Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) represents the accumulation and deposition of misfolded protein fibrils in the myocardium, resulting in progressive restrictive cardiomyopathy. Light chain (AL) and transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis are the most common types of CA. While endomyocardial biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosing cardiac amyloidosis, its invasive nature and associated risk of complications have led to increased reliance on clinical suspicion and noninvasive imaging modalities as alternative diagnostic tools. Over the last decade, radionuclide imaging studies have become a widely accepted tool in diagnosing ATTR CA, whereas its diagnostic utility in AL CA detection remains limited. Recent advances in PET-CT radiopharmaceuticals have further expanded the potential of nuclear imaging as a comprehensive tool for diagnosis, prognostication, and therapy monitoring. This literature review appraises the current applications of nuclear imaging in the clinical management of cardiac amyloidosis.
Periodontal disease is a chronic pathology, resulting from the action of microbial communities that become dysbiotic, accompanied by immune response impairment in periodontal tissues, leading to an inflammatory process that promotes progressive tissue destruction. Abnormal activation of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD-), leucine-rich repeat (LRR-), and pyrin domain (PYD)-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) promotes chronic inflammation. Research shows that leptin and oxidative stress (OS) are involved in the activation of the inflammatory pathways, including the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. In this context, the main objective of our study was to determine the levels of the NLRP3, leptin, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in the saliva of patients with periodontal disease. The present cross-sectional study included 44 patients with periodontitis, while the control group was represented by 19 clinically and biologically healthy adults. Saliva samples were collected from all participants in the study, and salivary levels of NLRP3, leptin, and TAC were determined using the Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and commercial kits. The results show that NLRP3 had statistically significantly increased levels in the study group versus the control group (p< 0.00001). Although TAC was also increased in the patients compared to the healthy subjects (p=0.491), no statistically significant differences were found. On the other hand, leptin levels were significantly lower in periodontitis patients compared to the control group (p< 0.00001). The results obtained in the present study are promising, but further studies are needed to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms underlying periodontal disease.
Introduction: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are key enzymes involved in degradation of extracellular colagen matrix during periodontal disease progression. The aim of our work was to study the levels of MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9 and MMP-10 in saliva of patients with chronic periodontitis. Materials and methods: The study included 22 patients with chronic periodontal disease and 15 controls. We collect unstimulated whole saliva from all volunteers included in the study. Salivary levels of mentioned MMPs were analyzed using magnetic bead-based multiplex assays and Luminex technology. Results: MMP-1, MMP-7, MMP-9 and MMP-10 present statistically increased salivary levels at patients with periodontal disease versus the control group (p<0.05). Salivary level of MMP-2 at patients with chronic periodontitis was increased but statistically insignificant compared with healthy subjects (p=0.1). Conclusions. The increased level of these enzymes in patients diagnosed with periodontal disease reflects their implication in periodontal tissue degradation. Saliva is an excellent fluid useful in monitoring the severity of this oral disease that affects about half of the adult population around the world.
[¹⁸F]FDG PET/CT enables in vivo quantification of cerebral glucose metabolism, revealing functional abnormalities before morphological changes on CT or MRI. This review summarizes major clinical indications, methodological aspects, and key metabolic patterns. In cognitive impairment, [¹⁸F]FDG PET is a core biomarker within the amyloid/tau/neurodegeneration (A/T/N) framework, predicting conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and differentiating AD, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), vascular dementia, and atypical parkinsonian syndromes (APS). In movement disorders, it distinguishes Parkinson’s disease (PD) from APS – including multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and corticobasal syndrome (CBS) – and supports prognosis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington’s disease (HD). In epilepsy, interictal hypometabolism aids localization of the epileptogenic zone, especially in MRI- negative cases, while in neuro-oncology, [¹⁸F]FDG PET assists in primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), glioma grading, and recurrence assessment. The review also highlights roles in inflammatory and infectious diseases, such as autoimmune encephalitis, neurosarcoidosis, and post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) sequelae. Standardized preparation, glucose control, and statistical comparison with normal databases remain essential for accurate interpretation.
(1) Background: The aim of this retrospective observational study was to evaluate the effects of sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) therapy in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who had been receiving renin–angiotensin– aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitor (RAASi) treatment for at least one year. (2) Methods: The medical records of 73 patients with CKD, staged according to the KDIGO 2012 guidelines, were reviewed at the start of combined therapy (RAASi and SGLT2i), marked as T0, and again after six months (T1). Biochemical parameters assessed at both time points included urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urinary albumin, urinary proteinuria, serum creatinine, and hemoglobin. (3) Results: A significant reduction in UACR (p < 0.001) and 24-hour urine albumin excretion (p = 0.050) was observed. Urine protein/24h (p = 0.074) and serum creatinine (p = 0.391) showed decreasing trends, while eGFR increased (p = 0.154), although these changes did not reach statistical significance. Regarding UACR category migration, 25% of patients improved, 74% remained stable, and only 1% worsened. (4) Conclusions: After six months of combined SGLT2i and RAASi therapy, most patients showed stable or improved renal status, suggesting a nephroprotective effect of dual therapy in CKD.
