Publications by authors named "Guerra-Ruiz A"

Background: The advent of Alzheimer's disease-modifying drugs requires accurate biological diagnosis to identify candidates for these therapies. So far, the most promising single plasma biomarker is phosphorylated tau at threonine 217 (p-tau217). To understand its biological features, it is essential to know its longitudinal trajectory and factors influencing it in cognitively unimpaired subjects with no brain pathology.

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Background And Aims: Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a leading cause of liver-related mortality worldwide, with limited treatment options beyond abstinence and liver transplantation. Chronic alcohol consumption has been linked to magnesium (Mg 2+ ) deficiency, which can influence liver disease progression. The mechanisms underlying Mg 2+ homeostasis dysregulation in ALD remain elusive.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study focuses on the effectiveness of the fully-automated Lumipulse plasma p-tau217 assay as a diagnostic tool for early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by measuring plasma biomarkers that indicate amyloid deposition in the brain.
  • - Researchers analyzed blood samples from 209 cognitively healthy participants, finding significant correlations between plasma p-tau217 levels and established CSF biomarkers for AD, indicating its potential for early detection.
  • - The results demonstrated that plasma p-tau217 levels were markedly higher in participants with positive amyloid status (A+), with a high predictive value for amyloid pathology, suggesting its utility in clinical settings for identifying preclinical AD.
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It is not complicated for the clinician to diagnose a patient with advanced fibrosis or liver cirrhosis when he has already presented some decompensation of his liver disease. However, it is in the earliest stages when the patient's prognosis can be modified the most. Since liver disease is generally asymptomatic, not invasive markers are of great relevance.

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Article Synopsis
  • Plasma biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) show promise for early diagnosis, but their accuracy may be affected by various health conditions and physiological factors.
  • A study involving 208 cognitively unimpaired subjects revealed that factors like glomerular filtration rate and conditions such as diabetes and hypertension influenced levels of certain AD biomarkers, specifically Aβ40, Aβ42, and p-tau181.
  • The findings suggest the amyloid ratio could be a more stable marker for population use, while cardiovascular health may have long-term effects on these biomarkers.
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Background: The predictive ability of the early determination of sex steroids and the total testosterone:estradiol ratio for the risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 or the potential existence of a biological gradient in this relationship has not been evaluated.

Objectives: To assess the relationship of sex steroid levels and the total testosterone:estradiol ratio with the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in men, defined as the need for intensive care unit admission or death, and the predictive ability of each biomarker.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective observational study.

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Background: The arrival of new disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD) requires the identification of subjects at risk in a simple, inexpensive, and non-invasive way. With tools allowing an adequate screening, it would be possible to optimize the use of these treatments. Plasma markers of AD are very promising, but it is necessary to prove that alterations in their levels are related to alterations in gold standard markers such as cerebrospinal fluid or PET imaging.

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Background: The diagnosis of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection requires HBV DNA testing and serologic testing for detection of the surface antigen (HBsAg) and the hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc). There is a population of patients with occult HBV infection (OBI), which is not detected by HBsAg or HBV DNA quantification in blood, despite the presence of active replication in the liver.

Scope: This document provides a definition of OBI and describes the diagnostic techniques currently used.

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Introduction: Abnormal liver biochemistry is not a rare finding in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection, regardless of patients having pre-existing chronic disease or not.

Content: This review examines the current body of knowledge on the relationship between COVID-19 and liver injury, which is frequently found in this setting.

Summary: Although the pathogenesis of liver injury is not fully understood, it has been suggested to be the result of a combination of multiple factors.

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Introduction And Objectives: According to the recent European epidemiological studies, the degree of lipid control in patients with very high vascular risk is suboptimal. This study analyzes the epidemiological characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors, lipid profile, recurrence, and degree of achievement of long-term lipid targets, according to the ESC/EAS Guidelines, in a cohort of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in a real-world clinical practice setting.

Methods: This work is a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with ACS admitted to the Coronary Unit of a tertiary hospital from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2015 and followed-up on until March 2022.

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Purpose: A high cardiovascular risk has been described in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA); the effects of different biological agents have also been described in these patients. The aim of the present study is to examine the effects of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) in the lipoprotein profile of RA patients using a broad laboratory assessment including a large number of non-routine tests.

Patients And Methods: RA patients treated with and without TNFi (70 patients in each group) were cross-sectionally compared regarding a broad spectrum of lipoprotein parameters including serum levels of total and HDL, LDL and VLDL cholesterol triglycerides, lipoprotein A (LpA), apolipoprotein A1 (Apo A), B100 (Apo B) and paroxonase.

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Elevated plasma bilirubin levels are a frequent clinical finding. It can be secondary to alterations in any stage of its metabolism: (a) excess bilirubin production (i.e.

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Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is defined as fat accumulation in the liver in the presence of metabolic alterations. This disorder is generally asymptomatic and may progress to severe liver disease, which are linked to inflammation and/or fibrosis. MAFLD has a high prevalence (26%) and therefore a considerable number of patients are at high risk of having advanced liver disease.

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Unlabelled: Water retention is a major clinical problem in patients with liver cirrhosis. The factors that predispose to water retention are poorly understood but may involve genetic factors. Recent research suggests that renal aquaporins may be a pathophysiological factor involved in this condition.

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Aims: In congestive heart failure (CHF), arterial response is regulated by endothelial molecules. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether endothelial dysfunction (ED) was a predictor of outcome in a cohort of patients with heart failure.

Methods And Results: Endothelial function was assessed in 242 patients with CHF by forearm reactive hyperaemia measured with intermittent venous occlusion plethysmography using a mercury strain gauge.

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Background: High levels of endotoxin in patients with cirrhosis are thought to be responsible for the activation of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF)-alpha-mediated pro-inflammatory pathways involved in haemodynamic alterations. Bactericidal/permeability increasing protein (BPI) is a protein found in neutrophils with endotoxin-binding and neutralization capacity. It is not known whether defective BPI production or release is present in cirrhosis.

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