INTRODUCTION: A variable proportion of non-responders to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) warrants the search for new approaches to optimize the position of the left ventricular (LV) lead and the CRT device programming. CineECG is a novel ECG modality proposed for the spatial visualization and quantification of myocardial depolarization and repolarization sequences. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate CineECG-derived parameters in different pacing modes and to test their associations with acute hemodynamic responses in CRT patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: CineECG was used to construct the average electrical path within the cardiac anatomy from the 12-lead ECG. CineECG and LV dP/dt max were tested in 15 patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy and left bundle branch block (QRS: 170 ± 17 ms; LVEF: 26 ± 5.5%) under pacing protocols with different LV lead localizations. The CineECG-derived path directions were computed for the QRS and ST-T intervals for the anteroposterior (Xh), interventricular (Yh), and apicobasal (Zh) axes. In a multivariate linear regression analysis with adjustment for the pacing protocol type, the ST-T path direction Yh was independently associated with the increase in dP/dt max during CRT, [regression coefficient 639.4 (95% confidence interval: 187.9-1090.9), p = 0.006]. In ROC curve analysis, the ST-T path direction Yh was associated with the achievement of a 10% increase in dP/dt max (AUC: 0.779, p = 0.002) with the optimal cut-off > 0.084 (left-to-right direction) with sensitivity 0.67 and specificity 0.92. CONCLUSION: The acute hemodynamic response in CRT patients was associated with specific CineECG repolarization sequence parameters, warranting their further testing as potential predictors of clinical outcomes.

• MeSH
• Action Potentials MeSH
• Bundle-Branch Block * physiopathology   therapy   diagnosis   MeSH
• Time Factors MeSH
• Cardiomyopathy, Dilated physiopathology   therapy   diagnosis   MeSH
• Electrocardiography * MeSH
• Ventricular Function, Left * MeSH
• Hemodynamics * MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Predictive Value of Tests * MeSH
• Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Devices MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Heart Rate MeSH
• Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy * MeSH
• Heart Failure physiopathology   therapy   diagnosis   MeSH
• Stroke Volume MeSH
• Treatment Outcome MeSH
• Check Tag
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

PURPOSE: High-dose intravenous glucocorticoids are the standard first-line treatment in active, moderate to severe and severe thyroid eye disease (TED). We evaluate the usefulness of clinical activity score (CAS) and thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) as predictors and/or post-treatment markers of corticoresistance in patients with TED and the effect of rituximab in second-line treatment. METHODS: We enrolled 236 patients with an active TED into this retrospective single-tertiary-center cohort study. All patients were initially treated with high-dose systemic glucocorticoids. Rituximab was later administered to 29 of 42 corticoresistant patients. RESULTS: The CAS of the corticoresistant patients was significantly higher both before (p = 0.0001) and after (p = <0.0001) first-line treatment compared to the corticosensitive group. ROC analysis established the cut-point value as CAS ≥ 2.5 with a sensitivity of 96.3%, specificity of 57.5% and area under the curve of 82.8%. In 22 patients treated with rituximab, CAS gradually decreased to zero values without reactivation during extended follow-up. There was no difference in the TSI of corticosensitive and corticoresistant patients before or after first-line therapy. CONCLUSION: CAS ≥ 2, after first-line treatment, could be used as a corticoresistance marker. Corticoresistant patients should be subject to long-term follow-up for early detection of reactivation to reduce the delay to second-line treatment. Rituximab is a well-tolerated choice of second-line treatment and has a long-lasting effect on disease activity. Although TSI is a valuable biomarker of Graves' disease and TED activity, according to our results, TSI cannot be used as a marker of corticoresistance.

• MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Glucocorticoids therapeutic use   MeSH
• Graves Ophthalmopathy * drug therapy   blood   MeSH
• Immunoglobulins, Thyroid-Stimulating blood   MeSH
• Immunologic Factors therapeutic use   MeSH
• Drug Resistance * MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Retrospective Studies MeSH
• Rituximab * therapeutic use   MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Treatment Outcome MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Hemodynamically unstable patients with severe hypothermia and preserved circulation should be transported to dedicated extracorporeal life support (ECLS) centers, but not all are eligible for extracorporeal therapy. In this group of patients, the outcome of rewarming may sometimes be unfavorable. It is, therefore, crucial to identify potential risk factors for death. Furthermore, it is unclear what criterion for hemodynamic stability should be adopted for patients with severe hypothermia. The aim of this study is to identify pre-rewarming predictors of death and their threshold values in hypothermic patients with core temperature ≤ 28 °C and preserved circulation, who were treated without extracorporeal rewarming. We conducted a multicenter retrospective study involving patients in accidental hypothermia with core temperature 28 °C or lower, and preserved spontaneous circulation on rewarming initiation. The data were collected from the International Hypothermia Registry, HELP Registry, and additional hospital data. The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. We conducted a multivariable logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. In the multivariate analysis of laboratory tests and vital signs, systolic blood pressure (SBP) adjusted for cooling circumstances and base excess (BE) were identified as the best predictor of death (OR 0.974 95% CI 0.952-0.996), AUC ROC 0.79 (0.70-0.88). The clinically relevant cutoff for SBP was identified at 90 mmHg with a sensitivity of 0.74 (0.54-0.89) and a specificity of 0.70 (0.60-0.79). The increased risk of death among hypothermic patients with preserved circulation occurs among those with an SBP below 90 mmHg and in those who developed hypothermia in their homes.

• MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Hypothermia * mortality   therapy   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Logistic Models MeSH
• Prognosis MeSH
• Retrospective Studies MeSH
• Risk Factors MeSH
• ROC Curve MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Rewarming methods   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Multicenter Study MeSH

BACKGROUND: Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) 3 lesions, identified through multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI), present a clinical challenge due to their equivocal nature in predicting clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). Aim of the study is to improve risk stratification of patients with PI-RADS 3 lesions and candidates for prostate biopsy. METHODS: A cohort of 4841 consecutive patients who underwent MRI and subsequent MRI-targeted and systematic biopsies between January 2016 and April 2023 were retrospectively identified from independent prospectively maintained database. Only patients who have PI-RADS 3 lesions were included in the final analysis. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify covariables associated with csPCa defined as International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade group ≥2. Performance of the model was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration, and net benefit. Significant predictors were then selected for further exploration using a Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 790 patients had PI-RADS 3 lesions and 151 (19%) had csPCa. Significant associations were observed for age (OR: 1.1 [1.0-1.1]; p = 0.01) and PSA density (OR: 1643 [2717-41,997]; p < 0.01). The CHAID analysis identified PSAd as the sole significant factor influencing the decision tree. Cut-offs for PSAd were 0.13 ng/ml/cc (csPCa detection rate of 1% vs. 18%) for the two-nodes model and 0.09 ng/ml/cc and 0.16 ng/ml/cc for the three-nodes model (csPCa detection rate of 0.5% vs. 2% vs. 17%). CONCLUSIONS: For individuals with PI-RADS 3 lesions on prostate mpMRI and a PSAd below 0.13, especially below 0.09, prostate biopsy can be omitted, in order to avoid unnecessary biopsy and overdiagnosis of non-csPCa.

• MeSH
• Risk Assessment methods   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging * methods   MeSH
• Prostatic Neoplasms * pathology   diagnostic imaging   diagnosis   blood   MeSH
• Prostate pathology   diagnostic imaging   MeSH
• Prostate-Specific Antigen * blood   MeSH
• Retrospective Studies MeSH
• ROC Curve MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Neoplasm Grading MeSH
• Image-Guided Biopsy methods   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

BACKGROUND/AIM: New generation androgen receptor-targeting agents (ARTA) have been in the spotlight for their efficacy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) represents one of the most commonly used serum cancer biomarkers worldwide. The present retrospective study focused on the prognostic role of serum PSA isoforms and their early dynamics in mCRPC patients treated with abiraterone acetate (ABI) or enzalutamide (ENZ). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The association between outcomes of 334 mCRPC patients treated with ABI or ENZ and the levels of serum total PSA (tPSA), free PSA (fPSA), [-2]proPSA and the Prostate Health Index (PHI) at baseline and one month after treatment initiation was analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: In the multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, baseline tPSA>50 μg/l (p<0.001), and [-2]proPSA>300 ng/l (p=0.017) remained independent significant factors associated with inferior OS, while baseline fPSA>1.75 μg/l (p=0.050) and Δ [-2]proPSA >-50% approached statistical significance (p=0.062). The results of ROC analyses assessing the ability of baseline tPSA, fPSA, and [-2]proPSA to predict mortality within two years showed area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.709, 0.685, and 0.740, respectively. Among the subgroup with baseline tPSA≤20.0 μg/l, the results of ROC analyses for baseline tPSA, fPSA and [-2]proPSA showed AUC values of 0.441, 0.682, and 0.688, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest a significant correlation between pretreatment serum levels of tPSA and [-2]proPSA with OS in mCRPC patients receiving ARTA.

• MeSH
• Abiraterone Acetate therapeutic use   administration & dosage   MeSH
• Receptors, Androgen * blood   metabolism   MeSH
• Androgen Receptor Antagonists therapeutic use   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Neoplasm Metastasis MeSH
• Biomarkers, Tumor blood   MeSH
• Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant * drug therapy   blood   pathology   mortality   MeSH
• Prognosis MeSH
• Prostate-Specific Antigen * blood   MeSH
• Protein Isoforms * blood   MeSH
• Retrospective Studies MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Treatment Outcome MeSH
• Check Tag
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Moral injury is defined as a deep sense of transgression, including feelings of shame, grief, meaninglessness, and remorse from having violated core moral beliefs. This study aimed to adapt the Moral Injury Symptom Scale-Healthcare Professionals (MISS-HP) for measure this concept in the Czech Republic and explore its psychometric properties. Sample of healthcare providers (N = 694) completed the MISS-HP questionnaires, the Shirom Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM) and the Professional Quality of Life scale (PROQoL). Cronbach ́s alpha of MISS-HP was found to be 0.62; exploratory factor analysis returned 4 factors. Correlations with SMBM and PROQoL were moderate (from 0.31-0.46), which confirmed the construct validity of MISS-HP. ROC curve analysis identified the optimal cut-off score at 42 points with 75% sensitivity and 69% specificity. Female gender, younger age and atheism were related to higher symptoms of moral injury. Czech MISS-HP was found to be a valid and reliable measure of moral injury.

• MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Quality of Life MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Morals * MeSH
• Burnout, Professional * psychology   diagnosis   MeSH
• Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
• Psychometrics * methods   MeSH
• Reproducibility of Results MeSH
• Health Personnel * psychology   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH

OBJECTIVES: Annotating carious lesions on images is challenging. For artificial intelligence (AI) applications, the aggregation of heterogeneous multi-examiner annotations into one single annotation (e.g. via majority voting, MV) is usually needed. We assessed different aggregation strategies for multi-examiner annotations of primary proximal carious lesions on orthoradial radiographs and Near-Infrared Light Transillumination (NILT) images. METHODS: A total of 1007 proximal surfaces from 522 extracted posterior teeth were assessed by five dentists. Histological analysis provided the gold standard. Surfaces were classified as (1) sound, (2) enamel lesion or (3) dentin lesion. Four label aggregation strategies - MV, Weighted Majority Voting (WMV), Dawid-Skene (DS), and multi-annotator competence estimation (MACE) - were applied to unimodal (radiographs, NILT) and multimodal (combined) datasets. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was the primary outcome metric. RESULTS: According to the gold standard, 637 (63 %) surfaces were sound, 280 (28 %) showed carious lesions limited to the enamel, and 90 (9 %) showed lesions extending into the dentin. For radiographs, aggregation using MACE outperformed MV, WMV and DS significantly across all lesion depths (p < 0.002). For NILT, MACE significantly outperformed MV across all lesion depths (p < 0.001) and DS for enamel and dentin lesions (p ≤ 0.002). In the multimodal dataset, DS outperformed the other label aggregation strategies across all lesion depths significantly (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The commonly applied MV may be suboptimal. There is a need for informed application of specific aggregation strategies, depending on the dataset characteristics. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Most AI applications for dental image analysis are trained on a single annotation, usually resulting from aggregated multi-examiner annotations of each image. However, since these annotations are usually aggregated in an in vivo setting where no definitive ground truth is available, the choice of aggregation strategy plays a crucial role.

• MeSH
• Dentin pathology   diagnostic imaging   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Image Processing, Computer-Assisted * methods   MeSH
• Radiography, Dental MeSH
• ROC Curve MeSH
• Transillumination MeSH
• Artificial Intelligence MeSH
• Dental Caries * diagnostic imaging   pathology   MeSH
• Dental Enamel diagnostic imaging   pathology   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Úvod: Valvuloplastika aortálnej chlopne s extenziou cípov sa rutinne používa v liečbe chýb aortálnej chlopne u detí a dospievajúcich. Materiál použitý na valvuloplastiku môže ovplyvniť funkciu aortálnej chlopne a jej trvácnosť. Ciele: Zhodnotiť dlhodobé výsledky valvuloplastiky aortálnej chlopne technikou extenzie cípov pomocou autológneho perikardu alebo polytetraflóretylénu (Ptfe) a odhaliť rizikové faktory vedúce k reoperácii aortálnej chlopne na našom pracovisku. Metódy: retrospektívna analýza 89 pacientov, ktorí sa podrobili valvuloplastike aortálnej chlopne technikou extenzie cípov pomocou autológneho perikardu alebo Ptfe na našom pracovisku v období 2005 – 2023. Výsledky: 89 pacientov (75 % mužského pohlavia) sa podrobilo valvuloplastike aortálnej chlopne technikou extenzie cípov pomocou autológneho perikardu (n = 42) alebo Ptfe (n = 47). Medián veku pacientov bol 14 rokov (iQr: 7 mesiacov – 26 rokov). Počas strednej dĺžky sledovania 13,3 roka (iQr: 1 mesiac – 18 rokov) sme zaznamenali 4 úmrtia a u 41 (46 %) pacientov bola potrebná reoperácia priemerne 7,8 ± 4,2 roka od primárnej operácie. V skupine s autológnym perikardom to nastalo u 24 (57 %) pacientov a v skupine s Ptfe u 17 (36 %) pacientov. celkové prežívanie pacientov v čase 18 rokov od operácie bolo 95 %. reoperovanosť v celom súbore v 5 rokoch od operácie bola 12,4 %, v 10 rokoch 43 % a v 15 rokoch 64,6 %. Pri multivariabilnej coxovej analýze boli identifikované nasledujúce rizikové faktory pre reoperáciu na aortálnej chlopni: aortálna insuficiencia ako primárna diagnóza, diameter aortálnej chlopne, infekčná endokarditída, dĺžka klemu na aorte a mimotelového obehu a predchádzajúca valvuloplastika v minulosti. Záver: Dlhodobé výsledky aortálnej valvuloplastiky technikou extenzie cípov pomocou autológneho perikardu alebo Ptfe u pacientov s vrodenou chybou aortálnej chlopne odrážajú vynikajúce prežívanie bez významného rozdielu z hľadiska výskytu reoperácií kvôli dysfunkcii aortálnej chlopne medzi obomi skupinami pacientov.

Background: Aortic valve repair with leaflet extension is routinely utilized in the management of aortic valve disease in children and adolescents. The material chosen may have an effect on the valve function and durability. Aims: To evaluate long-term outcomes of aortic valve repair using autologous pericardium and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) leaflet extensions and to investigate risk factors for aortic valve reoperation at single centre. Methods: A retrospective single-centre review of 89 patients undergoing aortic valvuloplasty by leaflet extensions with either autologous pericardium or PTFE from 2005 to 2023. Results: Eighty-nine patients (75% male) underwent aortic leaflet extension valvuloplasty, using either autologous pericardium (n = 42) or PTFE (n = 47). Median age was 14 years (IQR: 7 months-26 years). During median follow-up duration of 13.3 years (IQR: 1 month-18 years), there were 4 deaths and 41 (46%) patients required reoperation at a mean of 7.8 ± 4.2 years, 24 (57%) within autologous pericardium group, and 17 (36%) within PTFE group. Overall survival at 18 years was 95%. Overall reoperation-free survival at 5, 10 and 15 years was 87.6%, 57%, and 35.4%, respectively. Multivariable Cox analysis identified primary diagnosis of aortic regurgitation, aortic annulus diameter, infective endocarditis, aortic cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass time, and preoperative aortic surgical valvuloplasty as risk factors for aortic valve reoperation. Conclusions: Long-term results of aortic leaflet extension valvuloplasty, utilizing either autologous pericardium or PTFE, in patients with congenital aortic valve disease suggest excellent survival with no significant difference in the reoperation rate for aortic valve dysfunction between the groups.

• MeSH
• Survival Analysis MeSH
• Aortic Valve surgery   MeSH
• Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation methods   mortality   MeSH
• Child MeSH
• Kaplan-Meier Estimate MeSH
• Catheterization * methods   mortality   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Aortic Valve Disease * surgery   mortality   congenital   MeSH
• Polytetrafluoroethylene therapeutic use   MeSH
• Reoperation statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Heart Disease Risk Factors MeSH
• Statistics as Topic MeSH
• Check Tag
• Child MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Clinical Study MeSH

Kontext: Procento nezralých granulocytů (immature granulocytes, iG%) je časným markerem zánětu s prognostickou hodnotou u řady onemocnění. Cíl: V této studii jsme se pokusili zjistit, zda má procento nezralých granulocytů prognostickou hodnotu z hlediska 28denní mortality pacientů s akutním koronárním syndromem (AKS). Metoda: Jednalo se o retrospektivní studii provedenou v období mezi 1. lednem 2019 a 30. červnem 2019 na Klinice urgentní medicíny lékařské fakulty univerzity v tureckém Mersinu. Do studie byli zařazeni všichni pacienti ve věku nad 18 let, kteří byli dopraveni na kliniku urgentní medicíny s bolestí na hrudi a hospitalizováni s předběžnou diagnózou AKS. Pacienti byli rozděleni do dvou skupin, na ty, kteří přežili, a ty, kteří nepřežili. Byly zaznamenány hodnoty iG% a dalších laboratorních parametrů a následně byl analyzován vztah mezi hodnotami iG% a 28denní mortalitou. Kromě toho byla pro srovnání diagnostické přesnosti hodnot iG% a dalších proměnných provedena analýza roc. Výsledky: Do studie bylo zařazeno celkem 617 pacientů, z tohoto počtu bylo 423 (68,6 %) mužů. Průměrný věk pacientů dosahoval 63,9 ± 12,7 roku. hodnota iG% byla vyšší u nepřeživších pacientů (1,2 ± 1,4) než u přeživších (0,5 ± 0,5 ) (p = 0,007). V predikci 28denní mortality, pokud byla mezní hodnota iG% > 0,6, byla zjištěna specificita ve výši 93,70 % a senzitivita 54,55 % (Auc = 0,717; p = 0,000). V predikci 28denní mortality na AKS představovalo iG% nezávislý rizikový faktor (poměr rizik [hazard ratio, hr] 632,962; 95% interval spolehlivosti 3,389–118 206,572; p = 0,016). Závěr: u pacientů s AKS může hodnota iG% souviset s 28denní mortalitou.

Background: The percentage of immature granulocytes (IG%) is an early marker of inflammation and has a prognostic significance in many diseases. Objective: In this study, we tried to investigate whether the percentage of immature granulocytes has a prognostic value in 28-day mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Method: This study was carried out retrospectively between 1.1.2019 and 30.6.2019 at Mersin University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine. Patients older than 18 years who applied to the emergency department with chest pain and were hospitalized with a preliminary diagnosis of ACS were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups as survivors and non-survivors. IG% and other laboratory parameters were recorded. The relationship between IG% and 28-day mortality was analyzed. In addition, ROC analysis was performed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of IG% and other variables. Results: A total of 617 patients, including 423 (68.6%) men, were included in the study. The mean age of the patients were 63.9 ± 12.7. IG% was higher in non-survivor patients (1.2 ± 1.4) than in surviving patients (0.5 ± 0.5) (p = 0.007). In predicting 28-day mortality, when the cut-off value for IG% was >0.6, the specifi- city was found to be 93.70% and the sensitivity to be 54.55% (AUC = 0.717, p = 0.000). In predicting 28-day mortality for ACS, IG% was an independent risk factor (hazard ratio [HR] 632.962, 95% confidence interval 3.389-118206.572, p = 0.016). Conclusion: IG% may be associated with a 28-day mortality in patients with ACS.

• MeSH
• Acute Coronary Syndrome * blood   mortality   MeSH
• Biomarkers MeSH
• Granulocytes * pathology   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Prognosis MeSH
• Proportional Hazards Models MeSH
• ROC Curve MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Statistics as Topic MeSH
• Check Tag
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Clinical Study MeSH

BACKGROUND: To determine differences in the blood innate gene expression signatures of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients across various organ manifestations and disease activity, with a focus on lupus nephritis (LN) and central nervous system (CNS) involvement. METHODS: Toll-like receptor family (TLR 1-10) mRNA expression was investigated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with SLE (n = 74) and healthy controls (n = 34). We compared patients with histologically confirmed active LN or neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) with patients without these symptoms. The expression of TLR mRNA was determined by RT‒qPCR using a high-throughput SmartChip Real-Time-qPCR system (WaferGen). Multivariate analysis and nonparametric statistics were used for data analysis to assess the associations between TLRs and disease activity and severity. RESULTS: TLR4 (0.044 vs. 0.081, p = 0.012) was upregulated and TLR10 (0.009 vs. 0.006, p = 0.0007) was downregulated in the whole cohort of SLE patients compared to healthy controls. A comparison of the active LN group with participants without kidney involvement revealed increased expression of TLR2 (0.078 vs. 0.03, p = 0.009), and TLR5 (0.035 vs. 0.017, p = 0.03). Moreover, a significant difference was observed in TLR9 expression between inactive LN and the control group (0.014 vs. 0.009, p = 0.01), together with borderline correlation in TLR2 expression (0.04 vs. 0.03, p = 0.06). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that TLR1 and TLR2 expression were the best potential diagnostic markers for active LN. The NPSLE group showed upregulation of TLR1 (0.088 vs. 0.048, p = 0.01), TLR4 (0.173 vs. 0.066, p = 0.0003) and TLR6 (0.087 vs. 0.036, 0.007). Our correlation analysis supported the close relationships among the expression of individual TLRs in the whole lupus cohort and its subgroups. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed differences in TLR expression between a lupus cohort and healthy controls. Additionally, our analysis provides insight into specific TLR expression in cases with severe organ manifestations, such as LN and NPSLE. The multiple mutual relationships of TLRs demonstrate the activation of innate immunity in SLE and suggest promising targets for future therapies or diagnostics.

• MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Lupus Nephritis * genetics   blood   MeSH
• Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic blood   genetics   MeSH
• Toll-Like Receptors * genetics   biosynthesis   MeSH
• Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System * blood   genetics   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH