High-density Lipoprotein Values Research Articles

Evaluation of lipid profile, liver function enzymes, and trace elements in Iraqi diabetic nephropathy patients.

Diabetic nephropathy, a common complication of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), is associated with abnormal lipid profiles, liver dysfunction, and kidney impairment. However, research on its association with trace elements in Iraqi patients is limited. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the association between lipid profile, liver function, and trace elements in diabetic nephropathy (DN) patients. In this study, 120 individuals were selected. Sixty of these individuals were labeled as the DN patient group, and 60 individuals were labeled as the healthy control group. A flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (FAAS) was utilized to assess the levels of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and magnesium (Mg), whereas a flameless atomic absorption (FAA) was used to assess manganese (Mn). A colorimetric method was used based on the protocols included in the leaflets by Spinreact kits to determine the levels of lipid profiles and liver function enzymes in the serum. The mean value of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) decreased significantly in the DN patient group compared to the control group (p < 0.001) while cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) decreased insignificantly. Conversely, the mean value of triglycerides (TGs) increased significantly in patient group ((p < 0.001) while very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) increased insignificantly. On the other hand, the mean values of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and γ- glutamyl transferase (GGT) were significantly greater in DN patients compared to the healthy controls. Conversely, the mean values of total protein (TP) and albumin (Alb) were significantly lower in the DN patient group. In terms of trace elements, the mean values of Zn, Mg, and Mn were significantly lower in each of the patient groups compared to the healthy group. Conversely, a significant elevation in the means of Cu and Fe was observed in patients compared to the healthy group. Additionally, the findings revealed no association between BMI and lipid profile, liver enzymes, or trace elements. However, an association with age was limited to TGs, ALP, and GGT. The study's results show that the DN patients have abnormalities in their serum trace element levels. This means that these elements could be valuable indicators for monitoring and assessing the progression of DN. Understanding the correlation between lipid profile, liver function, and trace elements could offer valuable insights for managing and preventing diabetic nephropathy. More extensive studies, including an additional group of DM patients without nephropathy complications, are required, and could be used in practice due to the progression of the disease.

The effects of laser acupuncture on metabolic syndrome in obese postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled study

To study the laser acupuncture (LA) effects on postmenopausal obese women’s metabolic syndrome. Randomized controlled trial. Benha university hospital. Thirty postmenopausal women were randomized into two equal groups. Group A received a diet regimen and Group B received LA treatment for 30 min three times a week for two months beside the diet regimen. Included weight (W), body mass index (BMI), waist (WC), hip (HC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), serum level of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting blood insulin (FBI), homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) before and after the end of treatment. The study’s findings showed that both groups experienced a highly statistically significant decrease in the post-testing mean value of W, BMI, WC, HC, WHR, SBP, DBP, TC, TG, LDL, FBG, FBI, and HOMA-IR, while both groups experienced a significant increase in the post-treatment mean value of HDL (p 0.0001). The posttreatment SBP, DBP, TC, TG, LDL, FBS, FBI and insulin resistance were significantly lower while HDL was significantly higher in women who received combined LA and diet regimen compared to those who received dietary regimen only. LA beside the nutritional intervention is a physical therapy technique that may be used safely, easily, and effectively to minimize metabolic syndrome features during menopause.

Evaluation of Oxidative Stress, Thyroid Hormones, Trace Elements and Some Biochemical Markers in Goats Naturally Infected with Theileria ovis.

Theileriosis is a tick-borne disease caused by protozoon species in the Theileria genus of the Theileriidae family. The biochemical changes induced by infection are considered to be an important understanding of the pathophysiology of caprine theileriosis. In this study, it was aimed to determine oxidative stress, thyroid hormones, trace elements, and biochemical parameters in theileriosis infection. A sample of 14 goat was used for this purpose, of which 7 were healthy and 7 were infected with Theileria ovis. Theileria infection was diagnosed from the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sera from blood samples was tested for total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant capacity (TOC), oxidative stress index (OSI), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), total protein, albumin, triglyceride, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), urea, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se), iron (Fe). TOC, OSI, AST, ALT and GGT values were higher in the patient group than in the healthy group (P < 0.05). On the other hand, there were decreases in TAC, T3, T4, total protein, albumin, creatinine, Cu, Zn, Se, and Co values (P < 0.05). However, there was not found to be a statistical difference between the healthy and patient groups in terms of triglyceride, cholesterol, HDL, LDL, urea, BUN, Mn, and Fe values (P > 0.05). It can be stated that oxidative stress is a complication of caprine theileriosis and it may be accompanied with hypothyroidism and deficits in trace minerals.

The Number of Antiseizure Medications Taken and not the Lipid Profile was Associated with Seizure Control in Adult Patients with Epilepsy.

Previous studies show changes in lipid metabolism in epilepsy. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between lipid profile and clinical variables in adult patients with epilepsy (APE). Seventy-two APE participated in this pilot study at an outpatient neurology service. The lipid profile (total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglycerides), age at disease onset, disease duration, seizures frequency, and the number of antiseizure medications (ASM) used were investigated. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square, Fisher, Mann-Whitney, Spearman coefficient, and logistic regression tests. There were significant differences in HDL (p = 0.0023) and total cholesterol (p = 0.0452) levels in connection with the number of ASM used. There was a significant difference in seizure control among the different numbers of ASM used (p = 0.0382). Higher HDL values were found in females (p = 0.0170). The logistic regression showed that only the number of ASM used was associated with seizure control (p = 0.0408; OR = 2.800; 95% CI = 1.044; 7.509). The number of ASM taken and not the lipid profile was associated with seizure control in APE.

Evaluation of Serum Inflammatory Markers and Their Relationship to Treatment Response in Alopecia Areata Patients.

Alopecia areata is a type of non-scarring alopecia which is thought to be associated with T-cell mediated immune response. This study aimed to compare the levels of serum inflammatory markers before and after treatment in patients with alopecia areata. The study explored the utility of the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in assessing the severity and treatment response in alopecia areata patients. The study included 60 alopecia areata patients and 40 control patients diagnosed with tinea unguium, aged between 18 and 65 years. Sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, and medical history were recorded for both groups. For alopecia areata patients, serum inflammatory markers were recorded before and at the third month of treatment. Serum inflammatory markers for the control group were also recorded. Furthermore, the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score was calculated for alopecia areata patients before and at the third month of treatment. The alopecia areata group had a significantly higher neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, mean platelet volume, and SII values compared to the control group, while high-density lipoprotein (HDL) values were significantly lower. Serum inflammatory markers, assessed at the third month of treatment in the alopecia areata group, were lower, and HDL values were significantly higher compared to pre-treatment levels. A statistically significant correlation was observed between disease severity and the SII. The SII is a cost-effective marker that can be utilized in assessing the severity of alopecia areata and treatment response.

The prognostic role of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol/C- reactive protein ratio in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

The prognosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients is highly heterogeneous. Abnormalities in lipids and their metabolism play an important role in the development of IPF. To investigate the value of lipid parameters, C-reactive protein (CRP), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol/C-reactive protein (HDL-C/CRP) ratio levels in the prognosis of IPF patients. An observational cohort study. We collected baseline data of non-IPF controls and IPF patients, and IPF patients were followed up for 4 years. All-cause death or lung transplantation and IPF-related death were the outcome events. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze the predictive effect of lipid parameters, CRP and HDL-C/CRP ratio on the prognosis of IPF patients. IPF patients had lower HDL-C, HDL-C/CRP ratio and higher CRP compared to non-IPF controls. IPF patients who died or underwent lung transplantation were older and had worse pulmonary function, lower HDL-C, HDL-C/CRP ratio and higher CRP compared with surviving patients. HDL-C/CRP ratio was better than HDL-C and CRP in predicting all-cause death or lung transplantation. IPF patients with low HDL-C/CRP ratio had shorter survival times. HDL-C/CRP ratio and DLCO% of predicted were independent protective factors for all-cause death or lung transplantation and IPF-related death in IPF patients, while age and GAP stage ≥ 2 (HR = 4.927)were independent risk factors for all-cause death or lung transplantation. Age > 65 years (HR = 3.533) was an independent risk factor for IPF-related death. HDL-C/CRP ratio was a valid predictor of clinical outcomes in IPF patients, including all-cause death or lung transplantation and IPF-related death.

Hypolipidemic And Testicular Cytoarchitecture Protective Effects of the Hydromethanol Leaf Extract of Craterispermum schweinfurthi in Male Wistar Rats

Hyperlipidemia is implicated in many disease states, including arteriosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity and stroke amongst other illnesses. The present study describes the hypolipidemic and testicular cytoarchitecture protective effects of hydromethanol leaf extract of Craterispermum schweinfurthi using male Wistar rats as models. 64 male Wistar rats were acclimatized and subsequently randomly divided into 8 groups of 8 rats each. Diabetes was induced in all rat groups except Groups 1 and 8 using alloxan at a dose of 200mg/kg bw administered intraperitonially. Diabetes was confirmed after 72 hours of alloxan administration if the blood glucose level is ≥ 11.1 mmol/L (200mg/dl) and were daily treated with different concentrations of extract and phytosterol only for 28 days. Expectedly, significantly higher values of total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein, low values of high-density lipoprotein and significant reduction in the population of epithelial germ cells and normal matured spermatozoa in the testes were observed amongst group 2 (Untreated Diabetes) rats administered 200mg/kg bw of alloxan, compared to group 1 (Control) rats (p&lt;0.05). Suggesting a possible hyperlipidemic and harmful testicular effects of alloxan in male Wistar rats. By corollary, extract administration significantly lowered values of total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein, increased values of high-density lipoproteins and reversed the reduction in germ cells and matured spermatozoa population amongst Groups 4 and 5 rats administered 500mg/kg bw and 750mg/kg bw of the extract of Craterispermum schweinfurthi compared to Group 2 (Untreated Diabetes) rats (p&lt;0.05). Suggesting a possible reversal and protective effects of the extract. Craterispermum schweinfurthi extract administration lowered total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein, increased serum high density lipoprotein concentration and promoted germinal epithelial cells ...

Serum Amylase Levels in T2DM Patients: Surrogate Biomarker of Cardiometabolic Status

Abstract Introduction: Diabetes mellitus with hyperglycaemia is a chronic metabolic disorder. The endocrinal function of the pancreas is altered in diabetes mellitus. There is a close anatomic and functional relationship between the exocrine and endocrine portions of the pancreas. The current study was conducted to evaluate the blood glucose and serum amylase levels in type 2 diabetic patients as they represent the two functional aspects of the gland. The aim of the study was to determine the serum amylase and serum lipase in type 2 diabetic patients and to compare and correlate these parameters with those of age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Methodology: Already diagnosed 300 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients have been included in our study as cases and 50 healthy individuals attending the outpatient department have been included as controls. Fasting venous samples have been collected from cases and controls and analysed for blood glucose, lipid profile, renal function test, liver function test, serum amylase and lipase. The results were analysed using Student’s t-test and correlation coefficient. Results: Low levels of serum amylase were observed in type 2 diabetic patients and the values were statistically significant with P &lt; 0.005. The levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were compared among both the groups and values were significantly higher in cases compared to the controls with P &lt; 0.05, &lt;0.001 and &lt;0.05, respectively. The high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were found to be lower in cases with the P &lt; 0.001. Conclusion: In our study, it was observed that, as the blood glucose levels are higher in type 2 diabetic patients, the serum amylase levels were lower significantly. There was a positive correlation between the HDL and serum amylase values, which signifies the role of amylase as an additional and surrogate biomarker for monitoring cardiometabolic status.

Physical activity, physical fitness and cardiometabolic health among Finnish military workers

IntroductionThe Western lifestyle challenges national defence. Inactivity, obesity, high BP and elevated lipid and glucose levels as well as tobacco use all increase cardiometabolic risk. The present study was thus...

Effect of whole-body vibration on blood pressure in obese postmenopausal women. A randomized controlled study

Background. Menopause constitutes a natural biological process that reflects the end of the reproductive life of women and has been related to elevated risk factors for multiple strokes. Multiple studies have revealed that healthy women during menopause have increased abdominal obesity, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), fasting blood glucose, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure (BP) besides reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Aim. We aim to determine the impact of whole body vibration (WBV) on BP and blood lipid profile in obese postmenopausal women. Subjects and methods. Our study enrolled 30 postmenopausal women with hypertension (HTN) who were aged 55–65 years old and had a BMI of 30–34.9 Kg/m2. An experienced physician diagnosed the participants with either pre-HTN or stage 1 HTN, with BP measurements of 140/90–159/99 mmHg. The participants were assigned into two equal groups (n = 15) in a random manner. Group A received a dietary regimen, whereas Group B received the dietary regimen along with a two-month whole body vibration (WBV) training program for 30 min, 3 sessions/week. Measurements were obtained for all participants, including their BP and serum TC, TG, HDL, and LDL levels pre- and post-therapy. Results. The results demonstrated that average systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), TC, TG, and LDL values significantly decreased in both groups, with a significant reduction favoring group B. Additionally, the average HDL value exhibited a statistically significant increase in both groups, with a significant increase favoring group B. Conclusion. WBV conjugated with a suitable nutritional intervention is considered a safe, user-friendly, and highly efficient physical therapy strategy for ameliorating blood lipid levels and lowering BP in postmenopausal women with HTN.

Investigating the effect of levothyroxine replacement on cholesterol levels in hypothyroid patients

ABSTRACT Introduction: Effects of levothyroxine therapy on the lipid profile of hypothyroid patients lead to decrease in the risk of cardiovascular diseases and mortality. Objective: Overt or subclinical hypothyroid dysfunction has negative effects on lipid metabolism and leads to hypercholesterolemia that in turn increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and mortality. In this matter, several interventional studies investigated the effects of levothyroxine therapy on the lipid profile of hypothyroid patients, and conflicting results have been obtained. The current research aims to investigate the effect of levothyroxine replacement on cholesterol levels in hypothyroid patients. Methods: The present prospective study examined 112 patients (mean age of 43.80 ± 14.36 years) with overt hypothyroidism. To do so, 72.3% of patients were females. Levothyroxine replacement therapy was prescribed for patients, and they were examined monthly to evaluate the effects of therapy on their lipid profiles. After reaching normal thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), the patients’ laboratory parameters, including TSH, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides, were surveyed. Results: After Levothyroxine therapy, there was a significant reduction in mean TSH (62.03 vs. 2.33 ± 1.95; P &lt; 0.0001), triglycerides (145.57 ± 88.65 vs. 121.91 ± 59.52, P = 0.002), cholesterol (203.90 ± 53.73 vs. 166.65 ± 40.07, P &lt; 0.0001), and serum LDL (123.61 ± 45.03 vs. 95.99 ± 24.20, P &lt; 0.0001), but the mean value of serum HDL did not show any significant change (54.18 ± 16.60 vs. 51.59 ± 18.38, P = 0.274). Conclusions: Levothyroxine therapy has beneficial effects on lipid profile in patients with overt hypothyroidism because it decreases serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and LDL. However, levothyroxine therapy does not significantly change HDL levels.

Obesity and Sex as Determinants of Atherogenic Risk Associated with High-Density (HDL) and Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Subfractions in Adolescents: A Population-based Study Based on Health Survey of Sao Paulo

Background: Worldwide, obesity in adolescents is an epidemiological concern. Overweight and obesity are associated with comorbidities in adult life, such as increased risk of hypertension and other non-communicable diseases. This study investigated possible differences between traditional lipid markers and Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) subfractions in a population-wide representative sample of Brazilian adolescents. Methods: The individuals included in the study comprise a subsample of the 2015 Health Survey of São Paulo (ISA-Capital 2015). LDL and HDL particle sizes were determined by the Lipoprint® System (Quantimetrix Corporation). Results: 272 Brazilian adolescents with a mean age of 15.2 ± 2.2 years, of which 47.8% (n = 130) are boys. Analysis of LDL subfractions showed an increase in LDL 2 content in girls (5.7% vs. 5.1%; p = 0.047). This result was associated with a higher content of large LDL in girls (17.8% vs. 13.5%; p &lt; 0.001) and a significant, lower content of small LDL (1.7% vs. 3.4%; p = 0.002). When obesity was considered, we observed that regardless of being overweight, girls had higher large and small LDL than boys. However, when a large to small LDL ratio was calculated, girls with no excess weight had higher values than boys with no excess weight (10.6 vs. 9.3; p = 0.038), and these had lower LDL ratio than overweight boys (9.3 vs. 13.5; p = 0.016). On the other hand, boys had higher HDL 2 content than girls (8.9% vs. 8.0%; p = 0.017), which was associated with increased large HDL values in boys (1.9% vs. 1.7%; p = 0.047). Regression analysis was performed according to gender, the sum of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) + intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL) C + IDL B subfractions was adjusted for age and body mass index (BMI), showing that girls had lower atherogenic lipid profile (β = 0.987; CI = 0.977-0.998; p = 0.017) than boys. When the regression analysis was performed according to BMI, large LDL in adolescents with no excess weight presented a lower atherogenic lipid profile (β = 1.040; CI = 1.000-1.082; p = 0.049), adjusted for age and sex, than overweight adolescents. Conclusion: Regardless of excess weight, girls showed a cardioprotective profile more associated with a favorable distribution of LDL subfractions than boys, reinforcing the relevance of evaluating qualitative aspects of lipoproteins in addition to the traditional cholesterol content.

Association of Apelin, Chemerin and Omentin Levels with Oxidative Stress Markers in Non-Diabetic and Induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract &#x0D; Oxidative stress has a significant impact on the etiology of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, associations of adipokines with oxidative stress biomarkers have yet to be investigated. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the estimation of serum apelin, chemerin, and omentin levels in induced TIDM and their correlations with oxidative stress markers. The study included sixty male albino rats divided into two groups. The first group (n = 30) was diabetic (TIDM induced with an intraperitoneal injection of 40mg/kg STZ). The non-diabetic control group was the second (n: 30). The enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) test was used to quantify the serum levels of apelin, chemerin, omentin and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA). Furthermore, blood glucose, lipid profile triglyceride (TG), cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST)), malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) parameters were evaluated. Rats with induced TIDM had significantly higher serum levels of apelin, chemerin, omentin, malondialdehyde MDA, ADMA, and NO compared to non-diabetics. According to the coefficient of correlation analysis, the results revealed a positive association between apelin and LDL, ALT, and MDA and a negative correlation between apelin and AST: ALT. In addition, no correlation was found between apelin and serum levels of glucose, cholesterol, HDL, LDL: HDL TG, TG: HDL, VLDL, AST, creatinine, uric acid, albumin, NO, and ADMA. LDL, ALT, and MDA. Serum chemerin level correlated positively with LD: HDL and ADMA. Also, the plasma level of omentin showed a significant and positive correlation with both TG: HDL and MDA values. In conclusion, the results of this study introduced apelin and chemerin as potential biomarkers for the early detection of diabetes. Elevated serum apelin levels in induced T1DM could provide compensatory action for low insulin levels. While, apelin, chemerin and omentin’s positive correlations with MDA level suggest the potential roles of these adipokines in diabetes-induced complications caused by oxidative stress.

Impact of female sex and type 2 diabetes mellitus on in-hospital mortality among patients with acute coronary syndrome: a retrospective cohort study between 2015-2022

Aim. This study aimed to assess the influence of female sex and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on in-hospital mortality among patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the emergency department during the period 20152022, while also exploring the association of relevant laboratory factors.Material and methods. An observational, analytical, retrospective cohort study was conducted, focusing on patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome who had high-density lipoprotein (HDL) values measured. The study included a total of 196 patients, divided into diabetes and non-diabetes groups, totaling 98 patients in each.Results. Among the 196 patients with acute coronary syndrome, 181 survived, and 15 succumbed until hospital discharge. Statistically significant associations were identified between female sex (relative risk (RR): 3.52, 95% confidential interval (CI): 1.25-9.92, p=0.017) and T2DM (RR: 4.05, 95% CI: 1.51-10.85, p=0.005) withan increased risk of mortality in acute coronary syndrome patients. Notably, high HDL values did not exhibit a statistically significant association (RR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.33-2.33, p=0.789). Subsequent multivariate analysis reaffirmed the significant association, indicating a 20% increased risk of death in patients with T2DM and acute coronary syndrome (RR: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.15-2.25, p=0.025).Conclusion. The study concludes that while elevated HDL levels are not associated with increased in-hospital mortality in acute coronary syndrome patients, T2DM emerges as a noteworthy factor influencing this outcome.

Dyslipidemia, body mass index, and blood glucose levels in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction

Background Systemic dyslipidemia, obesity, and elevated blood sugars may theoretically affect the meibomian lipid composition and therefore, can cause meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). Objective This study aimed to evaluate the association of serum lipid levels, body mass index (BMI), and serum blood glucose (BG) levels in patients with MGD compared with healthy controls. Patients and methods This is a comparative observational case-control study that enrolled 40 MGD patients (cases) and 40 controls. One eye of each participant was included in the study. After a detailed history, ocular examination was done by slit lamp biomicroscopy to grade/stage the MGD. The BMI, serum fasting total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides, and BG levels were measured. Results The mean age of the cases was 46.75±10.93 years compared with 45.55±10.62 years in controls (P=0.620). Patients with MGD showed significantly higher serum fasting cholesterol (188.62±62.24 mg/dl),;Deg;BM;Deg;I (24.45±1.75 kg/m2), and fasting BG (110.35±32.30 mg/dl) compared with the controls (159.60±20.19 mg/dl, 23.45±1.35 kg/m2, and 98.43±27.69 mg/dl, respectively, P=0.022, 0.005, and 0.030, respectively). With increasing severity of MGD, the fasting serum cholesterol increased significantly from 136.73±24.88 mg/dl in grade 1 to 285.20±85.99 mg/dl in grade 4 (P&lt;0.001) and the fasting serum LDL levels increased from 72.64±20.33 mg/dl in grade 1 to 202.60±95.66 mg/dl in grade 4 (P&lt;0.001). In addition, the fasting serum triglycerides increased significantly as the severity of MGD increased from grade I (96.00±22.56 mg/dl) to grade III (227.09±83.44 mg/dl), (P&lt;0.001). However, The fasting HDL and BG values did not increase significantly with increasing severity of the MGD (P=0.135 and 0.181, respectively). Conclusion There is importance for screening for dyslipidemia, BMI, and BG levels in MGD cases.

Intersecting pathways: evaluating inflammatory markers and metabolism in chronic spontaneous urticaria with a multi-marker approach.

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is an inflammatory skin disease with intricate mechanisms. This study comprehensively assessed markers from diverse metabolic pathways, including novel inflammatory indicators, to evaluate their potential for diagnosing and monitoring CSU. In the study involving 90 CSU patients and 90 healthy controls, the levels of albumin, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), fibrinogen, uric acid, D-dimer, C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cells (WBC) values were analyzed. The D-dimer/albumin ratio (DAR), fibrinogen/albumin ratio (FAR), and uric acid/HDL ratio (UHR), considered novel inflammatory markers, were calculated. The Urticaria Activity Score 7 (UAS7) was also calculated. Pearson chi-squared test, Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman correlation coefficient, and univariate logistic regression analysis were employed for data analysis. In the patient group, significant elevations were observed in DAR, FAR, fibrinogen, CRP, D-dimer, and UHR values. Additionally, albumin, HDL, and uric acid values exhibited significant decreases. HDL and albumin provided the most accurate results in the univariate logistic regression analysis. CRP had less accuracy, FAR exhibited greater accuracy than fibrinogen, and DAR demonstrated higher accuracy than D-dimer. There was no statistically significant correlation between the UAS7 and parameters. The considerable correlation of CRP with other parameters, except D-dimer, was also remarkable. Indicators from diverse metabolic pathways, including albumin, HDL, uric acid, fibrinogen, D-dimer, and CRP, can be valuable in assessing CSU. In particular, FAR and DAR are emerging as potential markers to consider in the assessment of CSU.

The relationship of complete blood parameters, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and bilirubin values with disease severity in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Objectives: This study aimed to compare total bilirubin levels with monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) according to the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) values. Patients and methods: The files of patients who underwent polysomnography and had total bilirubin and complete blood count values were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into three groups: AHI &lt;5, AHI =5-29.99, and AHI ≥30. All blood parameters and calculated ratios were compared between the groups, and the relationship between these parameters and OSAS severity was investigated. Results: The study included 240 patients (149 males, 91 females; mean age: 47.4±11.9 years; range, 21 to 82 years). High-density lipoprotein values were significantly lower and MHR was significantly higher in the group with AHI ≥30 compared to the other two groups (p&lt;0.001 and p=0.001, respectively). Apnea-hypopnea index was correlated with MHR (r=0.270, p&lt;0.001). The groups were similar in terms of MLR, NLR, PLR, and total bilirubin levels. Conclusion: Considering that these easily accessible blood parameters are affected by many factors, they can only be used as auxiliary parameters in assessing the severity and follow-up of diseases such as OSAS.

Effects of HCV Clearance with Direct-Acting Antivirals (DAAs) on Liver Stiffness, Liver Fibrosis Stage and Metabolic/Cellular Parameters.

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a clinical and pathological syndrome with various causes and is characterized by varying degrees of hepatocellular necrosis and inflammation. It is a significant cause of liver transplantation and liver-related death worldwide. The hepatic manifestations of CHC are typically characterized by slowly progressing liver fibrosis, which is a non-specific and often disproportionate response to tissue damage. A large majority of HCV patients have extrahepatic manifestations with varying degrees of severity. HCV infection is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus, which increases insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and iron overload and causes chronic systemic inflammation. HCV infection is treated using direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) with cure rates of over 95 percent, minimal side effects, and shorter therapeutic courses. Despite the effective elimination of the virus, it seemed pertinent to understand to what extent HCV clearance eliminates or attenuates all the systemic alterations already induced by the virus during infection and chronicity. Our study aimed to determine whether eliminating HCV with DAAs alters the severity of liver disease (liver stiffness and liver fibrosis stage by TE) and the metabolic/cellular profile of patients with CHC. A group of 329 CHC patients from a Gastroenterology and Hepatology outpatient department were prospectively studied. Of these, 134 were also studied with DAAs. The liver fibrosis stage was evaluated by transient elastography (TE) using a FibroScan® device, and two groups were established for the analysis of liver stiffness (LS): mild and moderate stiffness (fibrosis F1 and F2; F1/2) and severe stiffness (fibrosis and cirrhosis F3 and F4; F3/4). Metabolic/cellular parameters were evaluated before and after antiviral treatment using standard methods: alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase (γ-GT), haptoglobin (Hp), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (TG), free iron (Fe), transferrin saturation (TS), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin (Ft), glycemia, insulin, Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and platelets count. The results were statistically analyzed using SPSS 24.0 for Windows. Comparing the fibrosis stage before and after DAAs treatment, we verify a reduction in LS in 85.7% of patients and an improvement in liver fibrosis stage in 22.2% of them after DAAs treatment. Before DAAs treatment, patients showed a 2.410 risk for higher fibrosis stages (F3/4). Comparing metabolic/cellular parameters before and after DAAs treatment, patients showed lower ALP, AST, ALT, γGT, TG, Fe, TIBC, and Ft values and higher TC, LDL, and Hp values after treatment. As such, HCV elimination reduces iron overload and insulin resistance. On the other hand, it caused dyslipidemia, raising total cholesterol and LDL to levels outside the reference values. The improvement in the liver fibrosis stage by TE was mainly associated with higher baseline platelet count and HDL values and lower insulin resistance. With this study, we were able to contribute to the knowledge of the effects of HCV elimination with DAAs on liver disease and metabolic profile to improve the quality of treatment and follow-up of these patients after HCV elimination.

1166A&gt;C polymorphism of the &lt;i&gt;AGTR1&lt;/i&gt; gene as a marker metabolic disorders in the North residents

BACKGROUND: dyslipidemia is currently considered to be one of cardiovascular risk factors. Angiotensin II receptor type I (AGTR1) genetic polymorphisms are known as candidate genes for hypertension, diabetes, as well as for diabetes and obesity complications. Until now, there are not much data on how 1166A&gt;C (rs5186) polymorphism of the AGTR1 gene correlates with Northerners’ carbohydrate and lipid metabolism disorders. In addition, the data are contradictory. Following on from this, we see it is relevant to study the subject.AIM: this research assessed variants of 1166A&gt;C (rs5186) polymorphism of the AGTR1 gene as a predictor of dyslipidemia, carbohydrate metabolism disorders, overweight, and hypertension.MATERIALS AND METHODS: the North residents from Magadan Region, Caucasian by ethnicity, aged from 24 to 56 (average age 43.7± 1.4 yrs) participated in the survey. By real-time polymerase chain reaction we determined the single nucleotide polymorphism of the AGTR1 (rs5186) gene. We also analyzed physical development and cardiovascular variables as well as the concentrations of glucose, insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin, C-reactive protein, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The insulin resistance index and the atherogenicity coefficient were calculated using standard methods.RESULTS: the examined subjects were one hundred and one volunteers. According to the results of genetic analysis, 55 people were assigned to the group of homozygotes for the wild type (AA) and 46 people were assigned to the group of the AGTR1*C allele variant carriers (heterozygotes and homozygotes AC+CC). Our findings contributed to the evidence on more unfavorable lipid pictures showed by the AGTR1*C allele variant carriers: significantly high values of total cholesterol (5,77±0,11, р=0.045), low-density lipoproteins (3,87±0,09, р=0.009), triglycerides (1,43±0,06, р=0.035), and atherogenicity coefficient (3,61±0,10, р=0.001), along with significantly low values of high-density lipoproteins (1,30±0,03, р=0,008). The above indicators were observed as opposed to significantly high fasting glycemia (5,74±0,14, р=0.006) and glycosylated hemoglobin (5,74±0,09, р=0.001) exhibited by the AA homozygotes subjects whose indices could be defined as the state of prediabetes. No intergroup differences were found in anthropometric or cardiovascular variables.CONCLUSION: thus, we could see impairments in the lipid pictures of the AGTR1*С polymorphic variant carriers along with the optimization of carbohydrate metabolism and no effect on the blood pressure or anthropometric characteristics.

Comparison of Lipid Profiles Between Pediatric Living- and Deceased-Donor Liver Recipients

Background: It has been shown that hyperlipidemia occurs in 71% of patients following liver transplantation. Multiple risk factors, including obesity, diabetes mellitus, and diet, as well as the immunosuppressive medications used, influence the lipid profiles that are seen in these individuals, contributing to the multifactorial etiology of lipid problems. Objectives: The aim of the present study is to compare the lipid profile in liver transplant recipients from living-related (LR) and deceased donors (DDs). Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study performed at Shiraz University of Medical Science between 2005 and 2018. Patients under 18 years old who received liver transplants were included in the study and divided into 2 groups who received from LR and DDs, and lipid profiles were compared between the 2 groups. Results: A total of 397 patients were included in the study; in the first group, 234 received a liver from a DD, and in the second group, 161 from an LR donor. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 17.51 ± 5.49 in the first group and 16.25 ± 3.29 in the second group. The most common underlying diseases were biliary atresia (22%) and autoimmune hepatitis (15%). The mean triglyceride (TG) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were 133 and 46 mg/dL in the first group and 118 and 54 mg/dL in the second group, while the differences were statistically significant. As age increased, there was a significant difference in the mean values of fasting blood sugar (FBS) and HDL, with FBS increasing and HDL decreasing. There was no significant difference in the use of immunosuppressant drugs between the 2 groups. Conclusions: Patients who received a liver from an LR donor have a significantly lower TG, higher HDL, and a lower cardiovascular risk.