PURPOSE: To evaluate lipid profiles and liver enzymes as surrogate markers used for recognizing insulin resistance in Korean women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 458 women with PCOS were divided into two groups: non-obese with a body mass index (BMI)<25.0 kg/m2 and obese with a BMI> or =25.0 kg/m2. Anthropometric measures and blood sampling for hormone assay, liver enzymes, lipid profiles and 75 g oral glucose tolerance test were performed. Insulin resistance was defined as homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)> or =2.5. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to compare the power of serum markers. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the contribution of each confounding factor for HOMA-IR. RESULTS: In non-obese and obese groups, the ROC curve analyses demonstrated that the best marker for insulin resistance was triglyceride (TG), with the areas under the ROC curve of 0.617 and 0.837, respectively. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was the significant marker for insulin resistance with areas under the ROC curve of 0.698 in obese group, but not significant in non-obese group. TG and LDL-C were significantly associated with HOMA-IR in both non-obese and obese PCOS women by multiple linear regression analysis. The optimal cut-off points of TG> or =68.5 was a marker for predicting insulin resistance in non-obese PCOS patients and TG> or =100.5 in obese group. CONCLUSION: TG can be used as a useful marker for insulin resistance in Korean women with PCOS, especially for obese patients.
Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/ethnology ; Biological Markers/blood ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol, LDL/blood ; Female ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Humans ; Insulin/blood ; Insulin Resistance/ethnology/*physiology ; Lipids/blood ; Obesity/*blood/ethnology ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/*blood/ethnology ; ROC Curve ; Regression Analysis ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Triglycerides/*blood

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim was to determine which of three sets of metabolic syndrome (MetS) criteria (International Diabetes Federation [IDF], National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III [ATP III], and European Group for the Study of Insulin Resistance [EGIR]) best predicts the coronary artery calcification (CAC) score in a cross-sectional study. This has not been evaluated in previous studies. METHODS: A total of 24,060 subjects were screened for CAC by multi-detector computed tomography. The presence of CAC was defined as a CAC score > 0. The odds ratio for the presence of CAC was analyzed for three different sets of MetS criteria and according to number of MetS components. RESULTS: CAC was observed in 12.6% (3,037) of the subjects. Patients with MetS, as defined by the IDF, ATP III, and EGIR criteria, had a CAC rate of 23.0%, 25.1%, and 29.5%, respectively (p < 0.001). Comparisons of C statistics for multivariate regression models revealed no significant difference among the three sets of criteria. After adjustment for risk factors, the ATP III criteria produced a slightly higher odds ratio for CAC compared with the other criteria, but this difference was not significant. The risk factor-adjusted odds ratio for the presence of CAC increased from 1 to 1.679 as the number of MetS components defined by ATP III increased from 0 to > or = 3 (p for trend < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of MetS was associated with the presence of CAC. There was no significant difference among the three sets of MetS criteria in terms of the ability to predict CAC. An increase in the number of MetS components was associated with an increased odds of CAC.
Adult ; Asymptomatic Diseases ; Biological Markers/blood ; Calcium/*analysis ; Coronary Angiography/methods ; Coronary Artery Disease/blood/*epidemiology/radiography ; Coronary Vessels/*chemistry/radiography ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome X/blood/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Middle Aged ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Multivariate Analysis ; Odds Ratio ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Vascular Calcification/blood/*epidemiology/metabolism/radiography

BACKGROUND/AIMS: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a serologic activity marker in Crohn's disease (CD), but it may be less useful in evaluating CD activity in ileal CD patients. We aimed to investigate the usefulness of CRP as a disease activity marker in CD according to disease location. METHODS: Korean CD patients in a single hospital were evaluated. Factors associated with elevated CRP concentration at the time of diagnosis of CD and the association between the physician's prediction regarding upcoming surgery and the sites of the lesions directly related to surgery were analyzed. RESULTS: Of 435 CD patients, 25.7%, 6.9%, and 67.4% had ileal, colonic, and ileocolonic CD, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, reduced serum albumin, CD activity index (CDAI) >220, and ileocolonic/colonic location were associated with an elevated CRP level and that the CRP level was significantly correlated with the CDAI in all CD patients (gamma=0.466, p<0.01). However, the correlation coefficient was dependent on the location, with values of 0.395, 0.456, and 0.527 in patients with an ileal, ileocolonic, and colonic disease location, respectively. Surgery for ileal lesions was less predictable than surgery for ileocolonic or colonic lesions during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: CRP is less useful as a disease activity marker in patients with ileal CD than those with ileocolonic or colonic CD.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Biological Markers/blood ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein/*analysis ; Child ; Colon/pathology ; Crohn Disease/blood/*diagnosis/pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Ileum/pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Serum Albumin/analysis ; Severity of Illness Index ; Young Adult

Dirofilaria immitis (heartworm) infections affect domestic dogs, cats, and various wild mammals with increasing incidence in temperate and tropical areas. More sensitive antibody detection methodologies are required to diagnose asymptomatic dirofilariasis with low worm burdens. Applying current transcriptomic technologies would be useful to discover potential diagnostic markers for D. immitis infection. A filarial homologue of the mammalian translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) was initially identified by screening the assembled transcriptome of D. immitis (DiTCTP). A BLAST analysis suggested that the DiTCTP gene shared the highest similarity with TCTP from Loa loa at protein level (97%). A histidine-tagged recombinant DiTCTP protein (rDiTCTP) of 40 kDa expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) showed immunoreactivity with serum from a dog experimentally infected with heartworms. Localization studies illustrated the ubiquitous presence of rDiTCTP protein in the lateral hypodermal chords, dorsal hypodermal chord, muscle, intestine, and uterus in female adult worms. Further studies on D. immitis-derived TCTP are warranted to assess whether this filarial protein could be used for a diagnostic purpose.
Animal Structures/chemistry ; Animals ; Antibodies, Helminth/blood ; Antigens, Helminth/chemistry/*genetics/immunology/*isolation & purification ; Cloning, Molecular ; Dirofilaria immitis/chemistry/*genetics/immunology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dogs ; Escherichia coli/genetics ; Gene Expression ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Molecular Weight ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins/chemistry/genetics/immunology/isolation & purification ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Tumor Markers, Biological/chemistry/*genetics/immunology/*isolation & purification

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of epidermal growth factor-like domain 7 (EGFL7) in epithelial ovarian cancer, and to assess its relevance to clinicopathological characteristics and patients' survival. METHODS: A total of 177 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer were enrolled in the current study. For each patient, a retrospective review of medical records was conducted. Immunohistochemical staining for EGFL7 was performed using tissue microarrays made with paraffin-embedded tissue block. EGFL7 expression levels were graded on a grade of 0 to 3 based on the percentage of positive cancer cells. We analyzed the correlations between the expression of EGFL7 and various clinical parameters, and also analyzed the survival outcome according to the EGFL7 expression. RESULTS: The expression of EGFL7 in ovarian cancer tissues was observed in 98 patients (55.4%). High expression of EGFL7 (grade 2 or 3) was significantly correlated with pathologic type, differentiation, stage, residual tumor after debulking surgery, lymphovascular space involvement, lymph node metastasis, high cancer antigen 125, peritoneal cytology, and ascites. Among these clinicopathologic factors, differentiation was significantly correlated with EGFL7 expression in multivariate analysis (p<0.05). Survival analysis showed that the patients with high EGFL7 expression had a poorer disease free survival than those with low EGFL7 expression (p=0.002). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that EGFL7 expression is a novel predictive factor for the clinical progression of epithelial ovarian cancer, and may constitute a therapeutic target for antiangiogenesis therapy in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.
Adult ; CA-125 Antigen/blood ; Cell Differentiation/physiology ; Endothelial Growth Factors/*metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins/metabolism ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Ovarian Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis ; Tumor Markers, Biological/*metabolism

BACKGROUND: Effective treatment and monitoring of tuberculosis (TB) requires biomarkers that can be easily evaluated in blood samples. The aim of this study was to analyze the serum proteome of patients with TB and to identify protein biomarkers for TB. METHODS: Serum samples from 26 TB patients and 31 controls were analyzed by using nano-flow ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry in data-independent mode, and protein and peptide amounts were calculated by using a label-free quantitative approach. The generated data were analyzed by using principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis, a multivariate statistical method. RESULTS: Of more than 500 proteins identified, alpha-1-antitrypsin was the most discriminative, which was 4.4 times higher in TB patients than in controls. Peptides from alpha-1-antitrypsin and antithrombin III increased in TB patients and showed a high variable importance in the projection scores and coefficient in partial least square discriminant analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Sera from patients with TB had higher alpha-1-antitrypsin levels than sera from control participants. Alpha-1-antitrypsin levels may aid in the diagnosis of TB.
Adult ; Aged ; Antithrombin III/analysis ; Biological Markers/blood ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Discriminant Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Proteome/*analysis ; *Proteomics ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; Tuberculosis/*blood/genetics/metabolism ; alpha 1-Antitrypsin/analysis

The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of combined use of white blood cell (WBC), hemoglobin (Hb), and platelet distribution width (PDW) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study included 1,332 consecutive patients with AMI. Patients were categorized into complete blood cell (CBC) group 0 (n=346, 26.0%), 1 (n=622, 46.7%), 2 (n=324, 24.3%), and 3 (n=40, 3.0%) according to the sum of the value defined by the cut-off levels of WBC (1, > or =14.5x10(3)/microL; 0, <14.5x10(3)/microL), Hb (1, <12.7 g/dL; 0, > or =12.7 g/dL), and PDW (1, > or =51.2%; 0: <51.2%). In-hospital death occurred in 59 (4.4%) patients. Patients who died during index hospitalization had higher WBC and PDW and lower Hb. The patients could be stratified for in-hospital mortality according to CBC group; 1.2%, 2.7%, 9.0%, and 22.5% in CBC groups 0, 1, 2, and 3 (P<0.001), respectively. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, CBC group> or =2 (odds ratio, 3.604; 95% confidence interval, 1.040-14.484, P=0.043) was an independent predictor for in-hospital death. The prognostic impact of the combined use of CBC markers remained significant over 12 months. In conclusions, combination of WBC, Hb, and PDW, a cheap and simple hematologic marker, is useful in early risk stratification of patients with AMI.
Acute Disease ; Aged ; Biological Markers/blood ; Blood Platelets/*cytology/physiology ; Female ; Hemoglobins/*analysis ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytes/*cytology ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction/*diagnosis/mortality ; Odds Ratio ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; ROC Curve ; Risk Factors

Although the age-adjusted Framingham risk score (AFRS), flow-mediated dilation (FMD), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), fibrinogen, homocysteine, and free fatty acid (FFA) can predict future cardiovascular events (CVEs), a comparison of these risk assessments for patients with stable angina has not been reported. We enrolled 203 patients with stable angina who had been scheduled for coronary angiography (CAG). After CAG, 134 patients showed significant coronary artery disease. During 4.2 yr follow-up, 36 patients (18%) showed CVEs, including myocardial infarction, de-novo coronary artery revascularization, in-stent restenosis, stroke, and cardiovascular death. ROC analysis showed that AFRS, FMD, baPWV, and hsCRP could predict CVEs (with AUC values of 0.752, 0.707, 0.659, and 0.702, respectively, all P<0.001 except baPWV P=0.003). A Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that AFRS and FMD were independent predictors of CVEs (HR, 2.945; 95% CI, 1.572-5.522; P=0.001 and HR, 0.914; 95% CI, 0.826-0.989; P=0.008, respectively). However, there was no difference in predictive power between combining AFRS plus FMD and AFRS alone (AUC 0.752 vs. 0.763; z=1.358, P=0.175). In patients with stable angina, AFRS and FMD are independent predictors of CVEs. However, there is no additive value of FMD on the AFRS in predicting CVEs.
Adult ; Aged ; Angina, Stable/*physiopathology ; Biological Markers/analysis/blood ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Coronary Artery Disease/*diagnosis ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Female ; Heart/*physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction/physiopathology ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Pulsatile Flow ; Pulse Wave Analysis/*methods ; ROC Curve ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors

Body fat is an important source of adipokine, which is associated with energy balance and inflammatory and immune responses. However, the role of adipokines in coronary artery complications in Kawasaki disease (KD) has not yet been fully explained. We investigated whether serum adipokine level can be a useful marker for patients with KD who are at higher risk of developing coronary artery lesion (CAL). We measured adipokine levels and other inflammatory parameters in 40 patients with KD, 32 febrile controls, and 15 afebrile controls. Interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and other laboratory parameters were also measured before and after intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, and in the convalescent phase. At admission, the serum resistin levels in KD children were significantly higher than those in controls (177.56 ng/mL in KD children, 76.48 ng/mL in febrile controls, and 17.95 ng/mL in afebrile controls). In patients with KD, resistin levels were significantly associated with decreased hemoglobin levels (P=0.049) and increased IL-6 levels (P=0.014). The serum IL-6 levels were significantly higher and body mass index was significantly lower in the group of KD with CALs than those without CALs (228.26 ng/mL vs. 39.18 ng/mL and 15.09 vs. 16.60, respectively). In conclusion, resistin is significantly elevated in KD patients, although it has no prognostic value of predicting coronary artery lesion in the acute stage.
Biological Markers/*blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Coronary Vessels/pathology ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Hemoglobins/analysis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous/therapeutic use ; Inflammation/blood/immunology ; Interleukin-6/*blood ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome/*blood/pathology ; Resistin/*blood ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/*blood

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Transferrin and alpha-1 antitrypsin are reportedly associated with liver fibrosis. We evaluated the usefulness of serum transferrin and alpha-1 antitrypsin as new liver fibrosis markers in patients with chronic hepatitis B. METHODS: The study included 293 patients with chronic hepatitis B who underwent a liver biopsy between October 2005 and June 2009, and who had no history of hepatocellular carcinoma. Serum markers and liver fibrosis stages were compared. RESULTS: Univariate analysis revealed that age (P<0.001), serum platelet count (P<0.001), and serum alkaline phosphatase level (P=0.003) differed significantly between the patients with and without liver cirrhosis. Serum transferrin levels were significantly lower in advanced fibrosis than in mild fibrosis in both univariate analysis (P=0.002) and multivariate analysis (P=0.009). In addition, the serum transferrin level was significantly lower in cirrhotic patients than in noncirrhotic patients (P=0.020). However, the serum level of alpha-1 antitrypsin was not significantly associated with liver cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B. CONCLUSIONS: Serum transferrin could be promising serum marker for predicting advanced liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Area Under Curve ; Biological Markers/blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/complications/*diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies ; Transferrins/*blood ; Young Adult ; alpha 1-Antitrypsin/blood