Circulating miRNAs in hand osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is a frequent musculoskeletal disorder with an increasing prevalence during ageing. This study aimed to evaluate circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in the plasma of patients with hand OA compared with age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. METHODS: In total, 238 participants (96 with erosive and 73 with non-erosive hand OA patients and 69 healthy control subjects) were included in this study. All patients underwent clinical examinations, including self-reported measures (AUSCAN and Algofunctional index). Radiographs of both hands were scored with the Kallman scale. The profile of miRNAs in plasma was screened using TaqMan™ Low-Density Array, and candidate miRNAs were validated on two quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) systems (QuantStudio and SmartChip). RESULTS: Of all the 754 miRNAs, 40 miRNAs were different between hand OA patients and healthy control subjects in the screening cohort. Following the two-phase validation process, three miRNAs (miR-23a-3p, miR-146a-5p, and miR-652-3p) were increased in patients with hand OA compared with healthy control subjects and were associated with the AUSCAN sum score and AUSCAN pain. Furthermore, an inverse correlation of miR-222-3p with the Kallman radiographic score was found. The expression of miRNAs did not differ between erosive and non-erosive hand OA. CONCLUSION: The profile of circulating miRNAs could unveil candidate biomarkers associated with hand OA symptoms. Longitudinal studies are required to determine the role of miRNAs in hand OA.

Bronchial inflammation in seasonal allergic rhinitis with or without asthma in relation to natural exposure to pollen allergens.

BACKGROUND: Nasal inflammation in allergic rhinitis enhances bronchial Th2 driven inflammation and development of asthma. We assessed bronchial inflammation induced by natural allergen exposure during pollen season in patients with pollinosis with or without asthma to show the intensity of inflammation in asthma and rhinitis and possible persistence of inflammation in periods without allergen exposure. METHODS: Sputum was induced in 52 patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis without asthma, 38 patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis and seasonal asthma and 23 healthy volunteers. Sampling was performed 6-8 weeks before the expected beginning of symptoms, during symptomatic period and 6-8 weeks after the end of symptoms. Sputum ECP was measured by means of chemi-luminiscent immunometric assay and sputum cell counts were assessed by classical staining and immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: Sputum eosinophils were on the whole higher in both asthma and rhinitis compared to controls (p<0.001, p=0.003). The rise of eosinophils during pollen season compared with values out of pollen season was significant in asthma (classical staining) (p=0.014) and slightly apparent in rhinitis (immunocytochemistry) (p=0.073). The seasonal rise of sputum ECP was observed only in rhinitis (p=0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Inflammation of the lower airway in patients with allergic rhinitis with and without asthma has been confirmed by means of both sputum eosinophil count and sputum ECP level. Persistent inflammation of lower airway in periods without allergen exposure was proven in seasonal asthma. This may have implications for the therapy of seasonal allergic rhinitis with and without asthma in terms of promoting long-term anti-inflammatory treatment.

Decrease in serum interleukin-21 levels is associated with disease activity improvement in patients with recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis.

Interleukin-21 (IL-21) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of our study was to assess serum levels of IL-21 in patients with recent-onset RA in relation to disease activity and response to treatment. We analyzed serum levels of IL-21 in 51 RA patients, both before and 12 weeks after the initiation of treatment and in 36 healthy individuals. Disease activity was assessed at baseline and at weeks 12 and 24 using the Disease Activity Score for 28 joints, serum levels of C-reactive protein, and the total swollen joint count. We found that IL-21 levels were not increased in patients with recent-onset RA compared with healthy controls, but they had significantly decreased from baseline to week 12 during treatment. Baseline levels of IL-21 significantly correlated with measures of disease activity (p<0.02 for all). Although IL-21 levels did not predict achievement of remission, decrease in IL-21 levels correlated with improvement in disease activity after 12 weeks (p<0.02) and also after 24 weeks (p<0.04) of treatment. Our data suggest that circulating IL-21 levels may serve as a biomarker of disease activity and better outcome in early phase of RA.

Effect of hydratation on renal water and sodium excretion in patients with renal arterial stenosis (S) and essential hypertension (EH).

Water and electrolyte excretion after a large water load and a small Na load was studied in a group of healthy volunteers (C) and in patients with renal arterial stenosis (S) and essential hypertension (EH). It was found that both groups of hypertensive patients reacted to this stimulus by higher Na, Cl, Ca and Mg excretion tan group C. In the two hypertension groups, cumulative Na excretion was comparable in size, but cumulative water excretion was significantly greater in group EH than in group S. The results indicate that these differences can be attributed to different localization of reduced Na reabsorption in the nephron. Signs of a decrease in Na resorption were found in the distal part of the nephron in both hypertension groups, but in the EH group they were also found in the proximal part.

Changes in circadian sodium excretion in patients with essential hypertension and with renal artery stenosis.

In groups of healthy volunteers (C), patients with essential hypertension (EH), and patients with renal arterial stenosis (S), the following indicators were followed during 12-hour daytime (d) and nighttime (n) intervals: mean BP, endogenous creatinine clearance Ccr (GF), excretion of sodium (UNaV) and potassium (UKV), and their excretion fractions (CNa/GF and CK/GF). The d/n ratios of both UNaV and CNa/GF were significantly lowered in both groups of hypertensive persons as against the controls (1.5): in the EH, to 1.1, and in the S, to 0.8 on the average. Positively correlated with the value of the d/n ratio of the sodium excretion are the changes in the d/n ratios of water and solute excretions. The daytime potassium excretion exceeded the nighttime values in both groups of hypertensive persons. The d/n ratios of UKV and CK/GF were, however, significantly lowered as compared to the control values. These signs of disturbances of the circadian excretion of Na and K in EH and S exhibited no correlations with the values, or rhythms, of the mean BP, GF, or dietary uptake of sodium. The results do not indicate that the antihypertensive drugs used (alpha-methyldopa, dihydralazine, reserpine) would influence the circadian rhythm of Na excretion. The factors responsible for the disturbances of the circadian rhythms of Na and K excretion in hypertensive subjects have not yet been revealed.