Serum GAS6, sAXL, IL-10, NO, and BCL-2 levels are decreased in patients with Behçet's disease.

PURPOSE: Behçet's disease (BD) is an autoimmune chronic systemic inflammatory disease characterized by a versatile clinical spectrum. Growth arrest specific protein 6 (GAS6)/soluble AXL (sAXL) signaling pathway draws attention in the resolution of inflammation, and its deficiency is associated with chronic inflammatory, autoimmune diseases, as well as clearance of apoptotic cells by phagocytes - efferocytosis. In this study, it was aimed to investigate whether GAS6/sAXL, interleukin (IL)-10, nitric oxide (NO), and BCL-2 levels were associated with inflammation and efferocytosis contributes to the pathogenesis of BD. METHODS: A total of 37 Behçet patients with ocular involvement and 30 healthy control subjects were included in this study. GAS6, sAXL, IL-10, NO, and BCL-2 levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. RESULTS: Serum GAS6, sAXL, IL-10, NO, and BCL-2 levels were significantly lower in patients with BD compared to the controls (P < 0.005, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). In correlation analysis, research parameters decreased in patients with BD was significantly correlated with each other: GAS6-IL-10 (r = 0.585, P < 0.001), GAS6-BCL-2 (r = 0.541, P < 0.001), sAXL-BCL-2 (r = 0.696, P < 0.001), IL-10-NO (r = 0.717, P < 0.001), IL-10-BCL-2 (r = 0.759, P < 0.001), and NO-BCL-2 (r = 0.541, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, decreased serum BCL-2 level may be an indicator of increased apoptosis in these patients and decreased levels of GAS6/sAXL, IL-10, and NO may indicate insufficient clearance of apoptotic bodies released as a result of increased apoptosis in BD patients.

Epicardial adipose tissue thickness and growth differentiation factor 15 in axial spondyloarthritis: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) levels and the thickness of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and to evaluate their relationship with functional status, disease activity, disease duration, and the type of medical treatment received by the patients. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out at Kirsehir Ahievran University School of Medicine between February and June 2020. Twenty-nine healthy controls and 44 patients with axSpA were included in the study. Gender, age, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, GDF-15, body mass index, complete blood count, ejection fraction, the EAT thickness, and C-reactive protein of all participants were recorded. Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life Index, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index, the disease duration, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index, and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index scores of patients with axSpA were noted. RESULTS: Epicardial adipose tissue thickness values (0.35±0.09 cm) in the AxSpA group were higher compared to the control group (0.26±0.06 cm) (p<0.01). Growth differentiation factor-15 levels of the control group and axSpA group were similar. The treatment received by the patients did not have a significant relationship with EAT thickness and GDF-15. Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index scores, disease duration, and age were significantly positively correlated with GDF-15 levels. CONCLUSION: In this study, EAT thickness values were found to be significantly higher in the axSpA group. In addition, GDF-15 was positively correlated with age, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index score, and disease duration.

Nesfatin-1 Levels Predict Angiographic No-Reflow in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Nesfatin-1 is a novel peptide possessing pleiotropic metabolic effects. No-reflow phenomenon (NR) is a poor prognostic indicator occurring in around 30% of all patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary interventions (pPCI). Inflammation and complexity of coronary artery disease (CAD) play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of NR. In this study, we investigated the relationship between admission serum nesfatin-1 level, NR and complexity of CAD assessed by SYNTAX-1 (SS-1) and SYNTAX-2 (SS-2) scores in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing pPCI. METHODS: A total of 174 STEMI patients who underwent pPCI were included in the study and divided into NR (n = 36) and normal flow (n = 138) groups. Serum nesfatin-1 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Seventy-eight consecutive age-, gender- and co-morbidity-matched patients undergoing coronary angiography with < 50% stenosis comprised the control group. RESULTS: Nesfatin-1 levels were significantly lower in the NR group compared to the normal flow and control groups (10.8 ± 6.6 ng/mL vs. 34.9 ± 24 ng/mL vs. 43.6 ± 23.2 ng/mL, respectively, p < 0.001). Nesfatin-1 was significantly and inversely correlated with SS-1 and SS-2 scores (r = -0.709 and r = -0.655, respectively, both p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that nesfatin-1 [odds ratio (OR) = 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.708-0.936, p = 0.004] and glomerular filtration rate (OR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.892-0.989, p = 0.018) were independently associated with NR. In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, nesfatin-1 < 15.21 ng/mL predicted NR with 78.4% sensitivity and 72.2% specificity (area under the curve = 0.809, 95% CI = 0.701-0.918, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Admission nesfatin-1 level is a potent predictor of NR in STEMI patients undergoing pPCI. Additionally, nesfatin-1 has a robust and negative correlation with the complexity of CAD.

Prognostic Value of Inflammation Parameters in Patients With Non-ST Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes.

Inflammation parameters can predict the severity of coronary artery disease and predict long-term mortality. However, there is no study in which these parameters were evaluated together. We compared the prognostic values of inflammation parameters in predicting long-term mortality in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). Consecutive patients with NSTE-ACS (n = 170) were included in the study. Monocyte/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (MHR), lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), total cholesterol/HDL-C ratio (TC/HDL-C), triglyceride /HDL-C ratio (TG/HDL-C), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index, and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) were measured. Total antioxidant status and TOS variables were significant independent predictors of mortality. When 1.17 value is taken as a cutoff point of TAS values, the sensitivity (70.0%) and specificity (77.39%) values calculated for this value indicate that TAS variable has a predictive value on mortality. Monocyte/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, LMR, NLR, PLR, TC/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C, TOS, and IMA levels could not be used alone in the diagnosis, severity assessment, and predicting future mortality of NSTE-ACS. Only TAS levels had a predictive value on mortality.

The Effects of Balneotherapy on Oxidant/Antioxidant Status in Patients With Fibromyalgia: An Observational Study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate whether there was a difference between oxidative stress index (OSI), total antioxidant status (TAS), and total oxidant status (TOS) values between patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and healthy controls, and to show the effect of balneotherapy on clinical conditions such as pain, depression, and quality of life in patients with FMS and oxidative stress. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-five females (mean age 39.9±5.8 years; range, 18 to 50 years) with fibromyalgia and 35 healthy females (mean age 37.9±6.6 years; range, 18 to 50 years) were included in the study. The TAS, TOS, and OSI of patients with FMS and healthy controls were measured. Disease severity was evaluated using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, pain levels were evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS), mood was evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and quality of life was evaluated using the Short Form 36 (SF-36). Patients with FMS were given 15 sessions of balneotherapy. After treatment, the laboratory and clinical parameters of the patients were reevaluated. RESULTS: Although the TAS levels of patients with FMS were not significantly different from those of the control group (p=0.114), the TOS and OSI levels were higher than those of the control group (p<0.001). The VAS, BDI, and SF-36 parameter scores of patients with FMS were significantly higher than those of the control group (p<0.001). A statistically significant decrease (p<0.001) in TOS and OSI levels of patients with FMS was detected after balneotherapy; however, the TAS levels of patients with FMS did not change significantly (p=0.538). All clinical parameters showed significant improvement with balneotherapy (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: An oxidative disorder was detected in patients with FMS compared with the control group. Balneotherapy showed antioxidant activity and decreased oxidative stress while also improving clinical parameters and quality of life.

Relationship of growth differentiation factor-15 with aortic stiffness in essential hypertension.

AIM: We aimed to assess the relationship between echocardiographic parameters of aortic elasticity, namely aortic strain, aortic distensibility and aortic ß-index, and serum growth differentiation factor (GDF)-15 in patients with newly diagnosed essential hypertension (HT). METHODS: Grade-1 HT patients (n = 50), grade-2 HT (n = 70) patients and 35 healthy controls were included. RESULTS: GDF-15 was greater in grade-2 HT group compared with the other groups. All aortic elasticity parameters were worse in grade-2 HT group compared with the other groups. GDF-15 correlated positively with E/E' ratio (the ratio of transmitral E velocity to mean diastolic mitral annular velocity) and ß-index; and aortic strain and aortic distensibility correlated negatively with serum GDF-15. ß-index, aortic diastolic diameter and diastolic blood pressure were independently associated with GDF-15. CONCLUSION: GDF-15 may be utilized in the prediction of increased aortic stiffness.

Relationship between Paraoxonase-1 and Arylesterase Enzyme Activities and SYNTAX I and II Scores in Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Although serum paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) and arylesterase (ARE) activities are linked to the presence of stable coronary arterial disease, their correlation with SYNTAX Score I (SS1) and SYNTAX Score II (SS2) has not been known well. Our aim was to determine the association between PON-1 and ARE activities, together with the genetic polymorphism of PON-1, and both SS1 and SS2 in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods: Consecutive patients with acute STEMI (n=102: 78 male, 24 female; mean age=61.14±12.25 y) admitted to the Emergency Department of Kirsehir Ahi Evran University Hospital between August 2018 and December 2018 were enrolled. PON-1 and ARE activities were determined on hospital admission. The SS1 and SS2 scores were calculated by using the angiographic and clinical data. Subsequently, the relationships between the activities of the enzymes, together with the genetic polymorphism of PON-1, and both SS1 and SS2 were interrogated. Results: The mean SS1 and the mean SS2 were 19.8±9.7 and 32.3±11.5, respectively. The phenotype distributions of PON-1 were Q192Q (n=60), R192Q (n=35), and R192R (n=7). The respective PON-1 (U/L) and ARE (kU/L) activities were 514.85±29.34 and 216.82±36.72 in the low SS1 category; 527.60±56.31 and 203.95±55.97 in the intermediate SS1 category; and, 690.10±11.07 and 238.48±45.65 in the high SS1 category.PON-1 and ARE activities did not correlate with the SS1 categories, and varying SS2 scores. The distribution of the Q192R polymorphism was homogenous among the different SS1 and SS2 scores. The localization of acute STEMI also did not associate with the activities of either enzyme. Conclusion: Admission serum PON-1 and ARE activities, together with the PON-1 Q192R genetic polymorphism, showed association neither with SS1 and SS2 nor with the localization of infarction in our acute STEMI patients.

Evaluation of chromosomal damage, cytostasis, cytotoxicity, oxidative DNA damage and their association with body-mass index in obese subjects.

Over-weight and obesity are serious problems that increase the risk not only for chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease but also of various types of cancer. This study was conducted to evaluate cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMN-cyt) assay parameters and plasma concentrations of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and their relationship with age, body-mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in 83 obese, 21 over-weight and 21 normal-weight subjects. Frequencies of micronuclei (MN), nucleoplasmic bridges (NPB), nuclear buds (NBUD), and apoptotic and necrotic cells in lymphocytes of obese subjects were found to be significantly higher than those found in normal-weight and over-weight subjects (p<0.01 and p<0.05), whereas plasma concentrations of 8-OHdG in obese subjects were lower than those observed in normal-weight and over-weight subjects (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). There was a negative correlation between age and frequency of necrotic cells and NDI (p<0.05), whereas there was no correlation between BMI, WHR, CBMN cyt assay parameters and plasma 8-OHdG in normal-weight subjects. In over-weight subjects, a negative correlation was observed between age and NDI (p<0.01) and a positive correlation between age and frequency of NPB (p<0.01) and between BMI and frequency of NBUD (p<0.05). In obese subjects, a negative correlation was observed between age and NDI (p<0.01) and between BMI and NDI (p<0.05), whereas no correlation was observed between WHR and CBMN-cyt assay parameters and plasma 8-OHdG. However, frequencies of MN, NPB, NBUD, apoptotic and necrotic cells in total over-weight/obese (p<0.01/p<0.05) and all subjects (p<0.01) increased with increasing BMI. The increase in genomic damage (MN, NPB and NBUD) in obese subjects and the positive correlation between genomic damage and BMI in total over-weight/obese subjects indicate that obesity increases genomic damage and may be associated with an increased risk of cancer, because an increase in MN frequency is a predictor of cancer risk.