Treatment inflammation

Endophthalmitis is a severe form of purulent inflammation caused by the infection of the intraocular tissues or fluids. This infection infrequently occurs through endogenous routes, which are often correlated with major risk factors. Escherichia coli, a gram-negative rod, can cause endophthalmitis through hematogenous spread. We here report a 59-year-old man who presented to our service with acute visual impairment in his left eye, preceded by floaters. He was taking sirolimus and azathioprine for a transplanted kidney, had undergone catheterization for bladder atresia, and had a history of recurrent E...

OBJECTIVE: Endogenous melatonin is produced from tryptophan which is an essential amino acid. Besides its role in the regulation of sleep patterns, melatonin has anti-inflammatory effects. In this case-control study, we aimed to compare tryptophan and melatonin levels and their relationship with the inflammatory response, specifically serum interleukin-1, interleukin-6, and c-reactive protein levels following major abdominal surgery in patients with food restriction and who receive parenteral nutritional therapy...

BACKGROUND: Pheochromocytoma is associated with systemic inflammation, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between plasma metanephrine levels and haematological parameters - as a surrogate of inflammation - in patients with pheochromocytoma and the influence of preoperative α-blockade treatment. DESIGN AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied 68 patients with pheochromocytoma who underwent adrenalectomy (median age 53 years, 64...

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients combined with thrombocytopenia (TP) are usually considered to be at low ischemic risk, receiving less proper antiplatelet therapy. However, recent studies reported a paradoxical phenomenon that PCI patients with TP were prone to experience thrombotic events, while the mechanisms and future treatment remain unclear. We aim to investigate whether inflammation modifies platelet reactivity among these patients. Consecutive 10 724 patients undergoing PCI in Fuwai Hospital were enrolled throughout 2013...

OBJECTIVE: Psoriasis is a common, chronic inflammatory disease with unclear etiology. Keratinocytes in psoriasis are susceptible to exogenous triggers that induce inflammatory cell death. This study investigated whether GSDME-mediated pyroptosis in keratinocytes contributes to the pathogenesis of psoriasis. METHODS: Skin samples from patients with psoriasis and healthy controls were collected to evaluate the expression of GSDME, cleaved-caspase-3, and inflammatory factors...

BACKGROUND: Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a prevalent and highly challenging cardiovascular disease associated with high mortality rates. The occurrence and progression of CHF are closely linked to left ventricular remodeling (LVR) and inflammation. Addressing LVR and reducing inflammation can significantly slow down the progression of CHF and improve patient prognosis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of Xinmailong injection (XMLI) on LVR and inflammatory mediators in CHF patients...

Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) is a common pathogen that often causes diarrhea, loss of appetite, and even enteritis in domestic cats, affecting their growth and development, especially in kittens under 6 months of age. Oral passive immunization with chicken yolk antibody Y has been proved effective for the treatment of gastrointestinal pathogen infections due to its high specificity. In this study, C. jejuni was isolated from diarrheal cat feces, and the specific egg yolk antibody Y against C. jejuni was demonstrated to effectively inhibit its proliferation in vitro experiments...

Improving the pharmacokinetics of intra-articularly injected therapeutics is a major challenge in treating joint disease. Small molecules and biologics are often cleared from the joint within hours, which greatly reduces their therapeutic efficacy. Furthermore, they are often injected at high doses, which can lead to local cytotoxicity and systemic side effects. In this study, we present modular polymer-drug conjugates of zwitterionic poly(carboxybetaine acrylamide) (pCBAA) and the anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX) to create cartilage-targeted carriers with slow-release kinetics...

This comprehensive review examines the efficacy, safety, and implications of intravitreal OZURDEX and intravitreal bevacizumab in treating diabetic macular edema (DME). DME is a common complication of diabetes mellitus and a leading cause of vision loss. OZURDEX, through sustained release of dexamethasone, targets inflammation and vascular permeability, while bevacizumab inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), reducing angiogenesis. However, differences in safety profiles exist, with OZURDEX associated with an increased risk of intraocular pressure elevation and cataract formation and bevacizumab potentially carrying systemic risks...

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has revolutionized the treatment of aortic stenosis. However, conduction disturbances leading to pacemaker implantation remain a common complication, increasing morbidity and mortality in these patients. Hence, measures to lower its incidence should be taken, and corticosteroid therapy could be effective by reducing inflammation caused by direct mechanical trauma to the conduction system. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, analyzing the medical records of patients with native severe aortic stenosis who underwent transfemoral TAVR in 2022...

We describe a case of rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) in a diabetic patient. She presented with cavernous sinus syndrome and ischemia of the optic nerve. Initially unremarkable findings in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinus delayed early diagnosis. Within two weeks, a follow-up MRI showing progressive orbital inflammation, thrombosis of the cavernous sinus and erosive destruction of the left middle nasal concha together with necrotic black tissue in the left nasal cavity and destruction of the maxillary sinus demonstrated in a consecutively performed ethmoidectomy, finally gave way to diagnosis...

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a significant contributor to cardiovascular events. Advanced AS is particularly concerning, as it leads to the formation of high-risk vulnerable plaques. Current treatments for AS focus on antithrombotic and lipid-lowering interventions, which are effective in treating early-stage AS. Recent studies have shown that macrophage polarization plays a crucial role in the development of AS. This study presents a new biomedical application of natural tannic acid as an anti-inflammatory nanoplatform for advanced AS...

BACKGROUND: Multisystem childhood Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) patients, especially those with risk organ (RO) involved, had not been satisfactorily treated under the international traditional schemes as high incidences of reactivation with late sequelae were largely reported. Over years, we have observed that LCH patients with varied clinical symptoms responded differently to different drugs, suggesting the current grouping strategies based only on the number of organs involved might be inadequate...

BACKGROUND: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus, contributing to end-stage renal disease with limited treatment options. The development of DKD is attributed to podocyte injury resulting from abnormal podocyte autophagy. Consequently, the restoration of podocyte autophagy is deemed a practicable approach in the treatment of DKD. METHODS: Diabetic mice were induced by streptozotocin and high-fat diet feeding. Following 8 weeks of "QN" agarwood treatment, metrics such as albuminuria, serum creatinine (Scr), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were evaluated...

BACKGROUND: Two isoforms of Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), p110γ and p110δ, are predominantly expressed in leukocytes and represent attractive therapeutic targets for the treatment of allergic asthma. The study aim was to assess the impact of administration of an inhaled PI3Kγδ inhibitor (AZD8154) in a rat model of asthma. METHODS: Firstly, we checked that the tool compound, AZD8154, inhibited rat PI3K γ & δ kinases using rat cell-based assays...

Erythrocytes are impressive tools for drug delivery, especially to macrophages. Therefore, berberine was loaded into erythrocytes using both hypotonic pre-swelling and endocytosis methods to target macrophages. Physicochemical and kinetic parameters of the resulting carrier cells, such as drug loading/release kinetics, osmotic fragility, and hematological indices, were determined. Drug loading was optimized for the study using Taguchi experimental design and lab experiments. Loaded erythrocytes were targeted to macrophages using ZnCl2 and bis-sulfosuccinimidyl-suberate, and targeting was evaluated using flow cytometry and Wright-Giemsa staining...

Dengue virus (DENV) infection can lead to severe outcomes through a virus-induced cytokine storm, resulting in vascular leakage and inflammation. An effective treatment strategy should target both virus replication and cytokine storm. This study identified Kaempferia galanga L. (KG) extract as exhibiting anti-DENV activity. The major bioactive compound, ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC), significantly reduced DENV-2 infection, virion production, and viral protein synthesis in HepG2 and A549 cells, with half-maximal effective concentration (EC50 ) values of 22...

Immunotherapies blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint show some efficacy in metastatic breast cancer (mBC) but are often hindered by immunosuppressive mechanisms. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for personalized treatments, with peripheral blood monitoring representing a practical alternative to repeated biopsies. In the present study, we performed a comprehensive mass cytometry analysis of peripheral blood immune cells in 104 patients with HER2 negative mBC and 20 healthy donors (HD). We found that mBC patients had significantly elevated monocyte levels and reduced levels of CD4+ T cells and plasmacytoid dendritic cells, when compared to HD...

Despite advances in the treatment and care of severe physical injuries, trauma remains one of the main reasons for disability-adjusted life years worldwide. Trauma patients often suffer from disturbances in energy utilization and metabolic dysfunction, including hyperglycemia and increased insulin resistance. White adipose tissue plays an essential role in the regulation of energy homeostasis and is frequently implicated in traumatic injury due to its ubiquitous body distribution but remains poorly studied...

OBJECTIVE: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease in diabetic patients. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) is a natural active ingredient in Astragalus membranaceus with anti-hypertensive and anti-oxidative properties. This study aimed to explore the protective roles of APS and its underlying mechanisms in DN. METHODS: After the establishment of a rat model of DN by a high-fat diet and treatment with 30 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ), the effects of 100 mg/kg APS on the levels of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, blood glucose, and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio were measured...