Alexandre C. Pereira

Association of the MCP-1 −2518 A/G Polymorphism and No Association of Its Receptor CCR2 −64 V/I Polymorphism with Lupus Nephritis

Objective. To evaluate whether the A/G polymorphism at position −2518 in the regulatory region of the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) or the V/I polymorphism at position −64 of the receptor, CCR2, are associated with lupus nephritis (LN) or any clinical characteristics of the disease or with renal survival in a patient population. Methods. We selected 197 patients with lupus nephritis and 220 matched healthy controls for study. MCP-1 and CCR2 genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction. Clinical and laboratory data were compiled from patients’ charts over followup that ranged from 6 months to 10 years. Results. The G/G genotype of MCP-1 was more common in LN patients (p = 0.019), while the A allele was associated with healthy controls (p = 0.007) as was the V allele of CCR2 (p = 0.046) compared to LN patients. Clinical index measures [SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI)], immunological markers, renal histology, renal function at enrollment, and renal survival were not influenced by these polymorphisms. A less aggressive renal disease, measured by renal SLEDAI index, was associated with the V allele of the CCR2 gene polymorphism. Conclusion. These findings support that MCP-1 −2518 G/G is associated with LN but there was no association of this genotype with renal function or renal survival. When studying CCR2 −64 V/I polymorphism we showed a positive association of the V allele with healthy controls but no association of the genotype with LN patients.

Echocardiographic reference values in a sample of asymptomatic adult Brazilian population

OBJECTIVE To determine echocardiographic reference values for cardiac chambers, left ventricular mass, and left ventricular (LV) mass indexes in an asymptomatic adult population sample. METHODS This was an observational study based on a randomly selected population sample from the city of Vitória, Brazil. Two hundred and ninety-five volunteers (61.7% women) with no past history of cardiovascular disease underwent transthoracic echocardiography. The following M-mode echocardiographic parameters were measured: ventricular diameters, interventricular septal thickness, LV posterior wall thickness, LV mass, left ventricular mass indexes, plus aortic and left atrial diameters. Values were expressed as mean and standard deviation and percentiles, with a 95% confidence interval. RESULTS Echocardiographic values were slightly influenced by gender and age. Overall, cardiac measurements were higher in the male gender. LV posterior wall thickness, mass indexes corrected for height and diastolic diameter were influenced by age. The 95% percentiles of interventricular septum and LV posterior wall were 9.9 mm and 9.6 mm for men, respectively, and 9.3 mm for septum and posterior wall for women. CONCLUSION The 95% percentile values of interventricular septum and posterior wall and, therefore, of both absolute and indexed left ventricular mass found in our study conducted in the Vitória population are lower than those reported in previous studies. In this framework, our results will be useful as a reference, since they are consistent with the new limits suggested in the literature for the echocardiographic diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy.