Attenuation of COVID-19-induced cytokine storm in a young male patient with severe respiratory and neurological symptoms.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), produces protean manifestations and causes indiscriminate havoc in multiple organ systems. This rapid and vast production of proinflammatory cytokines contributes to a condition termed cytokine storm. A 35-year-old, otherwise healthy, employed, male patient was tested positive for COVID-19.

Correction to: Serum levels of sclerostin reflect altered bone microarchitecture in patients with hepatic cirrhosis.

Correction to: Wien Klin Wochenschr 2019 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-019-01595-8 The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake.

Serum levels of sclerostin reflect altered bone microarchitecture in patients with hepatic cirrhosis.

Background: Patients with hepatic cirrhosis are at increased risk of bone loss. Recent work on areal bone mineral density has reported contradictory findings. As the assessment of bone microarchitecture is complex, a search was made for correlations with new serum markers of bone turnover.

Serum level of IP-10 increases predictive value of IL28B polymorphisms for spontaneous clearance of acute HCV infection.

Background & Aims: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL28B and serum levels of interferon γ inducible protein 10 (IP-10) predict outcomes of antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. We associated IL28B SNPs rs12979860 and rs8099917, along with serum levels of IP-10, with outcomes of patients with acute hepatitis C (AHC).

Methods: We studied 120 patients with AHC (64 male; 37 ± 16 years old) and 96 healthy individuals (controls).

Alkaline phosphatase predicts relapse in chronic hepatitis C patients with end-of-treatment response.

Aim: To investigate relapse predictors in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients with end-of-treatment response (ETR), after pegylated interferon-alpha (PegIFN-alpha) and ribavirin treatment.

Methods: In a retrospective study we evaluated a spectrum of predictors of relapse after PegIFN-alpha and ribavirin treatment in 86 CHC patients with ETR. Viral loads were determined with real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Serum levels of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide are associated with allograft function in recipients of renal transplants.

Background: B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) plays a key role in the regulation of volume homeostasis, and elevated blood levels of BNP are associated with end-stage renal disease. Renal transplantation leads to a decrease of elevated BNP levels with established graft function. Assessment of N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP) is established as reflecting volume homeostasis, and we therefore studied the relationship between NT-proBNP and allograft function in a prospective study.

Impact of smoking on progression of vascular diseases and patient survival in type-1 diabetic patients after simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantation in a single centre.

We evaluated the impact of smoking on the progression of macro-angiopathy as well as patient and graft survival in 35 type-1 diabetic patients with simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantation (SKPT). According to their smoking history, the patients were divided into smokers (n = 12) and nonsmokers (n = 23). Mean observation period was 80 (12-168) vs.

Hyperthyroidism affects arterial stiffness, plasma NT-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels, and subendocardial perfusion in patients with Graves' disease.

Background: Arterial stiffness is thought to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular events, and in hyperthyroidism increased cardiovascular event rates have been reported.

Aim: To investigate markers of systemic arterial stiffness, volume homeostasis, and subendocardial perfusion and its interrelationship in patients with Graves' disease (GD) in hyperthyroidism and euthyroidism.

Method: Aortic augmentation index (AIx@75) as a measure of systemic arterial stiffness and subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR) as a surrogate measure of subendocardial perfusion were assessed by applanation tonometry in 59 patients with GD in hyperthyroidism and euthyroidism, and measurements were compared to plasma levels of NT-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-ProBNP).

Diurnal variation of pulse wave velocity assessed non-invasively by applanation tonometry in young healthy men.

Purpose: Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is at least partially controlled by vascular tone. Vascular tone and underlying physiological processes such as sympathetic activity, plasma catecholamin, and cortisol levels have been shown to follow diurnal variations.

Materials And Methods: Carotid-to-radial PWV was non-invasively assessed by applanation tonometry in 21 young (26.

Prevalence, severity and predictors of HOMA-estimated insulin resistance in diabetic and nondiabetic patients with end-stage renal disease.

Background: Prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) is increased in type 2 diabetes and in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). IR is associated with advanced atherosclerosis and is an independent predictor for cardiovascular disease in diabetes and ESRD patients. We investigated prevalence, severity, predictors and relation to vascular diseases by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) in diabetic and nondiabetic ESRD patients.

Genotyping of the lactase-phlorizin hydrolase -13910 polymorphism by LightCycler PCR and implications for the diagnosis of lactose intolerance.

Background: Hypolactasia and lactose intolerance are common conditions worldwide. Hypolactasia seems to be strongly correlated with genotype C/C of the genetic variant C-->T(-13910) upstream of the lactase phlorizin hydrolase (LPH) gene. We developed a rapid genotyping assay for LPH C-->T(-13910) and investigated the relationship of positive lactose breath hydrogen test (LBHT) results suggesting lactose intolerance with LPH C-->T(-13910) genotype.

Diurnal variation of arterial stiffness and subendocardial perfusion noninvasively assessed using applanation tonometry in healthy young men.

Background: Arterial stiffness is at least partially controlled by vascular tone. Vascular tone and underlying physiological processes, e.g.

Type 2 diabetes in patients with end-stage renal disease is not associated with further increased serum inflammatory parameters.

Background: Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is markedly increased in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis (HD) and is further pronounced when diabetes mellitus is also present. As atherogenesis is mediated by inflammation of vessel walls and as evidence evolves that atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus share a common inflammatory basis, we considered whether ESRD patients with additional diabetes mellitus exhibit increased inflammation levels exceeding those of ESRD patients without diabetes mellitus.

Methods: The study included 20 ESRD patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 16 non-diabetic ESRD patients on long-term HD.