Objective: In this study, relationship between systolic and diastolic blood pressure and pentraxin-3 (PTX3) levels in hypertensive patients was investigated. Methods: Overall, 80 patients with stage 1 hypertension between 40-61 years of age without any disease and 80 healthy volunteers were included to the study. Blood samples obtained to measure PTX3 levels and biochemical analysis. Relationship between PTX3 levels and clinical and biochemical parameters were analyzed using multivariate regression analysis. Results: Although systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significant different, there were no differences regarding age and gender between hypertensives and normotensives. In each group, significant statistical differences were found between PTX3 and CRP levels (PTX3 (ng/mL) 35.25±5.45 and 0.27±0.24, p<0.001; CRP (mg/dL) 10.03±5.81 and 4.30±3.38, p<0.001; in hypertensive and normotensive groups respectively). It was observed that increase in PTX3 levels accompanies the increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressures (r 2 =0.78). It was observed that PTX3 levels are not effected from CRP, lipid levels and body mass index (p>0.05). On multivariate regression analysis PTX3 was found to strongly affect blood pressure (beta=0.82, 95% CI 0.644-0.799, p<0.001, and beta=0.84, 95% CI 0.422-0.799, p<0.001, respectively for systolic and diastolic blood pressures), CRP and total cholesterol are found to affect moderately (beta=0. p<0.05, respectively). Conclusion: This study showed that PTX3 levels are higher in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients than in healthy individuals. In addition, it was noticed that increased PTX3 levels causes increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressures. (

Objectives: To evaluate the role of pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) in determining the presence and severity of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Subjects and Methods: Ninety-five patients (77 males and 18 females) who underwent elective coronary angiography were enrolled in this study. Patients with heart failure, renal failure, diabetes and thyroid disease were excluded. The study population was divided into 3 groups: individuals with normal coronary arteries, patients with critical CAD (n = 35) and patients with noncritical CAD (n = 36). The association of PTX-3 levels with the presence and severity of CAD and the number of involved vessels were analyzed. Results: The mean age was 53.40 ± 10.25 years. The PTX-3 levels were significantly higher in patients with CAD than without CAD (146.48 ± 48.52 vs. 109.83 ± 49.06 pg/ml, p < 0.001). A statistically significant difference was found among the 3 groups regarding the severity of CAD (165.66 ± 49.10, 127.83 ± 40.51 and 109.83 ± 49.06 pg/ml, p < 0.001, respectively). The serum PTX-3 levels in normal arteries were 110.4 ± 48.11 pg/ml, in single-vessel disease 132.35 ± 32.96 pg/ml, in 2-vessel disease 142.57 ± 55.88 pg/ml, in 3-vessel disease 156.07 ± 50.53 pg/ml, and in 3-vessel disease 160.50 ± 30.41 pg/ml. After adjusting for baseline confounders, older age (OR = 1.107, 95% CI = 1.027-1.193, p = 0.008) and higher PTX-3 levels (OR = 1.017, 95% CI = 1.003-1.032, p = 0.021) were detected as significant predictors for the presence of CAD. Conclusions: Higher PTX-3 levels were associated with the presence of CAD and its increased severity in clinically stable patients. Higher PTX-3 levels may be regarded as a novel diagnostic predictor and may offer therapeutic options in the clinic.

These two treatment protocols were not superior to each other in terms of cumulative NB UVB dose, efficacy, total number of treatment sessions, and side effect profiles.

The purpose of this present study is to investigate the levels of oxidative stress parameters in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) and the effects of levothyroxine (LT4) replacement therapy on these parameters and lipid profile. At the beginning of the study blood samples were collected from the patients in order to analyse oxidative stress parameters, lipid profile and biochemical markers. After replacement therapy with LT4, in the third month, same tests were performed again. At the baseline superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were found to be higher in SH patients, compared to the euthyroid group. After LT4 therapy, statistically significant decreases in SOD and catalase levels and increase in HDL-C levels were noticed. LT4 treatment was found to have positive effects on oxidative stress indicators and HDL-C levels.

Level IV, retrospective case series.