Catecholamine Excretion Research Articles

Dapagliflozin increased pancreatic beta cell proliferation and insulinogenic index in mice fed a high-fat and high-sodium chloride diet.

People in Eastern Asia, including Japan, traditionally consume higher amounts of sodium chloride than in the United States and Western Europe, and it is common knowledge that impaired insulin secretion-rather than insulin resistance-is highly prevalent in Asian people who have diabetes mellitus. We previously reported that mice fed a high-fat and high-sodium chloride (HFHS) diet had a relatively lower degree of obesity than mice fed a high-fat diet, but had a comparatively impaired insulin secretion. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have been shown to dampen down the sympathetic nervous system, which reportedly is activated by a high-sodium chloride diet. In this study, we examined the effects of dapagliflozin, a SGLT2 inhibitor, on glucose metabolism and insulin secretion in mice fed a HFHS diet. C57BL6/J mice were fed a HFHS diet for 6 weeks and subsequently divided into two treatment groups fed: (1) a HFHS diet mixed with dapagliflozin for up to 3 weeks (HFHS+Da) and (2) a HFHS diet without dapagliflozin (HFHS). Dapagliflozin improved glucose tolerance and the insulinogenic index accompanied by increased pancreatic beta cell proliferation. Furthermore, dapagliflozin decreased both the tyrosine hydroxylase-positive area in pancreatic islets and catecholamine excretion in urine. Our results suggest that dapagliflozin improved insulin secretion by suppressing sympathetic nerve activation in mice fed a HFHS diet.

The influence of the auto-training technique on the excretion of catecholamine in archers under different psychological states

The influence of the auto-training technique on the excretion of catecholamine in archers under different psychological states

Psychobiological stress response to a lung cancer diagnosis: a prospective study of patients in Iceland and Sweden

Background A diagnostic work-up leading to a lung cancer diagnosis is a severely stressful experience that may impact tumor progression. Yet, prospective data are scarce on psychological and biological components of stress at the time of lung cancer diagnosis. The aim of this study was to assess pre-to-post diagnosis change in psychological distress and urinary excretion of catecholamines in patients with suspected lung cancer. Methods Participants were 167 patients within the LUCASS study, recruited at referral for suspected lung cancer to University Hospitals in Iceland and Sweden. Patients completed questionnaires on perceived distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) before and after diagnosis of lung cancer or a non-malignant origin. A subpopulation of 85 patients also provided overnight urine for catecholamine analysis before and at a median of 24 days after diagnosis but before treatment. Results A lung cancer diagnosis was confirmed in 123 (73.7%) patients, with a mean age of 70.1 years. Patients diagnosed with lung cancer experienced a post-diagnosis increase in psychological distress (p = 0.010), while patients with non-malignant lung pathology showed a reduction in distress (p = 0.070). Both urinary epinephrine (p = 0.001) and norepinephrine (p = 0.032) levels were higher before the diagnosis among patients eventually diagnosed with lung cancer compared to those with non-malignant lung pathology. We observed indications of associations between pre-to-post diagnosis changes in perceived distress and changes in urinary catecholamine levels. Conclusion Receiving a lung cancer diagnosis is associated with an increase in psychological distress, while elevated catecholamine levels are evident already before lung cancer diagnosis.

Greater anhedonia scores in healthy individuals are associated with less decline in 24-hour energy expenditure with fasting: Evidence for a link between behavioral traits and spendthrift phenotype

Obesity rates are increasing and affecting mental health. It is important to understand how behavioral traits such as anhedonia are associated with physiologic traits that may predict weight-change in clinical and non-clinical populations. We studied whether 24-hour energy expenditure (24hEE) changes with fasting and overfeeding are associated with anhedonia in a healthy cohort. We performed behavioral assessments (physical anhedonia scale (PAS) and inventory for depressive symptoms (IDS)) followed by measures of 24hEE and urinary catecholamines in a whole-room indirect calorimeter (respiratory chamber) during energy balance, and then randomly during fasting and 2 different overfeeding diets. Participants (n=98) were medically healthy, between 18 and 55 years of age, with normal glucose regulation and weight-stable 6 months before admission. Women were premenopausal and not pregnant. Higher PAS was significantly associated with lesser decrease in 24hEE with fasting and higher urinary catecholamine excretion rates – consistent with spendthrift metabolism. As IDS increased, the association between anhedonia and the change in 24hEE from energy balance to fasting decreased (B-values were lower for change in EE). Here, higher PAS scores may reflect the ability to respond with appropriate homeostatic reactions which balance energy needs. IDS scores blunting this response may explain how anhedonia and depression can lead to weight gain.

Effect of cognitive processing therapy on markers of cardiovascular risk in posttraumatic stress disorder patients: A randomized clinical trial

ObjectivePosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with elevated risk of coronary heart disease (CHD); however, the effects of PTSD treatment on CHD biomarkers is unknown. This study examined whether cognitive processing therapy (CPT) improves 24-hourheart rate variability (HRV), a predictor of CHD mortality. MethodsIndividuals between the ages of 40 and 65 years with PTSD (n = 112) were randomized to receive 12 sessions of CPT or a Waiting List (WL) intervention comprised of 6 weekly telephone checks of emotional status. The primary outcome variable was 24-hour HRV estimated from the standard deviation of all normal R-R intervals (SDNN); secondary outcomes were the root mean square of successive differences between heart beats (RMSSD), low-frequency HRV (LF-HRV) and high-frequency HRV (HF-HRV). Secondary outcomes also included 24-hour urinary catecholamine excretion, plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery. For outcomes, linear mixed longitudinal models were used to estimate mean differences (Mdiff). ResultsParticipants randomized to the CPT group did not show improved SDNN (Mdiff = 9.8; 95%CI, −2.7 to 22.3; p = 0.12), the primary outcome variable, but showed improved RMSSD (Mdiff = 3.8; 95% CI, 0.5 to 7.1; p = 0.02), LF- HRV (Mdiff =0.3; 95% CI, 0.1 to 0.5; p = 0.01), and HF-HRV (Mdiff = 0.3; 95% CI, 0.0 to 0.6; p = 0.03) compared to WL. There were no differences between groups in catecholamine excretion, FMD, or inflammatory markers. ConclusionTreating PTSD may not only improve quality of life but may also help ameliorate heightened CHD risk characteristics of PTSD.

Sympathetic blockade on diet induced thermogenesis in the congenic LA/Ntul//-cp rat

The effects of overfeeding highly palatable diets via the cafeteria feeding diet method (Café) has been shown to be a reliable experimental model to induce diet induced thermogenesis (DIT) in young adult normally lean rats of several strains. Groups of young adult lean LA/Ntul//-cp rats were offered a Purina chow diet (CHOW) or the same diet plus a daily café supplement both ad libitum from 10 until 24 weeks of age. The drug α-methylparatyrosine (α-MPT) was administered to groups (250 mg α-MPT/kg BW, i.p.) to ablate sympathetic (SNS) activity or a sham injection of physiologic saline given, and measures of fasting resting thermogenesis obtained at thermal neutrality (30°C) before and after the α-MPT or sham administration. The Café diet resulted in a 67% increase in body weight (BW) and a ~25% increase in resting oxygen consumption (VO2) following café overfeeding in both groups, while only a 40% increase in BW and no additional increase in VO2 occurred in normally CHOW fed rats while the sham injection was without any variations from normal physiologic responses as predicted. Sympathetic blockade with α-MPT was associated with modest decreases in body temperature and an average ~12-15% decrease in VO2 in the café treated group, but when the VO2 data were arithmetically corrected to isothermal conditions only a net 3% decrease occurred in CHOW fed rats and was without effect on the SHAM group. Serum T3 concentrations increased by 92% and urinary catecholamine excretion of VMA >250% following the café diet, but the urinary vanilmandelic acid (VMA) excretion was virtually nil following the sympathetic blockade. These observations indicate that the SNS-mediated contribution component to DIT following prolonged café overfeeding under conditions of thermal neutrality contribute approximately 50% of the thermic response. while under normal long term CHOW feeding the SNS component may be as little as 3 % of the thermic response, and thus, the total thermic response of DIT likely represents a combination of short acting SNS and longer acting non-SNS mechanisms, including a likely significant thyroidal component in normally lean animals.

Urinary catecholamine excretion, cardiovascular variability, and outcomes in tetanus

Severe tetanus is characterized by muscle spasm and cardiovascular system disturbance. The pathophysiology of muscle spasm is relatively well understood and involves inhibition of central inhibitory synapses by tetanus toxin. That of cardiovascular disturbance is less clear, but is believed to relate to disinhibition of the autonomic nervous system. The clinical syndrome of autonomic nervous system dysfunction (ANSD) seen in severe tetanus is characterized principally by changes in heart rate and blood pressure which have been linked to increased circulating catecholamines. Previous studies have described varying relationships between catecholamines and signs of ANSD in tetanus, but are limited by confounders and assays used. In this study, we aimed to perform detailed characterization of the relationship between catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline), cardiovascular parameters (heart rate and blood pressure) and clinical outcomes (ANSD, mechanical ventilation required, and length of intensive care unit stay) in adults with tetanus, as well as examine whether intrathecal antitoxin administration affected subsequent catecholamine excretion. Noradrenaline and adrenaline were measured by ELISA from 24-h urine collections taken on day 5 of hospitalization in 272 patients enrolled in a 2 × 2 factorial-blinded randomized controlled trial in a Vietnamese hospital. Catecholamine results measured from 263 patients were available for analysis. After adjustment for potential confounders (i.e., age, sex, intervention treatment, and medications), there were indications of non-linear relationships between urinary catecholamines and heart rate. Adrenaline and noradrenaline were associated with subsequent development of ANSD, and length of ICU stay.

Brain natriuretic peptide and catecholamines in adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a group of chronic diseases of uncertain etiology, in which an immuno­inflammatory process develops with systemic damage to the vascular endothelium, leading to the involvement of vital organs and systems against the background of persistence of the inflammatory process.
 Objective — to determine the level of excretion of catecholamines in the daily urine and natriuretic peptide in the blood of adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
 Materials and methods. The study involved 56 patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, aged (13.28 ± 0.38) years, including 17 boys, 39 girls. The polyarticular form of the disease was diagnosed in 48 patients (86 %), the oligoarticular form was in 8 (14 % of patients). The duration of the disease was (68.96 ± 6.29) months (from 12 to 180 months). All patients received methotrexate for more than 12 months, the average dose of which was (11.73 ± 0.39) mg/m2 per week. The control group consisted of 46 (27 boys and 19 girls) practically healthy peers (14.72 ± 0.28) years. The content of catecholamines (adrenaline and norepinephrine) in daily urine was studied by iodine oxidation with the formation of fluorescent trihydroxyindoles (adrenolutin and norepinephrine) and subsequent fluorimetry, as well as the level of brain natriuretic peptide in the blood by competitive immunoassay.
 Results and discussions. In patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, the level of excretion of catecholamines in the daily urine remains within the age norms, but significantly lower than in healthy peers (p < 0.01), the adrenaline/norepinephrine ratio also decreases (p < 0.05). A significant increase in the level of brain natriuretic peptide in the blood was found in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (p < 0.01), especially in children aged 11—14 years and disease duration up to 5 years (p < 0.05).
 Conclusions. The change in the ratio of catecholamine excretion and blood natriuretic peptide level determines the processes of formation of morphofunctional disorders of the cardiovascular system in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

How the algorithms can change during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case of primary hyperaldosteronism

Abstract Introduction Primary hyperaldosteronism (PA) is an important reason of secondary endocrine hypertension. The etiology is either an aldosterone producing adenoma or bilateral adrenal hyperplasia in 90% of cases. The diagnosis is based on specific algorithms starting with screening the population at risk and continues with confirmatory testing of positive resulted individuals. According to current recommendations, adrenal vein sampling (AVS) and imaging should both be used to classify the subtypes of PA; but during the COVID-19 pandemic, the algorithms may have to be changed. Here, we present a case diagnosed with PA and successfully treated during pandemic. Clinical Case A fifty-one-year-old male patient was referred to our department from internal medicine clinic with hypertension and hypokalemia. He was hypertensive since 30 years old, but he had no history or clinical symptoms of hypokalemia or hypertension associated organ injury. His blood pressures (BP) were under control with 10 mg of amlodipine. But for the last 2 years, his blood pressures couldn't be managed with just amlodipine. Despite losing weight, BP was still higher than 160/100 mmHg. When he evaluated by his internal medicine physician, K level was significantly low (2.57 mEq/L). After oral potassium replacement and discontinuation of thiazide, it increased to only the lower limit (3.4 mEq/L). Abdominal CT showed bilateral adrenal thickness with 13 HU on the right and 10 HU on the left. On physical examination, he had no characteristic findings of hypercortisolemia or acromegaly. His BP was 180/100 mmHg, even he adopted salt-free diet and antihypertensive therapy with candesartan, thiazide, amlodipine. His echocardiography and retinal examination were normal. His catecholamine excretion on 24h urine was normal. After discontinuing aldosterone receptor blocker and thiazide, aldosterone and plasma renin activity were 73 ng/dL and 0.59 ng/mL/h respectively. The ratio was 123.7 and suspected highly of PA. The patient didn't want to be admitted to hospital for saline infusion test. He was directed to AVS. After medically controlling his BP, AVS was performed successfully in May 2022. His results are shown in Table-1. After this result, right adrenal gland was considered as PA source and right adrenalectomy was performed. The patient is on follow-up with single dose of candesartan within normal BP limits and normal K levels. Conclusion COVID-19 pandemic has indisputably changed certain algorithms in every field. On this matter, patient specific approaches have become more important. Most specifically for this case, even when the hypertension started early-on-set, clinicians should seek the hypertensive end-organ injuries to understand the onset of the secondary reasons of hypertension. It should be remembered that not every early-on-set hypertension is secondary, and not every late-on-set hypertension is essential.

Endocrinological disorders in acute kidney injury: an often overlooked field of clinical research.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common comorbidity, affecting approximately one in five hospitalized adults. The kidney is the site for the production, metabolism or excretion of most hormones, including the production of erythropoietin (EPO), the active form of vitamin D, renin, thrombopoietin, and the excretion of insulin, catecholamines, gastrin and many other hormones. Therefore, it is reasonable to say that AKI can have a considerable impact on the endocrine system. Although the effects of AKI on various parameters, including cardiovascular parameters, serum electrolytes and acid-base disorders, neuro-humoral mechanisms and neurological outcomes have been extensively studied, the endocrinological consequences of AKI are understudied. Thyroid dysfunction, mainly euthyroid sick syndrome, hypo/hyperglycemia, bone mineral disorders, changes in EPO and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels are commonly found in AKI. EPO, thyroxine and ANP administration have been evaluated as potential tools to prevent or treat AKI with varying success, while the effects of AKI on some key hormones, including cortisol and insulin, have never been studied. Aim of this narrative review is to illustrate what is known and what is not known about the endocrinological outcomes of AKI. Few clinical trials are ongoing: however, there is a clear need for large-scale randomized controlled trials investigating the endocrinological consequences of AKI.

Adaptive capabilities of the cardiovascular system, taking into account regulation systems, in adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Background. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common rheumatological disease of childhood (1 : 1,000 children), which involves many organs and systems, primarily cardiovascular, with the gradual development of chronic heart failure. As you know, when the functional capacity of the heart decreases, a cascade of reactions of the neurohumoral regulation system is triggered and, first of all, the sympathoadrenal system is activated with an increase in the catecholamine production, the development of tachycardia. Due to this, the level of brain natriuretic peptide in the blood is increased. In children, chronic heart failure is asymptomatic. Therefore, determining tolerance to physical exertion plays an important role in its diagnosis. The purpose was to determine the functional state of the cardiovascular system and the tolerance to physical exertion in adolescents with JIA, taking into account the level of catecholamine excretion in the daily urine and the level of natriuretic peptide in the blood. Materials and methods. Fifty-six patients with JIA aged 12–17 years (13.28 ± 0.38 years) were examined. The control group consisted of 46 apparently healthy peers of the corresponding age. A heart ultrasound was performed to establish the functional state of the myocardium. To study tolerance to physical exertion, a six-minute walk test was performed with calculation of Kerdo index before and after the test. The level of catecholamine excretion in the urine and the level of natriuretic peptide in the blood were studied. Results. Patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis had early signs of right ventricular myocardial systolic dysfunction (a decrease in the right ventricular ejection fraction). At the same time, we detected a decrease in the catecholamine level and an increase in the content of natriuretic peptide, which has a neuromodulatory effect at different levels of the sympathoadrenal system. Conclusions. Activation of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system (increased Kerdo index) in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis does not ensure the effectiveness of minimal physical exertion in a six-minute walk test.

Anxiolytic and Antioxidant Effect of Phytoecdysteroids and Polyphenols from Chenopodium quinoa on an In Vivo Restraint Stress Model.

The variety of stressful conditions in daily human activity requires nutritional support with safe, specialized food products containing functional food ingredients (FFIs) enriched with biologically active plant substances with proven adaptogenic properties. In this in vivo study, by evaluating a set of physiological parameters and biochemical markers, we investigated the effectiveness of the developed FFIs from Chenopodium quinoa grains in stress conditions induced by daily episodes of immobilization for 36 days. The results of the evaluation of the anxiety-like functions, locomotor, and search activity of rats in the "open field" and "elevated plus maze" tests demonstrated the ability of FFIs to reduce stressful behavior induced by immobilization. The improvement in the long-term memory of animals treated with FFIs was noted in the passive avoidance test. Together with the hypolipidemic effect and compensation of transaminase levels, FFIs normalized the excretion of catecholamines in the urine and reduced the levels of malondialdehyde to values of the control group. According to the results of the assessment of FFI acute oral toxicity, the LD50 value exceeded 5000 mg/kg of body weight, which categorizes the FFIs under hazard class 5-substances with low hazard. The conducted experiment demonstrated the effectiveness of nutritional support with FFIs on the selected stress model. The positive safety profile of FFIs makes them reasonable to study on other stress models and to conduct clinical testing as part of specialized food products in various categories of people exposed to chronic stress.

Disrupted Circadian Rhythm of Epinephrine in Males With Youth-Onset Type 2 Diabetes.

Blood pressure and plasma catecholamines normally decline during sleep and rapidly increase in early morning. This is blunted in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). We hypothesize that increased sympatho-adrenal activity during sleep differentiates youth with T2D from nondiabetic obese youth and lean youth. Fasting spot morning and 24-hour urines were collected in obese adolescents with and without T2D, and normal-weight controls. Fractionated free urine catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine) were measured, and the ratio of fasting spot morning to 24-hour catecholamines was calculated. Urinary 24-hour catecholamine levels were comparable across the 3 groups. Fasting morning epinephrine and the ratio of fasting morning/24-hour epinephrine were higher in youth with T2D (P = 0.004 and P = 0.035, respectively). In males, the ratio of fasting morning/24-hour epinephrine was also higher in youth with T2D (P = 0.005). In females, fasting morning norepinephrine and the ratio of fasting morning/24-hour dopamine were lower in obese youth with and without T2D (P = 0.013 and P = 0.005, respectively) compared with lean youth. Systolic blood pressure was higher in diabetic participants than other groups; males trended higher than females. Circadian rhythm in catecholamines is disrupted in youth-onset T2D, with a blunted overnight fall in urinary epinephrine in males. Conversely, fasting morning norepinephrine and dopamine levels were lower in obese females with or without T2D. Higher nocturnal catecholamines in males with T2D might associate with, or predispose to, hypertension and cardiovascular complications. Lower catecholamine excretion in females with obesity might serve an adaptive, protective role.

Abstract 11095: Abdominal Paraganglioma: A Rare but Non-Negligible Etiology of Severe Dyspnea in Late Gestation

With a history of cesarean delivery of a dead baby at 36 weeks of pregnancy due to severe dyspnea two years ago, a 25-year-old woman with 32 weeks of pregnancy complained severe dyspnea again and was transferred to our emergency department. Her serum test showed extremely elevated NT-proBNP. Her echocardiography exhibited normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) but diffused myocardial hypertrophy/edema, resulting in decreased inner diameters in the left ventricle and left atrium, which is quite different from other diastolic heart dysfunctions usually showing an enlarged left atrium. After emergency cesarean delivery, her cardiac walls became thinner, and the left ventricle and atrium inner diameters increased correspondingly on echocardiography along with the relieved dyspnea, but the baby did not survive either. The prominent elevation in serum norepinephrine as well as the abdominal vascular ultrasound indicated the probability of a paraganglioma below the abdominal aorta bifurcation, which was finally confirmed by pathology. However, whole exome sequencing did not exhibit the usual gene mutation reported but exhibited the RYR2 heterozygous mutation in c.2642T>G, which was likely pathogenic according to bioinformatic analysis. Therefore, the severe dyspnea in her late gestation was due to the occupancy of the enlarged uterus on the paraganglioma below the abdominal aorta bifurcation, thus inducing considerable catecholamine excretion and the incidence of catecholamine cardiomyopathy (Takotsubo syndrome). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing the special location of a paraganglioma exacerbated by pregnancy. The adverse pregnancy outcome emphasized the importance of the early diagnosis of paraganglioma-induced cardiomyopathy, which is rare and easily neglected by clinical obstetricians. Our case implicates that for pregnant patients with diastolic dysfunction who are contraindicated for cardiac MRI, the diffused myocardial hypertrophy/edema, especially the decreased left atrium inner diameter displayed in echocardiography, could suggest the incidence of paraganglioma-induced cardiomyopathy rather than other diastolic heart dysfunctions, such as hypertensive heart failure of pregnancy.

EP16.02-009 Psychobiological Stress Responses to a Lung Cancer Diagnosis

A diagnostic work-up leading to a cancer diagnosis is a severely stressful experience as illustrated in the dramatic rise in distress, suicide, and cardiovascular deaths after diagnosis. Data are scarce on the underlying interaction between the psychological and biological components of stress during this critical time window. The aim of this study was to assess pre- to post diagnosis change in symptoms of psychological distress and urinary excretion of catecholamines in this population.

Sympathetic blockade on diet induced thermogenesis in the congenic LA/Ntul//-cp rat

The effects of overfeeding highly palatable diets via the cafeteria feeding diet method (Café) has been shown to be a reliable experimental model to induce diet induced thermogenesis (DIT) in young adult normally lean rats of several strains. Groups of young adult lean LA/ Ntul//-cp rats were offered a Purina chow diet (CHOW) or the same diet plus a daily café supplement both ad libitum from 10 until 24 weeks of age. The drug α-methylparatyrosine (α-MPT) was administered to groups (250 mg α-MPT/kg BW, i.p.) to ablate sympathetic (SNS) activity or a sham injection of physiologic saline given, and measures of fasting resting thermogenesis obtained at thermal neutrality (30°C) before and after the α-MPT or sham administration. The Café diet resulted in a 67% increase in body weight (BW) and a ~25% increase in resting oxygen consumption (VO2) following café overfeeding in both groups, while only a 40% increase in BW and no additional increase in VO2 occurred in normally CHOW fed rats while the sham injection was without any variations from normal physiologic responses as predicted. Sympathetic blockade with α-MPT was associated with modest decreases in body temperature and an average ~12-15% decrease in VO2 in the café treated group, but when the VO2 data were arithmetically corrected to isothermal conditions only a net 3% decrease occurred in CHOW fed rats and was without effect on the SHAM group. Serum T3 concentrations increased by 92% and urinary catecholamine excretion of VMA >250% following the café diet, but the urinary vanilmandelic acid (VMA) excretion was virtually nil following the sympathetic blockade. These observations indicate that the SNS-mediated contribution component to DIT following prolonged café overfeeding under conditions of thermal neutrality contribute approximately 50% of the thermic response. While under normal long term CHOW feeding the SNS component may be as little as 3% of the thermic response, and thus, the total thermic response of DIT likely represents a combination of short acting SNS and longer acting non-SNS mechanisms, including a likely significant thyroidal component in normally lean animals.

Quantitation of Neuroblastoma Markers Homovanillic Acid (HVA) and Vanillylmandelic Acid (VMA) in Urine by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS).

Neuroblastoma and other neural crest tumors can be characterized by the increased production and excretion of catecholamines and their metabolites. Homovanillic acid (HVA) and vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) are important catecholamine metabolites that can be measured to provide relatively rapid laboratory diagnosis and clinical follow-up of neuroblastoma. We present a procedure to quantify HVA and VMA in urine samples which have been diluted to a creatinine concentration of 2mg/dL. Diluted samples are spiked with deuterated internal standards, acidified, and extracted with an organic solvent. A bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) with 1% trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) and pyridine mixture is added to the dried extract to create trimethylsilyl derivatives of HVA and VMA. The derivatized compounds are measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS).

Clinical utility of urinary levels of catecholamines and their fraction ratios related to heart rate and thyroid function.

Urinary catecholamines (CAs) have been examined for the screening of pheochromocytomas. The decision to perform screening is based on symptoms suggesting secondary hypertension or hyperactivities of the sympathetic nervous system. To elucidate the usefulness of urinary fractions and ratios of CAs, 79 patients in whom 24-h excretions of urinary CAs including adrenaline (AD), noradrenaline (NA) and dopamine (DA) had been examined from 2015 until 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. There were no significant differences in urinary CA levels between two age groups, gender groups and two BMI groups. Patients with histories of preexisting hypertension and diabetes showed significantly higher levels of urinary NA excretion, and the urinary ratio of NA/DA was also increased in the patients with a history of hypertension. Heart rate (HR) was significantly correlated with the urinary ratio of NA/DA. Serum free thyroxine (FT4) concentration and ratio of FT4/thyrotropin (TSH) were correlated with the level of urinary AD. The levels of TSH and FT4/TSH showed negative and positive correlations, respectively, with the urinary NA/DA ratio. Thus, increases of HR are related to the enhanced conversion of DA to NA and increased thyroid hormones are involved in the increase in urinary AD and the conversion of DA to NA. History of lifestyle-related diseases and changes of HR and thyroid functions need to be considered for the evaluation of urinary CAs and their ratios.

Peculiarities of hormonal regulation of the blood antioxidant system of adolescents with obesity

The study is designed to establish the relationship between the rate of the induced blood lipid peroxidation and production of some hormones in adolescents. The investigations have not shown any significant alteration in the blood insulin content as well as in the daily catecholamines and melatonin excretion in the urine of adolescents in early puberty with the I–II degree of neuroendocrine obesity and without insulin resistance. The rate of the induced blood lipid peroxidation in them remains to be at the initial level. In adolescents of the same age group hyperinsulinemia and an increased urinary excretion of catecholamines and melatonin occur against the background of the concomitant insulin resistance. The rate of the induced blood lipid peroxidation in such cases remains at the level of control values. Formation of hyperinsulinemia and an increased urinary excretion of norepinephrine and melatonin have been registered in late puberty in adolescents with neuroendocrine obesity of the I–II degree without insulin resistance. The emergence of these changes is accompanied by the maintenance of control values of the induced blood lipid peroxidation. The similar changes in the endocrine parameters with attendant increase in the rate of the induced blood lipid peroxidation are occurred in adolescents of the above-mentioned age group with neuroendocrine obesity against the background of insulin resistance.

Correlation of cognitive disorders and catecholamine excretion in anorexia nervosa

The article presents the analysis of correlation and dynamics of clinical and psychophysiological characteristics of the long-term effects of long-lasting abstinence from food on the example of 500 women with anorexia nervosa (AN), who applied for help to the Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, FSAEI HE Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia in 1989-2017. The adverse effects of prolonged abstinence from food are shown; the indicators of catecholamine excretion (dopamine, adrenaline, norepinephrine), encephalography data, mental performance and memory of those examined at various stages of AN weight loss and gain were studied. The difference in the excretion of catecholamines in AN and psychogenic vomiting, which can be used for differential diagnosis, was demonstrated.