Numerous studies point to the significance of cathepsin B (CTSB) in the development of carcinoma. Therefore, the aim of this pilot study was to investigate the levels of cathepsin B (CTSB) and the expression of CTSB mRNA in the plasma of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients. Methods: The study included 44 newly diagnosed NHL patients and 35 healthy volunteers comprising the control group. CTSB in the plasma samples were detected using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The level of CTSB was significantly higher in NHL patients compared to control subjects: 15.28 (11.68–17.23) versus 11.57 (10.12–13.41), p = 0.003. In addition, a positive correlation between plasma CTSB mRNA and CTSB after therapy was observed (rho = 0.591, p = 0.026). Regarding redox parameters, we found a negative correlation between CTSB and the total antioxidant status (TAS) (rho = −0.499, p = 0.035), as well as a positive correlation with the total oxidant status (TOS) (rho = 0.576, p = 0.012). Conclusions: Targeting CTSB might have significant clinical relevance in the diagnostics of NHL.

Introduction/Objective. Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is clinically useful for the evaluation of coronary artery disease in patients with diabetes mellitus. However, the prevalence of ischemia and its ability to predict future cardiac events is less clear. The aim was to determine the incidence of cardiac events in diabetic patients and the relationship between them and MPI findings. Methods. Two cohorts of patients, 98 diabetics and 100 non-diabetics, with medium- to high-risk of coronary artery disease without previous coronary revascularization, were studied prospectively. All of them were outpatients who underwent 99mTc-sestamibi MPI with dipyridamole. The data about cardiac events were collected during a follow-up period of two years. Results. Cardiac events occurred in 17.3% diabetics and in 8% non-diabetics (p = 0.048). Diabetics had shorter estimated event-free time of 24.7 months (95% CI 23.2?26.2) versus non-diabetics? estimated event-free time of 28.5 months (95% CI 27.4?29.5) (p = 0.046). The independent predictors of cardiac events were male sex (p = 0.010), previous myocardial infarction (p < 0.001), presence of the symptoms of angina (p = 0.014), and all variables derived from MPI findings. After adjustment for variables derived from MPI findings, the significant predictors in diabetics were the size of stress perfusion defect (p = 0.022), summed stress score (p = 0.011), and summed difference score (p = 0.044). Conclusion. In diabetic patients, the cumulative rate of cardiac events was higher and the event-free survival was worse. MPI could help in prediction of cardiac events in diabetics and the most important predictors were size of stress perfusion defect, summed stress score, and summed difference score.

Introduction. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease, which frequently remains clinically silent. Myocardial perfusion imaging with single-photon emission computed tomography is widely used for the detection of myocardial ischemia and risk stratification, but its prognostic value in asymptomatic diabetic patients remains uncertain. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate myocardial perfusion imaging findings and 2-year cardiac outcomes in clinically referred asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes.Methods. This prospective observational study included 198 consecutive outpatients referred for stressrest SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging because of intermediate clinical suspicion of coronary artery disease. The study population consisted of 98 patients with type 2 diabetes and 100 patients without diabetes. Among them, 73 participants were classified as asymptomatic based on structured clinical interviews (37 diabetic and 36 nondiabetic patients). Myocardial perfusion abnormalities were defined as a summed stress score ≥4, while inducible ischemia was defined as a summed difference score ≥2. Participants were followed for approximately 24 months for the occurrence of cardiac events including cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and coronary revascularization. Eventfree survival was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier methodology.Results. Abnormal myocardial perfusion (SSS ≥4) was detected in 18.9% of asymptomatic diabetic patients and 22.2% of asymptomatic nondiabetic patients (p = 0.727). Inducible ischemia (SDS ≥2) was present in 8.1% and 8.3% of participants, respectively (p = 0.98). During the twoyear followup period, three cardiac events occurred in the diabetic group (8.1%), including one cardiac death and two coronary revascularizations, while no events occurred in nondiabetic participants (p = 0.240). Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated no statistically significant difference in eventfree survival between diabetic and nondiabetic groups (logrank p = 0.083).Conclusions. Myocardial perfusion abnormalities were relatively frequent in clinically referred asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes; however, shortterm cardiac event rates were low. These findings suggest limited prognostic value of routine myocardial perfusion imaging in unselected asymptomatic diabetic populations and support a selective approach to noninvasive testing.