Adult ; Carrier State ; blood ; immunology ; virology ; Female ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; blood ; virology

Adult ; Anti-HIV Agents ; therapeutic use ; Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension ; HIV ; pathogenicity ; Hepacivirus ; pathogenicity ; Hepatitis B virus ; pathogenicity ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; drug therapy ; virology ; Male ; Sulfonamides ; therapeutic use

BACKGROUND: Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) activates inflammatory cascades by activating the NF-κB pathway. The minor allele of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in breast cancer suppressor BRCA1-associated protein (BRAP), which has a common etiology with HTLV-1 infection, has been reported to be positively associated with carotid atherosclerosis, but inversely associated with hypertension. Therefore, HTLV-1 infection may be inversely associated with hypertension by activating endothelial maintenance, including atherosclerosis. To clarify these associations, a cross-sectional study was conducted using 2989 Japanese individuals aged 60-99 years participating in a general health check-up. METHODS: Logistic regression models were used to clarify the association between HTLV-1 and hypertension. Platelet levels stratified analyses were also performed since platelet production, which plays a crucial role in endothelium maintenance, can be stimulated by activating the NF-κB pathway. RESULTS: HTLV-1 infection was found to be significantly inversely associated with hypertension, particularly in subjects with high platelet levels (≥ second tertiles of platelet levels); the fully adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were 0.75 (0.62, 0.92) for total and 0.64 (0.50, 0.82) for high platelet levels, respectively. Further analysis of the non-hypertensive subjects demonstrated that HTLV-1 infection was significantly positively associated with atherosclerosis in subjects with the highest tertile of platelet levels (2.11 [1.15, 3.86]) but not in subjects with low platelet levels (first and second tertiles of platelet level) (0.89 [0.57, 1.39]). CONCLUSION Asymptomatic HTLV-1 infection is inversely associated with hypertension, possibly by activating endothelial maintenance, including atherosclerosis progression.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carotid Artery Diseases/virology* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; HTLV-I Infections/complications* ; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/physiology* ; Humans ; Hypertension/virology* ; Japan/epidemiology* ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the outcome of pediatric patients who underwent liver transplantation between Oct. 2002 and May 2005 in the Pediatric Hospital.

METHODSEight cases aged from 4 to 67 months who underwent liver transplantation were analyzed retrospectively. Four of the patients were boys and 4 girls, whose body weight at the time of liver transplantation was 6-19 kg. The underlying diseases were biliary atresia, congenital cholestasis, drug-induced cholestatic cirrhosis and cryptogenic cirrhosis. These patients had been followed up for blood routine examinations, liver and renal function, serum electrolytes and blood concentration of tacrolimus for 16 to 43 months after liver transplantation. Results of serological studies for viral etiology, liver biopsy, growth and mental development were also recorded.

RESULTSOne-year survival rate was 75.0% with the longest survival time being 43 months after transplantation. One patient died from renal failure due to postoperative bleeding 24 hours after the surgery and another case died of variceal hemorrhage 8 months after transplantation. Posttransplantation complications included acute cellular rejection, viral infection and hypoalbuminemia. Viral infections included cytomegalovirus infection in 3 cases, Epstein-Barr virus infection in 1 and hepatitis B virus infection in 1. Surgical complications of portal vein thrombosis and stenosis of inferior vena cava and hepatic vein occurred in 2 cases respectively. Side effects of tacrolimus including hypertension, renal damage, liver damage and diarrhea were observed. Significant growth-retardation was not often seen. A self-reported high quality of life was common.

CONCLUSIONSClose follow-up and management of patients after liver transplantation may significantly increase the survival rate and improve quality of life in children with end-stage liver diseases.

Biliary Atresia ; physiopathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Constriction, Pathologic ; etiology ; Female ; Graft Rejection ; etiology ; Hepatitis B ; etiology ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Hypertension ; etiology ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; adverse effects ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; virology ; Liver Failure ; complications ; virology ; Liver Transplantation ; adverse effects ; mortality ; Male ; Pediatrics ; Postoperative Complications ; Survival Rate ; Tacrolimus ; adverse effects ; Treatment Outcome ; Vena Cava, Inferior ; abnormalities ; Venous Thrombosis ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo study whether liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension are associated with ET-1 TaqI polymorphism and TNFa promoter-308G to A polymorphism.

METHODSA case control study of 106 patients with liver cirrhosis following HBV C infection was performed in comparison with 108 controls by PCR-RFLP.

RESULTSThe frequency of C allele and CC+TC genotype in TaqI polymorphism of ET-1 gene in the portal hypertension group (LC+) was significantly higher than that in the healthy controls, and the frequency of TNF2/1 genotype in TNFa promoter -308 G to A polymorphism in LC+ group was significantly higher than that in the control group. The results by stratification analysis showed that TCF2 genotype frequency was higher in the LC+ group than in the control group. ET-1 TaqI polymorphism and TNFa polymorphism were risk factors for the occurrence of portal hypertension by Logistic regression analysis.

CONCLUSIONET-1 TaqI polymorphism and TNFa polymorphism are associated with portal hypertension, and are new risk factors for the occurrence of portal hypertension. TCF2 genotype may be a susceptible gene of portal hypertension.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Endothelin-1 ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; genetics ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; etiology ; genetics ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; genetics ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics ; Taq Polymerase ; genetics ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics