammation.

[Reliability of an automatic monitor for blood pressure measurement]. / Confiabilidad de un monitor automatizado para la medición de la presión arterial.

Background A correct blood pressure (BP) measurement is essential for the diagnosis and control of high BP. AIM: To evaluate the agreement and repeatability of BP measurements with the OMRON HEM-7320-LA device compared to a mercury sphygmomanometer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study comparing BP measurements made by two randomly selected trained nurses and an automatic oscillometric device. The mercurial sphygmomanometer was connected to the automated device via a "T" type connector and a dual-head stethoscope was used, allowing simultaneous measurements. The results were analyzed with one-factor analysis of variance, Bland-Altman's test, repeatability coefficient (RC), and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: Forty-nine participants aged 56 ± 19 years were included. Nineteen had hypertension (38%). We did not observe a significant difference in either systolic (SBP) or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) pressure measurements between the observers and the device. The mean difference was -0.09 mmHg (95% confidence intervals (CI)-0.9 to 0.7) for SBP and -0.9 mmHg (95% CI -1.7 to -0.13) for DBP. The RC for SBP (6.2, 5.2 and 5.8 mmHg) and DBP (4.7, 4.2 y 5.2 mmHg) was similar between the observers and the device. The ICC for SBP was 0.990 (95% CI 0.983 to 0.995, p < 0.01) and 0.986 (95% CI 0.977 to 0.991, p < 0.01) for DBP. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high level of agreement and similar measurement repeatability in the measurements performed by the automatic device and the mercurial sphygmomanometer. No differences in BP measurements were observed.

Confiabilidad de un monitor automatizado para la medición de la presión arterial / Reliability of an automatic monitor for blood pressure measurement

Background A correct blood pressure (BP) measurement is essential for the diagnosis and control of high BP. Aim: To evaluate the agreement and repeatability of BP measurements with the OMRON HEM-7320-LA device compared to a mercury sphygmomanometer. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study comparing BP measurements made by two randomly selected trained nurses and an automatic oscillometric device. The mercurial sphygmomanometer was connected to the automated device via a "T" type connector and a dual-head stethoscope was used, allowing simultaneous measurements. The results were analyzed with one-factor analysis of variance, Bland-Altman's test, repeatability coefficient (RC), and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: Forty-nine participants aged 56 ± 19 years were included. Nineteen had hypertension (38%). We did not observe a significant difference in either systolic (SBP) or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) pressure measurements between the observers and the device. The mean difference was −0.09 mmHg (95% confidence intervals (CI)-0.9 to 0.7) for SBP and −0.9 mmHg (95% CI −1.7 to −0.13) for DBP. The RC for SBP (6.2, 5.2 and 5.8 mmHg) and DBP (4.7, 4.2 y 5.2 mmHg) was similar between the observers and the device. The ICC for SBP was 0.990 (95% CI 0.983 to 0.995, p < 0.01) and 0.986 (95% CI 0.977 to 0.991, p < 0.01) for DBP. Conclusions: There was a high level of agreement and similar measurement repeatability in the measurements performed by the automatic device and the mercurial sphygmomanometer. No differences in BP measurements were observed.

Serum levels of P-glycoprotein and persistence of disease activity despite treatment in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Around 25% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) could be refractory to conventional therapies. P-glycoprotein expression on cell surface has been implied on drug resistance, however, to date, it is unknown if P-gp serum levels are associated with SLE disease activity. Evaluate the association of serum P-gp levels and SLE with disease activity despite treatment. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 93 female SLE patients, all receiving glucocorticoids at stable doses for the previous 6 months before to baseline. SLE patients were classified into two groups: (a) patients with active disease [SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) ≥ 3] despite treatment, and (b) patients with inactive disease (SLEDAI < 3) after treatment. Forty-three healthy females comprised the control group. Serum P-gp, anti-DNA, and both anti-nucleosome antibody levels were measured using ELISA. Active-SLE patients despite treatment had higher P-gp levels compared with inactive-SLE after treatment (78.02 ng/mL ± 114.11 vs. 33.75 ng/mL ± 41.11; p = 0.018) or versus reference group subjects (30.56 ng/mL ± 28.92; p = 0.011). P-gp levels correlated with the scores of SLEDAI (r = 0.26; p = 0.01), Mexican-SLEDAI (MEX-SLEDAI) (r = 0.32; p = 0.002), SLICC/ACR damage index (r = 0.47; p < 0.001), and with prednisone doses (r = 0.33; p = 0.001). In the multivariate model, the high P-gp levels were associated with SLICC/ACR score (p = 0.001), and SLEDAI score (p = 0.014). Our findings support a relationship between serum P-gp levels and SLE with disease activity despite treatment, but it requires further validation in longitudinal studies.

Serum levels of adiponectin and leptin as biomarkers of proteinuria in lupus nephritis.

INTRODUCTION: There are controversial results about the role of serum leptin and adiponectin levels as biomarkers of the severity of proteinuria in lupus nephritis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between serum leptin and adiponectin levels with severity of proteinuria secondary to lupus nephritis (LN). METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 103 women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were evaluated for kidney involvement. We compared 30 SLE patients with LN, all of them with proteinuria, versus 73 SLE patients without renal involvement (no LN). A comprehensive set of clinical and laboratory variables was assessed, including serum levels of leptin and adiponectin by ELISA. Multivariate analyses were used to adjust for potential confounders associated with proteinuria in LN. RESULTS: We found higher adiponectin levels in the LN group compared with the no LN group (20.4 ± 10.3 vs 15.6 ± 7.8 µg/mL; p = 0.02), whereas no differences were observed in leptin levels (33.3 ± 31.4 vs 22.5 ± 25.5 ng/mL; p = 0.07). Severity of proteinuria correlated with an increase in adiponectin levels (r = 0.31; p = 0.001), but no correlation was observed with leptin. Adiponectin levels were not related to anti-dsDNA or anti-nucleosome antibodies. In the logistic regression, adiponectin levels were associated with a high risk of proteinuria in SLE (OR = 1.06; 95% CI 1.01-1.12; p = 0.02). Instead, leptin was not associated with LN. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that adiponectin levels are useful markers associated with proteinuria in LN. Further longitudinal studies are required to identify if these levels are predictive of renal relapse.

Validation of the Omron HEM-7320-LA, upper arm blood pressure monitor with Intelli Wrap Technology Cuff HEM-FL1 for self-measurement and clinic use according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010 in the Mexican population.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of the Omron HEM-7320-LA with Intelli Wrap technology cuff HEM-FL1 for self-measurement and clinic blood pressure (BP) measurement according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The evaluation was performed in 39 individuals. The mean age of the participants was 47.9±14 years; systolic BP was 145.2±24.3 mmHg (range: 97-190), diastolic BP was 90.9±12.9 mmHg (range: 68-120), and arm circumference was 30.8±4 cm (range: 25-38.5). RESULTS: The device successfully fulfilled the established criteria of the validation protocol. The device overestimated systolic BP by 0.6±5.7 mmHg and diastolic BP by 2.2±5.1 mmHg. The specially designed cuff HEM-FL1 to cover a broad range of arm circumferences and self-placement fulfilled the requirements of the International Protocol.