Homozygous-Recessive Characteristics as a Biomarker of Predisposition for COVID-19

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a new form of severe acute respiratory syndrome, has caused a global pandemic. The aim of this study was to analyze homozygous-recessive characteristics (HRC) in the group of COVID-19 patients, considering their gender, forms of the disease (mild and severe symptoms), risk factors: hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, hyperlipidemia, smoking habits, and the distribution of ABO blood group. Using the HRC test, we analyzed 20 HRCs in a sample of 321 individuals: 205 patients and 116 controls. The average HRC in patients was significantly higher than controls, as well as in patients with severe symptoms compared to patients with mild symptoms. The patients with higher HRC (cut-off ≤5.5) experienced a significantly increased risk of disease of 2.3 times (OR = 2.315, p < .0005). Our results indicate that the HRC test could be used as a screening in recognizing predisposition for COVID-19.

Risk factors for the appearance of minimal pathologic lesions on vocal folds in vocal professionals

BACKGROUND/AIM

An excessive use or misuse of voice by vocal professionals may result in symptoms such are husky voice, hoarse voice, total loss of voice, or even organic changes taking place on vocal folds--minimal pathological lesions--MAPLs. The purpose of this study was to identify the type of MAPLs which affects vocal professionals, as well as to identify the risk factors that bring about these changes.

METHODS

There were 94 vocal professionals who were examined altogether, out of whom 46 were affected by MAPLs, whereas 48 of them were diagnosed with no MAPLs, so that they served as the control group. All these patients were clinically examined (anamnesis, clinical examination, bacteoriological examination of nose and pharynx, radiography of paranasal cavities, allergological processing, phoniatric examination, endo-video-stroboscopic examination, as well as gastroenterologic examination, and finally endocrinological and pulmological analyses).

RESULTS

The changes that occurred most often were identified as nodules (50%; n = 23/46) and polyps (24%; n = 11/46). Risk factors causing MAPLs in vocal professionals were as follows: age, which reduced the risk by 23.9% [OR 0.861 (0.786-0.942)] whereas the years of career increase the risk [OR 1.114 (1.000-1.241)], as well as the presence of a chronic respiratory disease [OR 7.310 (1.712-31.218)], and the presence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease [OR 4.542 (1.263-16.334)]. The following factors did not contribute to development of MAPLs in vocal professionals: sex, a place of residence, irritation, smoking, endocrinologic disease and the presence of poly-sinusitis.

CONCLUSION

It is necessary to introduce comprehensive procedures for prevention of MAPLs, particularly in high-risk groups. Identification of the risk factors for MAPLs and prevention of their influence on vocal professionals (given that their income depends on their vocal ability) is of the highest importance.

Neuroendocrine differentiation as an indicator of chemosensitivity and prognosis in nonsmall cell lung cancer

CONTEXT

Nonsmall cell lung cancers with neuroendocrine differentiation (NSCLC-ND) may demonstrate biologic behavior intermediate between NSCLC and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with impact on prognosis.

METHODS

We analyzed 116 consecutive patients with Stage III and IV NSCLC who were diagnosed and treated between 2001 and 2006. Using immuno-histochemical staining for neuron-specific enolase (NSE), chromogranin A (ChrA), and synaptophysin (Syn), 29 (25%) NSCLC-ND were identified.

RESULTS

Expression of NSE was present in 22.4%, ChrA in 15.5% and Syn in 14.8% of patients with NSCLC. Therapeutic response was significantly better in the NSCLC-ND group and specimens with > 30% neuroendocrine (NE)-differentiated tumor cells showed favourable therapeutic response (P < 0.05). Multivariate binary logistic regression showed that percentage of NE positive tumor cells was a significant independent prognostic factor associated with a favourable outcome. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and areas under ROC curves confirmed that percentage of NE-differentiated tumor cells could be useful prediction factor of therapeutic response. Moreover, according to percentage of NE-differentiated tumor cells, optimal cutoffs and related sensitivities and specificities were determined for each markers.

CONCLUSION

Advanced-stage NSCLC with NE tumor cells are clinically less aggressive tumors. Percentage of NE-differentiated tumor cells identifies patients with favourable therapy response to paclitaxel-cisplatin.

Clinical evaluation of the simultaneous determination of CA 15-3, CA 125 and sHER2 in breast cancer

OBJECTIVE

We investigated serum levels of CA 15-3, sHER2 and CA 125, and their usefulness in the detection of metastatic disease in breast cancer patients.

METHODS

The levels of CA 15-3, sHER2 and CA 125 tumour markers were determined in 60 patients, 40 with localized and 20 with metastatic breast carcinoma. The control group consisted of 10 healthy women.

RESULTS

We found that, at the time of diagnosis, serum levels of all three tumour markers were elevated in patients with distant metastases, but of minute importance in the detection of any breast cancer. When the data for the individual markers were combined the overall sensitivity of metastases detection with all three markers improved. In this regard, 90% of patients with distant metastases had an increase in serum level of at least one of tested tumour markers. Similar results were obtained using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Moreover, using ROC we defined cut-off values for metastasis detection for each of the tested markers.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that measurement of CA 15-3 serum values in conjunction with sHER2 and CA 15-3 can increase sensitivity in metastasis detection.