Non alcoholic fatty liver disease and risk of incident diabetes in subjects who are not obese

Background and aims

It is not known whether non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a risk factor for diabetes in non obese, non centrally-obese subjects. Our aim was to investigate relationships between fatty liver, insulin resistance and a biomarker score for liver fibrosis with incident diabetes at follow up, in subjects who were neither obese nor centrally-obese.

Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) levels inversely correlate with lung function improvement (delta FEV1) in cystic fibrosis patients receiving ivacaftor treatment

Background

We have recently shown that human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) levels correlate with the severity of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. However, there are no data on how HE4 levels alter in patients receiving CFTR modulating therapy.

Role of zinc supplementation in the management of chronic liver diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction and objectivesZinc deficiency has been associated with poor prognosis in chronic liver disease. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the role of zinc supplementation in the management of chronic liver diseases.Materials and methodsWe searched MEDLINE, LILACS, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases from inception to August 2018. We included randomized controlled trials evaluating adult patients with chronic liver disease of any etiology receiving zinc supplementation. Studies with other designs or evaluating chronic conditions other than liver disease were excluded. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted data from eligible studies. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias in randomized studies.ResultsOf 1315 studies screened, 13 were included. Six assessed chronic hepatitis C treatment, with a relative risk of 0.83 indicating no protective effect of zinc supplementation on the improvement of sustained virological response. Three evaluated response to hepatic encephalopathy treatment, with a relative risk of 0.66 indicating a favorable effect of zinc supplementation on clinical improvement of this condition. Of four studies evaluating the management of cirrhosis, two analyzed the effect of zinc supplementation on serum albumin levels, with no statistical difference between zinc and placebo groups.ConclusionsClinical trials assessing zinc supplementation in liver diseases do not show benefits in terms of clinical improvement or disease halting. There are possible benefits of zinc supplementation on hepatic encephalopathy, however, this is based on limited evidence. This research question is still open for evaluation in larger, well-designed, clinical trials.     

Peyronie's disease:a silent consequence of diabetes mellitus

Aim:To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with Peyronie's disease(PD)and diabetes mellitus(DM).Methods:During an 8-year period,a total of 307 men seen at our outpatient clinic were diagnosed with PD.Clinicalcharacteristics,penile deformities and the erectile status of patients with PD and DM together(n=102)were retro-spectively analyzed and compared to patients with PD alone with no risk factors for systemic vascular diseases(n=97).Results:The prevalence of PD among men with DM and sexual dysfunction was 10.7%.The mean ageof diabetic patients with PD was(55.9±8.9)years;in the no risk factor group it was(48.5±9.0)years(P<0.05).The median duration of DM was 5 years.The majority of diabetic patients with PD(56.0%)presented in the chronicphase(P<0.05),and they were more likely to have a severe penile deformity(>60°)than the no risk factor group(P<0.05).In the diabetic group,the most common presenting symptom was penile curvature(81.4 %),followedby a palpable nodule on the shaft of the penis(22.5%)and penile pain with erection(14.7 %).A total of 19.6 % ofpatients were not aware of their penile deformities in the diabetic group.Erectile function,provided by history and inresponse to intracavernosal injection and a stimulation test,was significantly diminished in patients with PD and DM(P<0.05).Conclusion:DM probably exaggerates the fibrotic process in PD.Diabetic patients with PD have ahigher risk of severe deformity and erectile dysfunction(ED).PD seems to be a silent consequence of DM andshould be actively sought in diabetic men.(Asian J Androl 2006 Jan;8:75-79)     

胰岛素样生长因子结合蛋白、内毒素与肝纤维化

目前胰岛素样生长因子结合蛋白（insulin—like growth—factor—binding protein，IGFBPs）及其超家族功能的研究是国际上的热点。有研究表明IGFBPs与肝纤维化的发生有关，而临床检测和动物实验表明肠源性内毒素血症与肝纤维化的发生发展有着密切关系，同时有研究显示内毒素可诱导循环中某些IGFBPs和其肝脏基因的表达发生变化。     

Renal fibrosis and the origin of the renal fibroblast.

Many studies have determined that the extent of tubulointerstitialinvolvement, particularly fibrosis, correlates better with renalfunction than glomerular changes do, thus, the extent of tubulointerstitialdamage in any given renal biopsy has important implicationsfor the renal prognosis of the patient (summarized in [1]).Tubulointerstitial fibrosis is characterized by the accumulationof extracellular matrix components including collagen typesI, III, IV, proteoglycans and fibronectin. In recent years,much controversy has been created in the nephrology communityregarding the origin of matrix-producing cells in the kidney.Several possibilities exist, including activation of residentinterstitial fibroblasts, migrating haematopoietic or mesenchymalstem cells from the bone marrow, periadventitial cells and epithelial–mesenchymaltransition (EMT) of tubular epithelial cells. This review summarizesrecent data indicating the possible origin of matrix-producingcells in the kidney, and illustrates from a clinical point of     

骨调素和单核细胞趋化蛋白在大鼠梗阻性肾病中的表达及可能作用

目的:探讨骨调素(OPN)和单核细胞趋化蛋白(MCP-1)在大鼠梗阻性模型中的表达及其在肾脏纤维化发病机制中的作用.方法:采用-单侧输尿管结扎制造梗阻性肾病模型,分别于造模后7 d、14 d取肾组织,应用HE染色观察肾脏病理改变,免疫组化方法检测肾组织畔OPN和MCP-1蛋白的表达,应用逆转录-聚合酶链式反应(RT-PCR)法观察肾组织中OPN mRNA和MCP-1 mRNA的变化.结果:OPN、MCP-1表达主要位于肾小管上皮细胞,随着梗阻时间的延长,肾组织中OPN、MCP-1蛋白和mRNA表达明显增加.结论:OPN、MCP-1蛋白和mRNA在梗阻性肾病大鼠肾组织表达明显增加介导炎症过程,参与肾间质纤维化.     

Relationship between insulin-like growth factor I, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and proresorptive cytokines and bone density in cystic fibrosis

Introduction Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are known to be at risk for early osteoporosis, and the mechanisms that mediate bone loss are still being delineated. The aim of the present investigation was to investigate if a correlation exists in these patients between skeletal measurements by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and two anabolic factors, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), and proresorptive factors such as the cytokines interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor α, and interleukin-6. Methods We studied 32 outpatients (18 females; mean age: 26.2 ± 7.9 years) at a tertiary care medical center. The subjects had venous samples obtained, underwent anthropometric and bone mineral density (BMD) measurements, and completed a health survey. Serum IGF-I concentrations were below the age-adjusted mean in 78% of the participants, and DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) concentrations were low in 72%. Serum concentrations of all cytokines were on the low side of normal; nonetheless, there was a modest inverse correlation between IL-1β and BMD at all sites. Results In univariate analyses, IGF-I and DHEAS were significant correlates of BMD or bone mineral content. In final multivariate models controlling for anthropometric and other variables of relevance to bone density, only IGF-I was identified as a significant independent skeletal predictor. While alterations in DHEAS, IGF-I, and specific cytokines may contribute to skeletal deficits in patients with CF, of these factors a low IGF-I concentration appears to be most strongly correlated with BMD. Conclusions These findings may have therapeutic implications for enhancing bone density in these patients.     

氧化砷对小鼠腹水型肝癌细胞的作用

目的 :研究氧化砷对移植性腹水型肝癌细胞的抗癌作用。方法 :肝癌细胞 (1 8× 10 7)接种入小鼠腹腔。对照组注射NS(0 8mL) ,余组用氧化砷 (1,2 ,3μmol/L)腹腔注射 ,每日 1次 ,共 10日。结果 :第 10天腹水细胞计数 ,1,2和 3μmol/L组瘤细胞锐减 (P <0 0 5 ) ,但第 16天腹水肿瘤细胞急骤增加。结论 :氧化砷对腹水肿瘤细胞有暂时抑制作用。