Soluble adhesion molecule E-selectin predicts cardiovascular events in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Soluble adhesion molecule E-selectin (sE-selectin) is a marker of endothelial activation. To investigate whether high serum concentrations of sE-selectin could predict cardiovascular events, we followed 392 Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who had no history of cardiovascular disease for a mean period of 6 years. The cardiovascular end points were defined as fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, stroke, and sudden death. During the follow-up period, 51 patients reached end point. Patients who reached end point were significantly older and had longer duration of diabetes, higher systolic blood pressure, higher hemoglobin A1c, higher plasma glucose, higher sE-selectin, and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared with those free of such events. The mean serum concentration of sE-selectin was higher in patients who reached end point (81.1 ± 32.2 ng/mL) than event-free patients (66.7 ± 33.7 ng/mL, mean ± SD; P < .01). Multiple logistic regression analysis identified age, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, sE-selectin, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol as independent factors related to cardiovascular events. The odds ratio for cardiovascular events for 1-SD increase in sE-selectin concentration was 1.45 (95% confidence interval, 1.22-1.71). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated a significantly higher cardiovascular event rate in the highest tertile of sE-selectin compared with the lowest or middle tertile of sE-selectin (P < .01). The results suggest that high serum concentrations of sE-selectin can predict cardiovascular events in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.     

Daily exercise lowers blood pressure and reduces visceral adipose tissue areas in overweight Japanese men

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the link between a reduction in blood pressure (BP) and daily exercise. DESIGN: Cross-sectional and longitudinal clinical intervention study with exercise education. SUBJECTS: 43 overweight Japanese men aged 32-59 years (BMI, 29.0+/-2.3 kg/m2) at baseline. Among the participants, a randomly selected 23 overweight men (BMI, 28.5+/-1.7) were further enrolled into the 10 months exercise program. MEASUREMENTS: BP was measured every week and steps per day were also recorded every day throughout the observation period. Fat distribution was evaluated by visceral fat (V) and subcutaneous fat (S) areas measured with computed tomography (CT) scanning at umbilical level, at before, 5 months and after intervention. Anthropometric parameters were also measured at same point. Aerobic exercise level, muscle strength, flexibility and calorie intake and insulin resistance (HOMA index) were investigated at before and after the study. RESULTS: In a cross sectional analysis, systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were significantly correlated with body composition. In a second longitudinal analysis, SBP was significantly reduced at 2 months and DBP was also reduced at 3 months, and almost maintained until the end of the observation period. Increasing daily walking was observed in 3 months and maintained until 10 months. Body composition, aerobic exercise level, muscle strength, flexibility and insulin resistance were significantly improved. There was positive correlation between DeltaDBP and Deltavisceral fat area (1-5, 5-10, 1-10 months). By stepwise multiple regression analysis, only Deltavisceral fat area was independently related to DeltaDBP at a significant level (1-10 months: DeltaDBP=-0.608+0.105Deltavisceral fat area, r2=0.227, P=0.0334). CONCLUSION: The present study indicated daily exercise lowers BP and visceral fat area is the critical factor for BP change.     

Early onset of liver steatosis in a Japanese girl with maturity-onset diabetes of the young type 3 (MODY3)

Maturity-onset diabetes of the young type 3 (MODY3) is caused by heterozygous mutation in the HNF1A gene. Liver adenomatosis has been reported in MODY3 patients. The patient reported in this paper is a Japanese girl who first developed hepatomegaly, fatty liver, and hepatic dysfunction at age 5 years. Liver biopsy demonstrated steatosis and degeneration of hepatocytes. At that time, blood glucose and HbA1c levels were within normal ranges. Elevated HbA1c was noticed 4 years later, but islet cell and glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies were not detected in the serum. Therefore, MODY3 was suspected and subsequent analysis of the HNF1A gene identified a heterozygous germline splice donor-site mutation in intron 9. MODY3 patients should be screened by non-invasive liver imaging, and careful follow-up of liver disease should be performed.     

Changes of electrocardiogram and hemodynamics in response to dipyridamole: In vivo comparative analyses using anesthetized beagle dogs and microminipigs

Microminipigs are expected as a novel animal model for cardiovascular pharmacological experiments. Since inherent vulnerability of coronary circulation of microminipigs has not been characterized, we performed dipyridamole-stress test to both microminipigs and beagle dogs, and compared the results. Dipyridamole in doses of 0.056 and 0.56 mg/kg were intravenously infused over 10 min (n = 4 for each animal). Dipyridamole decreased the systolic/diastolic blood pressures and double product in dogs as well as in microminipigs; but it did not significantly alter the heart rate or the global balance between the myocardial oxygen demand and supply in either animal. While organic coronary arterial stenosis was not detected in either animal, dogs have well-developed epicardial intracoronary networks unlike microminipigs. Like in humans, dipyridamole did not affect the ST segment of microminipigs, whereas it substantially depressed that in dogs. The results indicate the onset of subendocardial ischemia by dipyridamole in dogs may be partly associated with their well-developed native coronary collateral channels. Microminipigs would be more useful to evaluate the drugs which may affect the coronary circulation in the pre-clinical study than dogs.     

Released washed platelet concentrates are effective and safe in patients with a history of transfusion reactions

Background

Plasma removal by washing is an effective approach to prevent transfusion reactions by platelet concentrates (PCs). Recently, washed PCs were released by the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS).

Quantification of BCR-ABL mRNA in Plasma/Serum of Patients with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

Quantification of tumor-associated mRNA extracted from blood cells/tissues containing tumor cells is used for evaluation of treatment efficacy or residual tumor cell burden in tumors including leukemia. However, this method using tumor cell-containing blood/tissue is difficult to evaluate the whole tumor cell burden in the body. In order to establish an efficient method to evaluate the whole tumor cell burden in the body, we tried to quantify tumor-associated mRNA existing in plasma/serum instead of leukemia cell-containing blood cells in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and compared the levels of BCR-ABL mRNA between plasma/serum and peripheral blood cells. mRNA of BCR-ABL, WT1 or GAPDH (control molecule) was detected by real-time RT-PCR using RNA extracted from plasma/serum of almost all the patients with CML. Copy numbers of BCR-ABL mRNA were significantly correlated between plasma/serum and peripheral blood cells. However, levels of BCR-ABL mRNA extracted from serum were low compared with those extracted with peripheral blood cells. The present findings suggest that although real-time RT-PCR of mRNA existing in plasma/serum could be used for evaluating the whole tumor cell burden in the body, it''s required to establish an efficient method to quantify plasma/serum mRNA by nature without degrading during the procedure.     

Evaluation of an exercise program for obese males

PURPOSE: We developed a one-year exercise program based on evaluation of life style and physical fitness and investigated its efficacy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixty one Japanese males (30 < or = age < 59, body mass index: BMI > or = 26.4 kg/m2) were enrolled in the stady. The exercise program consisted of four sections: (1) Preparation for preventing injury; (2) Increase of daily activity; (3) Enjoying exercise; (4) Preparation and practice of individual-based on a exercise program. The subjects visited Okayama Southern Institute of Health and were being monitored weekly for one-year. They were instructed to check daily steps every day and increase daily walking to at least 1000 steps more than the daily walk at baseline. Before and after one-year follow up study, we evaluated life style and physical fitness in terms of body composition, aerobic exercise level, muscle strength and flexibility. RESULTS: The continuation rate for the program was 66%. Body weight (pre 81.5 +/- 7.4 kg vs post 78.6 +/- 7.3 kg), body fat percentage (pre 30.3 +/- 4.1% vs post 28.4 +/- 5.0%) and waist hip ratio (pre 0.95 +/- 0.04 vs post 0.92 +/- 0.04) were significantly reduced. Aerobic exercise level and muscle strength were increased. Regarding volition for exercise, execution, continuation and steps per day were also improved. CONCLUSION: Regular exercise at an institution (once a week) and change in daily life style may play critical role in reducing body weight. This new program proved quite useful for Japanese obese males.