Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1 Alpha, a Potential Biomarker for Predicting Left Atrial Remodeling in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Changes in cerebral autoregulation, stroke-related blood biomarkers, and autonomic regulation after patent foramen ovale closure in severe migraine patients

AIMS

This study aimed to investigate changes in dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA), 20 stroke-related blood biomarkers, and autonomic regulation after patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure in severe migraine patients.

METHODS

Patent foramen ovale severe migraine patients, matched non-PFO severe migraine patients, and healthy controls were included. dCA and autonomic regulation were evaluated in each participant at baseline, and within 48-h and 30 days after closure in PFO migraineurs. A panel of stroke-related blood biomarkers was detected pre-surgically in arterial-and venous blood, and post-surgically in the arterial blood in PFO migraineurs.

RESULTS

Forty-five PFO severe migraine patients, 50 non-PFO severe migraine patients, and 50 controls were enrolled. The baseline dCA function of PFO migraineurs was significantly lower than that of non-PFO migraineurs and controls but was rapidly improved with PFO closure, remaining stable at 1-month follow-up. Arterial blood platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) levels were higher in PFO migraineurs than in controls, which was immediately and significantly reduced after closure. No differences in autonomic regulation were observed among the three groups.

CONCLUSION

Patent foramen ovale closure can improve dCA and alter elevated arterial PDGF-BB levels in migraine patients with PFO, both of which may be related to the preventive effect of PFO closure on stroke occurrence/recurrence.

Relation between macrophage inflammatory protein-1 and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and computed tomography findings in critically-ill saudi covid-19 patients

BACKGROUND

Several, clinical and biochemical factors were suggested as risk factors for more severe forms of Covid-19. Macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1α, CCL3) is a chemokine mainly involved in cell adhesion and migration. Intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) is an inducible cell adhesion molecule involved in multiple immune processes. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between baseline serum MIP-1α and ICAM-1 level in critically-ill Covid-19 patients and the severity of computed tomography (CT) findings.

METHODS

The study included 100 consecutive critically-ill patients with Covid-19 infection. Diagnosis of infection was established on the basis of RT-PCR tests. Serum MIP-1α and ICAM-1 levels were assessed using commercially available ELISA kits. All patients were subjected to a high-resolution computed tomography assessment.

RESULTS

According to the computed tomography severity score, patients were classified into those with moderate/severe (n=49) and mild (n = 51) pulmonary involvement. Severe involvement was associated with significantly higher MIP-1α and ICAM-1 level. Correlation analysis identified significant positive correlations between MIP-1α and age, D-dimer, IL6, in contrast, there was an inverse correlation with INF-alpha. Additionally, ICAM-1 showed significant positive correlations with age, D-Dimer,- TNF-α, IL6,while an inverse correlation with INF-alpha was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

MIP-1α and ICAM-1 level are related to CT radiological severity in Covid-19 patients. Moreover, these markers are well-correlated with other inflammatory markers suggesting that they can be used as reliable prognostic markers in Covid-19 patients.