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The objective of this study was to determine the serum concentration of angiogenic factors (vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF; transforming growth factor beta, TGF-beta1; hepatic growth factor, HGF; basic fibroblast growth factor, bFGF; tumor necrosis factor alpha, TNF-alpha; soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1, sVEGF-R1; soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, sVEGF-R2), the relationships among them and to assess the relation of their levels with the applied therapy in 48 females with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE; 37 long-term treated +11 newly diagnosed). The control group consisted of 24 healthy women. A statistically significant increase of sVEGF-R2 and significant decrease of sVEGF-R1 were observed in the subgroup of newly diagnosed SLE patients as compared to the control subjects. No significant differences were found between serum angiogenic factors in the long-term treated subgroup and the control, the long-term treated subgroup and the newly diagnosed SLE patients after a 3-month treatment, and the subgroup of newly diagnosed SLE patients before therapy and after a 3-month treatment. The significant decrease in the serum of sVEGF-R2 was revealed in the subgroup treated for a long-time as compared to the subgroup of newly diagnosed untreated SLE patients. The analysis of relationships between serum concentration of sVEGF-R1 and other cytokines levels revealed positive correlation with concentration of VEGF and TNF-alpha in the total group of patients. In the newly diagnosed untreated subgroup, a strong positive correlation between concentration of sVEGF-R1 and bFGF was observed. Furthermore, a moderate positive correlation between concentration of sVEGF-R1 and the level of VEGF was revealed in the long-term treated patients. The association between sVEGF-R2 and HGF was also noted in this subgroup. The obtained data suggest the necessity of further investigations to determine the importance of angiogenic factors in pathogenesis and therapy of SLE.

The aim of the present study was to determine serum concentrations of visfatin in obese women in comparison to normal-weight controls. Study subjects were 21 obese women without additional disease (age, 29.0+/-4.9 years; body mass index, 37.1+/-6.1 kg/m2) and 16 healthy, normal-weight women (age, 29.9+/-5.4 years; body mass index, 22.5+/-1.7 kg/m2). Body composition was measured by bioimpedance. Serum concentrations of visfatin were assayed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (Phoenix Pharmaceuticals, Burlingame, CA). Insulin was determined by radioimmunoassay and glucose by colorimetric method. Serum concentration of visfatin was significantly higher in obese women when compared to controls. Positive correlations between serum concentrations of visfatin and insulin in the obese group were found. In the control group, we observed positive correlations between serum concentrations of visfatin and glucose. In conclusion, the observed increase of visfatin in obesity may be a counterregulation preventing further glucose increase.

Cytokine activation may be connected to increase of clinical symptoms both of coronary heart disease and lower limbs atherosclerosis. Our aim is to determine the influence of the atherosclerosis generalization upon immune activation in coronary heart disease, with regard to ECG stress test. 127 patients have been included in the study: 21 with stable angina and peripheral artery disease (PAD)--group A, and 106 with stable angina--group B. 20 healthy persons comprised the control group (group K). The serum concentration of TNF alpha, sTNFR 1, E-selectin and sVCAM-1 has been measured before and after the ECG stress test, using the ELISA method. Serum concentration levels of TNF alpha (A: 17.8 +/- 6.2 pg/ml, B: 17.4 +/- 3.8 pg/ml) and sTNFR 1 (A: 1678.5 +/- 600 pg/ml, B: 1376.4 +/- 558 pg/ml) have been significantly higher in both research groups than in the control group K (8.3 +/- 1.4 pg/ml, p < 0.001; 1093.9 +/- 457 pg/ml, p < 0.01). The sTNFR 1 concentration has been significantly higher in group A than in group B (p < 0.05). A significant post-exercise increase in E-selectin serum concentration has been observed, regardless to coincidence of lower limbs atherosclerosis. The atherosclerosis generalization level, e.g. the prevalence of PAD, in patients with coronary heart disease has an influence on immune activation--patients with lower limbs atherosclerosis are characterized by higher sTNFR 1 serum level. The ECG stress test induces the increase of E-selectin serum concentration in coronary patients, regardless of PAD.

Background: Dynamic instability of coronary atherosclerotic plaque results in the development of both unstable angina and myocardial infarction. The aim of the study was to investigate the dynamics of serum concentrations of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)alpha, interleukin (IL)-10, and IL-2 in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and unstable angina (UA) as compared to stable angina (SA) patients and healthy volunteers., Methods: A total of 189 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) were studied: 100 patients with SA (class II/III according to CCS), 57 patients with UA (Braunwald class IIIB; determinations at 6, 24, and 48 h after chest pain), and 32 patients with MI (determinations at admission, on the 7th and 30th days after MI). Twenty healthy volunteers acted as controls., Results: Serum TNFalpha levels were elevated in all CAD groups (SA: 17.3+/-4; UA: 18.7+/-4; MI: 22.0+/-3 pg/ml; p<0.001) in comparison to the controls (8.3+/-1.4 pg/ml). However, the highest values were characteristic of MI patients, especially values obtained at admission (p<0.01 versus SA and UA). Mean serum concentrations of IL-2 were significantly higher in patients with MI and UA (89.6+/-40; 87.0+/-24 pg/ml, respectively; p<0.01) when compared to SA and the control group (58.3+/-49; and 51.5+/-39, respectively). Serum IL-10 levels were also higher in MI and UA patients. Levels of IL-2 and IL-10 measured following chest pain in unstable patients, as well as their consecutive determinations in MI patients did not show any change dynamics, that is, they were persistently elevated., Conclusions: When compared to stable CAD and healthy subjects, acute coronary syndromes are associated with long-term increase of serum concentrations of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. It seems likely that sudden CAD progression leading to acute coronary syndromes is triggered/accompanied by prolonged immune activation.

Objective: The inflammatory processes as well as the lipid disturbances play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of the hyperlipidaemias on serum levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, the soluble form of TNF receptor (sTNFR) 1 and 2, Interleukin (IL)-10 in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD)., Methods and Results: The study group comprised 94 consecutive admissions with stable CAD: 39 patients with hypercholesterolaemia (group HC), 22 patients with mixed hyperlipidaemia (group HL) and 33 patients with normal lipids (group NL). Twenty healthy volunteers were the controls (group C). Serum TNFalpha levels were higher in all CAD groups (p < 0.001) than in healthy subjects. Mean serum concentrations of sTNFR 1 were significantly higher in group NL (p < 0.05) in comparison both to group HC and controls. IL-10 levels were higher in group HC than in controls (p < 0.5). In all CAD patients TNFalpha showed a negative correlation with HDL-cholesterol (p < 0.001) and a positive correlation with triglycerides (p < 0.00 1). Moreover, sTNFR 1 and IL-10 showed a negative (p < 0.05) and sTNFR 2 a positive correlation with LDL-cholesterol (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: CAD patients are characterized by increased serum concentrations of TNFalpha. It seems likely that immune activation (TNFalpha, sTNFR 1, sTNFR 2, and IL- 10) in CAD patients is related to serum lipids levels.

Background: There is growing evidence that cytokines play a pathogenic role in both heart failure and atherosclerosis. The aim of our study was to assess serum levels of selected cytokines and soluble forms of receptors in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), and the relation between these concentrations and left ventricular (LV) systolic function., Material/methods: We measured serum levels of TNFalpha, sTNFR 1 and 2, IL-2, and IL-10 in 100 patients with CAD: 70 patients with LV regional wall motion disturbances (group A); and 30 patients with normal LV function (group B). The control group (group C) consisted of 20 healthy volunteers., Results: Mean serum TNFalpha and IL-10 concentrations were significantly higher in groups A (18.3 +/- 3.5; 55.4 +/- 118.5 pg/ml) and B (17.9 +/- 4.9; 45.3 +/- 76.8 pg/ml) than in controls (8.3 +/- 1.4, p<0.001; 14.3 +/- 28.5, p<0.05; respectively). Moreover, in group A serum levels of sTNFR 1 were higher (1367.4 +/- 531.1 pg/ml) than in group C (1093.9 +/- 456.9 pg/ml; p<0.05). No differences were found in the study groups between serum sTNFR 2 and IL-2 levels. In group A, both the LV ejection fraction and motion score index correlated with TNFalpha (r=-0.277; r=0.282; p<0.05), and sTNFR 1 levels (r=-0.258; r=0.280; p < 0.05)., Conclusions: The serum concentrations of TNFalpha and IL-10 are increased in patients with CAD. Additionally, patients with impaired LV contractility have higher sTNFR 1 concentrations. Serum cytokine activation may play a role in the development of heart failure in patients with CAD.

Abstract: Background: Intraluminal thrombus (ILT) formation plays a significant role in the progression of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). Potentially, as ILT thickness increases the availability of trace elements in the aneurysm wall could decrease thereby leading to oxidative stress and intensifying pro-inflammatory cytokine generation. Aim: To determine if thrombus thickness is related to the concentration of trace elements in the wall of infrarenal AAA. Patients and methods: The concentrations of trace elements in the wall of the aneurysm sack and ILT obtained from 19 consecutive patients during surgery for infrarenal AAA were determined using emission spectrometry. Results: The concentrations of magnesium, zinc, manganese, and lead in the wall of AAA were significantly greater than in the ILT. Only the concentration of copper was lower in the AAA wall compared with the thrombus. The concentration of calcium, phosphorus, zinc, lead, copper, and magnesium increased with ILT thickness. The concentrations of no other trace elements in the wall of AAA were found to be related to the ILT thickness. Conclusions: Intraluminal thrombus thickness is not associated with a lower concentration of trace elements in the wall of the infrarenal AAA. Thus, the intraluminal thrombus participates in the progression of AAA by mechanisms independent of trace element supply to the wall of the aneurysm sack. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Increased angiogenesis is observed both in the inflammatory and in the neoplasmatic tissue. The aim of the study was to assess the diagnostic significance of serum concentration of vascular-endothelial growth factor (sVEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (sbFGF) in the various forms of lymphadenopathy in children. Ninety-four children with lymphadenopathy were studied: group A, 52 patients with lymphadenitis; group B, 42 patients with lymphomas. Group B was divided into subgroups: BP, children with lymphomas in peripheral lymph nodes and BM, children with lymphomas in peripheral lymph nodes and mediastinal tumor. The healthy control group was 20 children. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays the authors quantified VEGF and bFGF in serum of healthy children and of children with lymphadenopathy. The sVEGF in group A was significantly higher than controls (313.8 versus 44.6 pg/mL; P <.05) and in group B was 633.4 pg/mL and was significantly higher than controls (P <.0001). The sVEGF and bFGF in group A versus subgroup BP were significantly lower (P VEGF <.05, P bFGF <.05), and sVEGF in subgroup BP versus BM was significantly lower (P <.05). These results show that the evaluation of serum VEGF concentration might be useful as noninvasive diagnosis of some chronic peripheral lymphadenopathies in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cytokines may play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: We examined serum concentrations of selected pro- (TNFα, IL-2) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines, and soluble forms of TNF receptors (sTNFR 1 and sTNFR 2) by ELISA in 45 patients with stable exertional angina (group 1), 32 patients with unstable angina (group 2), and 20 healthy subjects (group C). Results: Serum concentrations of both TNFα (group 1, 18.3; group 2, 17.2 pg/ml; P<0.001) and IL-10 (group 1, 46.1; group 2, 41.5 pg/ml; P<0.05) were significantly higher in patients with CAD than in group C (8.3 and 14.3 pg/ml, respectively). sTNFR 1 serum level was higher in group 1 (1399.6; P<0.05) than in healthy volunteers (1093.9 pg/ml). In turn, the serum level of IL-2 was significantly higher in unstable patients than it was in groups 1 and C (89.4, 59.8 and 52.8 pg/ml, respectively). In group 1, both TNFα and IL-2 correlated with serum lipids. Conclusions: Patients with CAD, irrespective of the form of the disease, have higher serum levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines than control subjects. Increased concentrations of IL-2 in unstable angina may suggest additional immunologic activation. The pro-inflammatory cytokine levels seem to be related to lipid disturbances. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]