1,721,217 research outputs found

    Is there a clinical role for oxidative stress biomarkers in atherosclerotic diseases?

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    Growing evidences suggest that reactive oxidant species (ROS) are involved in the pathogenesis and progression of the atherosclerotic diseases. Markers assessing the oxidation of LDL and formation of eicosanoids, such as isoprostanes, were among the first that were analyzed. More recently, new biomarkers, such as endogenous secretory receptor for AGEs have been suggested to play an oxidative role in specific atherosclerotic settings, such as diabetes. Unfortunately, clinical trials included cross-sectional as well as retrospective and prospective studies which provide inconclusive results. Thus, clear evidence that oxidative biomarkers can improve risk stratification in addition to the common used atherosclerotic risk factors is still lacking. The analysis of oxidative stress focused on enzymatic systems generating ROS. The most studied enzymes were NADPH oxidase and myeloperoxidase (MPO). Experimental and clinical studies suggest that both enzymes may be implicated in promoting atherosclerotic disease. Novel laboratory methodologies have been, therefore, developed to study NADPH oxidase and MPO in patients with stable atherosclerosis as well in patients with acute coronary syndrome and cerebrovascular accident. This review will report on the more relevant studies in which the clinical application of the oxidative biomarkers was evaluated

    Effects of gender affirming hormone therapy with testosterone on coagulation and hematological parameters in transgender people assigned female at birth:. a systematic review and meta-analysis

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    Background: Hormone replacement therapy is associated with an increased thromboembolic risk. The effects of testosterone (T) on coagulation markers in people assigned female at birth (AFAB) under gender affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) are not well described. Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis on English-language articles retrieved from PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane Library up to April 2023 investigating T therapy in AFAB people. Coagulation parameters included international normalized ratio (INR), fibrinogen, activated partial thromboplastin clotting time (aPTT), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1); hematological variables included hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (HCT). We also reported the rate of thromboembolic events. Data were combined as mean differences (MD) with a 95 % confidence interval (CI) of pre- vs post-follow-up values, using random-effects models. Results: We included 7 studies (6 prospective and 1 retrospective) providing information on 312 subjects (mean age: 23 to 30 years) who underwent GAHT with variable T preparation. T therapy was associated with a significant increase in INR values [MD: 0.02, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.01–0.03; p = 0.0001], with negligible heterogeneity (I2 = 4 %). T therapy was associated with increased Hb (MD: 1.48 g/dL, 95%CI: 1.17 to 1.78; I2 = 9 %) and HCT (4.39 %, 95%CI: 3.52 to 5.26; I2 = 23 %) values. No effect on fibrinogen, aPTT and PAI-1 was found. None of the study reported thromboembolic events during the follow-up. Conclusion: Therapy with T increased blood viscosity in AFAB men. A slight increase in INR values was also found, but the clinical relevance and mechanism(s) of this finding needs to be clarified

    Mechanisms And Management Of Thrombo-Embolism In Atrial Fibrillation

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    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in the general population and in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease. AF is becoming an outbreak particularly for the western countries as it increases with advancing age; furthermore, AF has a negative social impact because it is associated with stroke and myocardial infarction. Thrombosis generated in the left atrial appendage with ensuing embolism in the cerebral circulation is considered the most important cause of ischemic stroke. In addition to thrombo-embolism, AF is characterized by a constellation of atherosclerotic risk factors, including hypertension, dyslipidaemia and diabetes, which may predispose to serious clinical complications of atherosclerosis such myocardial infarction. Even if interventional trials with oral anticoagulants such as warfarin reduced by about 60% the risk of stroke, AF patients still disclose an elevated residual cardiovascular risk, which may severely complicate the clinical course and management of AF. Recent trials with new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are opening a new scenario for the treatment of AF, which could improve its management, as NOACs apparently would not require monitoring. However, important caveats are emerging in the real world of AF management, which are questioning the concept that NOACs do not need monitoring. Thus, issues related to compliance and large variability in blood concentration may negatively influence the cost/effectiveness benefit of NOACs. This review will focus on pathophysiology of thrombo-embolism and athero-thrombosis and the impact of old and new anticoagulants in the real world of AF management

    Immunomodulatory Effects of Intravenous Immunoglobulins (IVIGs) in HIV-1 Disease: A Systematic Review

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    Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs) are generally used as replacement therapy for humoral immunodeficiencies. In consideration of their immune-modulating properties, they are also employed as "immune-modulating/anti-inflammatory" treatment in different clinical conditions. In HIV-1 infection, an increased incidence of autoimmune and auto-inflammatory manifestations has been described, probably as a consequence of the chronic immune activation associated with the disease. The initial use in the treatment of bacterial infections in children with HIV/AIDS has been replaced by the treatment, in combination with antiretroviral therapy, of these autoimmune/inflammatory conditions. We review the results obtained with IVIGs therapy in these HIV-1-associated clinical manifestations

    Thrombosis in pre- and post-vaccination phase of COVID-19

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    Acute infections may be complicated by thrombosis occurring in the venous and arterial circulation. This may be observed in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and also in patients with coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), that is a pandemic characterized by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) needing mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit treatment. However, the type and rate of thrombosis can vary according to the cause of pneumonia as is more frequently complicated by arterial thrombosis in CAP, while an equal incidence of venous and arterial thrombosis occurs in SARS-CoV-2. The mechanisms of disease are overall platelet-related in CAP while activation of both platelets and clotting system is implicated in the pathogenesis of thrombosis in SARS-CoV-2; this finding could imply a different therapeutic approach of the two settings. Thrombosis may also occur in subjects vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 even if its incidence is not so high (1/100 000); this rare effect occurs more prevalently in young women, is independent from known risk factors of thrombosis, is caused by antibodies against platelet PF4 and is counteracted by treatment with immunoglobulin and glucocorticoids
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