Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are a group of highly aggressive malignant tumors with a poor prognosis. The current diagnosis is based mainly on imaging and intraoperative exploration due to brush cytology havinga low sensitivity and the standard markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate 19-9 (CA19-9), not having enough sensitivity nor specificity to be used in a differential diagnosis and early stage detection. Thus, better non-invasive methods that can distinguish between normal and pathological tissue are needed. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules of ~20–22 nucleotides that regulate relevant physiological mechanisms and can also be involved in carcinogenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated that miRNAs are detectable in multiple body fluids, showing great stability, either free or trapped in circulating microvesicles, such as exosomes. miRNAs are ideal biomarkers that may be used in screening and prognosis in biliary tract cancers, aiding also in the clinical decisions at different stages of cancer treatment. This review highlights the progress in the analysis of circulating miRNAs in serum, plasma and bile as potential diagnostic and prognostic markers of BTCs.

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which has given rise to a global sanitary emergency. The clinical characteristics of COVID-19 are varied and can range from an asymptomatic infection to a mild to severe pneumonia. Recent studies have shown that different laboratory parameters become altered in these patients, and as such are useful as biomarkers to assess the progression of the disease and categorize patients that may present a severe and/or fatal clinical condition. This review analyzes biochemical and immunological markers that become altered in COVID-19 patients and their impact on different organs at a hepatic, cardiac, renal and pancreatic level, as well as markers of inflammation, analyzing their implications in the evolution of the disease.

Objective: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with hypertension, obesity and dyslipidemia. Thus, genetic variants related with these conditions may modulate its development. We evaluated the effect of polymorphisms in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) on metabolic syndrome risk in a cohort of Chilean subjects. Subjects and methods: A total of 152 subjects, 83 with MetS (51.2 ± 9.6 years) and 69 without MetS (49.5 ± 9.3 years) of both genders were included, according to the ATP III update criteria. The rs4340 Insertion/Deletion (I/D), rs699 (T>C) and rs5186 (A>C) of the ACE, AGT and AGTR1 genes, respectively, were genotyped. Results: After adjusting for age and gender, we observed the DD genotype of rs4340 associated with MetS (p = 0.02). Specifically, the DD genotype was associated with MetS risk in women (OR = 4.62, 95%CI, 1.41 -15.04; p < 0.01). In males, the AA genotype for rs5186 variant was associated with an increased risk for developing MetS when compared with women carrying the same genotype (OR = 3.2; 95%CI, 1.03 -9.89; p = 0.04). In subjects without MetS, DD genotype was associated with increased waist circumference (p = 0.023) while subjects with MetS carrying the rs5186 TT genotype showed higher levels of HDL-cholesterol (p = 0.031). Conclusion: The present study contributes data highlighting the role for RAS polymorphisms in predisposing to metabolic syndrome in Chilean subjects. Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2016;60(3):190-8

Background: Alloimmunization is an adverse effect of blood transfusions. In Chile, alloimmunization frequency is not established, and for this reason the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and specificity of red blood cell (RBC) alloantibodies in Chilean transfused subjects. Methods: Records from 4,716 multi-transfused patients were analyzed. In these patients, antibody screening was carried out prior to cross-matching with a commercially available two-cell panel by the microcolum gel test, and samples with a positive screen were analyzed for the specificity of the alloantibody with a 16-cell identification panel. Results: The incidence of RBC alloimmunization in transfused patients was 1.02% (48/4,716) with a higher prevalence in women (40/48). We detected 52 antibodies, the most frequent specificities identified were anti-E (30.8%), anti-K (26.9%), anti-D (7.7%), and anti-Fy^a (5.8%). The highest incidence of alloantibodies was observed in cancer and gastroenterology patients. Conclusion: The data demonstrated a low alloimmunization frequency in Chilean transfused patients, principally associated with antibodies anti-E, anti-K, anti-D, and anti-Fy^a.

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