OBJECTIVETo assess the value of combined detection of copeptin and ischemia modified albumin (IMA) in early diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of myocardial damage in patients with acute organic phosphorus pesticide poisoning (AOPP).

METHODSA total of 126 AOPP patients were examined for blood copepin and IMA levels and myocardial injury markers within 1 h after admission.

RESULTSCopeptin and IMA levels significantly increased in patients with AOPP compared with those in the control subjects. Copeptin and IMA levels were significantly higher in severe AOPP cases than in mild to moderate cases (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that increased copeptin and IMA levels and severe complications of AOPP were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events.

CONCLUSIONEarly detection of copeptin and IMA levels has important clinical value in early diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of myocardial damage in patients with AOPP, and their levels are positively correlated with the severity of the condition.

Biomarkers ; blood ; Early Diagnosis ; Glycopeptides ; blood ; Humans ; Organophosphate Poisoning ; diagnosis ; Pesticides ; poisoning ; Prognosis ; Serum Albumin ; Serum Albumin, Human

OBJECTIVE: To investigate copeptin levels in elderly patients who have suffered massive cerebral infarction, and to establish its correlation with early death. METHODS: Forty-nine elderly patients with acute massive cerebral infarction and an age-matched control group of thirty normal people were established. Plasma copeptin levels of patient group were measured by ELISA at 24 h, 36 h, 5 d, and 14 d after onset of infarction. Glasgow-Pittsburgh coma scale (GPCS) were recorded within 24 h after onset, and both results were graded. Based on the 14-day mortality, the patient was divided into a death group and a survival group, and the correlations between graded copeptin level and GPCS to mortality were analyzed, as well as the consistency and accuracy of prognosis. RESULTS: Plasma copeptin levels in the patient group were no differences between the 24 h, 36 h and 5 d point, and that of the 14 d was lower than that of the other points. Copeptin levels were significantly higher than in the control group at each test point (P< 0.01 or P< 0.05). The copeptin level at 24 h among those dead by 14 days was higher than in those of the survival group (P<0.01). There were significant associations of early death (within 14 d) with copeptin levels and with GPCS grade(r=0.58, P<0.001, r=0.46, P<0.001, respectively). Copeptin level of the third-grade (>25.0 pmol/L) showed better consistency and coincidence rate than GPCS score (< 20) in predicting early death. CONCLUSION Plasma copeptin level was increased in early phases of acute massive cerebral infarction in elderly patients; it may have predictive value for early death.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Cerebral Infarction ; blood ; pathology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Glycopeptides ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Survival Analysis

PURPOSE: Copeptin has been considered as a useful marker for diagnosis and prediction of prognosis in heart diseases. However, copeptin has not been investigated sufficiently in hemodialysis patients. This study aimed to investigate the general features of copeptin in hemodialysis and to examine the usefulness of copeptin in hemodialysis patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LV dysfunction). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 41 patients on regular hemodialysis. Routine laboratory data and peptides such as the N-terminal of the prohormone brain natriuretic peptide and copeptin were measured on the day of hemodialysis. Body fluid volume was estimated by bioimpedance spectroscopy, and the E/Ea ratio was estimated by echocardiography. RESULTS: Copeptin increased to 171.4 pg/mL before hemodialysis. The copeptin had a positive correlation with pre-dialysis body fluid volume (r=0.314; p=0.04). The copeptin level decreased along with body fluid volume and plasma osmolality during hemodialysis. The copeptin increased in the patients with LV dysfunction more than in those with normal LV function (218.7 pg/mL vs. 77.6 pg/mL; p=0.01). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that copeptin had a diagnostic value in the hemodialysis patients with LV dysfunction (area under curve 0.737; p=0.02) and that the cut-off value was 125.48 pg/mL (sensitivity 0.7, specificity 0.8, positive predictive value 0.9, negative predictive value 0.6). CONCLUSION: Copeptin increases in hemodialysis patients and is higher in patients with LV dysfunction. We believe that copeptin can be a useful marker for the diagnosis of LV dysfunction in hemodialysis patients.
Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers/blood ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Glycopeptides/*blood ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/*blood/complications/therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain/blood ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prognosis ; ROC Curve ; Renal Dialysis/*adverse effects ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left/*blood/complications/*physiopathology

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the tumor-suppression effect of PA combined with GM-CSF, TNF-alpha and IL-4 on cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMC). METHODS: The mononuclear cells were isolated from human umbilical cord blood and cultured with polyacttin A (PA), GM-CSF + TNF-alpha + IL-4 (GTI), and GTI + PA (GTIP) respectively. Six days later, surface antigen expression of the cultured cells, including CD1a and CD83, which were the specialized markers of dendritic cell (DC), were analyzed by immunohistochemistry technique. The CBMC were cultured with GTI for 24 h to enhance DC, then were added apoptotic/necrotic Hela/HepG2 tumor cells, and finally PA was co-cultured. The antitumor cytotoxicity of CBMC was measured by MTT assay. RESULTS: After the culture, CD1a and CD83 positive cell rates of the PA group inreased significantly, reaching (19.63 +/- 3.61)%, (9.28 +/- 4.31) % respectively, much higher than that of the control, but lower than that of the GTI group. The killing rate to the tumor cells of CBMC cultured with GTIP increased remarkably, much higher than the control, GTI and PA groups. After tumor antigens were added to the CBMC of GTIP group (GTIP + Tc), the killing rate increased. CONCLUSION PA not only promotes the proliferation and maturation of cord blood derived DC, but also improves the tumor-suppression effect of CBMC cultured with GTI.
Antigens, CD ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Antigens, CD1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Cells, Cultured ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; Glycopeptides ; pharmacology ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; pharmacology ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Immunotherapy ; Interleukin-4 ; pharmacology ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; drug effects ; immunology ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Neoplasms ; therapy ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; pharmacology