男性青少年性腺功能减退症患者短期雄激素替代治疗对血脂和hsCRP水平的影响

目的 探讨性腺功能低减的青少年男性，短期雄激素替代治疗对血脂和超敏C反应蛋白（hsCRP）的影响。方法 本研究为前瞻性自身对照研究，共纳入33例性腺功能减退青少年男性。行短期（9个月）雄激素替代治疗，比较治疗前后血睾酮水平、第二性征发育程度、身高、握力、血红蛋白、血脂和hsCRP的差异。结果 （1）替代治疗后，睾酮水平明显升高，第二性征明显发育，身高、握力、血红蛋白显著增加（P值均〈0.05）；（2）短期雄激素替代治疗后，总胆固醇（TC），低密度脂蛋白（LDL-c），高密度脂蛋白（HDL-c）和甘油三酯（TG）部有所下降，但无统计学差异（P〉0．5）。超敏CRP显著下降（P=0.025）。结论 （1）性腺功能低减的青少年男性，短期雄激素替代治疗，可以促进第二性征发育，增加身高、握力和血红蛋白；（2）短期雄激素替代治疗，对血脂无显著性影响。但是，可以使hsCRP明显下降。     

The association of plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level with rheumatic heart disease: The possible role of inflammation

BackgroundCurrently, it is not clear whether recurrent traumatic events lead to progression of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) after the incident of acute rheumatic fever or a persistent inflammatory state at the site of the valves. The aim of this study was to assess the possible association between plasma high sensitive C Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) level as an indicator of inflammation and RHD.Materials & methodsNinety patients with RHD and 90 healthy controls who had undergone complete echocardiographic examination were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. A score was given to each patient according to the severity of valvular involvement. Plasma hs-CRP level was checked for each patient by ELISA method twice with two-week interval, and the mean hs-CRP was calculated.ResultsThe mean plasma hs-CRP level in the case group was significantly higher compared to its level in the control group (2.59 ± 4.82 and 0.55 ± 0.43 in the case and control groups respectively, p < 0.001). There was also a strong association between the level of plasma hs-CRP and the severity of rheumatic valvular involvement (p < 0.001).ConclusionThe mean plasma hs-CRP level seems to have a significant association with RHD and its severity. Further studies are needed to determine the cause and effect relationship.     

Cytokines,adipocytokines and inflammatory markers in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis

Background: Cytokines are essential mediators of immune response. Chronic renal failure patients suffer from chronic inflammation that results from factors such as impaired renal function, accumulation of uremic toxins and bio incompatibility of dialyzer membranes. These patients are also at increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. We have evaluated cytokines, adipocytokines and inflammatory markers in patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis (HD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).

Material and methods: We have determined serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), leptin and ghrelin levels of chronic renal failure patients treated with either HD (n?=?20) or CAPD (n?=?20). TNF-α, IL-6, ghrelin and leptin measurements were performed by commercially available kits based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. hsCRP levels were determined by turbidimetric methods.

Results: Serum TNF-α and IL-6 levels of patients on HD were significantly higher than those of the ones on CAPD (p?<?0.05). Ghrelin, leptin and hsCRP concentrations were similar in both groups.

Conclusions: We can conclude that cytokine production is more obvious in HD process.     

Soy isoflavones improve cardiovascular disease risk markers in women during the early menopause

Background

Hormone replacement therapy may be beneficial for cardiovascular disease risk (CVR) in post-menopausal women. Soy isoflavones may act as selective estrogen receptor modulators. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether soy isoflavones had an effect on CVR markers.

Anti-Inflammatory Therapy With Canakinumab for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes

Background

Subclinical inflammation mediated in part by interleukin (IL)-1β participates in peripheral insulin resistance and impaired pancreatic insulin secretion.

Increased thrombin generation in splanchnic vein thrombosis is related to the presence of liver cirrhosis and not to the thrombotic event

Introduction

In recent years there have been increasing evidence associating liver disease with hypercoagulability, rather than bleeding. The aim of the study was to evaluate the haemostatic potential in patients with liver disease.

Patients and methods

We measured thrombin generation in the presence and absence of thrombomodulin in patients with portal vein thrombosis (PVT, n = 47), Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS, n = 15) and cirrhosis (n = 24) and compared the results to those obtained from healthy controls (n = 21). Fifteen patients with PVT and 10 patients with BCS were treated with warfarin and were compared to an equal number of patients with atrial fibrillation matched for prothrombin time-international normalized ratio. We assessed resistance to thrombomodulin by using ratios [marker measured in the presence/absence of thrombomodulin].

Results

There were no differences in thrombin generation between patients on warfarin treatment and their controls. Cirrhotic patients generated more thrombin in the presence of thrombomodulin and exhibited thrombomodulin resistance compared to controls [p = 0.006 for endogenous thrombin potential (ETP) and p < 0.001 for peak thrombin and both ratios ETP and peak] and patients with non-cirrhotic PVT (p = 0.001, p = 0.006, p < 0.001, p < 0.001 for ETP, peak, ratio ETP, ratio peak, respectively). The patients with cirrhotic PVT exhibited higher ETP (p = 0.044) and peak (p = 0.02) in the presence of thrombomodulin than controls, as well as thrombomodulin resistance (ETP and peak ratios: p = 0.001).

Conclusions

Hypercoagulability and thrombomodulin resistance in patients with cirrhosis were independent of the presence of splanchnic vein thrombosis. The hypercoagulability in patients with cirrhotic PVT could have implications for considering longer or more intensive treatment with anticoagulants in this group.     

高血压患者同型半胱氨酸、尿酸、超敏C-反应蛋白及脂蛋白a检测的临床意义

目的:研究高血压患者血清同型半胱氨酸(HCY)、尿酸(UA)、超敏C-反应蛋白(hs-CRP)及脂蛋白a(LPa)含量的变化。方法:选择高血压患者110例作为观察组,另选择同期进行体检的健康者110例作为对照组。检测两组受检者血清同型半胱氨酸、尿酸、超敏C-反应蛋白及脂蛋白a水平,并进行统计学分析。结果:观察组中的HCY、UA、hs-CRP及LPa血清水平显著高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。在观察组中,HCY、UA、hs-CRP及LPa单一检测及4项联检的阳性率显著高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:高血压患者同型半胱氨酸、尿酸、超敏C-反应蛋白及脂蛋白a水平显著高于正常人,检测HCY、UA、hs-CRP及LPa可给临床治疗提供参考,值得临床推广应用。     

An examination of sex and racial/ethnic differences in the metabolic syndrome among adults: A confirmatory factor analysis and a resulting continuous severity score

Objective

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is typically diagnosed based on abnormalities in specific clustered clinical measures that are associated with increased risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, current MetS criteria result in racial/ethnic discrepancies. Our goals were to use confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to delineate differential contributions to MetS by sub-group, and if contributions were discovered, develop sex and racial/ethnic-specific equations to calculate MetS severity.

Research Design and Methods

Using data on adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2010, we performed a CFA of a single MetS factor that allowed differential loadings across groups, resulting in a sex and race/ethnicity-specific continuous MetS severity score.

Results

Loadings to the single MetS factor differed by sub-group for each MetS component (p < 0.001), with lower factor loadings among non-Hispanic-blacks for triglycerides and among Hispanics for waist circumference. Systolic blood pressure exhibited low factor loadings among all groups. MetS severity scores were correlated with biomarkers of future disease (high-sensitivity C-reactive-protein, uric acid, insulin resistance). Non-Hispanic-black-males with diabetics had a low prevalence of MetS but high MetS severity scores that were not significantly different from other racial/ethnic groups.

Conclusions

This analysis among adults uniquely demonstrated differences between sexes and racial/ethnic groups regarding contributions of traditional MetS components to an assumed single factor. The resulting equations provide a clinically-accessible and interpretable continuous measure of MetS for potential use in identifying adults at higher risk for MetS-related diseases and following changes within individuals over time. These equations hold potential to be a powerful new outcome for use in MetS-focused research and interventions.