Economy class syndrome: what is it and who are the individuals at risk?

The term 'economy class syndrome' refers to the occurrence of thrombotic events during long-haul flights that mainly occur in passengers in the economy class of the aircraft. This syndrome results from several factors related to the aircraft cabin (immobilization, hypobaric hypoxia and low humidity) and the passenger (body mass index, thrombophilia, oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy, cancer), acting together to predispose to excessive blood coagulation, which can result in venous thromboembolism. Several risk factors, both genetic and acquired, are associated with venous thromboembolism.

The unexpected beneficial role of smoking in preeclampsia.

We have recently investigated the association between the risk of developing PE and clinical, hemostatic, inflammatory and genetic parameters of 108 severe preeclamptic women. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess what variables are independent risk factors for PE. Univariate analysis was performed including the variables in age, smoking condition, multiple pregnancy, blood group, phenotypes and alleles of IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, IL-1β, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and the plasma levels of FVII, FVIIa, FVIIa-AT, FVIII, FVW, ADAMTS13, D-Di, PAI-1, ADMA.

Severe preeclampsia: association of genes polymorphisms and maternal cytokines production in Brazilian population.

Introduction: Preeclampsia (PE) is a multi-system disorder of pregnancy characterized by hypertension and proteinuria. Healthy pregnancy is associated with a controlled inflammatory process, which is exacerbated in PE in response to excessive placental stimuli. Gene expression levels can affect inflammation and immune regulation.

Clinical applicability of reticulated platelets.

Background: Reticulated platelets (RPs), immature platelets newly released from the bone marrow into the circulation, have a high content of ribonucleic acid and are larger and more active in thrombus formation.

Objective: This review compiles articles that evaluated RP in order to establish their clinical significance.

Discussion: RPs increase when platelet production rises and decrease when production falls.

Antiphospholipid syndrome: a clinical and laboratorial challenge.

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an acquired autoimmune thrombophilia characterized by the presence of a heterogeneous family of antibodies that bind to plasma proteins with affinity for phospholipid surfaces. The two major protein targets of antiphospholipid antibodies are prothrombin and β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI). APS leads to aprothrombotic state, and it is characterized by the occurrence of arterial, venous or microvascular thrombosis or recurrent fetal loss.

Preeclampsia: integrated network model of platelet biomarkers interaction as a tool to evaluate the hemostatic/immunological interface.

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is associated with platelet activation, which may be involved in its pathogenesis promoting coagulation and mediating inflammation. We investigated whether the platelet activation status together with the frequency of platelet-leukocyte aggregates/PLA and monocyte tissue factor/TF expression could be used as laboratorial biomarkers for PE diagnosis and prognosis.

Methods: Ninety-seven women were evaluated including severe PE/sPE (N=15), mild PE/mPE (N=20), normotensive pregnant/NP (N=31) and non-pregnant women/nonP (N=31).

Soluble endoglin, transforming growth factor-Beta 1 and soluble tumor necrosis factor alpha receptors in different clinical manifestations of preeclampsia.

Background: Despite intensive research, the etiopathogenesis of preeclampsia (PE) remains uncertain. Inflammatory and angiogenic factors are thought to play considerable roles in this disease. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between soluble endoglin (sEng), transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha soluble receptors (sTNF-Rs) and the clinical manifestations of PE.

Severe preeclampsia: are hemostatic and inflammatory parameters associated?

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is characterized by hypertension and proteinuria. A predisposition to endothelial dysfunction, which may trigger abnormal activation of the hemostatic and/or inflammatory systems, is thought to play a crucial part in pathogenesis of PE. We investigated the relationship between hemostatic and inflammatory parameters in women with severe PE.

Assessment of L-arginine asymmetric 1 dimethyl (ADMA) in early-onset and late-onset (severe) preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia (PE) is characterized by hypertension and proteinuria. It has been classified in early or late according to gestational age at the onset of disease. Endothelial dysfunction plays a crucial part in its pathogenesis.

Preeclampsia: are platelet count and indices useful for its prognostic?

Introduction: Preeclampsia (PE) is characterized by hypertension and proteinuria after the 20th week gestation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether platelet count (PC) and platelet indices (mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), and plateletcrit (PCT)) could predict severe form of preeclampsia (sPE).

Methods: Three groups were evaluated; G1-pregnant with sPE (N = 29); G2-normotensive pregnant (N = 28) and Group 3: non-pregnant women (N = 30).

Preeclampsia and ABO blood groups: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a multifactorial pregnancy-specific syndrome which represents one of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide. Inherited thrombophilia have been investigated as risk factor for the development of PE and it is currently known that ABO blood group may impact haemostatic balance, having the non-O blood groups (A, B or AB) subjects increased risk for thrombus formation, as compared to those of group O. We performed a systematic review of the literature for published studies investigating whether ABO blood groups could influence PE developing.

D-dimer in preeclampsia: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Preeclampsia is a multifactorial disease characterized by high blood pressure and proteinuria after the 20th week of pregnancy. Preeclampsia is associated with microvasculature fibrin deposition and maternal organ dysfunction. D-dimer (D-Di) has been used as a marker of production/degradation of fibrin in vivo.