Biomedical subjects

A Grubb

Publications and source records attributed to A Grubb.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Standardization of p-creatinine assays and use of lean body mass allow improved prediction of calculated glomerular filtration rate in adults: a new equation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the Cockcroft-Gault (CG) equation, using various body weight expressions, and the Sawyer equation in predicting glomerular filtration rate (GFR) using an enzymatic and zero-calibrated Jaffe plasma-creatinine assay, and to derive a new robust equation in adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The CG weight measures included total, ideal and adjusted body weight (ABW; lowest of total and ideal) and two lean body mass (LBM) expressions, while the Sawyer equation is based primarily on LBM. Iohexol clearance was used to measure GFR. One derivation set (n = 436; enzymatic assay) was used to evaluate and bias-adjust existing equations when indicated, and to derive a new equation based on plasma-creatinine, age, gender and the body weight measure yielding the best adjusted R2. All equations were then validated in a separate set (n = 414; Jaffe assay). RESULTS: The existing equations all performed similarly in both sets. Prediction errors of equations based on LBM showed no correlation with BMI. The CGABW and Sawyer equations performed best. The new equation with LBM yielded the highest adjusted R2. In the combined set (n = 850), its accuracy (86 %/98 % of estimates within 30 %/50 % of measured GFR) was significantly better than for the CGABW (79 %/95 %) and Sawyer equations (79 %/93 %) (p<0.001) for each 30 mL/min GFR subgroup within +/-30 % and +/-50 %, except within +/-30 % >120 mL/min. Prediction error did not correlate with BMI, age or gender. CONCLUSION: A new creatinine-based equation derived in a mainly Caucasian patient sample is a better predictor of GFR than CG-type equations irrespective of the body weight measure used or, if bias-adjusted, when using zero-calibrated creatinine assays.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Glycaemic and nonglycaemic effects of pioglitazone in triple oral therapy of patients with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: To examine pioglitazone as add-on to metformin and insulin secretagogues in patients with type 2 diabetes and inadequate glycaemic control and its effect on glycaemic control, surrogate measures of insulin sensitivity (adiponectin) and beta-cell function (proinsulin/insulin) and fluid retention. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective open-label study of 54 patients with type 2 diabetes and HbA1c>or=6.5% admitted to outpatient unit at Malmö University Hospital. The patients received 30-45 mg pioglitazone daily during 26 weeks in addition to their existing antidiabetic medication. After 26 weeks, one-third of patients were followed for 3 months without pioglitazone. RESULTS: HbA1c decreased (7.8+/-0.9-6.3+/-0.9%, P<0.001) with 61% of patients achieving levels<6.5%. However, in the group followed for another 3 months HbA1c increased (6.1+/-0.73-7.1+/-0.9, n=18, P<0.001) after pioglitazone withdrawal. Adiponectin increased (6.1+/-2.8-13.2+/-5.8 microg mL-1, P<0.001) and the proinsulin to insulin ratio decreased (0.89+/-0.66-0.66+/-0.53, P<0.001). Nt-proBNP increased from 487.3+/-252.2 to 657.8+/-392.1 pmol L-1 (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Pioglitazone is effective in achieving glycaemic targets and reducing risk factors involved in atherosclerosis and improving beta-cell function when used as part of triple oral therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes and secondary drug failure. Nt-proBNP increase with concomitant decrease in haemoglobin suggests a subclinical sign of fluid retention.

Adiponectin↗

PubMed2005

Different cysteine proteinases involved in bone resorption and osteoclast formation.

Cysteine proteinases, especially cathepsin K, play an important role in osteoclastic degradation of bone matrix proteins and the process can, consequently, be significantly inhibited by cysteine proteinase inhibitors. We have recently reported that cystatin C and other cysteine proteinase inhibitors also reduce osteoclast formation. However, it is not known which cysteine proteinase(s) are involved in osteoclast differentiation. In the present study, we compared the relative potencies of cystatins C and D as inhibitors of bone resorption in cultured mouse calvariae, osteoclastogenesis in mouse bone marrow cultures, and cathepsin K activity. Inhibition of cathepsin K activity was assessed by determining equilibrium constants for inhibitor complexes in fluorogenic substrate assays. The data demonstrate that whereas human cystatins C and D are equipotent as inhibitors of bone resorption, cystatin D is 10-fold less potent as an inhibitor of osteoclastogenesis and 200-fold less potent as an inhibitor of cathepsin K activity. A recombinant human cystatin C variant with Gly substitutions for residues Arg8, Leu9, Val10, and Trp106 did not inhibit bone resorption, had 1,000-fold decreased inhibitory effect on cathepsin K activity compared to wildtype cystatin C, but was equipotent with wildtype cystatin C as an inhibitor of osteoclastogenesis. It is concluded that (i) different cysteine proteinases are likely to be involved in bone resorption and osteoclast formation, (ii) cathepsin K may not be an exclusive target enzyme in any of the two systems, and (iii) the enzyme(s) involved in osteoclastogenesis might not be a typical papain-like cysteine proteinase.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

A cystatin C-based formula without anthropometric variables estimates glomerular filtration rate better than creatinine clearance using the Cockcroft-Gault formula.

t In 1976, Cockcroft and Gault introduced a widely used formula comprising several anthropometric variables to compensate for the inadequacies of creatinine level as a marker of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The present work investigates the possibility of introducing cystatin C-based formulas without anthropometric variables to predict GFR, determined by an invasive "gold standard" procedure (iohexol clearance), and to compare the diagnostic efficiency of such formulas with that of Cockcroft and Gault. All 451 adult patients referred to the University Hospital for determination of GFR by iohexol clearance measurements during a period of 6 months were included in the study. Calculations of bias (median percent error), correlation (adjusted R2), and accuracy (percentage of estimates within 30 and 50% of iohexol clearance) were used in the comparison. The cystatin C-based formula GFR (ml/min)=89.12 x cystatin C(-1.675) had lower bias and higher accuracy in predicting GFR than the Cockcroft-Gault formula. If a cystatin C-based formula including gender was constructed: GFR (ml/min)=99.19 x cystatin C(-1.713) x (0.823 for women), an even lower bias and higher accuracy were obtained. It is suggested that measurement of cystatin C should be used for the initial prediction of GFR of a patient.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Nt-proANP in plasma, a marker of salt sensitivity, is reduced in type 2 diabetes patients.

OBJECTIVE: We recently showed that plasma concentration of N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide (Nt-proANP) is strongly directly related to salt sensitivity. The aims of the present study were to test (i) whether plasma concentration of N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide (Nt-proBNP) is related to salt sensitivity and (ii) whether Nt-proANP, as a marker of salt sensitivity, differs between type 2 diabetes patients and nondiabetic subjects without a history of coronary heart disease. METHODS: Nt-proBNP was determined in 30 Swedish normal subjects with heredity for primary hypertension and salt sensitivity was defined as the difference between mean arterial blood pressure after 1 week on a high-salt diet (240 mmol day(-1)) and 1 week on a low-salt diet (10 mmol day(-1)). Nt-proANP was measured in 253 patients with type 2 diabetes and in 230 nondiabetic subjects aged 40-70 years, all without a history of coronary heart disease. RESULTS: Amongst the 30 subjects, in whom salt sensitivity was directly measured, Nt-proBNP was not correlated with salt sensitivity (R=-0.18, P=0.35). Nt-proANP (median, interquartile range) was lower in patients with type 2 diabetes (505, 387-661 pmol L(-1)) than in nondiabetic subjects (536, 421-696 pmol L(-1)) (P=0.02). In a multiple regression analysis heart rate (P <0.00001), diastolic blood pressure (P=0.02) and diabetes status (P=0.02) were inversely related whereas age (P <0.00001), cystatin C (P=0.0006), hypertension treatment (P=0.002) and female sex (P=0.006) were directly related to ln(Nt-proANP). CONCLUSION: In contrast to Nt-proANP, Nt-proBNP is not related to salt sensitivity. Salt sensitivity, as estimated by Nt-proANP, seems to be reduced in type 2 diabetes.

Atrial Natriuretic Factor↗

PubMed2004

Family 2 cystatins inhibit osteoclast-mediated bone resorption in calvarial bone explants.

Osteoclastic bone resorption depends on the activity of various proteolytic enzymes, in particular those belonging to the group of cysteine proteinases. Biochemical studies have shown that cystatins, naturally occurring inhibitors of these enzymes, inhibit bone matrix degradation. Since the mechanism by which cystatins exert this inhibitory effect is not completely resolved yet, we studied the effect of cystatins on bone resorption microscopically and by Ca-release measurements. Calvarial bone explants were cultured in the presence or absence of family 2 cystatins and processed for light and electron microscopic analysis, and the culture media were analyzed for calcium release. Both egg white cystatin and human cystatin C decreased calcium release into the medium significantly. Microscopic analyses of the bone explants demonstrated that in the presence of either inhibitor, a high percentage of osteoclasts was associated with demineralized non-degraded bone matrix. Following a 24-h incubation in the presence of cystatin C, 41% of the cells were adjacent to areas of demineralized non-degraded bone matrix, whereas in controls, this was only 6%. If bone explants were cultured with both PTH and cystatin C, 60% of the osteoclasts were associated with demineralized non-degraded bone matrix, compared to 27% for bones treated with PTH only (P < 0.01). Our study provides evidence that cystatins, the naturally occurring inhibitors of cysteine proteinases, reversibly inhibit bone matrix degradation in the resorption lacunae adjacent to osteoclasts. These findings suggest the involvement of cystatins in the modulation of osteoclastic bone degradation.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Gene deletion of cystatin C aggravates brain damage following focal ischemia but mitigates the neuronal injury after global ischemia in the mouse.

Cystatin C is distributed in all human tissues and fluids with a particular abundance in the cerebrospinal fluid. Cystatin C is a strong endogenous inhibitor of lysosomal cysteine proteases, such as cathepsin B, L, H and S, that are involved in various biological processes such as degradation of cellular proteins and regulation of enzymes, as well as in pathological processes. Pharmacological inhibition of cathepsins has been shown to reduce neuronal damage after brain ischemia, suggesting that cystatin C is an endogenous neuroprotectant. Cystatin C has also amyloidogenic properties and is co-localized with beta-amyloid in degenerated neurons in Alzheimer's disease, suggesting a role in neuronal degeneration. To test the hypothesis that endogenous cystatin C is neuroprotective during brain ischemia, global and focal brain ischemia was induced in mice with the cystatin C gene knocked out. Following focal ischemia, larger brain infarcts were found in cystatin C knockout mice, probably due to a reduced inhibition of the cathepsins during ischemia. In contrast, brain damage after global ischemia was diminished in cystatin C knockout mice, suggesting that cystatin C has an aggravating effect on selective neuronal damage after global ischemia.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Oligoclonal IgG bands synthesized in the central nervous system are present in rats with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

OBJECTIVE: Oligoclonal bands (OBs) in electrophoresis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are present in multiple sclerosis and here is investigated whether these also occur in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis was induced in 42 DA rats after immunization with rat spinal chord homogenate and the occurrence of OBs were detected by electrophoresis of both sera and CSF. The relationship between disease symptoms, antibody response against myelin basic protein (MBP), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) and appearance of OBs was studied. RESULTS: Development of CSF-specific OB was found to occur, 6 weeks after immunization, in seven of 42 rats. OB was detected in rats with an antibody response against MBP, whereas as a role no such bands were present in rats with an antibody response against MOG. Initially severe disease symptoms were correlated to a concomitant intense oligoclonal antibody response. CONCLUSION: Cerebrospinal fluid-specific OB occurs in EAE. It is present in rats with an anti-MBP, but not in rats with an anti-MOG antibody response. A severe disease results in an intense oligoclonal antibody response, which might have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Calculation of glomerular filtration rate expressed in mL/min from plasma cystatin C values in mg/L.

The Cockcroft Gault formula is often used to calculate the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) from plasma creatinine results. In Sweden this calculation is not usually done in the laboratory, but locally in the wards. These manual calculations could cause erroneous results. In several studies plasma cystatin C has been shown to be superior to plasma creatinine for estimation of GFR. One limitation of using cystatin C as a GFR marker is that there is no conversion formula transforming cystatin C expressed as mg/L to GFR expressed as mL/min. In this study plasma creatinine and cystatin C were compared with iohexol clearance. A stronger correlation (p < 0.0001) was found between cystatin C and iohexol clearance (r2 = 0.91) than between creatinine and iohexol clearance (r2 = 0.84). From the correlation data a formula was calculated to convert cystatin C expressed as mg/L to GFR (mL/min). The formulas y = 77.24x(-1.2623) (Dade Behring cystatin C calibration) or y = 99.43x(-1.5837) (DakoCytomation cystatin C calibration) are used to calculate GFR expressed in mL/min from the cystatin C value in mg/L and both results are reported to the referral doctor. These formulas can provide the clinicians with reliable and readily available GFR data based on single measurements of cystatin C concentrations.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

New antimicrobial peptide active against Gram-positive pathogens.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Human and animal cystatins have been shown to inhibit the replication of certain viruses and bacteria, though it is not directly demonstrated that the effects are due to protease inhibitory capacity of the cystatins. We report antibacterial properties of a novel antimicrobial peptidyl derivative, (2S)-2-(N(alpha)-benzyloxycarbonyl-arginyl-leucylamido)-1-[(E)-cinnamoylamido]-3- methylbutane, structurally based upon the aminoterminal segment of the inhibitory centre of the human cysteine protease inhibitor, cystatin C. METHODS: Clinical isolates of group A, B, C and G streptococci were collected. The antibacterial activity of Cystapep 1 derivative was tested by agar well diffusion method. RESULTS: Cystapep 1, displayed antibacterial activity against several clinically important Gram-positive bacteria. It displayed minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations of about 16 microg/ml for both Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. In radial agar diffusion assays, groups A, B, C and G streptococci as well as staphylococci were generally susceptible to the action of Cystapep 1, whereas pneumococci and enterococci were less susceptible. No activity against Gram-negative bacteria was observed. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Cystapep 1 also showed high activity against methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA) and multi-antibiotic resistant coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS), suggesting its mechanism of action to be different from most currently used antibiotics.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed2003

C-reactive protein levels following standard neurosurgical procedures.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to establish the magnitude and time-course of C-reactive protein increases following routine neurosurgical procedures in the absence of clinical and laboratory signs of infection. METHOD: C-reactive protein levels were studied daily following ventriculo-peritoneal shunt implantation, anterior cervical fusion, vestibular schwannoma operation, supratentorial glioma surgery, endovascular intracranial aneurysm treatment and open cerebral aneurysm surgery. FINDINGS: The magnitude of the C-reactive protein increase depended on the extent of surgical trauma and peak-levels were recorded between postoperative day one and four after which the levels tapered off. INTERPRETATION: Increases occurring after the fourth postoperative day are likely to be caused by complications of surgery, e.g. infection.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Factors influencing analysis of prolyl endopeptidase in human blood and cerebrospinal fluid: increase in assay sensitivity.

Prolyl endopeptidase (EC 3.4.21.26) (PEP) is present in nearly all investigated mammalian cells and biological fluids and might be involved in the degradation of physiologically important neuropeptides. To be able to investigate the variation of PEP in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in human disease, the factors influencing analysis of PEP in these body fluids must be determined. The purpose of the present work was to study the influence of storage conditions, anticoagulation additives, freezing and thawing and substrate solvent on determination of PEP in blood plasma/serum and CSF. It was found that the PEP activity was about 10% higher in plasma (with EDTA and heparinate for anticoagulation) than in serum. Storage at room temperature (20 degrees C) caused a rapid decline in enzyme activity, which was smaller but still considerable at 4 degrees C. Storage at -20 degrees C and -70 degrees C did not decrease the PEP activity. Freezing and thawing of plasma/serum samples showed that the first freeze-thawing cycle produced a 20% reduction in enzyme activity but little further decrease was observed during subsequent cycles of freeze-thawing. In conclusion, PEP activity should preferably be measured within one hour after sampling using EDTA- or heparinate plasma. For long-term storage, samples should be immediately frozen and stored at -20 degrees C or colder. The selection and amount of the organic solvent used to dissolve the fluorogenic substrate strongly influenced the sensitivity of the assay. By developing an optimal solvent system an increase in assay sensitivity of about 400% could be obtained, which for the first time allowed measurement of the PEP activity in CSF.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Development of monoclonal antibodies against creatine kinase MB2.

An increase of creatine kinase MB (CKMB) in serum has long been used as a marker for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). It is important with an early diagnosis and since the amount of the CKMB2 isoform rises above reference levels much earlier than the total creatine kinase amount, quantification of CKMB isoforms could be a feasible alternative for early analysis. The two CKMB isoforms differ by only one C-terminal lysine residue, which makes it difficult to separate one from the other. To overcome this problem, monoclonal antibodies were produced using unique peptides as antigen in hybridoma technology. Two peptides with 16 and 15 amino acids corresponding to the C-terminal end of the M-subunits of CKMB2 and CKMB1, respectively, were conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin and used as antigens. Sixteen different monoclonal antibodies to these peptides were obtained and characterized. Their specificity was analyzed by immunoassay and 10 of the antibodies showed cross-reactive binding to creatine kinase. Surface plasmon resonance based biosensor analysis was used to determine affinity and kinetics towards the peptides and the epitopes of four of the antibodies were studied by means of phage display. Some of these antibodies have binding properties that might qualify them for use in the establishment of procedures allowing early diagnosis of AMI.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Serum cystatin C for assessment of glomerular filtration rate in pregnant and non-pregnant women. Indications of altered filtration process in pregnancy.

Serum cystatin C is believed to reflect the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) more closely than serum creatinine in many contexts and a reference interval for serum cystatin C in term pregnancy has been defined to enable its use also in pregnant women. However, serum cystatin C levels were not found to be decreased in term pregnancy, though GFR of low molecular mass substances is known to increase by at least 40% by the third trimester. The aim of this study was therefore to determine whether serum cystatin C is a reliable GFR marker also in pregnant women. GFR was determined by measurement of plasma clearance of iohexol in 48 previously healthy women in their third trimester and in 12 healthy nonpregnant women, and was compared with their serum levels of cystatin C and creatinine. Both serum cystatin C and creatinine levels were significantly related to GFR for both pregnant and non-pregnant women. However, the correlation between cystatin C and GFR was set at different levels for pregnant and nonpregnant women. Our results indicate a physiological difference between the filtration processes in kidneys of pregnant and non-pregnant women, whether it is size-dependent, configuration-dependent or charge-dependent. Nevertheless, serum cystatin C seems to reflect GFR reliably in both non-pregnant and pregnant, healthy and hypertensive women.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Human cystatin C, an amyloidogenic protein, dimerizes through three-dimensional domain swapping.

The crystal structure of human cystatin C, a protein with amyloidogenic properties and a potent inhibitor of cysteine proteases, reveals how the protein refolds to produce very tight two-fold symmetric dimers while retaining the secondary structure of the monomeric form. The dimerization occurs through three-dimensional domain swapping, a mechanism for forming oligomeric proteins. The reconstituted monomer-like domains are similar to chicken cystatin except for one inhibitory loop that unfolds to form the 'open interface' of the dimer. The structure explains the tendency of human cystatin C to dimerize and suggests a mechanism for its aggregation in the brain arteries of elderly people with amyloid angiopathy. A more severe 'conformational disease' is associated with the L68Q mutant of human cystatin C, which causes massive amyloidosis, cerebral hemorrhage and death in young adults. The structure of the three-dimensional domain-swapped dimers shows how the L68Q mutation destabilizes the monomers and makes the partially unfolded intermediate less unstable. Higher aggregates may arise through the three-dimensional domain-swapping mechanism occurring in an open-ended fashion in which partially unfolded molecules are linked into infinite chains.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2001

Urine excretion of protein HC in proteinuric glomerular diseases correlates to urine IgG but not to albuminuria.

BACKGROUND: Proteinuric glomerular diseases often are associated with tubulointerstitial injury, which imposes on the progression of renal failure. Tubular damage is partly referable to toxic effects on the tubular epithelial cells induced by filtered plasma proteins. Patients with nonselective proteinuria, that is, increased urine excretion of high-molecular-weight plasma proteins such as IgG in comparison to albumin, often have poor renal outcome. The present observational study examined correlations between the degree of tubular damage, measured by urine concentration of protein HC, and the levels of urine IgG and albuminuria. METHODS: Measurements of urine concentrations of IgG, albumin, and protein HC were performed in 56 proteinuric patients (33 males and 23 females) with nondiabetic glomerular diseases at the time of the diagnostic renal biopsy and at a mean of 49 follow-up months. RESULTS: A highly significant correlation between the urine IgG excretion and the urine protein HC concentration was found both at the start and at the end of the observational time (r = 0.74 and 0.65, respectively, P < 0.001). Furthermore, alterations in the urinary excretion of the two proteins in single patients correlated significantly to each other (r = 0.84, P < 0.001). The correlation between the degree of albuminuria and the protein HC excretion was significant at the time of kidney biopsy, but ceased to exist during the follow-up time. Stepwise linear regression analysis showed that in comparison with the creatinine clearance and albuminuria, only the changes in urinary IgG excretion were related to the corresponding changes in urinary protein HC excretion (r = 0.84 and r2 = 0.7, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The findings of the study suggest that the urinary protein HC concentration correlates to the degree of IgG-uria but not to the degree of albuminuria during the course of proteinuric glomerular disease. Whether this correlation is to be explained by an intrinsic toxic effect on tubular cells executed by IgG or perhaps by some other high molecular weight proteins, needs to be investigated further. However, the results contribute to the understanding of the poor renal survival in patients with glomerular diseases and nonselective proteinuria.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Serum cystatin C is a better marker for preeclampsia than serum creatinine or serum urate.

Altered renal function is an essential component of the pathophysiological process in preeclampsia. The kidneys play a significant part in the turnover of most low molecular weight substances such as creatinine, urate and cystatin C. The present work was undertaken to investigate if the serum levels of these components are altered in characteristic ways in preeclampsia, and can be used to assist in the diagnosis of this condition. The serum levels were therefore determined in samples from 100 healthy women at term as well as in 45 samples of patients with preeclampsia (diastolic blood pressure >90 mmHg; urinary albumin excretion >300 mgL(-1)). The levels of all three components were significantly higher in samples from preeclamptic patients with the mean+SD being 1.55+/-0.29 vs. 1.05+/-0.19 mg L(-1) for cystatin C, 70+/-23 vs. 56+/-9.7 micromol L(-1) for creatinine, and 413+/-128 vs. 305+/-61 micromol L(-1) for urate. Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that the serum level of cystatin C had a superior diagnostic accuracy for preeclampsia compared to those of serum urate and creatinine and that the diagnostic accuracy of serum urate was better than that of serum creatinine.

Case-Control Studies↗

PubMed2001

Comparative study of Helicobacter pylori infection in guinea pigs and mice - elevation of acute-phase protein C3 in infected guinea pigs.

Eighteen Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs and 50 NMRI mice were inoculated with Helicobacter pylori and the infection followed by culture, histopathology, antibody response, and plasma levels of the acute-phase proteins albumin, C3, and transferrin for up to 7 weeks. The immune response to H. pylori surface proteins was studied by an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and Western immunoblot and the plasma levels of albumin, C3, and transferrin were analyzed by single radial immunodiffusion. Guinea pigs had a more severe gastritis and a higher EIA immune response than NMRI mice. Serum C3 levels were elevated in infected guinea pigs after 3 and 7 weeks indicating a systemic inflammatory response and a possible link between H. pylori infection and extragastric manifestations such as vasculitis associated with atherosclerosis. Serum cholesterol levels were analyzed in guinea pigs at 7 weeks and indicated a higher level in H. pylori-infected than in control animals, but this difference was not statistically significant.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗