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Background: The non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (NHHR) is a newly developed lipid parameter that's used to evaluate cardiovascular disease risk. However, its association with sarcopenia risk has not been explored before. Methods: Data on NHHR and sarcopenia were based on the secondary analysis of the years 2011–2018 of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) dataset. NHHR was nature log-transformed (LnNHHR) to achieve a normal distribution. A multivariate logistic regression and a restricted cubic spline (RCS) model adjusted for associated factors were utilized to evaluate the correlation between NHHR and sarcopenia. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to verify the robustness of the findings. Results: The study cohort comprised 7069 participants, of whom 6497 (91.91 %) were sarcopenia-free, and 572 (8.09 %) exhibited sarcopenia. A significant increase in NHHR was observed in the sarcopenia group compared to the non-sarcopenic group (P

IntroductionIt is well-known that altered hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis process has an important role in the neurodegenerative process in schizophrenia (SZ). However, this neurodegenerative mechanism has not been clarified in SZ. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to determine HPA axis damage in the first-episode, unmedicated schizophrenia (FES) patients and chronic schizophrenia (CSZ) patients in comparison with healthy controls (HC) by means of quantitative analysis of the peripheral blood mRNA expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR), GR transcripts containing exons 1B (GR-1B), and neuron specific enolase (NSE) genes and serum cortisol and NSE, a specific serum marker for neuronal damage.MethodsIn the present study, 43 FES patients, 39 CSZ, and 47 HC were included. The peripheral blood mRNA expressions for GR, GR-1B, and NSE genes were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Serum cortisol and NSE were analyzed by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay technique.ResultsLevels of GR mRNA were significantly lower in FES and CSZ than that in HC. The expression of GR-1B mRNA was significantly decreased in CSZ when compared with that in FES. Levels of NSE mRNA were significantly lower in CSZ than that in FES patients or HC patients. CSZ patients showed significantly lower cortisol concentrations than FES and HC patients. FES patients showed significantly higher NSE concentrations than CSZ and HC.ConclusionOur findings support that there is disrupted HPA axis system in the SZ and suggest that CSZ patients suffer a greater HPA axis damage than FES patients. Our research implicated underlying GR mRNA dysregulation in SZ and the potential importance of the functional GR-1B transcription in CSZ.

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a debilitating and heterogeneous disease. We hypothesized that the oxytocin (OXT) system, inflammation and one-carbon metabolism would have a link with SZ. In this study, serum OXT, OXT receptor (OXTR), interleukin-6 (IL-6), high sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) and homocysteine (Hcy) levels were measured in 52 first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients and 41 healthy controls (HC) from the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. Meanwhile, the mRNA expressions of OXT and OXTR genes were determined by real-time quantitative PCR. Serum OXT and OXTR levels were significantly lower in FES patients (518.96 ± 22.22 and 174.60 ± 17.11 pg/ml) than the HC group (711.58 ± 40.57 and 252.15 ± 20.62 pg/ml). Serum IL-6 and hsCRP levels showed no difference between the two groups (1.82 ± 0.30 vs. 1.69 ± 0.36 pg/ml, 0.66 (0.22, 1.07) vs. 0.31 (0.13, 0.91) mg/L), but serum Hcy levels were significantly higher in FES patients (20.18 ± 1.83 vs. 15.24 ± 0.82 μmol/ml). The FES patients (0.27 ± 0.02 and 0.20 ± 0.02) have relatively higher mRNA expressions of OXT and OXTR genes than the HC group (0.16 ± 0.01 and 0.14 ± 0.01). In summary, our results suggested the possible function of the OXT system and Hcy in the pathogenesis of SZ.

The aim of this study is to explore the changes and clinical significance of serum C3, C4, hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and uric acid (UA) in patients of bipolar disorder (BD). In this case-control study, we recruited 141 BD patients from The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, and 151 age and gender matched healthy controls (HC) from the health management central of The Second Xiangya Hospital. These patients were divided into two subgroups based on medicines use: 91 patients were treated with psychiatric drugs and 50 patients were drugs free, or four subgroups based on mood states: 54 patients in manic/hypomanic phase, 30 patients in depressive phase, 52 patients in euthymic phase and 5 patients in mixed phase. Serum levels of C3, C4, hsCRP and UA were measured in all subjects. The serum C3 levels in BD patients (0.9981 ± 0.1849 g/L) were significantly lower than that in HC group (1.0637 ± 0.2186 g/L), especially the drugs free subgroup and the euthymic subgroup (0.975 ± 0.153 and 0.983 ± 0.182 g/L), while the serum UA levels were significantly higher (354.6 ± 90.4 vs. 332.9 ± 88.7 μmol/L), especially the drug-treated subgroup and manic/hypomanic subgroup (361.56 ± 93.20 and 376.70 ± 88.89 μmol/L), and rates of hyperuricaemia (31.91 vs. 17.88%) were significantly higher in BD patients than in HC group. The serum C4 and hsCRP levels in HC group showed no significant difference with BD patients in whole or those subgroups. These findings suggested that the complement and purinergic systems of BD patients might be disrupted, the UA levels could be a potential marker in manic phase and the C3 might be the marker of therapeutic evaluation of BD patients.

Background: In adult females, mycoplasma infection is common and challenging to diagnose. This study aimed to use retrospective laboratory data to construct a nomogram for predicting the mycoplasma infection of individuals with probable urogenital tract mycoplasma infection. Methods: A total of 2,859 patients with suspected urogenital tract mycoplasma infection were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Demographics and routine examinations of leucorrhea were used to develop a nomogram for predicting mycoplasma infection. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method was applied to filter variables and select predictors, and multivariable logistic regression was used to construct a nomogram. The discriminatory ability of the model was determined by calculating the area under the curve (AUC). The performance and clinical utility of the nomogram were generated by using Harrell's concordance index, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: By using the LASSO regression method, seven variables (age, white blood cell, epithetical cell, cleanliness, candidiasis vaginalis, sialidases, and leukocyte esterase) were chosen, and a nomogram was constructed using these variables. The prediction nomogram (0.676, 95% CI: 0.611 - 0.744) demonstrated a satisfactory performance. The prediction model's AUC was 0.679 (95% CI: 0.660 - 0.691). Furthermore, the DCA showed a good clinical net benefit based on the mycoplasma infection nomogram. Conclusions: A nomogram was created in this study, which included seven demographic and clinical characteristics of female patients. The nomogram could be of great value for the diagnosis of mycoplasma infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Monitoring the thyroid hormones during pregnancy is of great importance for fetal growth and development. Throughout the whole pregnancy, there is constant fluctuation in the thyroid hormone reference intervals (RIs). The purpose of this study is to determine method- and trimester-specific RIs for thyroid-stimulating hormone, free thyroxine, and free triiodothyronine in pregnant women in China. Methods: In this study, 2,167 women with normal pregnancies (first trimester, n = 299; second trimester, n = 1,032; third trimester, n = 836) and 4,231 healthy nonpregnant women subjects were recruited. Serum thyroidstimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), and free triiodothyronine (fT3) concentrations were measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassays in Abbott Alinity i analyzer. Following the exclusion of outliers, the RIs were determined using three statistical techniques: the non-parametric method, the Hoffmann method, and the Q-Q plot method. Results: Pregnant women's levels of these three thyroid hormones differ markedly from those of healthy non-pregnant women. In addition, the concentrations of these three hormones change considerably over the course of the three phases of pregnancy. The Q-Q plot method offered more comparable RIs with the non-parametric method in healthy non-pregnant women than the Hoffmann method. Three statistical techniques were used to construct the trimester-specific RIs of thyroid hormones in pregnant women, and there was little difference between them all. The RIs by the non-parametric and Q-Q plot methods indicated closer RIs, and the RIs by the Hoffmann approach were higher and wider than those by the other two methods. Conclusions: For thyroid hormones, trimester-specific RIs are required. The RIs determined by non-parametric and Q-Q plot indirect calculation could be used as the alternative method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship of several platelet volume indices with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in a large cohort of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted on 1,729 T2DM patients. The database was based on the laboratory information system of the Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine of the First Affiliated Hospital of Shaoyang University from May 2017 to February 2018. These patients were divided into two subgroups depending on their platelet volume indices and HbA1c levels. Results: Mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW) and platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR) were positively correlated with HbA1c levels (all p < 0.01), but not the thrombocytocrit (PCT). The platelet, MPV, PDW, P-LCR, and glucose levels were significantly higher in the higher HbA1c subgroup (≥ 6.5%) than that in lower subgroup (< 6.5%) (p < 0.01). The platelet, MPV, P-LCR, PCT, HbA1c, and glucose levels were significantly higher in higher PDW subgroup (≥ 17 fL) than that in lower subgroup (< 17 fL) (p < 0.01). In the higher MPV subgroup (≥ 12 fL), the platelet, PDW, P-LCR, PCT, HbA1c, and glucose levels were significantly higher than that in lower subgroup (< 12 fL) (p < 0.01). Conclusions: These platelet volume indices were positively correlated with HbA1c in T2DM patients, which might provide potential new parameters to monitor glucose control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]