Patterns of IgA Autoantibody Generation, Inflammatory Responses and Extracellular Matrix Metabolism in Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder.

Recent data have emphasized the role of inflammation and intestinal immunoglobulin A (IgA) responses in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). In order to further explore such associations, we compared IgA titers against antigens targeted to ethanol metabolites and tissue transglutaminase with pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators of inflammation, markers of liver status, transferrin protein desialylation and extracellular matrix metabolism in alcohol-dependent patients with or without liver disease and in healthy controls. Serum IgAs against protein adducts with acetaldehyde (HbAch-IgA), the first metabolite of ethanol, and tissue transglutaminase (tTG-IgA), desialylated transferrin (CDT), pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, markers of liver status (GT, ALP) and extracellular matrix metabolism (PIIINP, PINP, hyaluronic acid, ICTP and CTx) were measured in alcohol-dependent patients with ( = 83) or without ( = 105) liver disease and 88 healthy controls representing either moderate drinkers or abstainers.

Associations between Liver Enzymes, Lifestyle Risk Factors and Pre-Existing Medical Conditions in a Population-Based Cross-Sectional Sample.

While alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) enzymes are commonly used indicators of liver dysfunction recent studies have suggested that these may also serve as predictive biomarkers in the assessment of extrahepatic morbidity. In order to shed further light on the interactions between serum liver enzyme abnormalities, factors of lifestyle and health status we examined ALT and GGT activities in a population-based sample of 8743 adult individuals (4048 men, 4695 women from the National FINRISK 2002 Study, mean age 48.1 ± 13.

Oral and Vaginal Hormonal Contraceptives Induce Similar Unfavorable Metabolic Effects in Women with PCOS: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This clinical trial aims to compare hormonal and metabolic changes after a 9-week continuous use of oral or vaginal combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We recruited 24 women with PCOS and randomized them to use either combined oral (COC, = 13) or vaginal (CVC, = 11) contraception. At baseline and 9 weeks, blood samples were collected and a 2 h glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed to evaluate hormonal and metabolic outcomes.

Impact of Physical Activity on the Characteristics and Metabolic Consequences of Alcohol Consumption: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study.

Sedentary lifestyle and excessive alcohol drinking are major modifiable risk factors of health. In order to shed further light on the relationships between physical activity and health consequences of alcohol intake, we measured biomarkers of liver function, inflammation, lipid status and fatty liver index tests in a large population-based sample of individuals with different levels of physical activity, alcohol drinking and other lifestyle risk factors. The study included 21,050 adult participants (9940 men, 11,110 women) (mean age 48.

Alcohol Drinking Patterns and Laboratory Indices of Health: Does Type of Alcohol Preferred Make a Difference?

Although excessive alcohol consumption is a highly prevalent public health problem the data on the associations between alcohol consumption and health outcomes in individuals preferring different types of alcoholic beverages has remained unclear. We examined the relationships between the amounts and patterns of drinking with the data on laboratory indices of liver function, lipid status and inflammation in a national population-based health survey (FINRISK). Data on health status, alcohol drinking, types of alcoholic beverages preferred, body weight, smoking, coffee consumption and physical activity were recorded from 22,432 subjects (10,626 men, 11,806 women), age range 25-74 years.

Blood Cell Responses Following Heavy Alcohol Consumption Coincide with Changes in Acute Phase Reactants of Inflammation, Indices of Hemolysis and Immune Responses to Ethanol Metabolites.

Aberrations in blood cells are common among heavy alcohol drinkers. In order to shed further light on such responses, we compared blood cell status with markers of hemolysis, mediators of inflammation and immune responses to ethanol metabolites in alcohol-dependent patients at the time of admission for detoxification and after abstinence. Blood cell counts, indices of hemolysis (LDH, haptoglobin, bilirubin), calprotectin (a marker of neutrophil activation), suPAR, CD163, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and autoantibodies against protein adducts with acetaldehyde, the first metabolite of ethanol, were measured from alcohol-dependent patients (73 men, 26 women, mean age 43.

Comparison of serum calprotectin, a marker of neutrophil activation, and other mediators of inflammation in response to alcohol consumption.

Aims: Previous studies have indicated that heavy alcohol intake stimulates inflammation and impairs the body's ability to regulate inflammation. The aim of this study was to compare changes in neutrophil calprotectin and a wide spectrum of other inflammatory mediators in response to heavy alcohol drinking.

Methods: Serum calprotectin (a marker of neutrophil activation), suPAR, CD163, and pro- (IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10, TGF-β) cytokines were measured from 61 alcohol-dependent subjects (46 men, 15 women, mean age 43.

Maternity ward staff perceptions of exclusive breastfeeding in Finnish maternity hospitals: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: This study aimed to describe exclusive breastfeeding (EBF, Step 6 of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative) in Finnish maternity hospitals and identify factors that promote or limit EBF.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used, and data were collected from eight maternity hospitals in Finland during a 10-day period in May 2014. The staff completed questionnaires (n=1554) from separate work shifts.

Differentiating middle-aged long-term and short-term frequent attenders by means of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 Study.

Background: Frequent attendance is largely a temporary phenomenon, but only few previous studies have made a distinction between long-term frequent attenders (FAs) and short-term FAs.

Aims: The aim of this study is to compare the characteristics of middle-aged long-term FAs and short-term FAs.

Methods: Data from a large Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 study's (NFBC1966) 46-year follow-up study (performed in 2012, N = 10 321) were used.

Serum Calprotectin, a Marker of Neutrophil Activation, and Other Mediators of Inflammation in Response to Various Types of Extreme Physical Exertion in Healthy Volunteers.

Purpose: While extreme physical exertion is known to induce changes in the status of inflammation comparisons of the responses for various mediators of inflammation after acute bouts of high-intensity exercise have been limited.

Subjects And Methods: We examined the responses in serum levels of novel inflammatory proteins, calprotectin, suPAR, CD163, and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in 12 physically active volunteers (10 men, 2 women, mean age 37±14 years) before and after completing various types of extreme physical exertion (marathon run, half-marathon run or 24-h cross-country skiing). For comparisons, the levels of the biomarkers were also measured at rest in 30 healthy controls (25 men, 5 women, mean age 42 ± 12 years) with low or sedentary activity.

Combined effects of lifestyle risk factors on fatty liver index.

Background: Factors of lifestyle may have a major impact on liver-related morbidity and mortality. We examined independent and joint effects of lifestyle risk factors on fatty liver index (FLI), a biomarker of hepatic steatosis, in a population-based cross-sectional national health survey.

Methods: The study included 12,368 participants (5784 men, 6584 women) aged 25-74 years.

Prognosis and causes of death of patients with acute exacerbation of fibrosing interstitial lung diseases.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics, causes of death and factors impacting on the prognosis of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other fibrosing interstitial lung disease (FILD) with a history of acute exacerbation (AE) of IPF or FILD.

Methods: Retrospective data of hospital treatment periods caused by AE-IPF and AE-FILD were collected from medical records. Clinical features and survival data of IPF and non-IPF cases were evaluated and compared.

Thioredoxin-1 as a biological predictive marker for selecting diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients for etoposide-containing treatment.

Objective: In diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), there is an unmet medical need to select patients who would benefit from intensified frontline treatments such as adding etoposide to an R-CHOP regimen.

Methods: The present work included a retrospective clinical analysis of two patient cohorts and an in vitro study. Primary biopsy samples from DLBCL patients treated with an etoposide-containing high-dose regimen (n = 37) and etoposide-containing frontline treatment (n = 69, R-CHOEP) were studied using immunohistochemical thioredoxin-1 (Trx1) staining.

Intravitreal bevacizumab improves the clearance of vitreous haemorrhage and visual outcomes in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Objective: To evaluate the occurrence of vitreous haemorrhage (VH) secondary to proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and the efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) for VH in 5-year real-life data.

Methods And Analysis: 850 adult patients with type 1 (T1D) or type 2 diabetes (T2D) with PDR were screened for VH. The effect of IVB was evaluated by the clearage of VH and the change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA).

Unattended sleep study in screening for sleep apnea in the acute phase of ischemic stroke.

Objectives: We aimed to compare the feasibility of automatically and manually scored cardiorespiratory polygraphy results for sleep apnea screening in the acute phase of ischemic stroke.

Methods: Prospective study included 204 ischemic stroke patients, who underwent nocturnal unattended portable monitoring with three-channel device during 48 h after onset of stroke symptoms. Sleep apnea diagnosis was determined as a respiratory event index (REI) ≥5/hour.

Comparison of optic disc evaluation methods in neurology emergency patients.

Background: The optic disc examination is critical for the diagnostics of several acute neurological disorders. However, dilation of the pupil is not recommended for neurological patients, which complicates ophthalmoscopy.

Aims Of The Study: Present pilot study compared a portable fundus camera to an ophthalmoscope in fundus examinations of neurological emergency patients.

Bronchoalveolar cell differential count and the number of asbestos bodies correlate with survival in patients with asbestosis.

Objectives: To determine cell differential counts and the number of asbestos bodies (ABs) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid obtained from patients with asbestosis, and to correlate the results with their survival.

Methods: The BAL cell differential counts and ABs from 91 patients with asbestosis were determined. The BAL cell differential counts were analysed in relation to smoking status.

Stroke Volume Predicts Nocturnal Hypoxemia in the Acute Ischemic Stroke after Intravenous Thrombolysis.

Unlabelled: The Goal: The aim of the study was to investigate whether stroke volume or the presence of ischemic stroke lesion on follow-up computed tomography 1 day after admission had association with sleep apnea among ischemic stroke patients undergoing thrombolysis.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively recruited 110 consecutive ischemic stroke patients and performed computed tomography on admission and after 24 hours after intravenous thrombolysis. Stroke volume was measured from post-thrombolysis computed tomography scans.

Impacts of unfavourable lifestyle factors on biomarkers of liver function, inflammation and lipid status.

Background: Adopting a healthy lifestyle is associated with prolonged life expectancy. The main modifiable lifestyle-related risk factors are hazardous alcohol drinking, smoking, excess body weight and lack of physical activity. Our aim was to estimate the impact of unfavourable lifestyle factors on abnormalities in laboratory tests reflecting liver status, inflammation and lipid metabolism in a population-based cross-sectional study.

Non-dipping blood pressure pattern and new-onset diabetes in a 21-year follow-up.

Non-dipping blood pressure (BP) pattern has been associated with metabolic changes and cardiovascular events. With regard of diabetes, studies are scarce. Our aim was to investigate if there is an association between changes in dipping patterns and incidence of diabetes.

Liver enzymes in alcohol consumers with or without binge drinking.

Background: While alcohol use is linked with a wide variety of health problems, the question of whether differences in drinking patterns could yield different outcomes has remained unclear.

Patients And Methods: We measured liver enzymes (ALT, GGT) from alcohol consumers with or without binge drinking from a population-based sample in Finland, where binge-type drinking is common. Data on alcohol use, diet, body weight, lifestyle (smoking, coffee consumption, physical activity), and health status were collected from 19225 subjects (9492 men, 9733 women), aged 25-74 years.

Assessment of alcohol consumption in depression follow-up using self-reports and blood measures including inflammatory biomarkers.

Aims: Alcohol consumption has been suggested a major role in the pathogenesis and prognosis of depression. However, reliable identification of hazardous drinking continues to be problematic. We compared the accuracy of different biomarkers and self-reports of alcohol consumption in the follow-up study of depression.

Laboratory test based assessment of WHO alcohol risk drinking levels.

Low-risk thresholds for alcohol use differ across various national guidelines. To assess the novel WHO risk drinking levels in light of alcohol-sensitive common laboratory tests, we analysed biomarkers of liver status, inflammation and lipid profiles from a population-based survey of individuals classified to abstainers and different WHO risk drinking levels defined in terms of mean alcohol consumption per day. The study included 22,327 participants aged 25-74 years from the National FINRISK Study.

Hormone profiling, including anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), for the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and characterization of PCOS phenotypes.

Objective was to evaluate serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and in its different phenotypes in relation to clinical, endocrine and metabolic parameters using a new automated VIDAS method and to compare it with the Gen II method. Study design was multi-center study including 319 PCOS women and 109 healthy controls. Serum AMH levels measured using VIDAS were significantly higher in PCOS women than controls ( < .

The Evolution of Sleep Apnea Six Months After Acute Ischemic Stroke and Thrombolysis.

Study Objectives: Our goal was to investigate the evolution of prevalence, severity, and type of sleep apnea among patients who had an ischemic stroke, with or without treatment with thrombolysis after 6 months.

Methods: We prospectively studied 204 patients who had an ischemic stroke (110 in the thrombolysis and 94 in the non-thrombolysis group). After follow-up, 177 patients were eligible for a final analysis (98 in the thrombolysis group and 79 in the non-thrombolysis group).