Mean platelet volume in patients with increased γ-glutamyl transferase

Can mean platelet volume be a prognosis predictor in viral infections: An example of Covid-19

Purpose

This study revealed the utility of mean platelet volume (MPV) as a mortality marker in SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as its connection with other inflammatory indicators such as procalcitonin (PCT) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR).

Methods

A total of 1528 patients (853 males and 653 females; mean age: 64.33 ± 16.36 years; range, 18-100 years) were hospitalized with COVID-19 between March 2020 and December 2022. The patients' demographic and clinical information, including ward and critical care data, were gathered from their medical records. On the first and last days, the PCT, NLR, and MPV values of the patients, who were divided into groups based on their hospitalization and outcomes, were analyzed.

Results

When the relevant laboratory data from the first and last days were compared, each group was statistically significant (p < 0.05). There was a moderate association between the final MPV values and the PCT and NLR values of the patients admitted to the ward (r = 0.448 and r = 0.397, respectively, where p < 0.01). There was also a substantial and moderate correlation between the final MPV levels and the PCT and NLR values of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (r = 0.613 and r = 0.361, respectively, p < 0.01). When compared to the patients' outcomes, the MPV had greater specificity and AUC values than the PCT and NLR (94.4 %, 0.968, 80.6 %, 0.923, 81 %, 0.845, respectively).

Conclusion

In patients hospitalized with COVID-19, the specificity of MPV values at the point of sickness severity and outcome was shown to be greater than PCT and NLR values, and MPV values may be a more accurate predictor of mortality than PCR and NLR.

DNA damage and inflammatory response in workers exposed to fuels and paints

Workers exposed to fuels and paints may present alterations in several parameters. Thus, we assessed potential biomarkers, with the aim of detecting early changes in gasoline station attendants and painters. Blood samples were collected for the analysis of inflammatory and DNA damage markers, besides biochemical, haematological and oxidative stress parameters. Biochemical and haematological parameters, which are assessed with routine exams, showed few changes. However, these findings could mask the workers' real health status. Besides, markers of oxidative damage were not modified. Levels of inflammatory parameters (cytokines and nitric oxide levels) and the DNA damage marker 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine were significantly changed in the workers. Our results suggest that inflammatory and DNA damage parameters can be potential biomarkers for the biological monitoring of workers exposed to fuels and paints and may contribute to the development of occupational protection standards.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Haematological Indexes of Inflammation in Paralympic Athletes with Different Motor Impairments

Haematological indexes of both inflammation and platelet activation have been suggested as predictive markers of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which has high prevalence in Paralympic athletes (PA). Different mechanisms could play a role in increasing CVD risk in PA with spinal cord injury (PA-SCI), lower limb amputation (PA-LLA), or upper limb impairment (PA-ULI). We compared, in 4 groups of PA competing in power, intermittent (mixed metabolism), and endurance sports, Framingham Risk Score (FRS), metabolic syndrome criteria (MetS-C), inflammation (INFLA) Score, 5 haematological indexes of platelet activation (mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), and the ratios between MPV and platelet (MPVPR), between MPV and lymphocyte (MPVLR), and between PDW and lymphocyte (PDWLR)) and the endogenous antioxidants uric acid (UA) and bilirubin (BR). A retrospective chart review of PA from preparticipation examinations' records (London 2012 and Sochi 2014 Paralympics) was performed. We included 25 PA-SCI (13 with high and 12 with low lesion, PA-SCI-H and PA-SCI-L), 15 PA-LLA, and 10 PA-ULI. FRS and INFLA Score did not differ among groups, but PA-SCI-H had lower HDL, compared to PA-SCI-L and PA-ULI. PA-LLA had more MetS diagnostic criteria with significant higher glucose levels than other groups. PA-SCI-H had significantly lower lymphocytes' count compared to PA-LLA and higher MPV, PDW, MPVPR, MPVLR, and PDWLR. SCI-H had lower BR, haemoglobin, haematocrit, proteins, and creatinine. No interaction was found between the 3 kinds of sitting sports and the 2 groups of health conditions (PA-SCI and PA-LLA). In conclusion, PA-LLA had a higher cardiometabolic risk, whereas PA-SCI-H had a higher platelet-derived cardiovascular risk. Further larger studies are needed to investigate the relationship between indexes of inflammation/oxidation and dietary habit, body composition, and physical fitness/performance in PA with motor impairments.

Advances of diagnostic and mechanistic studies of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer and the second major cause of cancerous deaths in the world, accounting for 80-90% of all cases of liver cancer with an assessed global incidence of 782,000 new cases and approximate 746,000 deaths in 2012. Preoperative laboratory data (des-γ carboxyprothrombin (DCP), α-fetoprotein (AFP), Indocyanine green retention 15 min (ICG-R15), and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT)) should be completely assessed before deciding a treatment and predicting prognosis in order to improve the prognosis for patients with HCC. A few recent studies have suggested GGT as an independent prognostic indicator in cases with HCC. And the data of our and other research teams revealed that combination of GGT and ICG-R15 or other factors may improve the efficiency of GGT as a prognostic predictor. In addition of clinical studies, a few mechanistic studies had been performed and GGT was suggested to promote tumor progression and poor prognosis through inducing DNA damage and genome instability, releasing reactive oxygen species to activating invasion-related signaling pathway, blocking chemotherapy, regulating microRNAs, and managing CpG island methylation. Although there were a few mechanistic studies, further and accurate researches were still in need.