This study aimed to test whether mtDNA copy number correlates with oxidative stress and predicts all-cause mortality in nondiabetic hemodialysis patients.
Methods: Ninety-five nondiabetic hemodialysis patients and 95 healthy subjects were enrolled. Plasma thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and plasma free thiol were used as indicators of oxidative stress and antioxidant defense, respectively. Mitochondrial DNA copy number in peripheral blood leukocytes was measured by determining relative amounts of mtDNA to nuclear DNA by quantitative real-time PCR. All-cause mortality of hemodialysis patient was recorded during a follow-up of 3 years.
Results: Nondiabetic hemodialysis patients showed higher Birinapant TBARS levels,
lower free thiol levels and higher mtDNA copy numbers compared with normal control subjects. The plasma TBARS level was a significant factor correlating positively to the mtDNA copy number (p=0.024). Patients with a mtDNA copy number higher than the median had a higher all-cause mortality than patients with a lower mtDNA copy number (17.0% vs. 4.2%; log-rank test: p=0.038). A 1-log increase in mtDNA copy number was independently related
to an increase in the risk for mortality (hazard ratio 21.360; 95% selleck chemicals llc confidence interval, 1.298-351.572).
Conclusions: Nondiabetic hemodialysis patients had higher oxidative stress and mtDNA copy numbers than healthy subjects. The mtDNA copy number correlates with oxidative stress and predicts mortality in nondiabetic hemodialysis patients.”
“Objective: The use of a pacifier has been reported to be a causative factor of recurrent acute otitis media (RAOM) because the negative pressure which is generated during sucking may
cause a negative intra-tympanic pressure and favour the reflux of nasopharyngeal secretions into the Eustachian tube. Push and pull (P&P) plastic bottle caps, recently marketed in Italy, might also induce negative nasopharyngeal pressure. JNK inhibitor This study was aimed to investigate if there is a difference in the prevalence of habitual use of P&P plastic bottle caps among children with a positive history of RAOM and healthy controls.
Methods: A telephonic interview was performed in order to retrospectively evaluate the prevalence of habitual use of P&P plastic bottle cap among children with a history of RAOM and healthy controls, comparable to the former for environmental risk factors for RAOM.
Results: Data were obtained from 57 Caucasian patients (males = 36/57; 63.2%) with a median age of 59 (range = 21-90) months, including 28 children with a history of RAOM and 29 healthy controls. Habitual use of P&P plastic bottle cap was significantly (p = 0.047) more frequent in children with a history of RAOM (14/28; 50.0%) than in control group (7/29; 24.2%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age confirmed a significant association (p < 0.01; Pseudo R-2 = 0.2) between the use of P&P plastic bottle cap and a positive history of RAOM (adjusted OR = 4.0; range = 1.