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Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of prefrailty and frailty syndrome (FS) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), and the clinical and biological characteristics of frail patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Material and Methods: The study included 78 patients with CAD who were admitted to the clinic to undergo PCI. To detect prefrailty and FS in patients, we used a short physical performance test battery (10–12 points—no FS, 8–9 points—prefrailty, 7 or fewer points—FS). We used the RayBio® Human ELISA Kit (Norcross, GA, USA), a highly sensitive and highly specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, to determine the concentration of biological markers of inflammation (IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, IL-15, TNF-α) and bone, muscle, and fat remodeling (leptin, calcitonin, osteoprotegerin, osteocalcin, myostatin) in the serum of patients with coronary artery disease before planned PCI. Results: Taking into account the test battery score, the prevalence of FS in patients with CAD before elective PCI was 24.4%, the prevalence of prefrailty was 33.3%. According to the results of the study, older women with type 2 diabetes in their history were significantly more likely to be frail. Studying a wide range of biological markers of inflammation and musculoskeletal and fat remodeling, we noted lower levels of calcitonin (2.60 [1.50; 5.85] pg/mL, p = 0.018) and osteoprotegerin (0.80 [0.60; 1.20] ng/mL, p = 0.025) in the serum of frail patients with CAD. Later we confirmed the results by correlation analysis. Moreover, we found an association between FS and higher serum leptin levels in patients with CAD before elective PCI. Conclusion: The results of the study confirm the high prevalence of prefrailty (33.3%) and FS (24.4%) in patients with CAD. Older women with type 2 diabetes in their history were significantly more likely to be frail. At the same time, the presence of FS is associated with lower levels of calcitonin and osteoprotegerin, and higher levels of leptin in the serum of frail patients before elective PCI.

Biobanks are collections of human biological materials (biospecimens) alongside personal health information that are stored for scientific research. There is a wide range of evidence to show that biomarkers can be linked to psychiatric illnesses. Identification of such biomarkers facilitates clinical diagnosis, early intervention, and compressive treatment. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the methodology of global biobanks focusing on mental illnesses. Six databases were systematically searched. A total of 1363 abstracts were screened, and 21 full texts were assessed for eligibility. The quality of the literature was appraised. Of the six papers included, there were few mental health-specific biobanks globally, with the majority being in European and American countries. Most research was conducted examining depression with scant research on self-harm, personality disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Blood was the most common biological sample collected, and less common samples were hair and saliva. Mental health-specific biobanks support the understanding of biological etiologies of psychiatric diseases. There are gaps in research on certain mental illnesses such as personality disorders and PTSD. More research is required in lower–middle income countries. Despite scientific progress to identify biochemical markers of mental disorders, further research is needed to aid diagnosis and management within this discipline.

(1) Background: The relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is bidirectional: NAFLD increases the risk of T2DM, and T2DM promotes the progression of the disease into non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). (2) Material and methods: We performed a retrospective, open study that included 59 patients with NAFLD and T2DM who were distributed into two groups: 44 (74.57%) patients were diagnosed with hepatic steatosis (HS) and 15 (25.42%) patients were diagnosed with NASH. (3) Results: Among the non-specific inflammatory biomarkers, serum ferritin (SF) and the neutrophil-percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR) showed higher and statistically significant mean values (p = 0.003 respectively p = 0.03) in the group of patients with NASH and T2DM. Conclusions: Consequently, it is essential to identify alternative markers for the inflammatory process, particularly in individuals with diabetes, as it is a key characteristic of NASH. This need arises from the desire to avoid the risks associated with liver biopsy procedures (LBP) and to prevent the unpredictable and unfavorable progression of NAFLD in patients with T2DM.

Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is an acquired pre-malignant condition that results from chronic gastroesophageal reflux. The malignant transformation occurred in 0.5% of patients/year and was independent of medical and endoscopic conservative treatments. Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is a multifunctional enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of long-chain fatty acids from acetyl-coenzyme A, malonyl-coenzyme A, a reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), and adenosine triphosphate. Activation of FAS is closely linked to malignant transformation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the variation of FAS, p53, and Ki67 expressions in two groups of 21 BE patients each, after one year of continuous (group A) or discontinuous (group B) treatment with esomeprazole 40 mg/day in comparison to the initial expression. In both the two groups of BE patients, biopsies were taken from pathologic sites of the mucosa for histological and immuno-histochemical detection of FAS, Ki67, and p53 at entry and after one year of Esomeprazole 40 mg treatment. FAS expression was positive when a strong granular cytoplasmic staining was observed in esophageal cells. Ki67 and p53 were defined as positive when nuclear staining was clearly detected at ×10 magnification. FAS expression was reduced in 43% of patients treated with Esomeprazole continuously in comparison to the 10% of patients treated with Esomeprazole on demand (p = 0.002). Ki67 expression was reduced in 28% of continuously treated patients in comparison to 5% of patients treated on demand (p = 0.001). The p53 expression decreased in 19% of continuously treated patients in comparison to an increase in 2 patients (9%) treated on demand (p = 0.05). Continuously Esomeprazole treatment could help in the diminution of metabolic and proliferative activities in the esophageal columnar epithelium and in part it can help prevent the oxidative damage against cellular DNA, resulting in a diminution in p53 expression.

Background: Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), the advanced stage of peripheral arterial disease, is diagnosed in the presence of ischemic rest pain, non-healing ulcers, or gangrene. Several studies have demonstrated that inflammation and endothelial dysfunction are some of the main substrates of CLTI. Methods: A narrative review was conducted and reported according to PRISMA guidelines. Three databases were searched—Web of Science, Medline, and EMBASE—for the studies assessing CLTI and the biological markers related to it. Results: We included 22 studies, and all the markers identified (C-reactive protein, D-dimers, fibrinogen, cytokines, IL-6, TNF-α, ICAM-1 (Intracellular Adhesion Molecule-1), VCAM-1 (Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1), neutrophile-to-lymphocytes ratio (NLR), IL-8, Pentraxin-3, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), calprotectin, E-selectin, P-selectin, neopterin, High-Mobility Group Box-1 protein (HGMB-1), Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and Sortilin) were positively associated with advanced CLTI, with major limb or major cardiovascular events in these patients. Conclusions: All the studied markers had increased values in patients with CLTI, especially when associated with diabetes mellitus, proving a very important association between diabetes and major limb or cardiovascular events in these patients. There is a need for more studies to validate these markers in terms of diagnosis or prognosis in CLTI patients and in trying to find new medical strategies that target inflammation or endothelial dysfunction in these patients.

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is identified as an important condition that leads to implant complications, and the apico-coronal position and the prosthetic abutment seem to interfere with peri-implant tissue behavior This study aimed at assessing the effect on peri-implant parameters after implant loading of two different methodologies in type two diabetics patients (T2DM) who received implant muco-retained overdentures. Twenty-two mandibular edentulous T2DM received two implants: Test group: prosthetic abutment of a diameter smaller than the platform of the implant and a morse taper subcrestal implant level; Control group: prosthetic abutment of diameter identical to the platform and hexagonal external implant placed at crestal bone level. Clinical, inflammatory, and tomographic evaluations were performed at baseline (after prosthesis installation), and twelve and twenty-four months after implant loading. Test implants presented inferior probing depth and clinical attachment level compared to control at baseline and 12 months (p < 0.05). Test implants presented reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines at 24 months compared to the control implants (p < 0.05). The control group had more changes in bone parameters from baseline to the first and second years (p < 0.05). The test group resulted in reduced bone remodeling and better clinical conditions and positively modulated peri-implant immunoinflammatory molecules. Trial identification UTN code: U1111-1239-3638.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is one of the major risk factors for chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The incidence of MASH in Western countries continues to rise, driving HCC as the third cause of cancer-related death worldwide. HCC has become a major global health challenge, partly from the obesity epidemic promoting metabolic cellular disturbances but also from the paucity of biomarkers for its early detection. Over 50% of HCC cases are clinically present at a late stage, where curative measures are no longer beneficial. Currently, there is a paucity of both specific and sensitive biological markers for the early-stage detection of HCC. The search for biological markers in the diagnosis of early HCC in high-risk populations is intense. We described the potential role of surrogates for a liver biopsy in the screening and monitoring of patients at risk for nesting HCC.

The possible usefulness of alpha-synuclein (aSyn) determinations in peripheral tissues (blood cells, salivary gland biopsies, olfactory mucosa, digestive tract, skin) and in biological fluids, except for cerebrospinal fluid (serum, plasma, saliva, feces, urine), as a marker of several diseases, has been the subject of numerous publications. This narrative review summarizes data from studies trying to determine the role of total, oligomeric, and phosphorylated aSyn determinations as a marker of various diseases, especially PD and other alpha-synucleinopathies. In summary, the results of studies addressing the determinations of aSyn in its different forms in peripheral tissues (especially in platelets, skin, and digestive tract, but also salivary glands and olfactory mucosa), in combination with other potential biomarkers, could be a useful tool to discriminate PD from controls and from other causes of parkinsonisms, including synucleinopathies.

The search for biological markers, which allow a relatively accurate assessment of the individual course of pulmonary sarcoidosis at the time of diagnosis, remains one of the research priorities in this field of pulmonary medicine. The aim of our study was to investigate possible prognostic factors for pulmonary sarcoidosis with a special focus on cellular immune inflammation markers. A 2-year follow-up of the study population after the initial prospective and simultaneous analysis of lymphocyte activation markers expression in the blood, as well as bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung biopsy tissue of patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary sarcoidosis, was performed. We found that some blood and BAL fluid immunological markers and lung computed tomography (CT) patterns have been associated with a different course of sarcoidosis. We revealed five markers that had a significant negative association with the course of sarcoidosis (worsening pulmonary function tests and/or the chest CT changes)—blood CD4+CD31+ and CD4+CD44+ T lymphocytes, BALF CD8+CD31+ and CD8+CD103+ T lymphocytes and a number of lung nodules on chest CT at the time of the diagnosis. Cut-off values, sensitivity, specificity and odds ratio for predictors of sarcoidosis progression were calculated. These markers may be reasonable predictors of sarcoidosis progression.

Cognitive frailty (CF) is a heterogeneous syndrome that is becoming one of the most serious health problems as the world's population age is increasing. Elucidating its biological mechanisms as well as prevention and treatments is becoming increasingly significant, particularly in view of the associated health costs. We presented the study protocol of a research project funded by the Italian Ministry of Health (grant number RF-2016-02363298) aiming to investigate the cognitive and neuropsychological effects of a 5-week treatment with therapy based on the regenerative properties of ozone (O 3 ) in a cohort of subjects stratified according to CF scores. We also studied the potential effects of O 3 on blood-based biomarkers indicative of specific biological systems that may be altered in CF. Seventy-five older persons were recruited and randomly assigned to receive the active treatment (150 cc of oxygen-O 2 -O 3 mixture at the concentration of 30 µg of O 3 per cc of O 2 ), O 2 , or the placebo (air) for 5 weeks. The main endpoints were the change in the scores of clinical scales from baseline (T0) to weeks 3 (T3), 9 (T9), and 15 (T15) after treatment and the change in biomarker levels resulting from transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomic patterns at the same times. The positive results from this study could have important clinical implications.

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) comorbidity is an emerging condition in psychiatry, with relevant nosological, clinical, and therapeutic implications., Methods: We updated our previous systematic review on epidemiology and standard diagnostic validators (including phenomenology, course of illness, heredity, biological markers, and treatment response) of BD-OCD. Relevant papers published until (and including) 15 October 2023 were identified by searching the electronic databases MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, and Cochrane Library, according to the PRISMA statement (PROSPERO registration number, CRD42021267685)., Results: We identified 38 new articles, which added to the previous 64 and raised the total to 102. The lifetime comorbidity prevalence ranged from 0.26 to 27.8% for BD and from 0.3 to 53.3% for OCD. The onset of the two disorders appears to be often overlapping, although the appearance of the primary disorder may influence the outcome. Compared to a single diagnosis, BD-OCD exhibited a distinct pattern of OC symptoms typically following an episodic course, occurring in up to 75% of cases (vs. 3%). Notably, these OC symptoms tended to worsen during depressive episodes (78%) and improve during manic or hypomanic episodes (64%). Similarly, a BD course appears to be chronic in individuals with BD-OCD in comparison to patients without. Additionally, individuals with BD-OCD comorbidity experienced more depressive episodes (mean of 8.9 ± 4.2) compared to those without comorbidity (mean of 4.1 ± 2.7)., Conclusions: We found a greater likelihood of antidepressant-induced manic/hypomanic episodes (60% vs. 4.1%), and mood stabilizers with antipsychotic add-ons emerging as a preferred treatment. In line with our previous work, BD-OCD comorbidity encompasses a condition of greater nosological and clinical complexity than individual disorders.

Exosomes and other small extracellular vesicles (EVs) are potential sources of cancer biomarkers. Plasma-derived EVs have not yet been studied in pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), for which predictive biomarkers of relapse are greatly needed. In this two-part proteomic study, we used two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) followed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to analyze EV proteins of plasma collected at diagnosis from children with nodular sclerosis HL, relapsed or not. EVs isolated using membrane affinity had radii ranging from 20 to 130 nm and contained the programmed cell death 6-interacting (ALIX) and the tumor susceptibility gene 101 (TSG101) proteins, whereas calnexin (CANX) was not detected. 2D-DIGE identified 16 spots as differentially abundant between non-relapsed and relapsed HL (|fold change| ≥ 1.5, p < 0.05). LC–MS/MS identified these spots as 11 unique proteins, including five more abundant in non-relapsed HL (e.g., complement C4b, C4B; fibrinogen γ chain, FGG) and six more abundant in relapsed HL (e.g., transthyretin, TTR). Shotgun LC–MS/MS on pooled EV proteins from non-relapsed HL identified 161 proteins, including 127 already identified in human exosomes (ExoCarta data). This EV cargo included 89 proteins not yet identified in exosomes from healthy plasma. Functional interrogation by the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) revealed that the EV proteins participate in platelet degranulation and serine-type endopeptidase activity as the most significant Gene Ontology (GO) biological process and molecular function (p < 0.01).

Information on smoking exposure obtained with self-reports may be inaccurate. Cotinine has a large half-life and its salivary levels correlate well with plasmatic levels. The influence of storage conditions on the validity and precision of salivary cotinine assessments has rarely been evaluated. Here, smokers donated saliva samples, which were sent for immediate analysis, mail posting, storage at 4 °C for 30 or 90 days, or storage at −20 °C for 30 or 90 days. Cotinine levels were determined using enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay. Agreement of cotinine level measurements was assessed using Bland-Altman analyses. Average age (years), duration of smoking (years) and number of cigarettes smoked (/day) were 55.4 (±SD 9.4), 35.1 (±SD 11.3), and 15.3 (±SD 7.6). The mean immediate cotinine level was 457 ng/mL (range 11.3 to 1318 ng/mL). Mean cotinine levels in samples analyzed after delay ranged between 433 ng/mL (−20 °C 30 days) and 468 ng/mL (4 °C 30 days). A dose-response gradient was observed in the relationship between salivary cotinine level and self-reported smoking status. A good agreement between cotinine levels for all storage conditions compared with immediate analysis was observed, with average differences ranging from −11 to 24 ng/mL. Cotinine levels remained stable regardless of the tested condition. The stability of salivary cotinine may enable samples to be obtained in difficult-to-reach areas, reduce study costs, and improve the validity of the information on exposure to smoking.

The laboratory tests and identification of risk factors such as comorbidities are essential in the management, treatment and prognosis of patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Performing rigorous monitoring among patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome and early identification of risk factors associated with poor prognosis are crucial in improving patient outcomes. In the present study, 182 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and PCI during 2020-2022 were included. A clinical and epidemiological evaluation was performed for each patient. Laboratory tests at admission included complete blood count, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) and biochemical tests. Receiver operating curve (ROC) and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated to compare the diagnostic performance of each parameter. Regarding comorbidities, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity were the most frequent ones. In the case of chronic lung diseases, asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) were the most frequent. Pleurisy was found especially in patients with PCI Variations in serum LDH values were observed, especially in severe forms of COVID-19 in 2020, with a mean value of 481.44 U/L, compared to patients with PCI, whose mean values (122 U/L) were within the biological range of reference. High neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) values quantified in this study were especially associated with moderate and severe forms of COVID-19 and also PCI. The Spearman correlation coefficient was determined to measure the correlations between the clinical parameters of all investigated subjects. A value of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The statistical results indicated that serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glucose and C-reactive protein (CRP) are sensitive markers with a diagnostic role in COVID-19, and lymphocyte (Ly) count, CRP, ESR and glucose were evidenced to be target markers in PCI. LDH values were observed to be statistically significant ( p < 0.005) in patients with COVID-19 and obesity evaluated in 2021, while Ly count was statistically significant ( p = 0.05) in patients with PCI and arterial hypertension. Regarding comorbidities, it has been observed that obesity, arterial hypertension and cardiovascular diseases represent risk factors in COVID-19/PCI, associated especially with the severe forms of the disease.

Anxiety disorders are one of the most commonly reported disorders in psychiatry, causing a high medical and socio-economic burden. Recently, there has been a soaring interest in the biological basis of anxiety disorders, which is reflected in an increasing number of articles related to the topic. Due to the ambiguity of the diagnosis and a large number of underdiagnosed patients, researchers are looking for laboratory tests that could facilitate the diagnosis of anxiety disorders in clinical practice and would allow for the earliest possible implementation of appropriate treatment. Such potential biomarkers may also be useable in monitoring the efficacy of pharmacological therapy for anxiety disorders. Therefore this article reviews the literature of potential biomarkers such as components of saliva, peripheral blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and neuroimaging studies. There are promising publications in the literature that can be useful. The most valuable and promising markers of saliva are cortisol, lysozyme, and α-amylase (sAA). In the blood, in turn, we can distinguish serotonin, brain-derived serum neurotrophic factor (BDNF), cortisol, and microRNA. Structural changes in the amygdala and hippocampus are promising neuroimaging markers, while in CSF, potential markers include oxytocin and 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). Unfortunately, research in the field of biomarkers is hampered by insufficient knowledge about the etiopathogenesis of anxiety disorders, the significant heterogeneity of anxiety disorders, frequent comorbidities, and low specificity of biomarkers. The development of appropriate biomarker panels and their assessment using new approaches may have the prospective to overcome the above-mentioned obstacles.

Although clinical studies have been carried out on the effects of weight reduction in sleep apnea patients, no direct link has been shown between weight reduction and changes in cardio-metabolic risk factors. We aimed to analyze changes in the apnea-hypopnea index and selected cardio-metabolic parameters (total cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, blood pressure) in relation to the reduction in body mass index in obstructive sleep apnea patients. Medline, Web of Science and Cochrane databases were searched to combine results from individual studies in a single meta-analysis. We identified 333 relevant articles, from which 30 papers were assigned for full-text review, and finally 10 (seven randomized controlled trials and three nonrandomized studies) were included for data analysis. One unit of body mass index reduction was found to significantly influence changes in the apnea-hypopnea index (-2.83/h; 95% CI: -4.24, -1.41), total cholesterol (-0.12 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.22, -0.01), triglycerides (-0.24 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.46, -0.02), fasting insulin (-7.3 pmol/L; 95% CI: -11.5, -3.1), systolic (-1.86 mmHg; 95% CI: -3.57, -0.15) and diastolic blood pressure (-2.07 mmHg; 95% CI: -3.79, -0.35). Practical application of lifestyle modification resulting in the reduction of one unit of body mass index gives meaningful changes in selected cardio-metabolic risk factors in obstructive sleep apnea patients.