Introduction. Cardiovascular (CV) diseases are a major cause of death in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Novel biomarkers [B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP); osteoprotegerin (OPG)/receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL) ratio; and dickkopf-1 (DKK-1)] have been used in CV risk assessment. We analysed, in established RA patients, the presence of silent myocardial ischemia and its association with clinical variables, BNP, and bone and atheroma biomarkers. Methods. From a single-center tertiary referral hospital, RA patients asymptomatic for CV disease were submitted to myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) under adenosine stress and biomarkers measurements. Logistic regression was used to estimate crude odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results. In 189 patients, perfusion defects were frequent (25%) and associated with BNP ≥ 100 pg/mL (OR = 5.68; 95% CI: 2.038–15.830), fourth log OPG/RANKL ratio quartile (OR = 2.88; 95% CI: 1.091–7.622), and DKK-1 ≥ 133 pmol/L (OR = 2.69; 95% CI: 1.058–6.840). Similar associations were confirmed in those with C-reactive protein > or ≤ 3 mg/L. No relationship was found with the majority of traditional CV factors nor with disease variables. Conclusions. Our results corroborated the hypothesis that MPS could reveal subclinical CV dysfunction, supported the utility of BNP measurements as a screening tool, and put in perspective the potential usefulness of complementary approaches in CV risk assessment in RA patients.

Pan-allergen sensitization in children with allergy to fruits and vegetables was common and often multiple. There was no association of severe reactions to LTP sensitization. The introduction of routine SPT to pan-allergens can be a simple and feasible way of improving diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy.

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a disease characterized by bone loss, increased levels of serotonin have been reported. Recent studies have demonstrated a role for circulating serotonin as a regulator of osteoblastogenesis, inhibiting bone formation. Thus, we measured serum serotonin levels (SSL) in a Portuguese sample of 205 RA patients and related these to anthropometric variables, disease parameters, serum bone biomarkers, and bone mineral density (BMD) assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at several sites (total proximal femur, lumbar spine, left hand, and left second proximal phalange). SSL were inversely associated with body mass index (BMI) in RA women (r = - 0.218; p = 0.005), independent of exposure to biologics and/or bisphosphonates. Among biologic naïves, there was an inverse association between SSL and osteoprotegerin in RA women (r = - 0.260; p = 0.022). Serum β-CTX and dickkopf-1 were strongly associated with SSL in RA men not treated with bisphosphonates (r = 0.590; p < 0.001/r = 0.387; p = 0.031, respectively). There was also an inverse association between SSL and sclerostin in RA men (r = - 0.374; p < 0.05), stronger among biologic naïve or bisphosphonates-unexposed RA men. In crude models, SSL presented as a significant negative predictor of total proximal femur BMD in RA women as well as in postmenopausal RA women. After adjustment for BMI, disease duration, and years of menopause, SSL remained a significant negative predictor of total proximal femur BMD only in postmenopausal RA women. Our data reinforce a role, despite weak, for circulating serotonin in regulating bone mass in RA patients, with some differences in terms of gender and anatomical sites.

The 68Ga-prostate-specific membrane antigen ( 68Ga-PSMA) has been recently developed to be used, as a ligand, in positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) prostate cancer imaging, to detect prostate disease. The main objective of this review was to collect data and findings from other studies and articles to assess, theoretically, if 68GA-PSMA PET/CT is a more appropriate prostate cancer diagnostic technique in comparison with others available such as CT, 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose PET/CT, or 18F-fluoromethylcholine ( 18F-choline) PET/CT. For that purpose, PubMed, the online scientific articles’ database, was consulted where the keywords “PSMA” and “PET” were used to find relevant articles. The clinicaltrials.gov, clinical trials’ database, was also consulted where the keywords “68Ga-PSMA” and “prostate” were used to search clinical trials. Based on the reviewed scientific literature, several studies were conducted to assess and compare the 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT detection rate in prostate cancer with other available techniques. One of those studies, conducted by Giesel et al., concluded, within study sample, that 75% of patients with lymph nodes detected by 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT would have not been identified using other conventional morphological criteria based techniques. In Eiber et al.'s study, 68Ga-PSMA PET detected prostatic disease findings in 67% of patients with prostate-specific antigen levels <1 ng/mL, when compared with choline-based PET that presented detection rates between 19% and 36%. In Bluemel et al.'s study, 68Ga-PSMA identified positive prostatic disease in 43.8% of the patients with negative findings in F-choline PET/CT. Findings from this review demonstrate that 68Ga-PSMA PET/C is more effective in detecting metastases, lymph nodes, and recurrent prostate cancer when compared to 18F-choline-based PET/CT and CT. 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT presents also more imaging contrast and can be more cost-effective. 68Ga-PSMA has already been subjected to first-in-human trials, and it is now being tested in Phase II and III trials.

The possibility to carry out multiple sIgE measurements with single protein allergens, in particular with the microarray technique, is a useful, simple and non-invasive diagnostic tool in complex poly-sensitized allergic patients.

BackgroundChallenge tests for food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (FDEIA) carry some risk and have a high rate of false negatives. Our aim was to explore the usefulness of an in vitro immunodepletion assay and an allergen microarray test in the identification of IgE-mediated cross-reactive food allergens in patients with suspected FDEIA or food-dependent exercise-induced urticaria and panallergen sensitization.MethodsThree patients with a history of food dependent exercise induced urticaria/anaphylaxis and food panallergen sensitization in whom a food-exercise challenge was not feasible were selected: a 25-year-old man with cholinergic urticaria who experienced generalized urticaria and angioedema during a soccer match after drinking a peach-based soft drink; a 19-year-old woman with allergic rhinitis and controlled asthma who experienced anaphylactic shock while playing soccer, having eaten walnuts in the previous 90 min; and a 57-year-old man with baker’s asthma who experienced four episodes of anaphylaxis during exercise after ingesting wheat-containing food. All individuals underwent a diagnostic work-up with skin prick tests, specific IgE (sIgE) and ImmunoCAP ISAC test. For the in vitro immunodepletion procedure, patients’ serum was pre-incubated with the suspected native allergen (peach, walnut, or wheat) in solid phase (ImmunoCAP). The eluted serum, containing unbound IgE, was collected and samples were re-tested using Immunocap ISAC 112 and compared with baseline results.ResultsAll individuals were sensitized to lipid transfer proteins. The first patient was sensitized to Pru p 3, Cor a 8, Jug r 3, and Ara h 9; after pre-incubation with peach there was 100% depletion of sIgE to all components. The second patient was sensitized to Pru p 3, Cor a 8, Jug r 3, and Ara h 9; immunodepletion with walnut depleted sIgE to Ara h 9 by 67%, Pru p 3 and Pla a 3 (60%), Art v 3 (75%), Jug r 3 (88%), and Cor a 8 (100%). The third patient was sensitized to Pru p 3, Jug r 3, Ara h 9, and Tri a 14; immunodepletion with wheat depleted Tri a 14 only (100%).ConclusionsIn vitro immunodepletion might be a useful diagnostic tool in food dependent exercise induced urticaria/anaphylaxis with panallergen sensitization, particularly for identifying the culprit allergen and guiding dietary elimination recommendations.

We present the case of a patient with history of colon cancer, referred for the evaluation of indeterminate pulmonary nodules by F-FDG PET/CT. A dual-time point protocol was performed, and images were reconstructed using VUE Point HD and a Bayesian-penalized likelihood reconstruction algorithm (Q.Clear). Visually, the quality of the images was considered better when Q.Clear was used with β value of 200, uptake in the smallest nodule (7 mm) was clearly visible only with Q.Clear reconstruction, and uptake in the smaller nodules was best defined in the delayed time point acquisition. Quantitative parameters were also higher for Q.Clear.

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