Adiponectin may be a marker of low-grade systemic inflammatory response in COPD. A further rise in serum adiponectin in the exacerbation period denotes that this may also be a biomarker of the exacerbation phase as well as CRP and ESR.

We aimed to compare the efficacy of intra-articular injections of a lower molecular weight hyaluronan (LMW HA) (Ostenil) with a higher molecular weight viscosupplement (hylan G-F 20, Synvisc) in hip osteoarthritis. For this purpose, 43 patients (56 hips) with hip osteoarthritis with a visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score higher than 50/100, a Lequesne index greater than 6, and persistence of the pain for longer than 3 months despite all conservative methods were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to two groups: 25 (32 hips) received LMW HA and the remaining 18 patients (24 hips) received hylan G-F 20. Three injections were administered once weekly to each patient under fluoroscopic guidance. During the 6-month follow-up period, the primary outcomes were assessed at the 1st, 3rd, and 6th month by VAS, WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index), and Lequesne index. The intra-articular injections produced a significant reduction in VAS, WOMAC, and Lequesne index scores in both groups. After three injections, improvement was prominent at the 1st month and maintained for 6 months in both groups. The percentage reduction was 38 and 40% (p<0.001) in VAS pain score, 43 and 40% in WOMAC (p<0.001), and 47 and 49% in Lequesne index (p<0.001) in the LMW HA and hylan G-F groups at the 6th month, respectively. However, there were no significant differences in outcomes between any of the measurements at the 1st, 3rd, and 6th month between the two groups (p>0.05). No systemic adverse effect was recorded. Local adverse effects consisting of pain and/or swelling were noted in 3 of 32 hips (9%) injected with LMW HA and in 3 of 24 hips (12.5%) injected with hylan G-F 20. In conclusion, both types of viscosupplementation produced a significant clinical improvement during the 6-month follow-up period. However, no significant difference was found in outcomes between higher and lower molecular weight hyaluronan.

Determination of antibodies against ToRCH antigens at the beginning of pregnancy allows assessment of both the maternal immune status and the risks to an adverse pregnancy outcome. Age-standardised seroprevalences were determined in sera from 1009 women of childbearing age residing in Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Poland, Turkey or China using a multiparametric immunoblot containing antigen substrates for antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii, rubella virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex viruses (HSV-1, HSV-2), Bordetella pertussis, Chlamydia trachomatis, parvovirus B19, Treponema pallidum and varicella zoster virus (VZV). Seroprevalences for antibodies against HSV-1 were >90% in samples from Brazil and Turkey, whereas the other four countries showed lower mean age-adjusted seroprevalences (range: 62.5-87.9%). Samples from Brazilian women showed elevated seroprevalences of antibodies against HSV-2 (40.1%), C. trachomatis (46.8%) and B. pertussis (56.6%) compared to the other five countries. Seroprevalences of anti-T. gondii antibodies (0.5%) and anti-parvovirus B19 antibodies (7.5%) were low in samples from Chinese women, compared to the other five countries. Samples from German women revealed a low age-standardised seroprevalence of anti-CMV antibodies (28.8%) compared to the other five countries. These global differences in immune status of women in childbearing age advocate countryspecific prophylaxis strategies to avoid infection with ToRCH pathogens.

Millions of patients in the world are being increasingly exposed to sepsis every year, and the rate of sepsis mortality remains high. If effective antibiotic therapy is started early, morbidity and mortality levels decrease in infections. Many previous studies indicated that the prohormone procalcitonin (PCT) is an excellent marker for sepsis and its related conditions. Procalcitonin is synthesized by a large number of tissues and organs in response to the invasion by pathogenic microorganisms and the use of PCT as a marker to improve the diagnosis of bacterial infections and guide antibiotic therapy. Procalcitonin also correlates with the extent and severity of infection, and it can be used for a prognostic marker. The aim of this review was to discuss whether serum PCT levels could be a diagnostic and/or prognostic marker in sepsis.

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