Objectives. To estimate endothelial dysfunction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of short duration in relation to disease activity based on the assessment of 28 joints (DAS28). Methods. We studied 29 patients (22 women, mean age 41 (SD, 9) years) with RA of short duration and 29 healthy controls. The RA subjects were divided into those with low (DAS28: 2.6–5.1, n = 18) or high (DAS28 > 5.1, n = 11) disease activity. Exclusion criteria included clinically overt atherosclerosis and other coexistent diseases. Biochemical markers of inflammatory activation and endothelial dysfunction were measured. Results. There were no significant intergroup differences in the majority of classical cardiovascular risk factors. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 were increased in RA subjects. Compared to the controls, levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, von Willebrand factor, and pentraxin-3 were significantly elevated in RA subjects with low disease activity, exhibiting no further significant rises in those with high disease activity. Asymmetric dimethyl-L-arginine, soluble E-selectin, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and osteoprotegerin were increased only in RA patients with high disease activity. Conclusions. Our findings might suggest a dissociation of pathways governing generalized and joint-specific inflammatory reactions from those involved in endothelial activation and inflammation within the vascular wall.
Aims. Diabetes is considered a state of increased oxidative stress. This study evaluates blood concentrations of selected markers of antioxidant defense in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods. The study included 80 type 2 diabetes patients and 79 apparently healthy controls. Measured markers included ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and uric acid serum, and plasma and/or hemolysate levels. Results. FRAP, uric acid, CRP, and GGT levels were significantly higher in patients with diabetes. Plasma and hemolysate GR was significantly higher whereas GPx activity was significantly lower in patients with diabetes. There were no significant differences in antioxidant defense markers between patients with and without chronic diabetes complications. Fasting serum glucose correlated with plasma GPx, plasma and hemolysate GR, FRAP, and serum GGT, and HbA1c correlated with serum GGT. Only FRAP and serum uric acid were significantly higher in obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2) patients with diabetes than in nonobese patients. Conclusions. Some components of antioxidant defense such as GR, uric acid, and GGT are increased in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, the whole system cannot compensate for an enhanced production of ROS as reflected by the trend toward decreased erythrocytes GSH.
INTROduCTION Urinary uromodulin excretion has been associated with kidney diseases. However, serum uromodulin concentrations have not been extensively studied in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and the results of published studies are inconsistent.ObjECTIvEs The aims of the study were to evaluate serum uromodulin concentrations in patients with CKD and to assess the utility of serum uromodulin measurements for diagnosing CKD stages.PATIENTs ANd mEThOds This observational study included 170 patients with CKD stages 1 to 5, not treated by renal replacement therapy, and 30 healthy individuals. The serum levels of creatinine, cystatin C, and uromodulin were measured, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated according to the 2012 CKD Epidemiology Collaboration cystatin -creatinine equation.REsuLTs Among patients with CKD, serum uromodulin concentrations were significantly lower than in controls, and were strongly negatively correlated with renal retention markers (ie, serum creatinine and cystatin C) and strongly positively correlated with eGFR. An inverse, hyperbolic relationship between serum creatinine and uromodulin levels was analogous to the well -known association between serum creatinine concentrations and eGFR. A receiver -operating characteristic curve analysis showed a high diagnostic accuracy of the measurement of serum uromodulin concentrations in the assessment of CKD stages.CONCLusIONs Serum uromodulin concentrations are closely correlated with eGFR, which is the recommended measure of renal function. As uromodulin is produced exclusively by renal tubular cells, the assessment of uromodulin levels in patients with CKD may be an alternative method for evaluating the number of functioning nephrons.
Atorvastatin improves endothelial function and reduces some proinflammatory and prothrombotic markers of atherosclerosis in T1DM patients without CHD and AH. The surprising effect of atorvastatin on serum vWF levels in T1DM requires further study.
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