Search results for "case-control"
showing 10 items of 1685 documents
Mitochondrial alterations and tendency to apoptosis in peripheral blood cells from children with Down syndrome
2006
Different types of cells from subjects with Down syndrome (DS) have an increased susceptibility to cell death. We have studied apoptosis and mitochondrial (mt) membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from DS children and age-matched healthy donors after in vitro treatment with apoptogenic molecules, along with mtDNA content. We found that PBMC from DS and healthy controls had a similar tendency to undergo apoptosis and a similar amount of mtDNA. However, in cells from DS subjects, mitochondria showed a higher loss of DeltaPsi(m), underlying the presence of an increasing susceptibility of these organelles to damaging agents.
Identification of a novel candidate locus for juvenile idiopathic arthritis at 14q13.2 in the Latvian population by association analysis with microsa…
2010
To identify novel juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) susceptibility loci, a 270 kb genomic region encompassing FAM177A1, KIAA0391, and PSMA6 genes was genotyped in 97 oligoarthritis (JIoA) and 50 polyarthritis (JIpA) patients and 230 individuals without autoimmune disorders by five microsatellites (MS) previously described as HSMS markers of the 14q13.2 region. Direct sequencing revealed two variable components of the (CAA)(n)(A)(m) motif in HSMS602 marker (FAM177A1 gene). Repeat (AC)(5)AT(AC)(n) of the HSMS701 (KIAA0391 gene) was variable in the Latvian population only in its downstream part. Allele (AC)(5)AT(AC)(15) of HSMS701 was found to be strongly associated with JIA (p = 4.91 x 10(-…
Inhibition of Protein S by Autoantibodies in Patients with Acquired Protein S Deficiency
1996
SummaryThis study was undertaken to analyze antibodies to protein S (PS) in patients with an acquired PS deficiency. Plasma from symptomatic patients with acquired (n = 14) or congenital (n = 10) PS deficiency and 10 healthy donors was screened for PS antibodies by immunoblotting and for anti-phospholipid antibodies. PS antibodies (IgG) were detected in five of the patients with acquired PS deficiency. These antibodies belonged to the G1 and G4 immunoglobulin subclasses. IgG fractions from the same 5 patients were shown to inhibit PS activity. The inhibition of PS activity by the 5 IgG fractions was shown to be time-and dose-dependent and was abolished following incubation with purified PS,…
Health-related quality of life and psychological well-being in elderly patients with haemophilia
2011
Many persons with severe haemophilia reach seniority thanks to effective treatment. There is no information on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of these patients, who had lived for many years when regular replacement therapy was unavailable. Italian patients with severe haemophilia aged ≥65 years born in the 1940s or earlier were compared with men without bleeding disorders matched for age and geography. HRQoL was assessed via generic and disease-specific questionnaires. Potential associations with concomitant illnesses, orthopaedic status, physical functioning, cognitive status and depression were evaluated. In addition, the newly adapted HRQoL questionnaire specific for elderly pers…
Decreased FOXP3 expression in small airways of smokers with COPD
2008
CD4+CD25+ FOXP3-positive T-regulatory cells have an important role in controlling immune and inflammatory reactions. The present authors hypothesise that these cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of the present study was to characterise the expression of FOXP3 in large and small airways of nonsmokers, smokers with normal lung function and COPD patients. A total of 19 nonsmokers, 20 smokers with normal lung function and 20 smokers with moderate COPD, undergoing lung resection for a solitary peripheral nonsmall cell carcinoma, were enrolled in the study. Immunohistochemical methods were used to evaluate FOXP3 expression in large a…
Bronchodilatory Effect of Deep Inspiration Is Absent in Subjects With Mild COPD
2004
Study objectives To investigate whether the bronchodilatory effect of deep inspiration is impaired in subjects with COPD. Methods We measured deep inspiration-induced bronchodilation in 19 patients with COPD and 17 healthy subjects (mean age, 67.8 ± 7.1 years vs 62.5 ± 9.3 years, respectively [± SEM]). Each subject underwent a series of single-dose methacholine provocations to induce at least a 15% reduction in inspiratory vital capacity (IVC). When this was achieved, subjects were asked to perform four consecutive deep inspirations, after which the IVC measurement was repeated and the percentage of bronchodilation by deep inspiration was calculated. Results The percentage of reduction in I…
Repeatability of exhaled breath fingerprint collected by a modern sampling system in asthmatic and healthy children
2019
E-noses provide potential non-invasive metabolic biomarkers for diagnosing and monitoring pulmonary diseases. The primary aim of the present study was to assess the within-day and between-day repeatability of a modern breath sampling system (Pneumopipe® plus an array of e-nose sensors) in asthmatic and healthy children. The secondary aim was to compare the repeatability of the breath sampling system, spirometry and exhaled nitric oxide (eNO). Fifteen children (age 6-11 years) with asthma and thirty healthy children matched by age and gender (1:2 allocation) were recruited; of them, three healthy children did not complete the study. All measurements were collected twice during the baseline v…
Blood eosinophils and treatment response in hospitalized exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A case-control study
2015
Background: In outpatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), blood eosinophilia is considered as a biomarker of response to systemic corticosteroid therapy. However, little is known on whether blood eosinophilia is also predictive of positive clinical outcome in severe acute exacerbations of COPD requiring hospitalization. We hypothesized that blood eosinophil-positive severe acute exacerbations of COPD differ from eosinophil-negative ones in terms of response to therapy and clinical outcomes. Methods: To test our experimental hypothesis, we retrospectively analyzed medical records of patients with COPD admitted to our ward because of severe exacerbation, over a two-year pe…
Asthma and influenza vaccination in elderly hospitalized patients: Matched case-control study in Spain
2017
Influenza infection is an exacerbating factor for asthma, and its prevention is critical in managing asthmatic patients. We investigated the effect of influenza vaccination on asthmatic and non-asthmatic patients hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza in Spain.We made a matched case-control study to assess the frequency of hospitalization for influenza in people aged ≥65 years. Hospitalized patients with unplanned hospital admissions were recruited from 20 hospitals representing seven Spanish regions. Cases were defined as those hospitalized due to a laboratory-confirmed influenza infection and controls were matched by age, sex, and hospital. Data were obtained from clinical recor…
Heart ischemia and psychosomatics: the role of stressful events and lifestyles
2009
Objective: the aim of our study was to evaluate the role of stressful events, lifestyles and various socio-environmental factors in the beginning of ischemic cardiac diseases, together with cardiovascular factors. Materials and methods: 64 patients with recent cardiac ischemia and 64 controls matched 1:1, according to their sex and age, have been evaluated. The study required the filling in of clinico-anamnestic reports and the evaluation of stressful events, using the Holmes Rahe scale. Results: in the 44% of the patients who had a heart ischemia, an emotional striking event occurred few days before, with a 28% incidence of work and family problems. The mean score of the Holmes Rahe Social…