An updated review on Guillain-Barré syndrome: Challenges in infection prevention and control in low- and middle-income countries.

Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare condition that can be potentially life-threatening. Guillain-Barré syndrome does not have a definitive etiological agent. It is a syndrome that can arise from multiple factors, including various infectious diseases and immunizations. The severity of Guillain-Barré syndrome is exacerbated by these variables, especially in low-income and middle-income countries where healthcare systems are already constrained and struggle to meet the demands of other diseases. The primary aim of our article is to comprehensively examine the life-threatening nature and intensity of Guillain-Barré syndrome by assessing its etiology, progression, and prevalence in low- and middle-income nations while also considering global trends. Furthermore, we proposed the implementation of standard and efficacious treatment and diagnostic resources that are readily accessible and successful in affluent nations and should also be readily accessible in impoverished nations without any unnecessary delay. Our study also emphasized the epidemiological data with molecular epidemiological analysis and the utilization of artificial technology in low- and middle-income nations. The goal was to decrease the incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome cases and facilitate early detection.

Serum levels of interleukin-33 and mesencephalic astrocyte derived neurotrophic factors in patients with major depressive disorder: a cross-sectional comparative design.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating health condition that has significant morbidity and mortality rates. Depression can be caused due to social, biological, environmental, psychological, and genetic factors. A few biological processes have been proposed as the pathophysiological pathways of depression. Neurotrophic factors and inflammatory cytokines have been linked to depression. Thus, we aimed to investigate the serum interleukin-33 (IL-33) and mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) in MDD patients and corresponding healthy controls (HCs). METHOD: This study involved the inclusion of 129 MDD patients and 125 HCs matched by sex and age. A psychiatrist evaluated the study participants following DSM-5 criteria. The severity of the illness was assessed utilizing the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (Ham-D). The serum concentrations of IL-33 and MANF were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. RESULTS: The mean serum levels of IL-33 were decreased (159.12 ± 6.07 pg/ml vs. 180.60 ± 8.64 pg/ml, p = 0.042), and the MANF levels were increased (5.40 ± 0.19 ng/ml vs. 4.46 ± 0.21 ng/ml, p = 0.001) in MDD patients when compared to HCs. CONCLUSIONS: The current study proposes that lower IL-33 and higher MANF serum levels are associated with MDD progression and depression severity. These biomarkers could be used as risk assessment tools for MDD. We recommend more investigation, including a significant population, to determine the precise function of IL-33 and MANF in depression.

Altered IL-3 and lipocalin-2 levels are associated with the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a common mental ailment and is the primary reason for disability. It manifests a severe impact on moods, thoughts, and physical health. At present, this disorder has become a concern in the field of public health. Alteration of neurochemicals is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of many psychiatric disorders. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate serum IL-3 and lipocalin-2 in MDD patients and healthy controls (HCs). METHOD: We included a total of 376 participants in this study. Among them, 196 were MDD patients, and 180 were age-sex-matched HCs. MDD patients were recruited from the Psychiatry Department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), but the controls were from different parts of Dhaka. All study participants were evaluated by a psychiatrist using the DSM-5 criteria. To assess the severity of the depression, we used the Hamilton depression (Ham-D) rating scale. Serum IL-3 and lipocalin-2 levels were measured using commercially available enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay kits (ELISA kits). RESULTS: According to this study, we observed elevated serum levels of IL-3 (1,024.73 ± 29.84 pg/mL) and reduced levels of serum lipocalin-2 (29.019 ± 2.073 ng/mL) in MDD patients compared to HCs (911.11 ± 20.55 pg/mL and 48.065 ± 3.583 ng/mL, respectively). No associations between serum levels of IL-3 and lipocalin-2 and depression severity were observed in patients. CONCLUSIONS: According to the present findings, alterations of serum IL-3 and lipocalin might be associated with the pathogenesis of MDD. These results support that altered serum neurochemicals can serve as early risk assessment markers for depression. Further interventional studies are recommended for a better understanding of the role of IL-3 and lipocalin-2 in the pathophysiology of depression.

A dataset on the prevalence and associated risk factors for mental health problems among female university students in Bangladesh.

The data presented here relate to the article with the following title, "Prevalence and associated risk factors for mental health problems among female university students during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study findings from Dhaka, Bangladesh" [1]. This article provides a dataset on the prevalence of psychological distress among 451 female university students during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We collected their responses from October 15, 2021, to January 15, 2022, using Google survey tools (Google Forms). A structured questionnaire was prepared, consisting of sociodemographic variables and their association with mental health problems. Three psychometric scales, UCLA-3, GAD-7, and PHQ-9, were applied to measure disorders of loneliness, anxiety, and depression, respectively. We performed the statistical analysis using IBM SPSS (v. 25.0). Each respondent gave their electronic consent for the study, and anonymized data were published. Hence, policymakers of government and non-government groups may utilize the data to create a variety of initiatives to support the mental health of female university students from Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Corrigendum to "Prevalence and associated risk factors for mental health problems among female university students during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study findings from Dhaka, Bangladesh" [Heliyon 8 (10) (October 2022) Article e10890].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10890.].

Evaluation of serum interleukin-1 receptor antagonist levels in major depressive disorder: A case-control study.

Background and Aims: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by the occurrence of one or more depressive episodes lasting a minimum of 2 weeks and is marked by a persistently low mood and a lack of enjoyment in daily activities. The diagnosis of MDD is not possible by a well-established laboratory test or biomarker. A wide range of potential biomarkers for depression have been proposed by many studies, but none of them has adequately described the correlation between the biomarkers and depression. The purpose of this study was to evaluate serum interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) levels as an early depression risk factor. Methods: The present case-control study included 88 participants. Among them, 44 MDD patients enrolled from the psychiatry department of a public hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and 44 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) from various sites in Dhaka city. A qualified psychiatrist evaluated the cases and HCs based on the fifth edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5). The Hamilton depression (Ham-D) rating scale was employed to evaluate the intensity of depression. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (Boster Bio, USA) was used to determine serum IL-1RA concentrations. Results: We observed no marked alteration in the serum concentration of IL-1RA in MDD patients in comparison to HCs (292.81 ± 24.81 and 288 ± 24.87 pg/mL; p > 0.05). Among MDD patients, we found no noteworthy association between the severity of depression and serum IL-1RA levels. Conclusion: The findings of the present study imply that IL-1RA may not be identified as a promising biomarker for risk assessment of depression. However, its neuroprotective role may be taken into consideration for the understanding of pathophysiology of MDD.

Internet addiction and loneliness among school-going adolescents in Bangladesh in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a cross-sectional study.

Internet addiction (IA) by children and adolescents is a concern for parents. The intensity of this problem has increased in the context of COVID-19 pandemic across the world. Here we aimed to evaluate internet usage patterns, addiction to internet use, and mental health among Bangladeshi school-going adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted this cross-sectional study among 502 school-going adolescents. Pre-structured questionnaire was used to collect information related to demographics and the internet usage pattern. We assessed the prevalence of IA and loneliness using the internet addiction test (IAT) scale and UCLA-3 loneliness scale. The prevalence of IA and loneliness among Bangladeshi school-going adolescents were 88.25% and 72.51%, respectively. Individuals with English-medium education, higher classes, high economic status, mobile internet connection, online gaming habits, and living without family showed significantly higher levels of IA. Moreover, a high proportion of loneliness was observed among individuals with high financial conditions, mobile internet connection, and who watch movies on the internet. The present study findings suggest a strong association between demographics, internet usage patterns, IA, and the mental health of adolescents. These results would have practical inferences in clinical psychology, psychotherapy, and related fields. Based on this finding, the healthcare authorities and professionals can develop an inclusive interventional approach for adolescents who suffer from IA and mental health disorders.

Higher serum interleukin-12 levels are associated with the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder: A case-control study results.

Background and Aims: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the fourth biggest health-related concern that dramatically impacts individuals' mental and physical health. Alteration of serum proinflammatory cytokine levels may take part in the development and progression of MDD. We aimed to explore and compare the role of interleukin-12 (IL-12) in MDD patients and healthy controls (HCs) and its involvement with the disease severity. Methods: The present study included 85 patients and 87 age-sex matched HCs. A qualified psychiatrist utilized the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) criteria to diagnose patients and evaluate HCs. We applied the Ham-D rating scale to measure the severity of depression. Serum IL-12 levels were measured using ELISA kits. Results: We observed a notable increase in the serum levels of IL-12 in MDD patients compared to HCs (164.27 ± 10.18 pg/ml and 82.55 ± 4.40 pg/ml; p < 0.001). Moreover, we noticed a positive correlation between serum IL-12 levels and Ham-D scores in MDD patients (r = 0.363; p = 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed a good predictive performance (AUC = 0.871; p < 0.001) at the cut-off point of 53.46 pg/ml for serum IL-12. Conclusion: The current study findings support that IL-12 levels are involved with the pathogenesis and inflammatory process in MDD. At the same time, this involvement may make this cytokine eligible for the risk evaluation of MDD. However, we recommend further interventional studies to explore more accurate associations between IL-12 and depressive disorder.

Problematic internet use and depressive symptoms among the school-going adolescents in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study findings.

Background and Aims: Problematic internet use (PIU) by children and adolescents is a concern for many parents. Several factors, including students' education level, the method of instruction, the dependence on the internet, and their intended use of the internet, could all be contributing factors to PIU and depression. Disturbed mental health may be attributed to the cancellation of physical education classes because of the COVID-19 outbreak. This study aimed to assess the association of COVID-19 pandemic with PIU and depressive symptoms in adolescent students. Methods: We performed this cross-sectional study among 491 school-going adolescents of 10 to 16 years. Self-administered questionnaires were applied to collect sociodemographic information and the internet usage pattern of the participants. We measured the prevalence of PIU and depressive symptoms using the PIU questionnaire (PIUQ-SF-6) and patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Results: The estimations of the risk group for PIU and depressive symptoms among school-going adolescents were 80.04% and 77.80%, respectively. The latent profiling of PIU scores for obsession, neglect, and control sub-groups were 5.82, 6.12, and 6.35, respectively. Moreover, we observed mild, moderate, and severe depressive symptoms in 48.68%, 27.70%, and 1.43% of cases. Age, education level, medium of education, financial impression, internet connection, the device used, the purpose for internet use, and the living status of respondents were significantly associated with the PIU. Reported mental health issues was associated with education level, medium of education, financial impression, and internet connection. Conclusion: The present study revealed an association of PIU and depressive symptoms with sociodemographic factors and internet usage patterns. Therefore, these results might have practical implications in clinical psychology, psychiatry, and psychotherapy. The healthcare professional can develop a context-specific comprehensive clinical intervention plan for children and adolescents.

Altered serum adiponectin and interleukin-8 levels are associated in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a complex mental health condition that results in several obstacles including disabilities, loss of productivity, and economic burdens on both patients and society. Etiopathogenesis of MDD involves several factors such as sociodemographic, genetic, and biological determinants. However, any suitable biomarkers for risk assessment of depression have not been established yet. Alterations of cytokine are assumed to be involved in the pathophysiology and severity of the depressive disorder. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate serum adiponectin and interleukin-8 (IL-8) among MDD patients in Bangladesh. METHODS: We recruited a total of 63 MDD patients and 94 age-sex matched healthy controls (HCs) in the present study. MDD patients were enrolled from a tertiary care teaching hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, and HCs from surrounding parts of Dhaka city. A psychiatrist assessed all the study participants following the criteria mentioned in the DSM-5. We applied the Hamilton depression (Ham-D) rating scale to assess the depression severity. Serum adiponectin and IL-8 levels were determined using ELISA kits (BosterBio, USA). RESULTS: The mean serum concentration of adiponectin was decreased (30.67±4.43 µg/mL vs. 53.81±5.37 µg/mL), and the IL-8 level was increased (160.93±14.84 pg/mL vs. 88.68±6.33 pg/mL) in MDD patients compared to HCs. Sex-specific scatters plot graphs showed the distribution of adiponectin and IL-8 levels with Ham-D scores in MDD patients. Also, ROC curve analysis demonstrated good predictive performances of serum adiponectin and IL-8 for MDD with the area under the curve (AUC) as 0.895 and 0.806, respectively. CONCLUSION: The present study findings suggest that alterations of serum adiponectin and IL-8 levels in MDD patients might be involved in the disease process. Therefore, we can use these changes of cytokines in serum levels as early risk assessment tools for depression. The present study findings should be considered preliminary. We propose further interventional studies to evaluate the exact role of adiponectin and IL-8 in depression.

Prevalence and associated risk factors for mental health problems among female university students during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study findings from Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The COVID-19 pandemic has tremendously affected the physical and mental health of people at all levels worldwide. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and contributing factors for mental health problems among female university students in the urban area of Bangladesh. We conducted this online cross-sectional study among 451 female university students. Here we assessed the symptomatic prevalence of common mental health problems among the participants. The prevalence rate of loneliness, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among female university students in Bangladesh was 55.88%, 69.18%, and 45.23%, respectively. Also, we noticed that mild, moderate, and severe symptoms of loneliness, generalized anxiety, and depression were 36.90%, 40.48%, and 22.62%; 48.08%, 22.44%, and 29.48%; and 37.31%, 26.87%, and 35.52%; respectively. According to the present study results, marital status, financial condition, education level, and family structure (nuclear/joint) are potential contributing factors to mental health problems among female university students living in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the academic performance and emotional well-being of students in Bangladesh. Also, the closure of university classes for a long time in Bangladesh was responsible for the poor mental health of students. Promoting good mental health has become a vital public health concern during this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Female university students residing in urban areas in Bangladesh are more prone to developing mental health problems during any crisis. Therefore, the healthcare authorities of Bangladesh should promote the good mental health of students during and after the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping in touch with students to support them psychologically and mentally during the pandemic is crucial for promoting their good mental health.

Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Variants and Subvariants: Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has become the most devastating pandemic of the 21st century since its appearance in December 2019. Like other RNA viruses, continuous mutation is common for coronavirus to create several variants and subvariants. The main reason behind this mutation and evolvement of SARS-CoV-2 was its structural spike (S) glycoprotein. Coronavirus has become a threat to global public health due to its high mutation capability and antibody neutralizing capacity. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 5 major variants of concern (VOC) are Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529). Recently, different Omicron subvariants have gained worldwide dominance, such as BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, and BA.5. However, there is a discernible drop in this symptomatic sickness globally due to the success of numerous monoclonal antibodies and vaccinations. Here we also discussed the currently dominant Omicron subvariants and the effectiveness of antiviral agents and vaccines. Based on the available data and our knowledge, we can suggest that the global healthcare organizations can decide on the declaration of the end of the pandemic phase of COVID-19 soon; however, the covid-19 will continue.

Unnecessary Cesarean Section Delivery Causes Risk to Both Mother and Baby: A Commentary on Pregnancy Complications and Women's Health.

In Bangladesh, 3.6 million babies are born each year. But the country is now facing a quickly rising rate of cesarean section (C-section) utilization. Here about 50% of total deliveries are institutional. Among them, two-thirds are in private care facilities, where the rate of C-sections is very high (83%). The present C-section rate is 2.5 times higher than in the previous decades. In Bangladesh, many physicians from private facilities are recommending C-section regardless of the mother's physical condition and the position of the fetus. Therefore, mothers are more likely to choose C-section delivery who receive antenatal care from a private facility. Moreover, several socio-economic and demographic factors might be responsible for these increased C-section deliveries. Also, many private hospitals prefer C-section delivery due to their profit-making tendency. The unnecessary C-section delivery causes risk to both mother and baby Also, the high prevalence of C-section in Bangladesh is putting women's health at risk. Therefore, the government healthcare authorities should ensure proper utilization of C-section facilities and encourage people for normal births at any health facility. Also, they can develop a national guideline for the use of C-sections and normal delivery depending on the physical condition of the mother and fetus.

Prevalence and associated factors for elevated fear and depressive symptoms among the private service holders in Bangladesh during the Covid-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: The ongoing public health emergency has created incredible fear of getting the infection and a terrible psychological burden among all levels. The pandemic has severely affected private job holders' economic status and lifestyle factors in Bangladesh. Here we aimed to assess fear and depressive symptoms among private job holders in Bangladesh during the Covid-19 pandemic and associated risk factors. Methods: We conducted this online cross-sectional survey between January 15, 2021, and March 15, 2021, among 510 private job holders aged above 18 years. We followed the convenience sampling method for data collection. We assessed sociodemographic factors and two psychometric parameters. We applied the Fear of Covid-19 Scale and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 to assess increased fear and depressive symptoms, respectively. Chi-square test, independent sample t-test, and binary logistic regression analysis were performed for data analysis. Results: The prevalence of increased fear and depressive symptoms were 86.27% and 42.16%, respectively. Factors associated with increased fear among private job holders during COVID-19 were economic class, obesity, on-time salary, company's downsizing policy, salary reduction, home office, and transportation facilities. However, depressive symptoms were associated with marital status, education level, residence area, the organizational practice of health safety rules, company performance, on-time salary, health insurance, downsizing, salary reduction policy, organization type, transportation, and mental health support at work. The present study also noticed some interrelations among the above factors with mental health issues. Conclusion: Based on the present findings, we recommend actionable items to improve the mental health of private job holders in Bangladesh due to the ongoing pandemic. Authorities can develop mental health support programs and efficient Covid-19 response systems. The policymakers and regulatory bodies might take some initiatives to promote mental health in the private sector in Bangladesh.

Increased serum resistin but not G-CSF levels are associated in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder: Findings from a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have predicted major depressive disorder (MDD) as the leading cause of global health by 2030 due to its high prevalence, disability, and illness. However, the actual pathophysiological mechanism behind depression is unknown. Scientists consider alterations in cytokines might be tools for understanding the pathogenesis and treatment of MDD. Several past studies on several inflammatory cytokine expressions in MDD reveal that an inflammatory process is activated, although the precise causes of that changes in cytokine levels are unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate resistin and G-CSF in MDD patients and controls to explore their role in the pathogenesis and development of depression. METHODS: We included 220 participants in this study. Among them, 108 MDD patients and 112 age-sex matched healthy control (HCs). We used DSM-5 to evaluate study participants. Also, we applied the Ham-D rating scale to assess the severity of patients. Serum resistin and G-CSF levels were measured using ELISA kits (BosterBio, USA). RESULTS: The present study observed increased serum resistin levels in MDD patients compared to HCs (13.82 ± 1.24ng/mL and 6.35 ± 0.51ng/mL, p <0.001). However, we did not find such changes for serum G-CSF levels between the groups. Ham-D scores showed a significant correlation with serum resistin levels but not G-CSF levels in the patient group. Furthermore, ROC analysis showed a fairly predictive performance of serum resistin levels in major depression (AUC = 0.746). CONCLUSION: The present study findings suggest higher serum resistin levels are associated with the pathophysiology of MDD. This elevated serum resistin level may serve as an early risk assessment indicator for MDD. However, the role of serum G-CSF in the development of MDD is still unclear despite its neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects.

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 levels are associated with major depressive disorder.

OBJECTIVES: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a distressing condition characterized by persistent low mood, loss of interest in daily activities. Researchers consider several biological, psycho-social, and genetic factors are involved in depression. The present study aimed to investigate the serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in MDD patients to explore its role in depression. METHODS: This case-control study recruited 114 MDD patients and 106 healthy controls (HCs) matched by age and gender. A specialized psychiatrist diagnosed the cases and evaluated the controls based on the diagnostic and statistical manual for mental disorders, 5th edition. We quantified serum MCP-1 levels using commercially available enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay kits. Also, we applied the Hamilton depression rating scale (Ham-D) to measure the severity of depression. RESULTS: We observed the decreased levels of serum MCP-1 in MDD patients compared to HCs. Also, we obtained a significant negative correlation between serum MCP-1 levels and Ham-D scores. Moreover, female MDD patients with higher Ham-D scores exhibited lower serum MCP-1 levels. The receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated the good diagnostic value of MCP-1 with the area under the curve at 0.837. CONCLUSIONS: The depression-related alteration of serum MCP-1 may be more complicated than the current assumption and depends on the characteristics of the individual patients. Our study suggests that the serum MCP-1 levels might involve in the pathophysiology and mechanism of MDD. The present findings, along with the diagnostic evaluation, might be used to evaluate depressive patients.

Prevalence of CYP2C19 and ITGB3 polymorphisms among Bangladeshi patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention.

INTRODUCTION: Antithrombotic agents are the basic therapeutic option for patients with arterial thrombosis who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In Bangladesh, aspirin and clopidogrel are frequently prescribed as antithrombotics or platelet inhibitors. Studies reported the genetic polymorphisms of CYP2C19*2, CYP2C19*17, and ITGB3 cause an alteration of the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profile of aspirin and clopidogrel. Therefore, we aimed to assess the prevalence of CYP2C19*2, CYP2C19*17, and ITGB3 polymorphisms among Bangladeshi patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) who underwent PCI. METHODS: Here we assessed a total of 1,000 CVD patients (male 782 and female 218) who underwent PCI and were treated with clopidogrel and/or aspirin. We performed genotyping of patients treated with clopidogrel and aspirin by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system PCR (T-ARMS-PCR) methods. The PCR products of clopidogrel-treated patients were screened with agarose gel electrophoresis and then digested with SmaI and NsiI-HF for CYP2C19*2 and CYP2C19*17, respectively. We genotyped aspirin-treated patients with T-ARMS-PCR for missense rs5918 (PlA1/A1) polymorphism of the ITGB3 gene. Then we ran the digested PCR products on 2% agarose gel electrophoresis to detect the mentioned polymorphisms. RESULTS: Among the clopidogrel-treated patients, we observed 64.1% polymorphism (hetero + mutant) of CYP2C19*2 (loss-of-function allele) and 22.7% (hetero + mutant) of CYP2C19*17 (gain-of-function allele). On the other hand, among the aspirin-treated patients, polymorphisms of ITGB3 were 84.1% homozygous (PlA1/A1), 15.6% heterozygous (PlA1/A2), and 0.3% mutant homozygous. CONCLUSION: In the present study, we observed a high prevalence of genetic polymorphisms of CYP2C19 and ITGB3 genes. Therefore, we recommend genotyping of CVD patients before prescribing clopidogrel or aspirin to prevent coagulation. Based on the genotyping study, the adjustment of doses or alternative generics might require to avoid therapeutic failure or toxicity in some cases.

Altered serum elements, antioxidants, MDA, and immunoglobulins are associated with an increased risk of seborrheic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: The exact mechanism for the pathophysiology of seborrheic dermatitis (SD) remains unknown. According to past knowledge, neuropsychiatric disorders, weak immune responses, fungal infections, antioxidants deficiencies, and inadequate nutrition might involve in SD. Here we evaluated serum trace elements, micronutrients, antioxidants, malondialdehyde (MDA), and immunoglobulins in SD patients. METHODS: This case-control study recruited 75 SD patients and 76 age-and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). We measured serum micronutrients using atomic absorption spectroscopic methods. Similarly, we assessed serum antioxidants applying the RP-HPLC techniques. Also, serum MDA and immunoglobulins levels were evaluated by UV-spectrophotometric and turbidimetric methods, respectively. RESULTS: We observed higher serum levels of copper, manganese, iron, calcium, magnesium, and MDA in SD patients than HCs. Together with vitamin E, we noticed lower serum concentrations of immunoglobulin A, G, and M in SD patients than HCs. The present study detected a positive correlation between serum zinc and calcium levels (r = 0.365, p = 0.009) in SD patients. However, we identified a negative correlation between serum copper and calcium levels (r = -0.298, p = 0.035). CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that the altered levels of micronutrients, antioxidants, MDA, and immunoglobulins are associated with the pathophysiology of SD. These changes may not be the cause but the consequences of the disease. These findings might help to understand the etiopathology and management of SD.

Higher levels of serum IL-1ß and TNF-α are associated with an increased probability of major depressive disorder.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating psychiatric disease. The dysregulated cytokines in depression are assumed due to the hyperactivation of the immune system. Here we aimed to evaluate the serum interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in MDD. This study recruited 87 MDD patients and 87 age and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). The increased levels of serum IL-1ß and TNF-α were observed among MDD patients. These higher levels of peripheral markers were positively correlated with the severity of depression. Therefore, the elevated levels of serum IL-1ß and TNF-α might be used as risk assessment indicators for depression.

Evaluation of serum amino acids and non-enzymatic antioxidants in drug-naïve first-episode major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: The alterations of biological markers are thought to be effective tools to understand the pathophysiology and management of major depressive disorder (MDD). A lot of researches has implied many markers for depression, but any of them fully discovered the association between the markers and depression. The present study investigated the serum levels of amino acids and non-enzymatic antioxidants in major depression, and also explained their association with depression. METHODS: This study examined 247 MDD patients and 248 healthy controls (HCs) matched by age and sex. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (Ham-D) was used to all the participants to measure the severity of depression. Quantification of serum amino acids, vitamin A and E were carried out using the HPLC system whereas vitamin C levels were measured by UV-spectrophotometer. All the statistical analysis was performed by SPSS statistical software (version 23.0). The independent sample t-test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Fisher's exact test were applied to detect the group differences where a Bonferroni correction applied to the p value. RESULTS: It was observed that serum levels of four amino acids (methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and tyrosine) along with three non-enzymatic antioxidants (vitamin A, E, and C) were significantly dropped in MDD patients compared to HCs (Cohen's d (d): - 0.45, - 0.50, - 0.68, - 0.21, - 0.27, - 0.65, and - 0.24, respectively). Furthermore, Ham-D scores of cases were negatively correlated with serum levels of methionine (r = - 0.155, p = 0.015) and tyrosine (r = - 0.172, p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that lowered serum methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and non-enzymatic antioxidants are associated with depression. The reduction of these parameters in MDD patients may be the consequence, and not the cause, of major depression.