The levels of circulating markers of atherosclerosis and inflammation in subjects with different degrees of body mass index: Soluble CD40 ligand and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.

Background: It is well demonstrated that obesity is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Recent studies have shown that obesity, insulin resistance and atherosclerosis are closely related phenomena in which low-grade inflammatory state and prothrombotic condition has pivotal roles. It has been shown that CD40-soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) interactions might constitute an important mediator for vascular inflammation.

The relationship between insulin resistance assessed by HOMA-IR and serum osteoprotegerin levels in obesity.

Aim: We investigated the relationship between insulin resistance and serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels in healthy obese subjects and healthy lean controls.

Methods: Fifty obese subjects (age: 31+/-8 years) and 24 lean controls (age: 30+/-7 years) were included in the study. We used the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index as the index of insulin resistance.

A primary Sjögren's syndrome patient with distal renal tubular acidosis, who presented with symptoms of hypokalemic periodic paralysis: Report of a case study and review of the literature.

Although renal tubular acidosis (RTA), secondary to autoimmune interstitial nephritis, develops in a large proportion of patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS), most of the subjects are asymptomatic. Here, we shall present a 39-year-old female patient who came to us with hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HPP), and who was later diagnosed with distal RTA. The patient, who had xerostomia and xerophthalmia for a long period of time, was diagnosed with primary SS from serologic and histologic findings.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis in a patient with acute lymphoid leukemia regression after G-CSF therapy.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is the intra-alveolar accumulation of periodic-acid schiff (PAS) positive material. PAP is one of the underrecognized causes of pulmonary infiltrates in patients with hematologic malignancies. Here, we present a patient with acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) in first remission that developed fever and diffuse pulmonary infiltrates during the neutropenic stage of consolidation chemotherapy.