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Aim Vasopressin exerts robust influences on social communication and behavior in humans. Apelin is a relatively novel neuropeptide that could counteract vasopressin's actions and has been shown to be closely related with a broad range of physiological functions. Abnormalities in vasopressin and apelin have been detected in a variety of psychiatric disorders, but their relation to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is unknown. In the present study, we explored the plasma levels of vasopressin and apelin-13 in children with ADHD. Methods Thirty-four children with ADHD and 36 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The severity of ADHD symptoms was assessed via Conners’ Parent Rating Scale and Conners’ Teacher Rating Scale. Plasma levels of vasopressin and apelin-13 were measured using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results The mean plasma apelin-13 levels were significantly higher in male children with ADHD than in male control subjects; no significant difference was found between the groups for plasma apelin-13 levels in girls or in the entire subject cohort. Plasma vasopressin levels did not show any significant differences between groups. There were no significant correlations between plasma levels of these neuropeptides and scores for Conners’ Parent Rating Scale and Conners’ Teacher Rating Scale. Conclusion Our results suggest a sex-specific association between plasma apelin-13 levels and ADHD. Apelin-13 may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of ADHD either with a direct impact on the apelin receptor or via its opposing effect on the vasopressinergic system.

Background Cardiovascular diseases, among which atherosclerotic heart disease, are known to be one of the most important mortality and morbidity causes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Ischemia modified albumin (IMA) is a potential marker that can be used to assess atherosclerosis-related myocardial ischemia. Another frequently used marker for the assessment of atherosclerotic lesions is the carotid intima media thickness (CIMT). Aim To evaluate the role that IMA has on atherosclerosis development and its clinical usability in patients with RA, by assessing the values of IMA and CIMT. Methods and materials Our prospective study was conducted between June 2012 and March 2013 at the Rheumatology Department of Necmettin Erbakan Meram Medical School, Turkey. Fifty-two RA patients, diagnosed according to the 1987 criteria of the American College of Rheumatology, and an age- and sex-matched control group of 46 healthy subjects were included in this study. Results No significant difference was detected between the groups with respect to age, sex and body mass index. In the patient group the IMA and CIMT values were found to be 0.37 ± 0.12 absorbance units (ABSU) and 0.80 ± 0.22 mm, respectively, while in the control group they were 0.31 ± 0.11 ABSU and 0.51 ± 0.18 mm, respectively. The IMA and CIMT values were significantly higher in the patient group (P = 0.022 and P < 0.0001, respectively). A positive correlation was found between IMA, CIMT and Disease Activity Score of 28 joints (P = 0.016 and P = 0.002, respectively). Conclusion Since the values of IMA were higher in the patient group compared to controls and because of its correlation with CIMT, we suggest the use of IMA as an early marker of atherosclerosis in RA patients.

Background We investigated oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL) and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) in cord blood and neonatal blood of 7-day-old neonates born to pre-eclamptic and normotensive healthy mothers. Methods The study was performed on 30 neonates born to pre-eclamptic and 20 neonates born to normotensive mothers. IMA and OxLDL were determined on spectrophotometry and ELISA, respectively. Results IMA in cord blood was higher in the pre-eclamptic group as compared with the normotensive group, but the difference between the groups was not significant. IMA in neonate venous blood was significantly higher in the pre-eclamptic group than in the normotensive group (P < 0.001). OxLDL in both cord blood and in neonate venous blood was significantly higher in the pre-eclamptic group compared with the normotensive group (P < 0.001). IMA and OxLDL were significantly decreased after delivery in both groups. Conclusions Significantly increased cord blood OxLDL and significantly increased OxLDL and IMA 7 days after birth in neonates born to pre-eclamptic mothers might be an indicator of increased oxidative stress in pre-eclampsia.

Objective Ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) is a novel marker for diagnosis of myocardial ischemia and it is considered as a serum marker. The aim of the study was to evaluate salivary IMA levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to determine the relation between serum and salivary IMA levels. Methods A total of 60 patients with AMI and 40 control subjects who are age and sex matched with AMI group were included in our study. The diagnosis of AMI was based on the WHO classification criteria. All patients underwent the clinical assessment, consisting of electrocardiography, and serum cardiac markers. Serum and salivary IMA levels were measured at the first and second days of AMI by using a colorimetric method. Results Serum IMA levels were significantly higher in the first and second day of AMI patients, however, salivary IMA levels were significantly higher in the first day of AMI patients compared to the control (P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between salivary IMA levels and serum IMA levels both in the first and second day of AMI patients (r = 0.298, P < 0.05; r = 0.319, P < 0.05, respectively). Conclusion We concluded that salivary IMA levels at the first day of AMI could be used as an alternative marker to serum IMA levels for diagnosis of AMI. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 27:99–104, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

WOS: 000265312500009, PubMed: 19330810, Psoriasis is a common chronic and recurrent inflammatory skin disease with unknown etiology that has been associated with abnormal plasma lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. There are controversial results in the previous studies investigating oxidant/antioxidant systems in psoriasis. The aim of this work was to evaluate dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, total antioxidant capacity and serum paraoxonase (PON1) and arylesterase (ARE) activities in psoriasis. and to look for a correlation between these parameters and lesion percentage in psoriasis. Thirty psoriatic patients and twenty three sex- and agematched healthy volunteers were included in the study. From blood samples, lipid profile, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, total antioxidant capacity (TAO), serum PON1 and ARE activities were determined. No significant differences between the patients and controls were found in terms of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol (TAG), HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol, MDA and TAO levels. Serum PON1 and sodium-stimulated PON1 activities (p < 0.05) and ARE activity (p < 0.01) were found significantly higher in the patients than in the controls. There was not any significant correlation between lesion percentage and the parameters studied. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

To investigate the activities of the 2 isoforms of prostaglandin synthetic enzyme cyclo-oxygenase (COX), COX-1 and COX-2, in the placental tissue of women with pre-eclampsia and healthy pregnant women. The relationship between placental lipid peroxidation and the activities of COX-1 and COX-2 was also investigated.Tissue specimens were obtained from pre-eclamptic women (20 had severe pre-eclampsia and 38 had mild pre-eclampsia) and 27 healthy pregnant women who underwent cesarean section before the onset of labor. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and COX-1 and COX-2 activities were measured in placental tissue homogenates.Mean activities for COX-1 and COX-2 were significantly lower in women with severe pre-eclampsia than in healthy controls (P0.05 and P0.01, respectively). COX-1 and COX-2 activities were also lower in women with mild pre-eclampsia than in healthy controls, but the difference was of borderline significance (P=0.049 and P=0.059, respectively). The mean placental MDA level was significantly higher in pregnant women with severe and mild pre-eclampsia than in healthy pregnant women (P0.01 for both). The correlation analysis showed significant negative correlations between MDA and COX-1 (r=-0.44, P0.001) and MDA and COX-2 (r=-0.45, P0.001) in the placental tissue of women with pre-eclampsia.These results suggest that COX-1 and COX-2 activities are decreased in the placental tissue of women with pre-eclampsia, probably by oxidative stress.