Receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) gene polymorphism and cardiovascular disease in end-stage renal disease patients.

Background/objectives: Receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) contributes to the pathogenesis of vascular and inflammatory diseases. We investigated whether the functional polymorphism in the promoter region of the RAGE gene (-374 T/A) influences development of cardiovascular disease in the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients.

Methods: The cohorts of 1866 ESRD patients and 1143 healthy subjects were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the RAGE variant rs1800624.

Transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene polymorphism and complication/comorbidity profile in type 2 diabetes patients.

Transcription factor 7-like 2 gene (TCF7L2) has been associated with type 2 diabetes. We investigated the association of the rs7903146 SNP in this gene with clinical profile of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients. The study involved 980 patients with diabetic nephropathy (44%), diabetic retinopathy (42%), CVD (65%) and early onset of diabetes (45%) and 924 healthy controls.

Pediculosis capitis among schoolchildren in urban and rural areas of eastern Poland.

The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of head pediculosis in the rural and urban environments of Lublin Province (eastern Poland) in 1996-2000 and to examine socioeconomic factors influencing distribution among schoolchildren. A total of 95,153 schoolchildren living in urban and rural areas were examined twice yearly by school nurses. The overall rate of head pediculosis differs significantly between rural (1.