Unit:
Τομέας Υγείας - Μητέρας - ΠαιδιούLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Author:
Primikiris Panagiotis
Dissertation committee:
Γουργιώτης Δημήτριος, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Τσολιά Μαρία, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Γαρούφη Αναστασία, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Βάρτζελης Γεώργιος, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Σπυρίδης Νικόλαος, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Σολδάτου Αλεξάνδρα, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Ξεπαπαδάκη Παρασκευή, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Μέτρηση μορίων απόπτωσης στον ορό του αίματος παιδιών με σπασμούς
Translated title:
Determination of serum levels of apoptosis molecules in children with seizures
Summary:
This study investigates the blood serum levels of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 and proapoptotic caspase-9 proteins in 118 children and adolescents, of which 82 suffered from idiopathic epilepsy and 36 had, for the first time, one or two seizures in the last month before the blood sampling. Patients were categorized according to type, number of seizures, control of seizures. Mean serum levels of Bcl-2 and caspase-9 in patients were compared to those of 30 healthy controls and were found significantly higher for Bcl-2 (p<0,0001) but not caspase-9 (p=0,987). Data analysis showed that for every 1ng/ml of increased Bcl-2 above 12,76ng/ml (more than 2 standard deviations above mean value of Bcl-2 in control’s group) there is a 12% higher possibility in the prediction for the child to be classified in the patient’s group. Therefore Bcl-2 serum level can be regarded as a potential diagnostic molecular biomarker for epilepsy and active seizures. Higher mean serum levels of Bcl-2 and caspase-9 (fourfold) were observed in generalized seizures as well as in focal complex extratemporal seizures but there was no statistically significant difference compared to the other types of seizures, possibly due to the large size of standard deviations. Significantly increased levels of Bcl-2 but not caspase-9 were found in the focal complex extratemporal seizures compared to simple focal motor seizures (p=0,047) and also in the focal complex extratemporal seizures compared to all types of temporals added together (p=0,034). No correlations were found between Bcl-2 and caspase-9 serum levels concerning the gender, age, seizure duration, number of seizures per month and the total number of seizures independently of duration.
Serum levels of caspase-9 were statistically significantly increased in patients with two or more seizures per month compared to those with one seizure per month (p=0,048). After a single relapse (in previously controlled patients), Bcl-2 and caspase-9 serum levels were increased acutely and in parallel compared to controlled patients. There was no statistically significant difference of Bcl-2 and caspase-9 serum levels between uncontrolled patients, controlled patients and controlled single-relapse patients. Levels of Bcl-2 and caspase-9 presented with no significant difference between patients with and without treatment (p=0,170 and p=0,072 respectively).
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
Apoptosis, Bcl-2, Caspase-9, Epilepsy, Children
Number of references:
220
