Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain: A Potential Biomarker for Neurological Dysfunction in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a complex disorder characterized by heterogeneous symptoms, which lack specific biomarkers for its diagnosis. This study aimed to investigate plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels as a potential biomarker for ME/CFS and explore associations with cognitive, autonomic, and neuropathic symptoms. Here, 67 ME/CFS patients and 43 healthy controls (HCs) underwent comprehensive assessments, including neuropsychological evaluation, autonomic nervous system (ANS) testing, and plasma NfL level analysis. ME/CFS patients exhibited significantly higher plasma NfL levels compared to HC (F = 4.30, p < 0.05). Correlations were observed between NfL levels and cognitive impairment, particularly in visuospatial perception (r = -0.42; p ≤ 0.001), verbal memory (r = -0.35, p ≤ 0.005), and visual memory (r = -0.26; p < 0.05) in ME/CFS. Additionally, higher NfL levels were associated with worsened autonomic dysfunction in these patients, specifically in parasympathetic function (F = 9.48, p ≤ 0.003). In ME/CFS patients, NfL levels explained up to 17.2% of the results in cognitive tests. Unlike ME/CFS, in HC, NfL levels did not predict cognitive performance. Elevated plasma NfL levels in ME/CFS patients reflect neuroaxonal damage, contributing to cognitive dysfunction and autonomic impairment. These findings support the potential role of NfL as a biomarker for neurological dysfunction in ME/CFS. Further research is warranted to elucidate underlying mechanisms and clinical implications.

Increased Frequency of CTLA-4 and PD-1 Expressing Regulatory T Cells and Basophils With an Activating Profile in Infants With Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis Hypersensitized to Food Allergens.

Background: Infants with severe atopic dermatitis (AD) may be sensitized to foods that have not been introduced into their diet, posing a risk for developing an immediate hypersensitivity reaction on the first exposure to the food to which they are sensitized. The aim of this work was to perform an analysis of the sensitization profile in infants with moderate-to-severe AD and to identify cellular and molecular markers for food allergy (FA). Methods: Blood samples from healthy donors and children with moderate-to-severe AD were studied. Specific IgE to several allergens were determined using ImmunoCAP FEIA system and ISAC technology. Furthermore, using flow cytometry-based studies, basophils and regulatory T (Treg) cells were phenotypically characterized. Results: 90% of children with AD were sensitized to food antigens before introducing them into the diet, and 100% developed FA. Phenotypic analysis showed a significantly higher percentage of CTLA-4 and PD-1 expressing Treg cells in AD patients than in healthy controls. Basophils from patients exhibited a marked reduction in the expression of CD300a, higher expression of FcεRI and CXCR4, and to some extent higher expression of CD63 and CD300c. Conclusions: Infants with moderate-to-severe AD are at high risk of being sensitized to food allergens. Therefore, to avoid allergic reactions, broad-spectrum sensitization studies are necessary before introducing complementary diet. Increased expression of CTLA-4 and PD-1 suggests greater suppressive potential of Treg cells in infants with AD than healthy controls. Furthermore, our results suggest a role for CD300 molecules on circulating basophils as possible biomarkers for FA susceptibility.

T Cell Activation, Highly Armed Cytotoxic Cells and a Shift in Monocytes CD300 Receptors Expression Is Characteristic of Patients With Severe COVID-19.

COVID-19 manifests with a wide diversity of clinical phenotypes characterized by dysfunctional and exaggerated host immune responses. Many results have been described on the status of the immune system of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, but there are still aspects that have not been fully characterized or understood. In this study, we have analyzed a cohort of patients with mild, moderate and severe disease. We performed flow cytometric studies and correlated the data with the clinical characteristics and clinical laboratory values of the patients. Both conventional and unsupervised data analyses concluded that patients with severe disease are characterized, among others, by a higher state of activation in all T cell subsets (CD4, CD8, double negative and T follicular helper cells), higher expression of perforin and granzyme B in cytotoxic cells, expansion of adaptive NK cells and the accumulation of activated and immature dysfunctional monocytes which are identified by a low expression of HLA-DR and an intriguing shift in the expression pattern of CD300 receptors. More importantly, correlation analysis showed a strong association between the alterations in the immune cells and the clinical signs of severity. These results indicate that patients with severe COVID-19 have a broad perturbation of their immune system, and they will help to understand the immunopathogenesis of COVID-19.

Linfomatosis meníngea como recidiva tardía de macroglobulinemia de Waldenström / Meningeal lymphomatosis as late relapse of Waldenstrom‘s macroglobulinemia

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Cistoadenoma hepatobiliar y elevación progresiva del marcador tumoral CA 19.9 / Hepatobiliary cystadenoma and gradual increase in serum marker CA 19.9

Los cistoadenomas hepatobiliares (CB) son tumores quísticos infrecuentes del epitelio biliar hepático. Debido a su clínica y pruebas de imagen inespecíficas compatibles con otras lesiones quísticas hepáticas, el diagnóstico preoperatorio es difícil. La asociación de quiste hepático y CA 19.9 elevado en suero es altamente indicativa de CB. Se presenta el caso de una mujer de 62 años con una lesión quística hepática y una elevación progresiva del marcador tumoral sérico CA 19.9 (AU)

Hepatobiliary cystadenoma (CB) is a rare cystic tumour of the liver and biliary epithelium. Because of their clinical and nonspecific imaging tests compatible with other cystic liver lesions, the preoperative diagnosis is difficult. The association of liver cysts and elevated serum CA 19.9 is very suggestive of CB. We present the case of a 62 year- old woman with a cystic liver and a gradual increase in serum tumor marker CA 19.9 (AU)

Síndrome hemofagocítico: un caso / Hemophagocytic syndrome: a case

El síndrome hemofagocítico o linfohistiocitosis fagocítica es un síndrome grave, infrecuente y posiblemente infradiagnosticado, se caracteriza por una exagerada respuesta inflamatoria debida a la activación de macrófagos y linfocitos T, y que requiere un diagnóstico y tratamiento precoz. Se presenta el caso de un varón de 61 años, con una evolución rápida y fatal, y una elevación de la ferritina sérica a unos valores raramente observados. © 2008 AEBM, AEFA y SEQC. Todos los derechos reservados(AU)

Hemophagocytic syndrome or hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is a severe, rare and possibly mis-diagnosed syndrome. It is characterized by an exaggerated inflammatory response due to the activation of macrophages and T lymphocytes, and diagnosis and treatment is needed as soon as possible. We present the case of a 61 year old male patient with a rapid and fatal progression and rarely decribed Ferritin¿s levels(AU)