Although the mechanisms underlying the loss of response to infliximab are not completely understood, the formation of antibodies to infliximab (ATI) are thought to play a role. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of ATI in psoriatic patients and to evaluate its relationship to the clinical response. Fifteen patients with psoriasis were treated with infliximab (5 mg/kg) every 8 weeks after an initial three-dose induction treatment. An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit was used for analyzing the presence of ATI in sera. Effectiveness assessments included the change in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) compared with study entry. Five (33.3%) patients developed ATI. While 5.9 +/- 3.2 infliximab infusions achieved a fall in the PASI score from a mean of 20.4 +/- 8.3 to 5.3 +/- 2.4 in ATI-negative patients, these values changed from 23.3 +/- 11 to 10 +/- 4.9 after 9 +/- 5.2 infusions in ATI-positive patients. Our results suggested that ATI measured in psoriatic patients are of clinical importance. Therefore, monitoring for the induction of ATI and rescue strategies should be developed to avoid or to maintain a delay in ATI development.

Background: Epidermal growth factor (EGF) in saliva is cytoprotective against injuries and contributes to the maintenance of the integrity of the gastrointestinal mucosa. Low salivary EGF levels have been observed in patients with various forms of oral mucosal disease. Objective: Our aim wasto determine whether salivary EGF is low in patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) or those with Behçet’s disease (BD) when compared with healthy controls. Methods: The study population consisted of 33 BD and 16 RAS patients and 60 healthy controls. Measurement of EGF concentration in human saliva was performed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using an antibody-coated solid phase. Results: The mean salivary EGF levels (±SD) of active (with oral ulceration) and inactive stages (absence of oral ulceration) of BD (1,939.7 ± 1,561.5 and 2,305.7 ± 1,481.6 pg/ml, respectively) and RAS patients (1,650.5 ± 704.7 and 1,069.9 ± 539.2 pg/ml, respectively) were both lower than those of the healthy controls (2,758.7 ± 1,657.9 pg/ml) (p < 0.05 for each). Conclusions: BD and RAS patients have reduced salivary EGF levels even in the absence of oral ulcerations. EGF could be involved in the pathogenesis of BD and RAS by disturbing the mucosal integrity that may result in a susceptibility to the development of oral ulcers in these diseases.

The etiology of autism is unclear, however autism is considered as a multifactorial disorder that is influenced by neurological, environmental, immunological and genetic factors. Growth factors, including epidermal growth factor (EGF), play an important role in the cellular proliferation and the differentiation of the central and peripheral nervous system. In this study we hypothesized that EGF may play a role in the pathophysiology of autism and examined serum EGF levels in children with autism. We measured serum levels of EGF in the 27 autistic children and 28 age- matched normal controls. The serum levels of EGF in the subjects with autism were significantly higher than those of normal control subjects. However, there were no correlations between serum EGF levels and clinical variables in the subjects with autism. This is the first report demonstrating the increased serum levels of EGF in children with autism. This study suggests that increased levels of EGF might have an importance in the pathophysiology of autism.

The distribution of IgG antibodies to Bordetella pertussis was investigated in serum samples from 550 subjects, aged 4-24 years, to determine the optimal age for booster immunisation. Levels of antibody to B. pertussis antigens were determined using an ELISA that measures a mixture of pertussis toxin, filamentous haemagglutinin and lipopolysaccharide. Geometric mean titres of anti-pertussis antibodies in subjects aged 4-6 years were significantly lower than those in other age groups, which reflects waning immunity following vaccination. High positive titres in older children and adolescents suggested acquired B. pertussis infection, and booster doses at the ages of 7 and 15 years are therefore suggested.

Our findings revealed that the oxidation of LDL starts early in obese children but the carotid IMT is not significantly affected. Also, oxidized LDL levels are more strongly associated with obesity and dyslipidemia than the carotid IMT in prepubertal children.