Polymorphisms in some proinflammatory genes (TNFα and β, IL-1β, IL-6, ADAM17) in severe chronic venous disease.

Background: Chronic venous disease (CVD) is a common disorder of lower extremities.

Objectives: The study was scheduled to investigate the relationship between polymorphisms in major proinflammatory genes TNF α (-238 A/G; -308 A/G), TNF β (NcoI), IL-1β (+3953 T/C); IL-6 (-174 G/C; -596 G/C) and ADAM17 (3'TACE) and CVD risk. Genotype-phenotype study was calculated to test possible association between examined genotypes and phenotypes of CVD.

Lack of omalizumab efficacy in severe atopic dermatitis with extremely elevated IgE levels: two case reports and a literature review.

The authors present two cases of severe atopic dermatitis with extremely elevated IgE levels treated with omalizumab. The effect of this treatment was completely unconvincing in both patients, most likely because of extremely elevated IgE values, which could not be eliminated by omalizumab. Our observation is consistent with earlier published literature reporting that omalizumab as a treatment for atopic dermatitis seems to work better in patients with lower levels of IgE antibodies.

Genetic predisposition for chronic venous insufficiency in several genes for matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-12) and their inhibitor TIMP-2.

Objective: The project was scheduled as a case-control study to investigate the correlation between MMP-2 (rs243864), MMP-9 (3918242), MMP-12 (rs7123600) and TIMP-2 (rs8176329) polymorphisms and chronic venous disease (CVD) risk. The genotype and phenotype research envisages the testing of possible associations between MMP and TIMP-2 genotypes and phenotypes of CVD.

Material And Methods: 150 patients with CVD and 227 controls were enrolled into the study.

Changes in Heart Rate Variability after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Clinical Importance of These Findings.

Heart rate variability is a physiological feature indicating the influence of the autonomic nervous system on the heart rate. Association of the reduced heart rate variability due to myocardial infarction and the increased postinfarction mortality was first described more than thirty years ago. Many studies have unequivocally demonstrated that coronary artery bypass grafting surgery generally leads to significant reduction in heart rate variability, which is even more pronounced than after myocardial infarction.

Common polymorphism +45T/G in adiponectin gene as potential modulator of in-stent restenosis development.

Adiponectin has been reported previously to be associated with in-stent restenosis (ISR) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This paper discusses possible associations between ISR after PCI and the +45T/G polymorphism in the adiponectin locus.

MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) C677T polymorphism and psoriasis.

The aim of the study was to evaluate possible association of MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism (NM_005957) with psoriasis. Genotypes of MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism were determined in a sample of 654 Caucasian (Czech) subjects. Case group (n = 410) included patients with psoriasis (plaque psoriasis diagnosed in 285 patients, other subtypes of psoriasis were observed in 125 patients).

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 promoter variability in psoriasis.

The expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 was observed to be significantly upregulated in psoriasis. The aim of this study was to associate the DNA polymorphic variants in MMP-2 promoter gene with psoriasis and/or with psoriasis phenotypes related to psoriasis and comorbid heredity. In the total of 582 Czech Caucasian individuals (386 patients with psoriasis and 196 controls of similar age and sex distribution without personal or family history of chronic disease of the skin), four MMP-2 promoter polymorphisms (-1575G/A, -1306C/T, -790T/G and -735C/T) were detected by PCR methods.

Pharmacogenetic contribution of leptin gene polymorphism in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Leptin has recently attracted more attention due to its specific effects in the pathogenesis of malignancies. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible association between variants of -2548 G/A polymorphism in leptin (LEP) gene and cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL), with respect to the treatment responsiveness. A sample of 91 patients with CTCL was compared to 198 control individuals.

Three retinoid X receptor gene polymorphisms in plaque psoriasis and psoriasis guttata.

Aim: Polymorphisms in retinoid X receptors (RXRs) are very interesting from the point of view of a possible association of their variability with psoriasis.

Methods: A total of 293 patients with plaque psoriasis, 82 patients with psoriasis guttata and 202 control subjects were enrolled in this study focused on 3 polymorphisms in RXRA and RXRB gene associations.

Results: A marginally significant increase in AA allelic frequency of the RXRA A39526AA polymorphism in plaque psoriatic men compared to healthy men was proved.

Pyoderma gangraenosum associated with autoimmune thyreopathy and hyperandrogenic syndrome.

An unusual clinical appearance and course of pyoderma gangraenosum (PG) in a 35-year-old woman is presented. Signs of both the ulcerative and vegetative forms of PG were expressed. The association of two systemic diseases, the autoimmune thyreopathy and the hyperandrogenic syndrome were observed in a female.

Successful treatment of chronic venous leg ulcers with lyophilized cultured epidermal allografts.

The case of a 67-year-old woman with chronic venous leg ulcers and severe gonarthrosis is described. In spite of intensive therapy, the leg ulcers had persisted for 4 years and made the intended orthopaedic operation of the right knee impossible. The patient was treated with lyophilized cultured epidermal allografts and her leg ulcers healed within 40 days.

Association of variants in angiotensin-converting enzyme and endothelin-1 genes with phototherapy in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Background: The cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a disease characterised by cutaneous infiltrates of malignant, clonally expanded T-cells. Because individual genetic determination of angiogenetic and antioxidant properties of blood vessels could be partly responsible for phototherapy in CTCL patients, three polymorphisms in angiotensin converting enzyme and endothelin-1 genes were determined.

Methods: 77 patients with CTCL, diagnosed and treated at the First Dermatological Clinic of St.

Gene polymorphisms (G82S, 1704G/T, 2184A/G and 2245G/A) of the receptor of advanced glycation end products (RAGE) in plaque psoriasis.

Having in mind the relationships among oxidative stress, psoriasis and common disorders, the association between polymorphisms in the gene encoding the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and plaque psoriasis, including patients with a personal history of diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disorders, cancer and allergy, was investigated. The allele frequencies and genotype distribution combinations of the four polymorphisms in the RAGE gene (6p21.3, G82S, 1704G/T, 2184A/G and 2245A/G) were compared in a case-control study of 272 subjects (130 patients with plaque psoriasis and 142 healthy control subjects of comparable age and sex distribution).

Woven vascular microsurgical prostheses in our experimental practice.

The authors have been concerned for six years with the development of woven microsurgical prostheses in experiments on laboratory rats, beagle dogs and domestic white pigs. In rats, in 224 experiments employing 38 types of prostheses with an inner diameter of 2 mm, a reliable prosthesis was selected, described as No. 36, with a 100% patency after insertion of a 1 cm long portion into a defect in the abdominal aorta in 40 experiments.

A survey of different successful microsurgical vascular prostheses in animal experiments.

The authors summarize historical findings from the literature on the success of microsurgical vascular prostheses in experimental practice with regard to different production and construction technologies. They reference authors and surgeons using Gore-Tex, polyurethane, polyactide, silicone and woven vascular microprostheses.