OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in the development of plaque rupture. METHODS: One hundred and ten patients enrolled in this study. All patients underwent coronary angiography. It included 85 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and 25 controls. The angiographic morphology of plaques was analyzed. According to the morphologic types of plaque, CHD patients were divided into Type I (smooth borders) group (n=31), Type II (irregular lesions) group (n=35), and Type III (long lesions) group (n=19). All patients were measured of MDA-LDL, hs-CRP, creatine kinase (CK), and MB isoenzyme of CK (CK-MB) in the plasma. RESULTS: Plasma MDA-LDL and hs-CRP in the Type II group were significantly higher than those in the control group, Type I group, and Type III group (P<0.01). The plasma levels of MDA-LDL were not correlated to LDL and HDL in patients in Type II group (P>0.05). The plasma levels of MDA-LDL and hs-CRP had a significant positive correlation in patients in Type II group (r=0.630, P<0.01). CONCLUSION Oxidative stress and inflammation may cause plaque rupture in CHD patients. The oxidative stress is likely to either induce or intensify the inflammatory action, and may co-affect with inflammation factors to cause or accelerate plaque rupture.
Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; blood ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Coronary Vessels ; pathology ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Inflammation Mediators ; blood ; Oxidative Stress

Activated platelets may interact with various types of leukocytes such as monocytes, neutrophils, dendritic cells, and lymphocytes, trigger intercellular signal transduction, and thus lead to thrombosis and synthesis of massive inflammatory mediators. Elevated levels of circulating platelet-leukocyte aggregates have been found in patients with thrombotic or inflammatory diseases. This article reviews the latest research on the formation, function, and detection methods of platelet-leukocyte aggregates and their role in the onset of Kawasaki disease, so as to provide new ideas for studying the pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease.
Humans ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome/etiology* ; Blood Platelets ; Inflammation Mediators ; Leukocytes ; Neutrophils

OBJECTIVETo observe the changes of the plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines levels in patients with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).

METHODSEnzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to detect the plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines levels of 22 HFRS patients (9 mild cases and 13 moderate cases) 1, 4, and 12 weeks after they were diagnosed. Sixteen healthy blood donors were recruited as control group.

RESULTSThe levels of interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and IL-8 in HFRS patients were significantly higher than those in control group 1 week after they were diagnosed (all P < 0.01). The levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha in HFRS patients returned to the normal levels four weeks after the diagnosis, while those of IL-1beta, IL-8, and IL-10 remained significantly higher than those in control group 12 weeks after the diagnosis (all P < 0.01). The IL-8 and IL-10 levels in mild HFRS patients were significantly higher than those in moderate HFRS patients at the same period (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAbnormal expressions and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines occurs during the disease course of HFRS.

Adult ; Animals ; Cytokines ; blood ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; blood ; immunology ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the difference of androgen and inflammatory cytokines level in atherosclerosis and analyse their relations.

METHODBoth carotid arteries and arteries of lower extremity were subjected to ultrasonic examination by Doppler's method. Those with much atheromatous plaque formation were ranged into case group, and those with normal result formed control group. Total, free testosterone and estradiol were assayed by radioimmunoassay. C reactive protein (CRP) was assayed by nepheloturbidity. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-8 (IL-8), Interleukin-10 (IL-10), Interleukin-18 (IL-18), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) were assayed by ELISA. The mean difference between two groups and the correlation between free testosterone and cytokines were analysed.

RESULTSFree testosterone was (6.337+/-3.371) pg/L in case group and (11.375+/-4.733) pg/L in control group, P<0.01. No differences were found in total testosterone and estradiol. CRP was (27.294+/-10.238) mg/L in case group and (12.843+/-6.318) mg/L in control group, P<0.01. IL-6 was (41.700+/-31.385) pg/L in case group and (25.396+/-20.772) pg/L in control group, P<0.05. IL-8 was (89.249+/-58.357) pg/L in case group and (67.873+/-31.227) pg/L in control group, P<0.05. sICAM-1 was (470.491+/-134.078) pg/L in case group and (368.487+/-97.183) pg/L in control group, P<0.01. sVCAM-1 was (537.808+/-213.172) pg/L in case group and (457.275+/-157.273) pg/L in control group, P<0.05. There were no differences in TNF-alpha, IL-10 and IL-18. Correlation analysis showed that FT (free testosterone) had negative correlation with CRP, IL-6 and sICAM-1. Among them FT had well correlation with CRP, correlation index was -0.678.

CONCLUSIONFree testosterone was in negative correlation with atherosclerosis in old-age male. Free testosterone may have the role of anti-atherosclerosis, and this effect was not achieved by its transformation to estradiol. Low free testosterone level was followed by increased level of inflammatory cytokines. Low free testosterones coexist with inflammation and they both affect the process of atherosclerosis in old-age male.

Aged ; Androgens ; blood ; Atherosclerosis ; blood ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Cytokines ; blood ; Estradiol ; blood ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators ; blood ; Male ; Testosterone ; blood

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Altitude Sickness ; blood ; pathology ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; chemistry ; Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators ; metabolism ; Male

No abstract available.
Angina, Unstable/*enzymology/*immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators/*blood ; Interleukins/*blood ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9/*blood ; Myocardial Infarction/*enzymology/*immunology ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1/*blood

Adult ; Aged ; Endotoxemia ; Endotoxins ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators ; blood ; Liver Diseases ; blood ; therapy ; Liver, Artificial ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Plasma Exchange ; Serum ; chemistry ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether the serum levels of inflammation-related cytokines might be different between the healthy individuals and the psoriatic patients diagnosed of three varied Chinese medicine (CM) syndromes [blood-stasis syndrome (BSS), blood-dryness syndrome (BDS) and wind-heat syndrome (WHS)].

METHODSA total of 62 psoriatic patients were recruited and assigned to 3 groups according to their CM syndromes, including 27 patients of BSS, 21 of BDS and 14 of WHS. Another 20 sex- and age-matched healthy subjects were enrolled into the control group. Serum concentrations of multiple cytokines, including monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), soluble CD4O ligand (SCD40L), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), epidermal growth factor (EGF), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-17 (IL-17), interferon γ inducible protein-10 (IP-10) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), were measured by a multiplexed flow cytometric assay.

RESULTSThe circulating levels of MIP-1α, TNF-α, IL-8, and IP-10 were significantly increased in the psoriatic patients compared with the healthy controls (P<0.01). Male and female patients tended to have higher serum levels of MCP-1 and IP-10, respectively (P<0.05). Interestingly, compared with the control group, 6 out of the 9 cytokines (MCP-1, MIP-1α, TNF-α, EGF, IL-8 and IP-10) were substantially increased in the BSS group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), whereas only MIP-1α and IL-8 levels were elevated in the BDS group (P<0.05 or P<0.01) concurrent with lowered concentrations of SCD40L and IL-17 (P<0.05). In the WHS group, MIP-1α was the only cytokine whose level was evidently increased (P<0.01), in contrast to IL-17 which was decreased as compared with the control (P<0.05). The psoriatic patients overall owned higher levels of MIP-1α and IL-8 in the circulation which were comparable among the 3 groups of CM syndromes (P<0.01). In contrast, TNF-α level of the BSS group was the highest among the three (P<0.01), followed by the BDS and the WHS groups.

CONCLUSIONSThe expression profiles of cytokines in the circulation might not be necessarily identical for psoriatic patients with different CM syndromes. Accordingly, the serum concentrations of certain cytokines could potentially be used as the ancillary indices for the clinical classification of psoriatic CM syndromes.

Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Cytokines ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators ; blood ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Psoriasis ; blood ; Severity of Illness Index ; Statistics, Nonparametric ; Syndrome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of continuous veno-venous hemofiltration (CVVH) on inflammatory mediators in children with severe hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), and to investigate its clinical efficacy.

METHODSA total of 36 children with stage IV HFMD were enrolled and randomly divided into conventional treatment group and CVVH group (n=18 each). The children in the CVVH group were given CVVH for 48 hours in addition to the conventional treatment. The levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and lactic acid in peripheral venous blood, heart rate, blood pressure, and left ventricular ejection fraction were measured before treatment and after 24 and 48 hours of treatment.

RESULTSAfter 24 hours of treatment, the conventional treatment group had a significantly reduced serum IL-2 level (P<0.01), and the CVVH treatment group had significantly reduced serum levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α (P<0.05). After 48 hours of treatment, both groups had significantly reduced serum levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α (P<0.01), and the CVVH group had significantly lower levels of these inflammatory factors than the conventional treatment group (P<0.01). After 48 hours of treatment, heart rate, systolic pressure, and blood lactic acid level were significantly reduced, and left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly increased in both groups, and the CVVH group had significantly greater changes in these indices except systolic pressure than the conventional treatment group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSCVVH can effectively eliminate inflammatory factors, reduce heart rate and venous blood lactic acid, and improve heart function in children with severe HFMD.

Child, Preschool ; Cytokines ; blood ; Female ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease ; immunology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Hemodynamics ; Hemofiltration ; Humans ; Infant ; Inflammation Mediators ; blood ; Male ; Ventricular Function, Left

OBJECTIVETo discuss that pathogenesis evolvement regularity of Chinese miniature swine with phlege-stasis cementation syndrome of coronary heart disease.

METHODEighteen Chinese miniature swine were randomly divided to the normal control group, the model group and the Danlou tablet group, with six swine in each group. Except for the normal control group, all of the other groups were fed with high fat diet for two weeks. The coronary heart disease model with phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome was established by injuring left anterior descending artery with interventional balloons and continuously feeding with high fat diet for eight weeks. The levels of BMI, hemorheological parameters, lipids in serum and inflammatory cytokines were observed at the 0th (before the experiment), 2nd (before operation or drug administration), 6th (four weeks after drug administration) and 10th week (eight weeks after drug administration) of study. The levels of TG and TC in liver and the pathological changes in coronary artery tissues were also observed at the end of study.

RESULTCompared with the normal control group, the model group had showed significant increase in the levels of TC, TG, LDL-C and VLDL-C in serum (P < 0.01) from the second week to the end of the experiment, with notable rise in the whole blood viscosity under the shear rates of 5 s(-1) and 60 s(-1). At the 6th week, the levels of BMI and TG and TNF-alpha in serum significantly increased. At the 10th week, the levels of BMI and hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha in serum significantly increased as well, with remarkable increase in coronary stenosis, intimal thickness and the ratio between intimal thickness and media thickness (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01), and significant rise in TC and TG in livers (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the Danlou tablet group showed obvious reduction in severity of coronary artery lesion, intimal thickness and lumen stenosis ratio and ratio between intimal thickness and media thickness (P < 0.01), BMI, TC, TG, LDL-C and VLDL-C in serum, TC and TG in liver, as well as hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha levels in serum (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01), with notable decline in the whole blood viscosity under the shear rates of 5 s(-1) and 60 s(-1).

CONCLUSIONThe interaction of phlegm, blood stasis and toxin syndromes helps promote the progress and development of AS plaques, which is the key pathogenesis of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome in coronary heart disease.

Animals ; Body Weight ; Coronary Disease ; blood ; physiopathology ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Inflammation Mediators ; metabolism ; Lipids ; blood ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature