Stefania Grieco

Is NOX2 Upregulation Implicated in Myocardial Injury in Patients with Pneumonia

In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that oxidative stress could be implicated in myocardial damage during the acute phase of pneumonia. NOX2 activation, the catalytic subunit of NADPH oxidase, and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) elevation have been analyzed in two hundred forty-eight consecutive patients hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia. Serum NOX2-derived peptide (sNOX2-dp), a marker of NOX2 activation, and 8-isoprostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α), a marker of oxidative stress, were measured upon admission; serum hs-cTnT and ECG were measured every 12 and 24 h, respectively. One hundred thirty-five patients (54%) showed elevated serum levels of hs-cTnT (>0.014 μg/L). A logistic regression analysis showed sNOX2-dp (p<0.001), Pneumonia Severity Index score (p<0.001), renal failure (p=0.024), and ejection fraction (p<0.001) as independent predictors of elevated serum levels of hs-cTnT. Serum sNOX2-dp was linearly correlated with hs-cTnT (Rs=0.538; p<0.001) and 8-iso-PGF2α (Rs=0.354; p<0.001). The study provides the first evidence of a significant association between serum cardiac Troponin T elevation and NOX2 upregulation in patients with pneumonia. This finding raises the hypothesis that NOX2-derived oxidative stress may be implicated in myocardial injury and that its inhibition could be a novel therapeutic strategy to limit it.

Impaired flow-mediated dilation in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia

BACKGROUND Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is complicated by cardiovascular events as myocardial infarction and stroke but the underlying mechanism is still unclear. We hypothesized that endothelial dysfunction may be implicated and that endotoxemia may have a role. METHODS Fifty patients with CAP and 50 controls were enrolled. At admission and at discharge, flow-mediated dilation (FMD), serum levels of endotoxins and oxidative stress, as assessed by serum levels of nitrite/nitrate (NOx) and isoprostanes, were studied. RESULTS At admission, a significant difference between patients with CAP and controls was observed for FMD (2.1±0.3 vs 4.0±0.3%, p<0.001), serum endotoxins (157.8±7.6 vs 33.1±4.8pg/ml), serum isoprostanes (341±14 vs 286±10 pM, p=0.009) and NOx (24.3±1.1 vs 29.7±2.2μM). Simple linear correlation analysis showed that serum endotoxins significantly correlated with Pneumonia Severity Index score (Rs=0.386, p=0.006). Compared to baseline, at discharge CAP patients showed a significant increase of FMD and NOx (from 2.1±0.3 to 4.6±0.4%, p<0.001 and from 24.3±1.1 to 31.1±1.5μM, p<0.001, respectively) and a significant decrease of serum endotoxins and isoprostanes (from 157.8±7.6 to 55.5±2.3pg/ml, p<0.001, and from 341±14 to 312±14 pM, p<0.001, respectively). Conversely, no changes for FMD, NOx, serum endotoxins and isoprostanes were observed in controls between baseline and discharge. Changes of FMD significantly correlated with changes of serum endotoxins (Rs=-0.315; p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS The study provides the first evidence that CAP is characterized by impaired FMD with a mechanism potentially involving endotoxin production and oxidative stress.

IL28B Gene Polymorphisms and US Liver Fatty Changes in Patients Who Spontaneously Cleared Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Background Recent clinical studies have shown that the presence of CC genotype in the rs12979860 region of IL28B gene is associated with an increase in the probability of spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Moreover, IL28B polymorphism seems to influence the probability of developing liver steatosis in chronic HCV patients. Aims The aims of our clinical study were 1) to verify the distribution of IL28B genotypes (CC, CT or TT) among subjects with spontaneous clearance of HCV infection and 2) to examine the correlation between IL28B polymorphism and hepatic steatosis among these subjects. Methods and patients We enrolled 41 subjects with spontaneous resolution of HCV infection (detectable serum anti-HCV but undetectable HCV-RNA) and 134 healthy controls from the same geographical area. The IL28B single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs12979860 was genotyped by using a Pyrosequencing™ technique. The presence of steatosis was assessed by liver biopsy or ultrasound examination in the 41 study subjects. Results CC, CT and TT-genotypes of the SNP rs1979860 were found in 66%, 24% and 10% of the subjects who spontaneously cleared HCV and in 31%, 54% and 15% of controls, respectively (p = 0.0003). Among the study subjects, females with CC-genotype were significantly more represented (p = 0.02). Hepatic steatosis did not correlate with IL28B genotype (p = 0,14) but only with a high body mass index (BMI) value (p = 0.03). Conclusions Female subjects carrying IL28B CC-genotype are significantly more represented among Italian patients who spontaneously cleared HCV infection. In addition, among these subjects, the presence of liver steatosis does not correlate with IL28B genotype but is solely related to the occurrence of high BMI. Thus, the association between IL28B polymorphism and steatosis in chronic HCV patients requires the presence of active HCV replication to occur, while in subjects who have cleared the infection, the mechanism(s) inducing liver steatosis are independent from IL28B profile.

Anti‐HBs seroconversion during treatment with entecavir in a patient with chronic hepatitis B virus infection on hemodialysis

Hepatitis B (HBV) virus infection is one of the most important causes of liver disease in patients with end‐stage renal failure on hemodialysis. The natural history of chronic HBV infection acquired in childhood starts with an immune tolerant phase, followed by an immune clearance phase that may lead to the inactive carrier state or the development of chronic liver disease. Information on antiviral therapy administered very early during the immune clearance phase are lacking and no data exist on the treatment of early immune activation in the hemodialysis setting. This report describes the case of a patient affected by end‐stage renal failure and HBeAg‐positive chronic HBV virus infection treated very early during the immune clearance phase of HBV infection with an adjusted‐dose of nucleoside analogue entecavir. The patient achieved a very rapid HBV‐DNA undetectability, anti‐HBe, and anti‐HBs seroconversion. This is the first report of antiviral therapy with entecavir started during the immune reactive phase of HBV infection in a patient on hemodialysis and it suggests that antiviral treatment can enhance the effects of host immune activation resulting in biochemical, serological, and viral response, even in end‐stage renal failure patients with partial immunodeficiency. Antiviral therapy with entecavir in the setting of hemodialysis was safe and well tolerated. J. Med. Virol. 86:139–143, 2014.

Acute hepatitis B in a patient with OLT during treatment with peg-interferon and ribavirin for hepatitis C recurrence

Abstract The course and outcome of acute viral hepatitis in liver transplanted patients with hepatitis C recurrence are unknown. Here we describe a patient who presented with acute hepatitis B infection while on treatment with peg-interferon and ribavirin for hepatitis C recurrence after liver transplantation. A nucleoside analogue was added (entecavir) and the patient cleared hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and seroconverted to anti-HBs. In this case, the acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection might have contributed to the clearance of HCV, the concomitant immunosuppression might have lead to the slow clearance of HBV infection, and the combined antiviral therapy has helped in the resolution of both infections. Hepatitis B vaccination should be recommended in susceptible patients waiting for liver transplantation.