Response to rituximab and timeframe to relapse in rheumatoid arthritis patients: association with B-cell markers.

Objective: Rituximab is used to deplete B cells and control disease activity, mainly in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have not responded to anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy. Response rates and time to relapse vary significantly among treated individuals. The objective of this study was to monitor the response of seropositive and seronegative RA patients to rituximab and correlate relapse with B-cell markers in the two groups.

Interleukin -1beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in plasma and pleural fluid of pneumonia, lung cancer and tuberculous pleuritis.

Interleukins IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF are increased in plasma of patients with severe infections and septic shock. Our objective was the evaluation of IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF in plasma and exudates of pleural fluid and their contribution to the diagnosis. We studied 44 patients, 27 men and 17 women with mean age 66.

Impact of endograft material on the inflammatory response after elective endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of endograft material on the inflammatory response after elective endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Consecutive patients (n = 22, all men, 53 to 82 years old) were divided into 2 groups according to the graft material used: In group A (n = 12) the endovascular device was made of polyester and in group B (n = 10) the device was made of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE). All patients received antiinflammatory drugs in the perioperative period.

Crevicular fluid levels of interleukin-1alpha and interleukin-1beta during experimental gingivitis in young and old adults.

The purpose of the present investigation was to study the effect of age on interleukin-1alpha (Il-1alpha) and interleukin-1beta (Il-1beta) production during experimental gingivitis. One group of five young subjects (20-22 years old) and another group of five older subjects aged 61-65 years were involved in the study. A professional plaque control programme was undertaken to establish healthy gingival conditions at baseline.

Selection of the most compatible graft recipient by computer program, used in regional tissue typing laboratory of Hellas (R.T.T.L.).

The purpose of this study was to present the new computer program that we developed in the regional tissue typing laboratory (R.T.T.