Calcium phosphate (CaP) stones account for about 15% of all urinary stones, with a marked female preponderance, and reflect a wide diversity of etiology. Variation of the relative prevalence of CaP urolithiasis over time is disputed, and relevance of CaP stone analysis for etiologic diagnosis is underestimated or even negated. Based on the analysis of more than 50,000 stones over the past three decades, we evaluated the changes in the relative proportion of CaP stones between 1980-1989 (period 1) and 2000-2009 (period 2). In addition, using morphologic examination combined with Fourier-transform infrared analysis, we assessed the associations between CaP stone analysis and etiopathogenic factors. Between periods 1 and 2, the overall proportion of struvite-free stones remained essentially unchanged (11.6 vs. 11.1%), with a decreasing proportion of carbapatite stones (10.6 vs. 8.4%, p < 0.001) and a rising proportion of brushite stones (0.8 vs. 2.2%, p < 0.001). Hypercalciuria was associated with 87% of brushite, and 60% of carbapatite stones. Urinary tract infection was associated with presence of minor amounts of struvite and/or with a carbonation rate of carbapatite > 15%. In CaP stones associated with primary hyperparathyroidism, the main component was carbapatite in 66.9% and brushite in 29.1% of cases. Distal renal tubular acidosis was always associated with carbapatite stones exhibiting a peculiar, virtually pathognomonic, morphology. In conclusion, comprehensive analysis of stones involving morphologic examination is of clinical relevance for improved etiologic evaluation of patients with CaP urolithiasis.
Serum soluble receptor for advanced glycation end product (sRAGE) may reflect the activity of the advanced glycation end product (AGE)-receptor for advanced glycation end product (RAGE) axis, which has been proposed as a potential mechanism linking hyperglycaemia to vascular complications in diabetes. We have investigated whether serum AGEs, sRAGE and pentosidine levels were increased and correlated with microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). We included 30 healthy control subjects, and 200 diabetic patients were divided into two subgroups: 100 patients with diabetic retinopathy and 100 patients with diabetic nephropathy. AGEs, sRAGE and pentosidine were measured in serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum AGEs, sRAGE and pentosidine levels were significantly increased in diabetic patients with retinopathy and in diabetic patients with nephropathy compared to control subjects (p < 0.001). Serum AGEs, sRAGE and pentosidine levels are positively associated with microvascular complications in type 2 DM. Multiple regression analysis reveals serum pentosidine as an independent determinant of the presence of diabetic retinopathy (p = 0.004) and the presence of hypertension (p = 0.018) and hyperlipidaemia (p = 0.036). Pentosidine levels may be a biomarker for microvascular complications in type 2 diabetic patients.
Background The contribution of methylglyoxal (MGO) and soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) in the presence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is still unknown. We investigated whether serum MGO and sRAGE were related to the presence of disease activity in RA. Methods 80 patients with RA and 30 control subjects were included in a cross-sectional study. The severity of RA was assessed using the disease activity score for 28 joints (DAS28). Serum MGO and sRAGE were measured by ELISA. Results Serum MGO levels were significantly higher in patients with RA versus control subjects (P < 0.001) and were increased in RA patients with higher disease activity versus RA patients with moderate disease activity (P = 0.019). Serum sRAGE concentrations were significantly decreased in RA patients with higher disease activity versus RA patients with moderate disease activity and versus control subjects (P = 0.004; P = 0.002, resp.). A multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that MGO was independently associated with the presence of activity disease in RA (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.02–1.31, P = 0.01). Conclusion Serum MGO and sRAGE levels are inversely related to the activity of RA, and MGO is independently associated with a higher disease activity of RA.
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