Association between clinical features and course of systemic sclerosis and serum interleukin-8, vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and interferon alpha.

Background: Certain mediators, such as soluble growth factors and cytokines, among others, are implicated in the immunopathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the association between serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interferon alpha (IFN-α), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and the clinical presentation and course of SSc.

Material And Methods: This longitudinal, observational study included 43 patients with SSc and 24 healthy subjects.

High prevalence of thrombophilic risk factors in patients with central retinal artery occlusion.

Introduction: Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a common cause of blindness and visual morbidity. In the majority of cases, it is related to thrombotic embolism. Nevertheless, the role of inherited or acquired thrombophilic risk factors in CRAO pathogenesis has not been comprehensively studied.

Prothrombotic state, endothelial injury, and echocardiographic changes in non-active sarcoidosis patients.

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem inflammatory granulomatous disease of unknown cause that most commonly affects lungs and lymph nodes, with frequent yet asymptomatic cardiac involvement. The epidemiologically associated cardiovascular risk suggests an underlying prothrombotic state and endothelial dysfunction, currently understudied in the available literature. Therefore, we aimed to investigate prothrombotic plasma properties together with selected echocardiographic and laboratory biomarkers of cardiovascular injury in that disease.

Thrombin generation potential is increased in patients with autoimmune inflammatory myopathies.

Purpose: Dermatomyositis and polymyositis (DM/PM) are rare autoimmune inflammatory myopathies, characterized by an increased risk of cardiovascular and thromboembolic events, likely related to the prothrombotic plasma properties. The aim of this study was to assess the in vitro thrombin generation profile as a biomarker of plasma procoagulant properties in DM/PM patients.

Methods: In 58 clinically stable DM/PM patients and 67 controls matched for sex, age, body mass index, we measured plasma thrombin generation potential using the Calibrated Automated Thrombinography (CAT) and analyzed its relationship with clinical disease characteristics, including autoantibodies profile.

Genetic Association between TNFA Polymorphisms (rs1799964 and rs361525) and Susceptibility to Cancer in Systemic Sclerosis.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α is a proinflammatory cytokine that plays an important role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. The aim of the study was to establish an association between TNF-α promoter variability and systemic sclerosis (SSc). The study included 43 SSc patients and 74 controls.

Central Retinal Artery Occlusion Is Related to Vascular Endothelial Injury and Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction.

Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is an emergency state characterized by sudden, painless vision impairment. Patients with CRAO have an increased risk of cardiovascular events, including stroke, likely related to vascular endothelial damage. Therefore, we investigated flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery as a marker of endothelial dysfunction, intima-media complex thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery, pointing to the arterial wall atherosclerotic alteration, and transthoracic echocardiographic parameters in 126 consecutive CRAO patients (66 men [52.

Interactions via αβ Cell Integrin May Protect against the Progression of Airway Structural Changes in Asthma.

Increased airway wall thickness and remodeling of bronchial mucosa are characteristic of asthma and may arise from altered integrin signaling on airway cells. Here, we analyzed the expression of β-subfamily integrins on blood and airway cells (flow cytometry), inflammatory biomarkers in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage, reticular basement membrane (RBM) thickness and collagen deposits in the mucosa (histology), and airway geometry (CT-imaging) in 92 asthma patients (persistent airflow limitation subtype: = 47) and 36 controls. Persistent airflow limitation was associated with type-2 inflammation, elevated soluble α integrin chain, and changes in the bronchial wall geometry.

The Associations of Perceived and Oxidative Stress with Hypertension in a Cohort of Police Officers.

Purpose: Associations between perceived stress and oxidative stress marker and metabolic syndrome (MetS) components were investigated in a cohort of police officers.

Methods: Cross-sectional data from a cohort of non-diabetic subjects (n=233; 19F), median [interquartile range] age 50 [37-44] years, were analysed. MetS was construed in line with International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria and perceived stress with Cohen's 10-item Perceived Stress Scale.

Thrombin generation potential is enhanced in systemic sclerosis: impact of selected endothelial biomarkers.

Objectives: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare immune-mediated heterogenous entity characterised by excessive tissue fibrosis and vascular injury. Recently, increased risk of thromboembolic events has been documented in that disease. Our aim was to investigate prothrombotic plasma properties together with selected laboratory biomarkers of endothelial injury in SSc.

Endothelial dysfunction in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Introduction: Patients with systemic sclerosis experience endothelial dysfunction and damage even in the absence of clinical manifestations.

Aim: To evaluate various methods for assessing the endothelial function for their applicability to clinical practice.

Material And Methods: Forty-two patients (7 men and 35 women) with systemic sclerosis and 36 controls (11 men and 25 women) matched for age, sex, body mass index, smoking habit, and comorbidities were enrolled in the study.

Direct oral anticoagulants in the prevention of stroke in breast cancer patients with atrial fibrillation during adjuvant endocrine therapy: A cohort study.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a frequent comorbidity in malignant patients. Anticancer therapies complicate anticoagulant strategy. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of long-term use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in breast cancer women.

Citrullinated histone H3, a marker of extracellular trap formation, is increased in blood of stable asthma patients.

Background: Emerging data indicates that extracellular traps (ETs), structures formed by various immune cell types, may contribute to the pathology of noninfectious inflammatory diseases. Histone hypercitrullination is an important step in ETs formation and citrullinated histone H3 (H3cit) is considered a novel and specific biomarker of that process. In the present study we have evaluated circulating H3cit in stable asthmatics and investigated its relationship with asthma severity, pulmonary function and selected blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) biomarkers.

Potential roles of psychological and oxidative stress in insulin resistance: a cohort-based study.

Background: The present study investigated the relationships between psychological stress indices and oxidative stress marker, also when combined with emergent insulin resistance (IR), in the non-diabetic, middle-aged subjects, exposed to frequent/chronic psychological stressors.

Methods: Cross-sectional data from a cohort of non-diabetic police officers (n = 234; 19F), aged 27-56 years, were used. Plasma inflammatory (CRP, TNF-α), oxidative stress (free 8-iso-prostaglandin F; 8-iso-PGF) markers, and insulin were measured.

Endothelial dysfunction in patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a rare form of vasculitis associated with asthma and eosinophilia. Endothelial dysfunction has been well documented in other types of vasculitis but not in EGPA. Thirty patients (10 men and 20 women) diagnosed with EGPA and remaining in a remission, and 58 controls (24 men and 34 women) matched for age, sex, and body mass index, were enrolled in the study.

Acquired Haemophilia A Associated with Subsequent Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Acquired haemophilia A (AHA) is a rare autoimmune disease caused by antibodies directed against clotting factor VIII. About half of cases are idiopathic, but AHA may also be secondary to autoimmune, dermatologic, or oncologic diseases. In approximately 10% of non-idiopathic cases, the disease occurs after or with the diagnosis of cancer as an extremely rare paraneoplastic syndrome.

Endothelial dysfunction in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a case-control study.

Background: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a rare granulomatous vasculitis affecting small- and medium-sized blood vessels. In optimally treated patients with long-standing disease, the common cause of death is atherosclerosis even in the absence of typical risk factors.

Objective: To evaluate endothelial dysfunction in GPA patients.

The Relationship of Metabolic Syndrome with Stress, Coronary Heart Disease and Pulmonary Function--An Occupational Cohort-Based Study.

Background And Aims: Higher levels of stress impact the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and coronary heart disease. The association between MetS, impaired pulmonary function and low level of physical activity is still pending assessment in the subjects exposed to stress. The study aimed to examine whether higher levels of stress might be related to MetS and the plaque presence, as well as whether MetS might affect pulmonary function.

Nitric oxide production and endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation ameliorated by N1-methylnicotinamide in human blood vessels.

N(1)-methylnicotinamide (MNA(+)) has until recently been thought to be a biologically inactive product of nicotinamide metabolism in the pyridine nucleotides pathway. However, the latest observations imply that MNA(+) may exert antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory effects through direct action on the endothelium. We examined both in vivo and in vitro whether the compound might induce vasorelaxation in human blood vessels through the improvement of nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and a reduction of oxidative stress mediated by endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) function.

[Severe dilated cardiomyopathy as a complication of well controlled Churg-Strauss syndrome].

We present a case of a 42 year-old male with Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS), who despite clinical remission developed severe dilated cardiomyopathy. Intensified immunosuppression helped to improve heart function. As heart involvement in CSS is very common, and may occur without prior symptoms, magnetic resonance imaging is advisable to identify patients with heart damage and introduce proper treatment.

Multimodality assessment of cardiac involvement in Churg-Strauss syndrome patients in clinical remission.

Background: Cardiac involvement in Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is not uncommon, but its frequency varies widely and may depend on the activity of the disease. Therefore, the cardiac involvement in CSS patients in clinical remission was assessed in the present study.

Methods And Results: In 20 CSS patients in remission and 20 sex- and age-matched healthy controls, an ECG stress test, echocardiography, and 24-h ECG Holter monitoring were performed, together with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI).

[Congestive cardiomyopathy and left intraventricular thrombus as a manifestation of Churg-Strauss syndrome].

A case of a 38-year-old female with symptomatic Churg-Strauss syndrome and congestive cardiomyopathy, complicated by cardiac arrest and left ventricular thrombus formation, is presented. Prompt institution of low molecular weight heparin and steroids resulted in rapid thrombus lysis and improvement of systolic left ventricular function.

[Cholestatic hepatitis as a ticlopidine-induced complication of treatment - a case report].

Ticlopidine, a thienopyridine derivative, is widely used in Poland in vascular procedures. Ticlopidine-induced acute cholestatic hepatitis is a very rare adverse reaction. We present a case of a patient with possible ticlopidine-induced cholestatic hepatitis occurring a few days after introducing this drug.

The additive antiplatelet action of clopidogrel in patients with coronary artery disease treated with aspirin.

We searched for additional anti-platelet effects of clopidogrel in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients treated with aspirin. Response to clopidogrel was also stratified according to aspirin resistance. Out of 76 screened aspirin-treated CAD male patients, five were aspirin-resistant based on arachidonic acid (AA) and ADP aggregometry.