Red blood cell distribution width and serum CA-125 level as prognostic markers in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVE: Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is a primary cause of hospitalization and death in COPD. Serum CA-125 and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) are related to AECOPD. We investigated correlations between serum markers and AECOPD. METHODS: In total, 132 patients with AECOPD were included from January 2017 to December 2019. Participants were followed for 1 year. Patients were assigned to the poor prognosis (n = 40) or good prognosis (n = 92) group. We collected serum samples and general clinical information and conducted routine blood tests. We used logistic regression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC), and area under the ROC curve (AUC) analyses to assess differences between groups. RESULTS: We found significant differences between groups (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval) for age (1.046, 1.005-1.09), RDW (2.012, 1.339-3.023), and cancer antigen 125 (CA-125; 1.022, 1.006-1.039); these remained risk factors for AECOPD prognosis in multivariate analyses. RDW and CA-125 in combination was significant in ROC curve analysis. The AUC of RDW, CA-125, and these combined were 0.691, 0.779, and 0.772, respectively. Patients with RDW >12.75% and CA-125 >15.65 U/mL were predicted to have poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: We found that RDW and CA-125 are potential prognostic indicators for AECOPD.

Antibodies to Crohn's disease peptide 353 as a diagnostic marker for pediatric Crohn's disease: a prospective multicenter study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Various serologic markers such as anti-glycoprotein 2 antibodies and anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies have been reported to be diagnostically useful in Crohn's disease. Mitsuyama et al. reported that antibodies to Crohn's disease peptide 353, a newly proposed serologic marker, were more useful in Japanese adults than anti-Saccharomyces. We addressed the same issue in Japanese children and adolescents. METHODS: Prospectively enrolled subjects under 17 years old assessed and treated at 12 pediatric centers in Japan included groups with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, other intestinal diseases, or good health. The 3 serum markers were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: Enrolled subjects, numbering 367, included 120 with Crohn's disease, 148 with ulcerative colitis, 56 with other intestinal diseases, and 43 healthy subjects. In Crohn's disease, anti-Crohn's disease peptide 353, anti-glycoprotein 2, and anti-Saccharomyces concentrations (median, 2.25, 3.0, and 8.9 U/mL) were significantly greater than in ulcerative colitis (1.1, 1.9, and 3.4; all P < 0.001), other intestinal diseases (1.1, 1.85, and 2.95; all P < 0.001), and healthy controls (1.1, 1.7, and 2.8; all P < 0.001), respectively. At 95% specificity, sensitivity of anti-Crohn's disease peptide (45.0%) was significantly higher than for anti-glycoprotein 2 (30.8%; P < 0.05) or anti-Saccharomyces (26.7%; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Anti-Crohn's disease peptide 353 proved more useful for diagnosis of Crohn's disease in Japanese children than the other 2 markers. To our knowledge, this is the first pediatric report to that effect.

Serologic Diagnosis of Celiac Disease: New Biomarkers.

Most patients affected by celiac disease (CD) are asymptomatic or hyposymptomatic and undiagnosed, and are at risk of preventable complications. Therefore, early diagnosis is highly recommended. Multiple diagnostic antibodies are available; the most frequently used is IgA to tissue transglutaminase (IgA-tTg). It may yield false results and, alone, does not address IgA deficiency. Recently, a new generation of anti-neo-epitope tTg check (IgG + IgA) has become available. It is highly sensitive and specific, covers IgA-deficient patients with CD, reflects intestinal damage, and has predictive potential in the diagnosis of CD.

[Relationship between the HBsAg-positive infection status of mothers and the non/low-response to hepatitis B vaccine of their infants].

Objective: To explore the relationship between the status of HBsAg-positive infection of mothers and the non/low-response to hepatitis B vaccine of their infants. Methods: A total of 225 pairs of mothers and their infants were recruited in our cohort from June 2011 to July 2013. Infants were given three doses of hepatitis B vaccine at hour 24, first month and month 6(t)h respectively and were followed up for one year after birth. HBV serological markers and HBV DNA in the peripheral blood of both mothers and infants were detected by Electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay and fluorescence quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction. Results: Six HBV infection models were detected in HBsAg-positive mothers, and "HBsAg (+), HBeAg (+), anti-HBc (+)" (model one) and "HBsAg (+), anti-HBe (+), anti-HBc (+)" (model two) accounted for 92.5%(208/225) of all the models. Rate of non/low-response to hepatitis B vaccine in infants born to mothers in model one was lower than those in model two, the differences are statistically significant (χ(2)=4.80, P=0.029). The rate of non/low-response to hepatitis B vaccine in infants showed a downward trend with the rising of HBeAg level in their mothers (χ(2)=4.86, P=0.028). Results from the unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that the HBeAg of the HBsAg-positive mothers was significantly correlated with the low risk of non/low-response to hepatitis B vaccine in infants (OR=0.598, 95%CI: 0.378-0.947). The positive rate of serum HBV DNA in HBsAg-positive mothers was 54.2%, while the rate of non/low-response to hepatitis B vaccine in infants born to HBV DNA positive mothers was similar to those infants born to HBV DNA negative mothers (χ(2)=0.22, P=0.640). Conclusions: "HBsAg (+), HBeAg (+), anti-HBc (+)" and "HBsAg (+), anti-HBe(+), anti-HBc (+)" were the common models seen in HBsAg-positive mothers, and the rate of non/low-response to hepatitis B vaccine was different between the two models. HBeAg of HBsAg-positive mothers might have positive effects on the immune response to hepatitis B vaccine in infants but the mechanisms remained not clear. HBV DNA of the HBsAg-positive mothers did not seem to be correlated with the immune response to hepatitis B vaccine in infants.

Serorreactividad al antígeno de superficie del virus de la hepatitis B en mujeres que acudieron al laboratorio central de salud pública. Asunción, Paraguay / Seroreactivity against the hepatitis B virus surface antigen in women who attended the central public health laboratory. Asunción, Paraguay

La hepatitis B es un grave problema de salud pública a nivel mundial, aproximadamente cerca de 2 billones de personas tienen evidencia serológica de infección por el virus de la hepatitis B. El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir la frecuencia de hepatitis B e identificar los factores de riesgo asociados en mujeres en edad fértil que acudieron al Laboratorio Central de Salud Pública entre diciembre de 2013 y junio de 2014. Fue un estudio observacional analítico de corte transverso que, previo consentimiento informado, analizó suero de mujeres entre 15 y 44 años con una edad promedio de 26,6 (±6,8) años. Mediante la detección del antígeno de superficie de la hepatitis B por ELISA se identificaron seis casos positivos (0,4%), indicando una endemicidad baja; cifra que ha variado según perfil socio demográfico: según edad, las de 20 y más años presentaron una frecuencia mayor en comparación a las demás (p>0,05). No se observaron diferencias significativas al evaluar la seropositividad según el estado civil, el nivel de escolaridad, la condición de gravidez, los antecedentes de transfusiones, sin embargo, la seropositividad era mayor en las portadoras de tatuajes/piercing que entre las no portadoras, lo que representaba un riesgo 6,2 veces mayor (OR:6,2 IC95%:1,3-31,3). En conclusión, la frecuencia del HBsAg en nuestra población es baja, y el factor de riesgo asociado a su detección fue la presencia de tatuajes y/o piercing.

Hepatitis B is a serious public health problem worldwide; approximately about 2 billionpeople have serologic evidence of infection with hepatitis B virus. The aim of this analyticcross-sectional study was to describe the frequency of hepatitis B and identify risk factorsin women of child bearing age who attended the Central Public Health Laboratory in theperiod 2013 to 2014. Prior informed consent, antigen detection of hepatitis B surface wasperformed by ELISA in women between 15 and 44 years with a mean age of 26.6 (±6.8)years. The identification of six serologic positive cases (0.4%) indicates low endemicity.This figure varied according to socio-demographic profile: according to age, those whowere 20 years old or older had an increased frequency compared to the others (p> 0.05). No significant differences were observed in seropositivity by marital status, level ofeducation, pregnancy, history of transfusion, while seropositivity was higher amongcarriers of tattoos/piercing than among non-carriers, which represented a 6.2 times higherrisk (OR 6.2 95% CI 1.3 to 31.3). In conclusion, the frequency of HBsAg in our populationwas low. The risk factor associated with its detection was the presence of tattoos and / or piercings.