Importance of cerebrospinal fluid storage conditions for the Alzheimer's disease diagnostics on an automated platform.

OBJECTIVES: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is considered the most common cause of dementia in older people. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aß1-42, Aß1-40, total Tau (t-Tau), and phospho Tau (p-Tau) are important biomarkers for the diagnosis, however, they are highly dependent on the pre-analytical conditions. Our aim was to investigate the potential influence of different storage conditions on the simultaneous quantification of these biomarkers in a fully-automated platform to accommodate easier pre-analytical conditions for laboratories. METHODS: CSF samples were obtained from 11 consecutive patients. Aß1-42, Aß1-40, p-Tau, and t-Tau were quantified using the LUMIPULSE G600II automated platform. RESULTS: Temperature and storage days significantly influenced Aß1-42 and Aß1-40 with concentrations decreasing with days spent at 4 °C. The use of the Aß1-42/Aß1-40 ratio could partly compensate it. P-Tau and t-Tau were not affected by any of the tested storage conditions. For conditions involving storage at 4 °C, a correction factor of 1.081 can be applied. Diagnostic agreement was almost perfect in all conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Cutoffs calculated in samples stored at -80 °C can be safely used in samples stored at -20 °C for 15-16 days or up to two days at RT and subsequent freezing at -80 °C. For samples stored at 4 °C, cutoffs would require applying a correction factor, allowing to work with the certainty of reaching the same clinical diagnosis.

Differences in Dietary Habits, Physical Exercise, and Quality of Life between Male and Female Patients with Overweight.

Overweight can be an additional problem in patients admitted to hospital. OBJECTIVE: To analyze gender differences in pre-admission dietary habits and physical exercise and in HRQoL at hospital discharge among hospitalized adults with overweight. METHODS: Cross-sectional study in non-diabetic patients enrolled in a clinical trial with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 Kg/m2 at admission. Bivariate analyses used Pearson's chi-square test and Fisher's exact test for qualitative variables and the Mann-Whitney test for numerical variables. RESULTS: The study included 148 males and 127 females. At admission, women had higher BMI (p = 0.016) than men and a larger percentage consumed drugs for depression (p = 0.030) and anxiety (p = 0.049), and followed a religion-based diet (p = 0.022). Pre-admission, women had healthier habits related to dietary caloric intake (p = 0.009) and greater adherence to recommendations for a healthy diet (p = 0.001). At discharge, women described worse self-perceived health (p = 0.044) and greater pain/discomfort (p = 0.004) in comparison to men. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-admission, women had better habits related to a healthy diet and did not differ from men in habits related to physical exercise but had a higher BMI. At discharge, women reported worse self-perceived health and greater pain/discomfort. These differences should be considered for the adequate clinical management of patients with overweight.

Alteraciones en el contenido proteico y disfunción de lipoproteínas de alta densidad en ratones hiperhomocisteinémicos / Alterations in the protein content and dysfunction of high-density lipoproteins from hyperhomocysteinemic mice

OBJETIVOS: El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar las alteraciones proteicas de las lipoproteínas de alta densidad (HDL) provocadas por la hiperhomocisteinemia inducida por ingesta de metionina en ratones y su relación con 2 de las propiedades antiaterogénicas más importantes de las HDL. Métodos y resultados La hiperhomocisteinemia inducida por administración de metionina resultó en un aumento (∼ 8 veces) de la concentración plasmática de homocisteína. La hiperhomocisteinemia se correlacionó inversamente con la concentración plasmática de colesterol HDL y del componente proteico principal de las HDL, la apolipoproteína (apo) A- I . El eflujo de colesterol desde macrófagos a las HDL in vivo disminuyó en ratones hiperhomocisteinémicos en comparación con los controles. Sin embargo, el transporte reverso del colesterol desde macrófagos a heces no se observó alterado. Por otro lado, la capacidad de las HDL de ratones hiperhomocisteinémicos de prevenir la modificación oxidativa de las lipoproteínas de baja densidad (LDL) disminuyó, observándose también una reducción en la actividad plasmática de paraoxonasa-1 (PON1) y en la concentración plasmática de apoA- I y con una disminución relativa en la cantidad de apoA- IV (∼ 1,5 veces) en las HDL de ratones hiperhomocisteinémicos comparados con las de los controles. Conclusión La disminución en la protección contra la modificación oxidativa de las LDL por parte de las HDL de ratones hiperhomocisteinémicos se asoció con una disminución de apoA- I , PON1 y apoA- IV

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the proteic changes in high-density lipoproteins(HDL) induced by methionine-induced hyperhomocysteinemia in mice and its relationship with two of their main antiatherogenic properties. METHODS AND RESULTS: The oral administration of methionine resulted in an elevation (∼ 8 times)in the plasma concentration of homocysteine. Hyperhomocysteinemia was inversely correlated with the plasma concentration of HDL cholesterol and its main protein component of HDL, apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, respectively. The cholesterol efflux in vivo from macrophages to HDL was decreased in hyperhomocysteinemic mice compared with the control mice. However, the reverse cholesterol transport from macrophages to feces remained unchanged. On the other hand, the ability of HDL from hyperhomocysteinemic mice to prevent the oxidative modification of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) was found decreased and associated with a concomitant reduction in the plasma activity of paraoxonase-1 (PON1) and the plasma concentration of apoA-I, and with a relative reduction in the apoA-IV content (∼1.5times) in the hyperhomocysteinemic HDL, respectively. Conclusion: The decrease in the ability of HDL from hyperhomocysteinemic mice to prevent LDL from oxidation was associated with a decrease in the apoA-I, PON1 and apoA-IV

[Alterations in the protein content and dysfunction of high-density lipoproteins from hyperhomocysteinemic mice]. / Alteraciones en el contenido proteico y disfunción de lipoproteínas de alta densidad en ratones hiperhomocisteinémicos.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the proteic changes in high-density lipoproteins (HDL) induced by methionine-induced hyperhomocysteinemia in mice and its relationship with two of their main antiatherogenic properties. METHODS AND RESULTS: The oral administration of methionine resulted in an elevation (~8 times) in the plasma concentration of homocysteine. Hyperhomocysteinemia was inversely correlated with the plasma concentration of HDL cholesterol and its main protein component of HDL, apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, respectively. The cholesterol efflux in vivo from macrophages to HDL was decreased in hyperhomocysteinemic mice compared with the control mice. However, the reverse cholesterol transport from macrophages to feces remained unchanged. On the other hand, the ability of HDL from hyperhomocysteinemic mice to prevent the oxidative modification of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) was found decreased and associated with a concomitant reduction in the plasma activity of paraoxonase-1 (PON1) and the plasma concentration of apoA-I, and with a relative reduction in the apoA-IV content (~1.5 times) in the hyperhomocysteinemic HDL, respectively. CONCLUSION: The decrease in the ability of HDL from hyperhomocysteinemic mice to prevent LDL from oxidation was associated with a decrease in the apoA-I, PON1 and apoA-IV.