Endothelial lesion and complement activation in patients with Scleroderma Renal Crisis.

In kidney biopsies reviews, scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) is characterized by vascular endothelial injuries, C4d deposits on peritubular vessels, and acute and chronic injuries coexisting on the same biopsy. The clinical signs of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) are described in systemic sclerosis (SSc), nevertheless, it has not been related to acute injuries described on kidney biopsies. We report a case of SRC in a patient with scleroderma-dermatomyositis overlap syndrome, which also showed clinical and histopathological data of TMA.

Factor VII polymorphisms influence the plasma response to diets with different fat content, in a healthy Caucasian population.

Unlabelled: To determine the influence of the factor VII gene polymorphisms, R353Q and 5'F7, on factor VII Ag plasma levels after the consumption of diets with different fat contents.

Methods: 59 healthy individuals (42 RR, 16 RQ, 1 QQ at the R353Q and 46 A1A1, 13 A1A2 at the 5'F7) consumed 3 diets during 4-weeks each: a Saturated diet (SAT) enriched in saturated fatty acid (SFA) (38% fat, 20% SFA), followed by a carbohydrate (CHO)-rich diet (30% fat, 55% CHO) or a Mediterranean diet (MEDIT) enriched in monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) (38% fat, 22% MUFA) following a randomized crossover design. Plasma lipids and FVII Ag plasma levels were determined at the end of each dietary period.

The APOB -516C/T polymorphism has no effect on lipid and apolipoprotein response following changes in dietary fat intake in a healthy population.

Our goal was to determine whether the presence of the -516C/T polymorphism in the APOB gene promoter modifies the lipid response to changes in the amount and quality of dietary fat. We studied 97 young healthy volunteers (70 males and 27 females), 62 homozygotes for the -516C allele (C/C) (47 males and 15 females), 34 heterozygotes for the -516T allele (C/T) (22 males and 12 females) and one male homozygote for the -516T allele (T/T). Subjects consumed three different diets in successive 4-week dietary periods.

[Clinical significance of increased serum ferritin levels].

Background And Objective: We aimed to determine the diagnostic alternatives indicated by serum ferritin levels (2000 ng/ml, and to establish the clinical processes associated with very high levels (5000-10 000 ng/ml).

Patients And Method: We retrospectively analyzed cases with serum levels of ferritin serum equal to or greater than 2000 ng/ml between March 2000 and November 2001. Data were obtained from the laboratory's computerized database.

The influence of the apolipoprotein E gene promoter (-219G/ T) polymorphism on postprandial lipoprotein metabolism in young normolipemic males.

The apolipoprotein E (apoE) gene promoter (-219G/T) polymorphism has been associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction, premature coronary heart disease, and decreased plasma apoE concentrations. We examined whether the -219G/T polymorphism could modify the postprandial response of triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins (TRLs). Fifty-one healthy apoE 3/3 male volunteers (14GG, 29GT, and 8TT) were given a vitamin A fat-loading test consisting of 1 g of fat/kg body weight and 60,000 IU of vitamin A per m2 of body surface area.

Polymorphism exon 1 variant at the locus of the scavenger receptor class B type I gene: influence on plasma LDL cholesterol in healthy subjects during the consumption of diets with different fat contents.

Background: The association between polymorphisms in the scavenger receptor class B type I (SRB-I) gene and variations in basal plasma concentrations of cholesterol in humans has recently been described.

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine whether the exon 1 variant (G-->A) at the SRB-I gene is associated with the lipid response to the content and quality of dietary fat in healthy subjects.

Design: We studied 97 healthy volunteers with exon 1 polymorphism [65 homozygous for allele 1 (1/1) and 32 heterozygous for allele 2 (1/2)].

[Response degree of cholesterol LDL to feeding in males with hypercholesterolemia according to baseline value].

Background: The response of plasma cholesterol to diet is modulated by endogenous and exogenous factors such as body mass, tobacco consumption, gender and the genetic background. Our purpose was to know whether the response degree depends on the concentration of cholesterol prior to the intervention and whether several polymorphisms modulating the cholesterol response to diet are actually involved in such response.

Patients And Method: Seventy two males with hypercholesterolemia were administered three different 4-weeks duration diets.