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Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is a metabolic disorder associated with hyperactivation of platelets, increased formation of platelet microparticles (PMPs) and oxidative stress that are related to cardiovascular complications. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is an antiplatelet agent used in the prevention of atherothrombosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ASA by means of platelet activation and oxidative profile. We collected blood samples of 81 patients with DM2 before and during ASA treatment. These samples were analyzed to determine the levels of 2,3-dinor thromboxane-B2 (2,3-dinor-TXB2), PMPs, thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT). Moreover, the relationship between the levels of 2,3-dinor-TXB2 with some clinical and laboratory variables such as glycated hemoglobin, platelet count, D dimer, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa and cyclooxygenase-1 polymorphisms was evaluated. ASA intake did not change the levels of PMP, TBARS and MTT. Although a significant decrease in the levels of 2,3 dinorTXB2 (P < 0.001) in patients under ASA has been observed, an equal and satisfactory response to this drug was not found. However, the presence of PIA2 allele in GPIIIa gene may be associated with a better response to ASA intake in these patients, whereas other clinical and laboratory variables showed no association with this drug use. These findings are consistent with previous reports in the literature that patients with DM2 do not benefit in an equal way from the use of ASA for primary prevention of atherothrombotic events.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is an atherosclerotic disturbance characterized by a progressive obstruction of lower limb arteries. Many risk factors associated with PAD development have being reported in the literature. The present study aimed to investigate whether mutations in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) or in the cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) genes are associated with higher levels of homocysteine and the risk of PAD in patients from Brazil. This study analyzed 39 patients with PAD and 32 without PAD in whom risk factors and C677T mutations in the MTHFR gene and both 844ins68 and T833C mutations in the CBS gene were investigated. Although higher levels of homocysteine could be observed in patients with PAD compared to controls, no association between the increase of homocysteine and the frequency of C677T, 844ins68, and T833C mutations could be observed. The results suggest that these mutations do not appear to be related to either homocysteine levels or the development of the disease. However, hyperhomocysteinemia and smoking are important factors in PAD development.

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Rev Neurocienc 2014;22(1):134-143 revisão 134 RESUMO Introdução. O processo inflamatório leva à liberação de diversos mediadores lipídicos e proteicos dentre os quais estão as citocinas. Estudos recentes têm relacionado a ação das citocinas com a fisiopatologia do Transtorno Bipolar (TB). Objetivo. Revisar a literatura acerca de estudos que realizaram dosagens dos níveis sistêmicos (séricos ou plasmáticos) de citocinas no TB. Método. Foram pesquisados artigosde 01/1980 a01/2013,nos idiomas inglês e português, nas bases de dados MedLine e Scielo, com as palavras-chave Inflammation, Cytokinese Bipolar Disorder. Foram excluídos artigos que avaliaram produção in vitro de citocinas, que não estratificaram os pacientes de acordo com a fase do transtorno bipolar (mania, depressão ou eutimia). Resultados. Foram identificados 25trabalhos que avaliaram os níveis séricos ou plasmáticos de citocinas em pacientes com TB. As citocinas avaliadas foram: IL-8, INF-γ, IL-1β, TGF-β, IL-12, IL-6, IL-4, IL-10, IL-2, IL-17, IL-5, TNF-α e seus receptores solúveis sTNFR1 e sTNFR2, além de sIL-6R e IL-1Ra. Embora os estudos apresentem resultados conflitantes quanto aos níveis de citocinas pró e anti-inflamatóriasno soro ou plasma de pacientes com TB, existeuma tendência para um perfil pró-inflamatório nos pacientes em fase de depressão e mania. Conclusão. O presente estudo sugere queos parâmetros imunológicos, representados por alterações nos níveis plasmáticos e/ou séricos de citocinas podem estar relacionados com a fisiopatologia do TB.Unitermos. Inflamação, Citocinas, Transtorno Bipolar. ABSTRACTIntroduction. The inflammatory process leads to the release of several lipids and protein mediators, including cytokines. Recent studies have associated cytokines and their actions to the physiopathology of Bipolar Disorder (BD). This disorderis characterized bymood changes between pathological(depression or mania) and physiologic (euthymia) states. Objective. To review the literature concerning the measurement of circulating (serum or plasma) levels of cytokines in BD. Method. Articles were searched from01/1980 to01/2013, in English and Portuguese, in the databases MEDLINE and SciELO with the keywords Inflammation, Cytokines and Bipolar Disorder. Articles that evaluated in vitro production of cytokines, or did not perform stratification of patients according to the phase of bipolar disorder (mania depression or euthymia)were excluded. Results. 25 works that evaluated the cytokine levels (serum or plasma) in patients with BD were identified. The cytokines evaluated were:IL-8, INF-γ, IL-1β, TGF-β, IL-12, IL-6, IL-4, IL-10, IL-2, IL-17, IL-5, and TNF-α, and its soluble receptors TNFR1 and sTNFR2, as well as sIL-6R andIL-1Ra. Although the studies have shown conflicting results regarding the levels of proand anti-inflammatory serum or plasma of patients with TB, there is a tendency towards apro-inflammatory profilein patientsin phase of depressionand mania. Conclusion. This study suggests that immunological parameters, represented by changes in pl...