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1.
Automatic text-mining as an unbiased approach to uncover molecular associations between periodontitis and coronary artery disease.
Trindade, F, Perpétuo, L, Ferreira, R, Leite-Moreira, A, Falcão-Pires, I, Guedes, S, Vitorino, R
Biomarkers : biochemical indicators of exposure, response, and susceptibility to chemicals. 2021;(5):385-394
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of periodontal and cardiovascular diseases is the result of a sedentary lifestyle associated with poor diet, obesity, hypercholesterolaemia, smoking habits, alcohol consumption and stress. The present study aims to uncover molecular associations between periodontitis and coronary heart disease using an unbiased strategy of automatic text mining traditionally applied to bibliometric studies. A total of 1590 articles on these diseases were retrieved from the Web of knowledge database and searched using the VOS viewer to create a network of keywords associated with both diseases. These data were supplemented with data from DisGeNET, which stores known associations to either periodontitis or coronary heart disease. Overall, the automated text mining approach presented here highlighted inflammatory molecules as common associations between periodontitis and coronary heart disease. Specifically, this study showed that molecules such as C-reactive protein, interleukins 6 and 1-β, myeloperoxidase, and matrix metalloproteinase 9 are simultaneously associated with periodontitis and coronary artery disease by both text mining and DisGeNET analyses. This association validates the multiplex assessment of salivary inflammatory markers as a tool to assess cardiovascular disease risk and could become an important tool to identify common molecular targets to monitor both diseases simultaneously. In addition, the text mining protocol and subsequent data processing and methods using bioinformatics tools could be useful to uncover links between other diseases.
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2.
Effect of curcumin on proinflammatory cytokines: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Gorabi, AM, Razi, B, Aslani, S, Abbasifard, M, Imani, D, Sathyapalan, T, Sahebkar, A
Cytokine. 2021;:155541
Abstract
It has been suggested that curcumin has the potential for lowering inflammation. In the current meta-analysis, we attempted to clarify the efficacy of curcumin/turmeric supplementation in reducing concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in patients with an inflammatory background. The main databases were searched to identify eligible trials evaluating the effect of curcumin in reducing IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α in serum up to March 2021. The effect sizes for weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Overall, 32 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. There was a significant decrease in the serum levels of IL-1 (WMD = -2.33 pg/ml, 95% CI = -3.33 to -1.34, P < 0.001) and TNF-α (WMD = -1.61 pg/ml, 95% CI = -2.72, -0.51, P < 0.001) compared to the placebo group following treatment. Nonetheless, curcumin/turmeric supplementation was non-significantly associated with reduced levels of IL-6 (WMD = -0.33 pg/ml, 95% CI = -0.99-0.34, P = 0.33) and increased levels of IL-8 (WMD = 0.52 pg/ml, 95% CI = -1.13-2.17, P = 0.53). The dose-responses analysis indicated that curcumin/turmeric supplementation resulted in IL-1 and IL-8 alteration in a non-linear model. Subgroup analysis according to duration and dose of treatment and target population revealed diverse outcomes. Curcumin could have a beneficial effect in reducing the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 and TNF-α, but not IL-6 and IL-8 levels.
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Osteoporosis and osteoarthritis are two sides of the same coin paid for obesity.
Oliveira, MC, Vullings, J, van de Loo, FAJ
Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.). 2020;:110486
Abstract
Obesity is characterized by adipose tissue expansion and chronic low-grade inflammation. Among the inflammatory mediators related to obesity development are the adipokines. These cytokines are released from fatty tissues and act in an autocrine, paracrine, or endocrine manner. Adipocytes influence the comorbidities of obesity such as osteoporosis (OP) and osteoarthritis (OA). It is still controversial as to whether OP is associated with either a low or high body mass index, but it is quite clear that the latter condition increases the risk for OA development. Bone marrow adipocytes (BMAs) have the same precursors of osteoblasts, which are the primary cells involved in bone formation, and the amount of BMAs appears to be inversely related to bone mineral density. Although adipokines released by these adipocytes influence bone loss progress, their exact role remains controversial. Differently, the infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) is indicated to protect the function of joint regarding OA. However, there is relatively limited information about the secretion of adipokines and other inflammatory mediators by the IPFP. Despite some inconsistencies, nutritional interventions targeting obesity may also benefit patients with OP and OA. The association among obesity, OP, and OA is quite complex, and many factors need to be explored that are mainly related to the role of adipokines derived locally rather than from visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue. Also, nutritional intervention may affect fatty tissue mass and secretion of inflammatory mediators that may, at least in part, influence other tissues in the organism such as bone and articular cartilage. The aim of this review was to present the latest knowledge about the interrelationship between obesity and OA or OP and to discuss whether a dietary intervention for obesity will hold promise for patients with OA or OP.
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4.
Hyperferritinemia in critically ill COVID-19 patients - Is ferritin the product of inflammation or a pathogenic mediator?
Gómez-Pastora, J, Weigand, M, Kim, J, Wu, X, Strayer, J, Palmer, AF, Zborowski, M, Yazer, M, Chalmers, JJ
Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry. 2020;:249-251
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5.
Cardiovascular Risk Assessment and Therapeutic Implications in Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Halacoglu, J, Shea, LA
Journal of cardiovascular translational research. 2020;(5):878-890
Abstract
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) suffer from a magnitude of excess cardiovascular risk. A paradoxical lipid pattern has been observed in rheumatoid arthritis patients where low levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein are associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. This paper aims to break down the evidence explaining why patients with low to normal LDL, and total cholesterol have such excess cardiovascular risk. A component of the enhanced cardiovascular risk is systemic inflammation and the subsequent pro-atherogenic dyslipidemia patterns. Due to this "lipid paradox," current risk algorithms and guidelines designed for the general population may underestimate cardiovascular risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate some of the discrepancies and layers of cardiovascular risk in RA patients, the role RA medication may have in mitigating or increasing cardiovascular risk, and the possible role of statin therapy.
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6.
Lipoprotein Apheresis and PCSK9-Inhibitors. Impact on Atherogenic Lipoproteins and Anti-Inflammatory Mediators in Familial Hypercholesterolaemia.
Stefanutti, C, Zenti, MG
Current pharmaceutical design. 2018;(31):3634-3637
Abstract
BACKGROUND A combination therapy with PCSK9-inhibitors (PCSK9-I) and lipoprotein-apheresis (LA) may have synergistic effects on circulating lipid and lipoprotein levels, in particular in Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolaemic (HoFH) subjects. The relationships between the above mentioned novel therapeutic approaches as highly effective treatment option for Dyslipidemia in Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolaemic (HeFH) patients deserve further investigation in larger datasets. OBJECTIVE This review aims to present the role of lipoprotein apheresis in the management of familial hypercholesterolaemia and discuss the potential advantages and disadvantages of its combination with PCSK9 inhibitors. METHODS A comprehensive literature search regarding lipoprotein apheresis in patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia and its combination with PCSK9 inhibitors has been performed. RESULTS LA is also a potent therapeutic player having impact on inflammation and related mediators. A large body of evidence on this is available. On the contrary, only few observations are available on PCSK9-I effects on inflammation. CONCLUSIONS It is quite clear that further investigation on possible direct and/or indirect pleiotropic effects of PCSK9-I on inflammatory molecules is necessary and to be expected. Evidence on both arguments with regard to HoFH and HeFH, are reported in short.
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7.
Efficacy of Nutritional Interventions on Inflammatory Markers in Haemodialysis Patients: A Systematic Review and Limited Meta-Analysis.
Khor, BH, Narayanan, SS, Sahathevan, S, Gafor, AHA, Daud, ZAM, Khosla, P, Sabatino, A, Fiaccadori, E, Chinna, K, Karupaiah, T
Nutrients. 2018;(4)
Abstract
Low-grade chronic inflammation is prevalent in patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD) treatment and is linked to the development of premature atherosclerosis and mortality. The non-pharmacological approach to treat inflammation in HD patients through nutritional intervention is well cited. We aimed to assess the efficacy of different nutritional interventions at improving inflammatory outcomes in HD patients, based on markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase for randomized controlled trials (RCT) published before June 2017. Inclusion criteria included RCTs on adult patients on maintenance HD treatment with duration of nutritional interventions for a minimum 4 weeks. Risk of bias was assessed using the Jadad score. In total, 46 RCTs experimenting different nutritional interventions were included in the review and categorized into polyphenols rich foods, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamin D, fibres, and probiotics. Meta-analyses indicated significant reduction in CRP levels by omega-3 fatty acids (Random model effect: -0.667 mg/L, p < 0.001) and vitamin E (fixed model effect: -0.257 mg/L, p = 0.005). Evidence for other groups of nutritional interventions was inconclusive. In conclusion, our meta-analysis provided evidence that omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E could improve inflammatory outcomes in HD patients.
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8.
Markers of Early Vascular Ageing.
Kotsis, V, Antza, C, Doundoulakis, I, Stabouli, S
Current pharmaceutical design. 2017;(22):3200-3204
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiovascular damage is clinically manifested as coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke and peripheral artery disease. The prevalence of these adverse conditions is higher with advancing age. Although many patients present cardiovascular damage late in their life, it is common to see patients with early atherosclerosis in cardiovascular intensive care units at ages lower than 50 years in men and 55 for women. METHODS AND RESULTS In this review of the literature we identified risk factors of early vascular damage. The classic risk factors such as age, gender, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, smoking, alcohol, hypertension, obesity, family history and newer biomarkers such as hs-CRP, folic acid, homocysteine, fibrinogen are neither strong nor predictive of the individual patient's risk to present early cardiovascular disease. All these risk factors have been used to propose risk scores for possible future events but we still lack a single strong marker indicating new onset of disease that will predict the future independently of the classical factors. The role of vascular imaging techniques to identify patients with subclinical atherosclerotic vascular damage before clinical disease, including the effect of known and unknown risk factors on the vascular tree, seems to be very important for intensifying preventive measures in high risk patients. Early arteriosclerosis measured from pulse wave velocity is associated with reduced arterial elasticity and is associated with future cardiovascular events. CONCLUSIONS Vascular measurements may better represent the continuum of cardiovascular disease from a young healthy to an aged diseased vessel that is going to produce adverse clinical events.
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9.
Inflammatory biomarkers of coronary heart disease.
Li, H, Sun, K, Zhao, R, Hu, J, Hao, Z, Wang, F, Lu, Y, Liu, F, Zhang, Y
Frontiers in bioscience (Landmark edition). 2017;(3):504-515
Abstract
Coronary heart disease (CHD), characterized by inflammation and accumulation of plaques mainly comprised of lipids, calcium and inflammatory cells in the walls of coronary arteries. CHD is exacerbated by specific cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. The current review focuses on the critical role of traditional inflammatory biomarkers, including interleukin-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), complement, CD40 and myeloperoxidase (MPO), in the pathogenesis of CHD.
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10.
Local and Systemic Expression of Immunomodulatory Factors in Chronic Pancreatitis.
Komar, HM, Hart, PA, Cruz-Monserrate, Z, Conwell, DL, Lesinski, GB
Pancreas. 2017;(8):986-993
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Abstract
Inflammatory and fibrotic events that drive chronic pancreatitis (CP) are likely orchestrated via signaling of soluble cytokines and chemokines systemically and within the pancreas. However, a comprehensive summary of the expression of such factors during CP has not been reported to date. This information is important given continued interest in targeting cytokines that influence CP pathogenesis. Reported data on the expression change of soluble immunomodulatory factors in human CP patients were identified via a literature search using a single search term. Thirty-one articles meeting the prespecified inclusion criteria were identified to generate a compiled data summary. Compiled data demonstrated up-regulation of several factors in the blood or pancreas microenvironment of CP patients. Nine factors were elevated in both compartments, including fractalkine, IFN-γ, interleukin 1β, IL-6, IL-8, macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, transforming growth factor β, and tumor necrosis factor α. Most up-regulated factors could be classified into one of several functional groups, including inflammation, chemotaxis, angiogenesis, bone remodeling, extracellular matrix remodeling, and pain. After further validation, these factors may be used as biomarkers for disease diagnosis and identification of comorbidities, or as potential therapeutic targets.