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The aim of the study was to investigate whether heat shock protein (HSP)90α plasma concentrations were associated with disease activity in patients with Crohn's disease.This cross-sectional study included 53 patients who were newly diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Demographic data and disease distribution were recorded, and disease activity was rated using the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn's Disease (SES-CD) and the Harvey Bradshaw Index (HBI). Faecal calprotectin and plasma concentrations of CRP and HSP90α were measured.The median SES-CD was 7, and the median HSP90α level was 17.2 ng/mL. The HSP90α level was significantly correlated with SES-CD, CRP, and faecal calprotectin, but not with HBI. Linear regression analysis revealed that HSP90α was significantly associated with SES-CD (rObjective measures of disease activity and inflammation in Crohn's disease - SES-CD and CRP - were closely associated with HSP90α concentrations in plasma, suggesting that HSP90α may be a biomarker of Crohn's disease.

A previously healthy 56-year-old woman was admitted to Stavanger University Hospital (Norway) with a 3 week history of fever and cough. Laboratory results showed elevated C-reactive protein (93 mg/...

Tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) may be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. The aim was to investigate if TWEAK may reflect disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease.In this cohort study, 139 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed and previously untreated inflammatory bowel disease - 95 with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 44 with Crohn's disease (CD) - underwent colonoscopy. Disease activity was assessed by the Mayo score and the Mayo endoscopic score (MES) for UC, or the Simple Endoscopic Score (SES) for CD. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and fecal calprotectin were measured in IBD patients, as were plasma TWEAK levels in patients and 85 healthy subjects. Associations between TWEAK levels and disease activity markers were explored.In the total IBD group, the median (interquartile range) TWEAK level was 430 pg/ml (109-6570), in UC 502 pg/ml (109-4547) and in CD patients 352 pg/ml (101-9179), respectively. Healthy subjects had a median (IQR) TWEAK of 307 pg/ml (63-3492). There were no significant differences in TWEAK levels between the total IBD group and healthy control subjects, nor between UC and CD, or between UC/CD and healthy subjects. Furthermore, we found no significant associations between Mayo scores, MES-UC, SES-CD, CRP, and fecal calprotectin with plasma TWEAK levels.Plasma TWEAK levels do not reflect disease activity or the grade of inflammation in patients with newly diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease. NCT01551563.

The anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) is characterized by the persistence of anti-phospholipid antibodies (aPL) combined with vascular thrombosis and/or pregnancy morbidity. Available aPL tests incl...

To evaluate the effects of krill oil (KO) on inflammation and redox status in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in rats.Thirty male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: Control, DSS, and DSS + KO 5% in a 4-week diet study. Colitis was induced by 5% DSS in the drinking water the last week of the experiment. Weight and disease activity index (DAI), colon length, histological combined score (HCS), colon levels of selected cytokines and prostaglandins, markers of protein oxidative damage, fatty acid profile, and expression of selected genes were measured.Rats in the DSS group increased their DAI and HCS compared with healthy controls. The colon length was significantly preserved after KO diet. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β were elevated in the DSS group compared with controls. Cytokines and HCS were nonsignificantly lower in the KO versus the DSS group. Prostaglandin (PG)E(3) increased significantly in the KO versus the other groups. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ expression was nonsignificantly increased while PPAR-γ coactivator 1α (Pparg1α) expression increased significantly after KO. The levels of protein oxidation markers decreased significantly.KO showed protective potential against DSS colitis based on the preservation of colon length, reduction of oxidative markers and the consistent beneficial changes of HCS, cytokine, and (PG)E(3) levels, as well as PPAR-γ and Pparg1α expression compared with DSS alone. These findings indicate an anti-inflammatory and a protein antioxidant effect of KO.

Data concerning the anti-inflammatory effect of dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are inconsistent. Salmon fillet contains n-3 PUFAs and bioactive peptides that may improve its effects compared to fish oil alone. We assessed the efficacy of a salmon-rich diet in patients with mild ulcerative colitis.An 8-week intervention pilot study was designed to assess the effects of 600 grams Atlantic salmon consumption weekly in 12 UC patients. Simple clinical colitis activity index (SCCAI), a dietary questionnaire, sigmoidoscopy, selected serum inflammatory markers, fecal calprotectin, and plasma and rectal biopsy fatty acid profiles were assessed before and after intervention.The levels of C20:4n-6 arachidonic acid in biopsies after dietary intervention were correlated with histology and endoscopy scores. The concentrations of n-3 PUFAs, C20:5n-3 eicosapentaenoic acid, C22:6n-3 docosahexaenoic acid, and the n-3/n-6 ratio increased in plasma and rectal biopsies. The anti-inflammatory fatty acid index (AIFAI) increased both in biopsies and plasma accompanied with a significantly reduced SCCAI.Based on evidence of SCCAI and AIFAI and a tendency of decreased levels of CRP and homocysteine, intake of Atlantic salmon may have beneficial effects on disease activity in patients with mild ulcerative colitis.

A 29-year-old woman with a 13 year history of proteinase-3–anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (PR3-ANCA)-positive granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) was admitted to the gynaecological departm...

To search for cardiac abnormalities in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).35 patients examined by 2-D transthoracal Doppler and transesophageal echocardiography.Mitral and aortic valve abnormalities were seen in 12 patients (34%) respectively, and occurred altogether in 16 patients (46%). They were in general significantly associated with longer disease duration, but not with anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL), disease activity, or any other variable, except for time on corticosteroids. which was significantly longer in patients with aortic valve calcifications.Valve masses and valve thickening--often in combination--are the most frequent structural findings in SLE, occurring more often on the aortic than on the mitral valves. Factors other than antiphospholipid antibodies, medication, hypertension, or coronary heart disease seem to be responsible for this phenomenon. Drugs that modulate inflammation in endo- and pericardial tissue may, at least in part, be responsible for the observed mitral valve calcifications and pericardial fibrosis.

Psychological and emotional status was assessed in 36 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with the General Health Questionnaire-30 (GHQ-30) and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) questionnaires. The two tests were found to measure different aspects of psychological functioning. More than 50% of the patients could be classified as cases with mild psychiatric disturbances, according to the GHQ, and 28% had an abnormal score > 70 on the MMPI depression subscale, indicating significant depression. Emotional disturbances such as problems with social functioning, personal discomfort in social situations, and depressive mood, were frequent and associated with skin and joint abnormalities. This suggests additional etiologies for psychological dysfunction among SLE patients other than the direct central nervous system (CNS) effect of SLE.

Thirty SLE patients underwent clinical neurological examination, electrophysiological studies, cerebral computer tomographic (CT) scans, and blood sampling. Nineteen patients (63%) had clinical neuropsychiatric and 10 patients (33%) had clinical neuromuscular manifestations. Migrainous headache affecting 11 patients (37%) was the most prevalent clinical manifestation. Electrophysiological testing revealed abnormal electroencephalography in 10 patients (33%). Abnormal electromyography and nerve conduction velocity were found in 13 (43%) and 7 (24%) patients respectively. Abnormal visual evoked response was detected in 2 patients. Cerebral CT scans displayed cerebral atrophy in 20 patients (71%), while 6 patients (21%) had cerebral infractions. Disease activity assessed by two different tests revealed a higher prevalence of cerebral infarctions, classical migraine, muscular weakness, and pathological electromyography and nerve conduction velocity in the higher disease activity groups. Cerebral infarctions were only found among anti-Ro negative patients, but apart from this, no significant association could be found between coagulopathy, circulating immune complexes, cryoglobulins, routine immunological tests, medication, and any clinical, electrophysiological or cerebral CT pathology.

Thirty patients with SLE were studied retrospectively and subjected to clinical neurological examination. The accumulated neurological manifestations from the beginning of the disease until the time of examination were thus collected. Twenty-five patients (83%) had experienced neuropsychiatric manifestations while 11 patients (37%) had neuromuscular manifestations. The most frequent single symptom was migraine which had occurred in 40% of the patients. This was followed by severe protracted headache in 20%, vertigo in 20%, and psychiatric problems in 17%. Carpal tunnel syndrome and muscular weakness both occurring in 23% of the patients were the most prevalent neuromuscular manifestations, followed by myositis in 10%.