Change in serum albumin concentration is inversely and independently associated with risk of incident metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Low serum albumin concentration is associated with a high risk of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases. However, high serum albumin level appears to be linked to metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study aimed to dissect the relative contributions of baseline and change in serum albumin concentration to the risk of incident metabolic syndrome. METHODS: This was a 5-year (63,060 person-years) retrospective longitudinal study of 12,567 participants without metabolic syndrome, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease who were enrolled in a health screening program. The risk of developing MetS was analyzed according to baseline and change in serum albumin concentration. RESULTS: A total of 2582 incident cases of metabolic syndrome developed. The hazard ratio (HR) for incident MetS increased with increasing quartile of baseline serum albumin level compared with those in the lowest quartile, in a fully adjusted model (p for trend = 0.013). The HRs [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] of incident MetS comparing the second, third, and fourth quartiles to the first quartile of change in serum albumin level were 0.478 (0.421-0.544), 0.353 (0.307-0.405), and 0.262 (0.224-0.305) in the fully adjusted model, respectively (p for trend <0.001). Percent change in serum albumin concentration inversely correlated with percent change in serum level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (r=-3.5444, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although a higher baseline level of serum albumin was linked to increased risk of incident metabolic syndrome, increase in serum albumin concentration might be a protective factor against the risk of MetS.

Association between Bsm1 Polymorphism in Vitamin D Receptor Gene and Diabetic Retinopathy of Type 2 Diabetes in Korean Population.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common diseases with devastating complications. However, genetic susceptibility of diabetic complications has not been clarified. The vitamin D endocrine system is related with calcification and lipolysis, insulin secretion, and may be associated with many complicated disease including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Recent studies reported that single nucleotide polymorphisms of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene were associated with diabetic complications. METHODS: In present study, we evaluated the association of BsmI polymorphism of VDR with diabetic complications in Korean diabetes patients. Total of 537 type 2 diabetic subjects from the Endocrinology Clinic of Chungbuk National University Hospital were investigated. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to test the genotype and allele frequency of BsmI (rs1544410; BB, Bb, bb) polymorphisms. RESULTS: Mean age was 62.44±10.64 years and mean disease duration was 13.65±7.39 years. Patients with B allele (BB or Bb) was significantly associated with lower risk of diabetic retinopathy (severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy or proliferative retinopathy; 7.4%, 5/68) compared with patients without B allele (bb; 17.3%, 81/469; P=0.035). This association was also significant after adjusting for hemoglobin A1c level, body mass index, age, sex, and diabetes mellitus duration, concurrent dyslipidemia and hypertension (odds ratio, 2.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.08 to 8.29; P=0.035) in logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that B allele of Bsm1 polymorphism in VDR gene is associated with lower risk of diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetic patients. Bsm1 genotype could be used as a susceptibility marker to predict the risk of diabetes complication.

Aspergillus tracheobronchitis in a mild immunocompromised host.

Aspergillus tracheobronchitis is a form of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in which the Aspergillus infection is limited predominantly to the tracheobronchial tree. It occurs primarily in severely immunocompromised patients such as lung transplant recipients. Here, we report a case of Aspergillus tracheobronchitis in a 42-year-old man with diabetes mellitus, who presented with intractable cough, lack of expectoration of sputum, and chest discomfort. The patient did not respond to conventional treatment with antibiotics and antitussive agents, and he underwent bronchoscopy that showed multiple, discrete, gelatinous whitish plaques mainly involving the trachea and the left bronchus. On the basis of the bronchoscopic and microbiologic findings, we made the diagnosis of Aspergillus tracheobronchitis and initiated antifungal therapy. He showed gradual improvement in his symptoms and continued taking oral itraconazole for 6 months. Physicians should consider Aspergillus tracheobronchitis as a probable diagnosis in immunocompromised patients presenting with atypical respiratory symptoms and should try to establish a prompt diagnosis.

Impact of hyperglycemia on survival and infection-related adverse events in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who were receiving palliative chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: Non-metastatic colorectal cancer patients with diabetes have poor overall survival than those without diabetes. However, the effect of hyperglycemia on survival after diagnosis of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been assessed. Therefore, we assessed the impact of hyperglycemia on the survival and infection-related adverse events (AEs) in patients with metastatic CRC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the records of 206 patients with newly diagnosed metastatic CRC who were treated with palliative chemotherapy from March 2000 to December 2012 at Chungbuk National University Hospital. The mean glucose level of each patient was calculated using all available glucose results. RESULTS: The mean glucose levels ranged between 76.8 and 303.5 mg/dL, and patients were categorized into quartiles in accordance to their mean glucose level: group 1 (< 106.7 mg/dL), group 2 (106.7-117.2 mg/dL), group 3 (117.3-142.6 mg/dL), and group 4 (> 142.6 mg/dL). The median overall survival for patients in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 22.6, 20.1, 18.9, and 17.9 months, respectively; however, this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.643). Compared with patients in group 1, those in groups 2, 3, and 4 were at a higher risk of infection-related AEs, according to a multivariate analysis (p=0.002). CONCLUSION: Hyperglycemia was not associated with shorter survival; however, it was associated with infection-related AEs in patients with newly diagnosed metastatic CRC receiving palliative chemotherapy.

Fate of dyspeptic or colonic symptoms after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gallbladder diseases can give rise to dyspeptic or colonic symptoms in addition to biliary pain. Although most biliary pain shows improvement after cholecystectomy, the fates of dyspeptic or colonic symptoms still remain controversial. This study as-sessed whether nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms improved after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and identified the char-acteristics of patients who experienced continuing or exacerbated symptoms following surgery. METHODS: Sixty-five patients who underwent LC for uncomplicated gallbladder stones or gallbladder polyps were enrolled. The patients were surveyed on their dyspeptic or colonic symptoms before surgery and again at 3 and 6 months after surgery. Patients' mental sanity was also assessed using a psychological symptom score with the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised questionnaire. RESULTS: Forty-four (67.7%) patients showed one or more dyspeptic or colonic symptoms before surgery. Among these, 31 (47.7%) and 36 (55.4%) patients showed improvement at 3 and 6 months after surgery, respectively. However, 18.5% of patients showed continuing or exacerbated symptoms at 6 months after surgery. These patients did not differ with respect to gallstone or gall-bladder polyps, but differed in frequency of gastritis. These patients reported lower postoperative satisfaction. Patients with ab-dominal symptoms showed higher psychological symptom scores than others. However, poor mental sanity was not related to the symptom exacerbation. CONCLUSIONS: Elective LC improves dyspeptic or colonic symptoms. Approximately 19% of patients reported continuing or exacerbated symp-toms following LC. Detailed history-taking regarding gastritis before surgery can be helpful in predicting patients' outcome after LC.