METHODS: Further to informed consent from 39 healthy subjects and 39 probable AD patients, 8.5 mL of peripheral blood was collected and serum was extracted. The differential levels of 12 serum cytokines extracted from peripheral blood samples were measured using Procarta Multiplex Cytokine and enzyme-linked immunoassay kits. Concentrations of cytokines were measured at 615 nm using a fluorometer.
RESULTS: Except for tumor necrosis factor-α, all classical pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, IL-12 and interferon-γ) were found to be significantly upregulated (P 53.65 ρg/mL and <9.315 ρg/mL, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS: Both the non-classical pro-inflammatory CXCL-10 and anti-inflammatory IL-13 cytokines showed promising potential as blood-based cytokine biomarkers for AD. This is the first study of non-classical cytokine profiles of Malaysian AD patients. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 839-846.
SUBJECTS/METHODS: Using a crossover design, we conducted a randomised controlled trial in 53 free-living high-risk abdominally overweight subjects, comparing the effects of incorporating red palm olein (with palm olein as control) in a supervised isocaloric 2100 kcal diet of 30% en fat, two-thirds (45 g/day) of which were derived from the test oil for a period of 6 weeks each.
RESULTS: We did not observe a significant change in interleukin-6 (IL-6), in parallel with other pro-inflammatory (tumour necrosis factor-β, interleukin-1β, IL-1β, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, hsCRP) and endothelial function (soluble intercellular adhesion molecules, sICAM, soluble intravascular adhesion molecules, sVCAM) parameters. Interestingly, we observed a significant reduction in oxidised LDL levels (P
METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 112 healthy men and women from 3 main ethnic group (Malay, Chinese, and Indian) who were aged 18-60 years. The participants were categorized into normal body mass index (BMI), overweight and obese groups according to WHO criteria for BMI in Asian populations (18.5 kg/m2
METHODS: We measured plasma and post-filter levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-8, IL-1 beta, RANTES, IL-10, IFN-gamma and IFN-alpha in both study groups. We also measured cytokine levels in the ultrafiltrate and calculated sieving coefficients and clearances.
RESULTS: By 72 hours of treatment, IL-6 had decreased during both treatments (p = 0.009 and 0.005 respectively). In contrast, IL-10 had decreased with CVVH-Std (p = 0.03) but not CVVH-HCO (p = 0.135). None of the other cytokines showed changes over time. There were also no significant between group differences in plasma levels for each cytokine over the 72-hour treatment period. For all cytokines combined, however, the median sieving coefficient was higher for CVVH-HCO (0.31 vs. 0.16; p = 0.042) as was the mass removal rate by ultrafiltration (p = 0.027). While overall combined cytokine levels had fallen to 62.2% of baseline at 72 hours for CVVH-HCO (p<0.0001) and to 75.9% of baseline with CVVH-Std (p = 0.008) there were no between group differences.
CONCLUSIONS: CVVH-HCO achieved greater combined sieving coefficient and mass removal rate by ultrafiltration for a group of key cytokines than CVVH-Std. However, this effect did not differentially lower their plasma level over the first 72 hours. Our study does not support the use of CVVH-HCO to lower cytokines in critically ill patients with AKI.
RESEARCH QUESTION: We aim to determine if clusters of Chinese patients with COPD exist and their association with clinical outcomes and inflammation.
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Chinese patients with stable COPD were prospectively recruited into two cohorts (derivation and validation) from six hospitals across three Southeast Asian countries (Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong; n = 1,480). Each patient was followed more than 2 years. Clinical data (including co-morbidities) were employed in unsupervised hierarchical clustering (followed by validation) to determine the existence of patient clusters and their prognostic outcome. Accompanying systemic cytokine assessments were performed in a subset (n = 336) of patients with COPD to determine if inflammatory patterns and associated networks characterized the derived clusters.
RESULTS: Five patient clusters were identified including: (1) ex-TB, (2) diabetic, (3) low comorbidity: low-risk, (4) low comorbidity: high-risk, and (5) cardiovascular. The cardiovascular and ex-TB clusters demonstrate highest mortality (independent of Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease assessment) and illustrate diverse cytokine patterns with complex inflammatory networks.
INTERPRETATION: We describe clusters of Chinese patients with COPD, two of which represent high-risk clusters. The cardiovascular and ex-TB patient clusters exhibit high mortality, significant inflammation, and complex cytokine networks. Clinical and inflammatory risk stratification of Chinese patients with COPD should be considered for targeted intervention to improve disease outcomes.