Neuroinflammation in the fetus exposed to maternal obsessive-compulsive disorder during pregnancy: a comparative study on cord blood tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between maternal psychiatric disorders and fetal neurodevelopment is unclear. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is relatively frequent during pregnancy. The study aimed to investigate whether maternal OCD during pregnancy affects fetal circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels, an important pro-inflammatory cytokine, by comparing cord blood TNF-α levels in newborn infants of women with and without OCD. METHODS: The study sample included 7 women with OCD and 30 healthy women. OCD and other psychiatric diagnoses were screened by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. The blood sample for the determination of TNF-α level was obtained from the umbilical cord during delivery. RESULTS: Cord blood TNF-α levels in newborn infants exposed to maternal OCD were significantly higher compared to non-exposed infants. Maternal anxiety symptom level was found to positively correlate with cord blood TNF-α levels in newborn infants of women with OCD. CONCLUSION: The study results imply that maternal OCD during pregnancy may lead to neuroinflammation in the developing fetal brain through higher levels of circulating TNF-α.

Serum and saliva levels of ischemia-modified albumin in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: Ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) is a novel marker for diagnosis of myocardial ischemia and it is considered as a serum marker. The aim of the study was to evaluate salivary IMA levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to determine the relation between serum and salivary IMA levels. METHODS: A total of 60 patients with AMI and 40 control subjects who are age and sex matched with AMI group were included in our study. The diagnosis of AMI was based on the WHO classification criteria. All patients underwent the clinical assessment, consisting of electrocardiography, and serum cardiac markers. Serum and salivary IMA levels were measured at the first and second days of AMI by using a colorimetric method. RESULTS: Serum IMA levels were significantly higher in the first and second day of AMI patients, however, salivary IMA levels were significantly higher in the first day of AMI patients compared to the control (P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between salivary IMA levels and serum IMA levels both in the first and second day of AMI patients (r = 0.298, P < 0.05; r = 0.319, P < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: We concluded that salivary IMA levels at the first day of AMI could be used as an alternative marker to serum IMA levels for diagnosis of AMI.

The Impact of Shift Type on Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Platelet Activation.

OBJECTIVE: Rotating shift is known to disrupt circadian rhythms. The 12/24 shift system, with frequent day-night rotations and the ergonomic shift system (ESS), with 90% less rotations were compared for their impacts on oxidative stress, inflammation, and platelet activation by using pentraxin 3 (PTX3), urinary 15-isoprostane F2t, and 11-dehydrotromboxane B2 (11-DTB2). METHODS: All tests were performed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Unpaired t test and Pearson correlation analysis were employed. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty 12/24 and 198 ESS workers were included. Plasma PTX3 and urinary 15-isoprostane F2t levels were not different between groups. Urinary 11-DTB2 in 12/24 workers were found significantly higher compared with ESS workers (P < 0.0001). A weak but significant correlation was found between urinary 15-isoprostane F2t and urinary 11-DTB2 levels (r = 0.17, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: 12/24 rotating shift was found to cause platelet activation disturbances.

Effect of Maternal Depression on Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels in Fetal Cord Blood.

OBJECTIVE: : We aimed to assess the association between cord blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentration and maternal depression during pregnancy. METHODS: : A total of 48 pregnant women, admitted for elective caesarean section to Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Konya Research and Training Hospital and Konya Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty, were included in this study. The study group included 23 women diagnosed as having depression during pregnancy and the control group included 25 pregnant women who did not experience depression during pregnancy. RESULTS: : The groups had similar sociodemographic characteristics. Cord blood BDNF concentration was significantly lower in babies born to mothers with major depression as compared with those in the control group. We didn’t find any correlation between the umbilical cord blood BDNF levels and BDI scores. CONCLUSION: : The results suggest that the existence of major depression in pregnant women may negatively affect fetal circulating BDNF levels.

The correlation of the total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and paraoxonase activity (PON1) with smoking.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to assess the total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and paraoxonase activity (PON1) in smokers and nonsmokers. DESIGN AND METHODS: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 100 smokers and 100 nonsmokers. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), fasting blood glucose (FBG), TAS, TOS and PON1 levels of the participants were determined in the blood samples. TAS and TOS were determined by using the automated measurement method. Paraoxon was used as a substrate for measuring PON1 activity. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference could not be found between smokers and nonsmokers in terms of mean FBG, LDL-c, HDL-c, TC, TG, TAS, TOS, PON1, oxidative stress index (OSI) and body mass index (BMI). Mean TAS and TOS levels were higher in men than women (p=0.001). As age (p=0.022) and age to start smoking (p=0.023) increased, TOS level decreased. As the age to start smoking (p=0.001) increased, TAS level decreased whereas as BMI (p=0.001) increased, TAS level also increased. A statistically significant relationship could not be established between age, age to start smoking, duration and amount of smoking, dependence score and BMI and PON1 (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, although no significant correlation could be established between smokers and nonsmokers in terms of mean TAS, TOS and PON1, it is a fact that TAS, TOS and PON1 in the organism are affected by many factors and therefore there is a need for more extensive studies in this regard.

Maternal generalized anxiety disorder during pregnancy and fetal brain development: a comparative study on cord blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to investigate whether maternal GAD during pregnancy affects fetal circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which plays important roles in neuronal development, by comparing cord blood BDNF levels in newborn infants of women with and without GAD. METHODS: Study sample included 19 women with GAD and 25 women without any psychiatric disorder. GAD and other psychiatric diagnoses were screened by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. The blood sample for the determination of BDNF level was obtained from the umbilical cord during delivery. RESULTS: Cord blood BDNF levels in newborn infants of healthy women were approximately two-fold compared to newborn infants of women with GAD, and the difference was statistically significant. The duration of GAD during pregnancy was the only variable correlating with cord blood BDNF levels. CONCLUSIONS: The study results imply that prolonged maternal GAD during pregnancy may negatively influence neurodevelopment of the fetus through lower levels of circulating BDNF.

Ischemia-modified albumin and total antioxidant status in patients with slow coronary flow: a pilot observational study.

OBJECTIVE: Slow coronary flow (SCF) is defined as late opacification in the epicardial coronary arteries without significant stenosis. The underlying mechanism of SCF is similar to coronary atherosclerosis. Free radical damage may be responsible for the pathology. In this study, we aimed to investigate ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels and differences with regard to total antioxidant status (TAS) between patients with normal coronary arteries and patients with SCF without significant stenosis. METHODS: Thirty patients who were diagnosed with SCF using coronary angiography were included in this cross-sectional observational study (13 male; mean age, 56±10 years). The control group consisted of 30 patients who had normal coronary arteries as shown by coronary angiography (13 male; mean age, 53±11 years). In this study, we assessed serum IMA levels, albumin-adjusted IMA and TAS. The Student t-test was used to compare serum IMA levels and TAS between the two groups. Pearson's correlation test was used to explore the relationship between TAS and serum IMA levels. RESULTS: Serum IMA levels and albumin-adjusted IMA were similar in both groups (p=0.432, p=0.349). The mean value of TAS was significantly lower in the SCF group compared to control group (p=0.011). The TAS was negatively correlated with the levels of IMA and albumin-adjusted IMA in the SCF group (r=-0.457, p=0.011; r=-0.509, p=0.004). CONCLUSION: This study shows that serum IMA levels and albumin-adjusted IMA were similar between the groups, however the mean value of TAS was significantly lower in the SCF group compared to control group and negatively correlated with IMA. These results are important in terms of understanding the pathophysiological basis of SCF.