Gout is one of the most frequent type of inflammatory arthritis in developed countries. The elevation of serum uric acid levels and the deposition of monosodium urate crystals in joints and/or soft tissues are the mec...Gout is one of the most frequent type of inflammatory arthritis in developed countries. The elevation of serum uric acid levels and the deposition of monosodium urate crystals in joints and/or soft tissues are the mechanisms of pathogenesis. Uric acid is a product of the metabolic cleavage of purine nucleotides and organ meats, beef, pork, and lamb, anchovies, sardines, herring, mackerel, scallops, gravy and beer are known to be very rich in purine. On the other hand, some of these foods are also the main sources of vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin). As a chronic inflammatory arthritis corticosteroids are frequently prescribed for gout patients, meaning a higher risk for osteoporosis which may be blocked by daily calcium and vitamin D replacement. However, there are no recommendations about screening or replacement of Gout patients for vitamin D and B12. Herein, we evaluated our patients retrospectively to document their vitamin levels and also to find the factors associated with vitamin deficiency. Totally, 90 patients, 71 (79.9%) male and 19 (20.1%) female patients with a median diagnostic age of 55 (19 - 80) were included. Thirty six (40%) patients were newly diagnosed (group 1) but 54 (60%) patients had established diseases (group-2) with median disease duration of 36 (11-240) months. Nearly half (47.2%) of the patients in group-1 and 37% of the patients in group-2 had vitamin B 12 deficiency. Similarly, 38.9% in each group had vitamin D deficiency and 52.8% in group-1 and 44.4% in group-2 had vitamin D insufficiency. In conclusion, we strongly recommend routine screening and replacement of vitamin B12 and D for patients with Gout.展开更多
AIM: To determine the predictive value of increased prolidase activity that reflects increased collagen turnover in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS: Sixty-eight patients with HCC(mean age of 69.1 &...AIM: To determine the predictive value of increased prolidase activity that reflects increased collagen turnover in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS: Sixty-eight patients with HCC(mean age of 69.1 ± 10.1), 31 cirrhosis patients(mean age of59.3 ± 6.3) and 33 healthy volunteers(mean age of51.4 ± 12.6) were enrolled in this study. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to evaluate the association of serum α-fetoprotein(AFP) values with HCC clinicopathological features, such as tumor size,number and presence of vascular and macrovascular invasion. The patients with HCC were divided into groups according to tumor size, number and presence of vascular invasion(diameters; ≤ 3 cm, 3-5 cmand ≥ 5 cm, number; 1, 2 and ≥ 3, macrovascular invasion; yes/no). Barcelona-clinic liver cancer(BCLC)criteria were used to stage HCC patients. Serum samples for measurement of prolidase and alphafetoprotein levels were kept at-80 ℃ until use.Prolidase levels were measured spectrophotometrically and AFP concentrations were determined by a chemiluminescence immunometric commercial diagnostic assay.RESULTS: In patients with HCC, prolidase and AFP values were evaluated according to tumor size, number,presence of macrovascular invasion and BCLC staging classification. Prolidase values were significantly higher in patients with HCC compared with controls(P <0.001). Prolidase levels were significantly associated with tumor size and number(P < 0.001, P = 0.002,respectively). Prolidase levels also differed in patients in terms of BCLC staging classification(P < 0.001).Furthermore the prolidase levels in HCC patients showed a significant difference compared with patients with cirrhosis(P < 0.001). In HCC patients grouped according to tumor size, number and BCLC staging classification, AFP values differed separately(P = 0.032,P = 0.038, P = 0.015, respectively). In patients with HCC, there was a significant correlation(r = 0.616; P< 0.001) between prolidase and AFP values in terms of tumor size, number and BCLC staging classification,whereas the presence of macrovascular invasion did not show a positive association with serum prolidase and AFP levels.CONCLUSION: Considering the levels of both serum prolidase and AFP could contribute to the early diagnosing of hepatocellular carcinoma.展开更多
文摘Gout is one of the most frequent type of inflammatory arthritis in developed countries. The elevation of serum uric acid levels and the deposition of monosodium urate crystals in joints and/or soft tissues are the mechanisms of pathogenesis. Uric acid is a product of the metabolic cleavage of purine nucleotides and organ meats, beef, pork, and lamb, anchovies, sardines, herring, mackerel, scallops, gravy and beer are known to be very rich in purine. On the other hand, some of these foods are also the main sources of vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin). As a chronic inflammatory arthritis corticosteroids are frequently prescribed for gout patients, meaning a higher risk for osteoporosis which may be blocked by daily calcium and vitamin D replacement. However, there are no recommendations about screening or replacement of Gout patients for vitamin D and B12. Herein, we evaluated our patients retrospectively to document their vitamin levels and also to find the factors associated with vitamin deficiency. Totally, 90 patients, 71 (79.9%) male and 19 (20.1%) female patients with a median diagnostic age of 55 (19 - 80) were included. Thirty six (40%) patients were newly diagnosed (group 1) but 54 (60%) patients had established diseases (group-2) with median disease duration of 36 (11-240) months. Nearly half (47.2%) of the patients in group-1 and 37% of the patients in group-2 had vitamin B 12 deficiency. Similarly, 38.9% in each group had vitamin D deficiency and 52.8% in group-1 and 44.4% in group-2 had vitamin D insufficiency. In conclusion, we strongly recommend routine screening and replacement of vitamin B12 and D for patients with Gout.
文摘AIM: To determine the predictive value of increased prolidase activity that reflects increased collagen turnover in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS: Sixty-eight patients with HCC(mean age of 69.1 ± 10.1), 31 cirrhosis patients(mean age of59.3 ± 6.3) and 33 healthy volunteers(mean age of51.4 ± 12.6) were enrolled in this study. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to evaluate the association of serum α-fetoprotein(AFP) values with HCC clinicopathological features, such as tumor size,number and presence of vascular and macrovascular invasion. The patients with HCC were divided into groups according to tumor size, number and presence of vascular invasion(diameters; ≤ 3 cm, 3-5 cmand ≥ 5 cm, number; 1, 2 and ≥ 3, macrovascular invasion; yes/no). Barcelona-clinic liver cancer(BCLC)criteria were used to stage HCC patients. Serum samples for measurement of prolidase and alphafetoprotein levels were kept at-80 ℃ until use.Prolidase levels were measured spectrophotometrically and AFP concentrations were determined by a chemiluminescence immunometric commercial diagnostic assay.RESULTS: In patients with HCC, prolidase and AFP values were evaluated according to tumor size, number,presence of macrovascular invasion and BCLC staging classification. Prolidase values were significantly higher in patients with HCC compared with controls(P <0.001). Prolidase levels were significantly associated with tumor size and number(P < 0.001, P = 0.002,respectively). Prolidase levels also differed in patients in terms of BCLC staging classification(P < 0.001).Furthermore the prolidase levels in HCC patients showed a significant difference compared with patients with cirrhosis(P < 0.001). In HCC patients grouped according to tumor size, number and BCLC staging classification, AFP values differed separately(P = 0.032,P = 0.038, P = 0.015, respectively). In patients with HCC, there was a significant correlation(r = 0.616; P< 0.001) between prolidase and AFP values in terms of tumor size, number and BCLC staging classification,whereas the presence of macrovascular invasion did not show a positive association with serum prolidase and AFP levels.CONCLUSION: Considering the levels of both serum prolidase and AFP could contribute to the early diagnosing of hepatocellular carcinoma.
