Relationship of serum GDF11 levels with bone mineral density and bone turnover markers in postmenopausal Chinese women

Growth differentiation factor 11 （GDF11） is an important circulating factor that regulates aging. However, the role of GDF11 in bone metabolism remains unclear. The present study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between serum GDF11 level, bone mass, and bone turnover markers in postmenopausal Chinese women. Serum GDF11 level, bone turnover biochemical markers, and bone mineral density （BMD） were determined in 169 postmenopausal Chinese women （47-78 years old）. GDF11 serum levels increased with aging. There were negative correlations between GDF11 and BMD at the various skeletal sites. After adjusting for age and body mass index （BMI）, the correlations remained statistically significant. In the multiple linear stepwise regression analysis, age or years since menopause, BMI, GDF11, and estradiol were independent predictors of BMD. A significant negative correlation between GDF11 and bone alkaline phosphatase （BAP） was identified and remained significant after adjusting for age and BMI. No significant correlation was noted between cross-linked N-telopeptides of type I collagen （NTX） and GDF11. In conclusion, GDF11 is an independent negative predictor of BMD and correlates with a biomarker of bone formation, BAP, in postmenopausal Chinese women. GDF11 potentially exerts a negative effect on bone mass by regulating bone formation.

Implication of serum levels of interleukin-18 and nitric oxide in tumor growth and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer

To study the effect of IL-18 and nitric oxide(NO) on the growth and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods Serum IL-18 and nitrate and nitrite levels in 82 patients with NSCLC and 20 healthy control subjects were measured by using ELISA and Griess.Results The levels of serum IL-18 were (334.2±31.0)ng/L in NSCLC patients and (151.3±22.0)ng/L in control subjects,respectively.The levels of nitrate and nitrite were (237.1±21.0)μmol/L in NSCLC patients and (44.2±15.0)μmol/L in control subjects.The levels of serum IL-18 and nitrate and nitrite were not related with age,gender,histological types in patients with NSCLC.The levels of serum IL-18 was closely associated with TNM stage,lymph node metastasis and distal metastasis,but not with its degree and organ types of metastasis.There was a negative correlation between the levels of serum IL-18 and nitrate and nitrite.Conclusion Serum IL-18 and nitrate and nitrite levels may be useful to evaluate the prognosis of the patients with NSCLC.16 refs,2 tabs.

Correlation between level of serum prolactin and epileptic discharges of electroencephalogram from 24 to 36 hours after epileptic onset

BACKGROUND： Researchers discovered that serum prolactin could rise following an epileptic seizure. The prolactin level might reach three times more than basic level within 30 minutes and decrease to the normal value 2 hours after the seizure occurred. The mechanism might result in an increase of serum prolactin concentrations with the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. OBJECTIVE：To probe into the correlation between changes of serum prolactin and incidence of epileptic discharges of electroencephalogram （EEG） at 24-36 hours after epileptic onset of patients with secondary epilepsy. DESIGN ： Clinical observational study SEI-FING： Department of Neurology, First Hospital affiliated to Soochow University PARTICIPANTS： A total of 21 patients with secondary epilepsy were selected from the Department of Neurological Emergency or Hospital Room of the First Hospital affiliated to Soochow University from November 2005 to April 2006. There were 14 males and 7 females aged from 25 to 72 years. All patients met International League Anti-epileptic （ILAE） criteria in 1981 for secondary generalized tonic clonic seizure through CT or MRI and previous EEG. All patients were consent. Primary diseases included cerebral trauma （3 cases）, tumor （2 cases）, stroke （7 cases） and intracranial infeion （9 cases）. METHODS ： Venous blood of all patients was collected at 24-36 hours after epileptic onset. Serum prolactin kit （Beckman Coulter, Inc in USA） was used to measure value of serum prolactin according to kit instruction. Then, value of serum prolactin was compared with the normal value （male： 2.64-13.13 mg/L; female： 3.34- 26.72 mg/L）; meanwhile, EEG equipment （American Nicolet Incorporation） was used in this study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES ： ① Abnormal rate of serum prolactin of patients with secondary epilepsy; ②Comparison between normal and abnormal level of serum prolactin and incidence of EEG epileptic discharge of patients with secondary epilepsy. RESULTS：All 21 patients with secondary epilepsy were involved in the final analysis. ① Results of serum prolactin level： Among 21 patients with of secondary epilepsy, 10 of them had normal serum prolactin and 11 had abnormal one, and the abnormal rate was 52% （11/21）. ② Detecting results of EEG： EEG results showed that 6 cases were normal and 15 were abnormal, and the abnormal rate was 71% （15/21）. The symptoms were sharp wave, spike wave or sharp slow wave, spike slow wave of epileptic discharges in 8 cases, which was accounted for 38%. ③ Correlation between abnormality of serum prolactin and EEG epileptic wave： Eleven cases had abnormal serum prolactin, and the incidence was 64% （7/11）, which was higher of epileptic wave than that of non-epileptic wave [36% （4/11）, P 〈 0.05]; however, 10 cases had normal serum prolactin, and the incidence was 10% （1/10）. Epileptic wave was lower than non-epileptic wave [90% （9/10）, P 〈 0.01]. CONCLUSION ： The level of serum prolactin of patients with secondary epilepsy is abnormally increased at 24- 36 hours after epileptic onset; in addition, incidence of epileptic discharge is also increased remarkably.

Alterations and clinical significance of serum thyroid hormone levels in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Objective To observe the alterations of serum thyroid hormone levels in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD)patients without thyroid disease and therefore to investigate the association between serum thyroid hormone levels and the severity and prognosis of AECOPD.Methods Serum thyroid hormone levels including TT4,TT3,TSH,FT4 and