Procalcitonin as a predictive marker of infections in chemoinduced neutropenia.

Purpose: This study was designed to determine the usefulness of procalcitonin (PCT) as a predictive marker of infections in neutropenic patients following chemotherapeutic treatments.

Methods: Over a 6-month period, 65 patients (34 affected by a solid tumor, 31 by a hematological disorder) were enrolled. Serum PCT concentrations were measured by an automated immunoassay on the leucocytes nadir and on the third day, when patients were checked for any sign of infection.

Antiglycan antibodies as serological markers in the differential diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: The objective of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of recently developed antiglycan serological tests in clinical practice for the diagnosis of Crohn's disease.

Methods: This study was a cohort analysis of both clinical and biochemical parameters of patients with diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease compared with those in a control population. Antiglycan antibodies were determined using commercially available enzyme immunoassays.

Pro-oxidant effect of dehydroepiandrosterone in rats is mediated by PPAR activation.

DHEA-treatment exerts a dual effect, prooxidant or antioxidant, depending on the dosage and, therefore, on the tissue concentration reached. In agreement with previous studies showing a prooxidant effect of DHEA, here we show that pharmacological doses of DHEA produce increased H(2)O(2) levels and a marked reduction of GSH content in rat liver. DHEA, also increases both catalase (by 30%) and cytochrome-C-reductase (by 30%) activities in the liver cytosol.