Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.4.21.37 (neutrophil elastase)
 4,078 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Neutrophils have been implicated in the development of vascular disease, and increased plasma neutrophil elastase indicates increased neutrophil activation. The aim of this study was to determine whether neutrophil elastase levels, measured by radioimmunoassay, are altered in diabetes. One hundred Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients and 35 comparably-aged control subjects were studied. There was no difference in the total white cell count, but the diabetic group had a higher neutrophil count (p less than 0.05). Plasma neutrophil elastase (p less than 0.001) and total neutrophil elastase (p less than 0.02) were increased in the diabetic group. The total neutrophil elastase levels reflected the neutrophil count, but plasma neutrophil elastase was independent of the number of neutrophils. The increased plasma neutrophil elastase level was not related to age, duration of diabetes, plasma glucose or HbA1. The results suggest an association between diabetes and neutrophil activation which may play a role in the development of vascular disease.
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PMID:Neutrophil activation detected by increased neutrophil elastase activity in type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus. 280 87

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is known to induce a whole body inflammatory response. Since the 1970's, a number of trials have explored the effects of pulsatile CPB on systemic organ function and inflammatory response. Clinical benefits of neuroprotection, improved myocardial and splanchnic perfusion, as well as attenuated systemic inflammatory response have been reported. However, skepticism for pulsatile CPB remains because of inconsistencies of clinical benefits and 'non-standardized' trials. Tarcan and colleagues compared clinical, haemodynamic, biochemical and haematological parameters in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease undergoing CPB with pulsatile flow versus those without. They found higher circulating white cell count and lower neutrophil count at 1 hour post-operatively in the pulsatile group compared with non-pulsatile group, which was attributed to higher pulmonary neutrophil sequestration. In addition, the pulsatile CPB group had lower pulmonary vascular resistance at 1 hour post-operatively and shorter ventilation time. In the current study, confirmation for pulmonary neutrophil sequestration in the form of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) or histology would have been welcomed, and additional markers such as neutrophil elastase or matrix metello-proteinases in BAL, and other measurements of lung function may help clarify the association between neutrophil sequestration, lung injury and clinical endpoints. The role of pulsatile CPB in certain high-risk patients remain uncertain, and until more definite evidence of benefit is available, we should be cautious of its universal application.
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PMID:Pulsatile extracorporeal circulation--let it be? 1238 27

Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in cystic fibrosis (CF) leads to a damaging host inflammatory response. There are an increasing number of reports of P. aeruginosa cross-infection at CF centres. The clinical significance of acquisition of a transmissible strain for patients who already harbour P. aeruginosa is unclear. In this study, levels of inflammatory markers in clinically stable adult CF patients who harbour transmissible and sporadic strains of P. aeruginosa have been compared. Patients with CF and chronic P. aeruginosa infection were grouped into those who harbour a transmissible P. aeruginosa and those who harbour their own sporadic strains. Total white cell and differential counts, sputum neutrophil elastase (NE), interleukin (IL)-8, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, plasma IL-6 and NE/alpha1-antitrypsin complexes, serum C-reactive protein, and urine TNF receptor 1 were all measured in clinically stable patients 4-6 weeks following completion of intravenous antibiotic therapy. The two groups (both n=20) were well matched for per cent predicted forced expiratory volume in one second, per cent predicted forced vital capacity and body mass index. There were no significant differences in levels of white cell counts or inflammatory markers between the two groups. At times of clinical stability, cystic fibrosis patients infected with transmissible Pseudomonas aeruginosa do not have a heightened inflammatory response above that of those harbouring sporadic strains.
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PMID:Inflammatory markers in cystic fibrosis patients with transmissible Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 1506 45

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the developed world. Large epidemiological studies have reported a strong association between increases in haematological factors and increased cardiovascular risk. Haematological risk factors predicted cardiovascular disease at least as strongly as traditional risk factors such as blood lipid concentrations. Lifestyle factors such as physical activity level could significantly reduce risk. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of physical activity level on haematological predictors of cardiovascular risk. Healthy subjects (156) were recruited. Physical activity in subjects was assessed by IPAQ physical activity questionnaire. Blood was collected and blood cell counts were determined by automated cell counter; neutrophil elastase was determined by ELISA. Increased levels of physical activity were associated with reduced red cell (p = 0.001), white cell (p = 0.002) and platelet counts (p = 0.001) and with reduced plasma neutrophil elastase concentration (p = 0.001). There was a continuous linear relationship between increase in physical activity and decrease in haematological risk factors. Hence, the authors conclude that increased levels of physical activity improve the flow properties of blood and thus reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Even small increases in activity result in some reduction in cardiovascular risk.
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PMID:The effect of physical activity on haematological predictors of cardiovascular risk: evidence of a dose response. 2279 55