Uncoupling protein-2 gene polymorphisms are associated with obesity in Hungarian children.

AIM: To determine the frequency of common polymorphisms of genes associated with energy metabolism among normal weight and overweight/obese children to look for effects on childhood obesity. METHODS: Among 709 overweight/obese and 637 normal weight children (age 6-17 years), anthropometric measurements were carried out and genotyping for the following gene polymorphisms: ß3 -adrenoreceptor Trp64Arg, uncoupling protein (UCP) -1 -3826 A/G, UCP-2 -866 G/A and exon 8 del/ins, UCP-3 -55 C/T and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ Pro12Ala. RESULTS: On multivariate regression analysis adjusted for age and gender heterozygosity and homozygosity for the UCP-2 -866 A variant was associated with an odds ratio (OR) for obesity of 0.69 (95% CI: 0.52-0.92; p = 0.013) and 0.50 (95% CI: 0.32-0.79; p = 0.003), respectively, compared with G/G homozygotes. Heterozygotes and homozygotes for the UCP-2 exon 8 ins allele had an OR for obesity of 1.66 (95% CI: 1.24-2.23; p = 0.001) and 2.12 (95% CI: 1.23-3.63; p = 0.006), respectively, compared with del/del homozygotes. There were no significant differences in obesity risk in association with the other examined gene polymorphisms. CONCLUSION: Common polymorphisms of the UCP-2 gene might influence the propensity to overweight/obesity in Hungarian children.

Selective association of endogenous ouabain with subclinical organ damage in treated hypertensive patients.

According to previous studies endogenous ouabain (EO) closely correlates with high blood pressure, congestive heart failure and kidney disease in humans. Our aims were to analyse associations between plasma, urinary EO level and various markers of cardiovascular damage in treated hypertensive patients. Forty-one adult patients with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus (DM) and/or chronic kidney disease (CKD) were studied. We assessed plasma and urinary EO, pro-brain natriuretic peptide and catecholamines, profile of ambulatory blood pressure monitor and cardiovascular status by echocardiography and echo-tracking. The highest level of plasma EO (19.7±9.5 pmol l⁻¹) was measured in hypertensive patients with DM and CKD. The nighttime mean arterial blood pressure independently correlated with the level of plasma EO (P=0.004), while independent predictor of the ß-stiffness of carotid artery was the urinary EO (P=0.011). Elevated level of EO was associated with nighttime blood pressure and subclinical organ damage in treated hypertensive patients, suggesting possible role of EO in the pathogenesis of impaired diurnal blood pressure rhythm and arterial stiffness.

Plasma levels of acylated ghrelin during an oral glucose tolerance test in obese children.

OBJECTIVE: Ghrelin is an acylated peptide with octanoyl modification, which is essential for its GH-releasing ability. Coexpression of GH secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) and ghrelin in the pancreas suggests that this peptide is involved in glucose metabolism. The other form of the molecule, the non-acylated ghrelin, has been reported to be devoid of any pituitaric endocrine activities. Previous reports demonstrated that plasma total ghrelin levels decrease after oral glucose administration in obese children, but no data are available about the plasma levels of acylated ghrelin. Therefore, in the present study the plasma levels of acylated ghrelin were measured in obese and control children during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Acylated ghrelin response to OGTT was evaluated in 11 obese and 9 age-matched control children. All subjects received 0.75 g/kg (maximum 75 g) glucose solution orally after an overnight fast. Acylated ghrelin, insulin, glucose, and GH were determined at 0, 30, 60 and 120 min, and leptin at 0 min of the OGTT. RESULTS: Plasma basal levels of acylated ghrelin were significantly lower in the obese children than in the controls (66.3+/-6.7 vs 97.2+/-14.4 pg/ml, p<0.05). The plasma acylated ghrelin concentration decreased significantly at 30 and 60 min in the control group (53.3+/-9.9 and 57.4+/-7.0 pg/ml, p<0.05), but not in the obese group (64.7+/-9.6 and 49.3+/-4.6 pg/ml) as compared to the basal value. In the obese group the acylated ghrelin level was significantly higher at 120 min, than at 0 min (91.6+/-9.8 vs 66.3+/-6.7 pg/ml, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There was no rapid fall in plasma levels of acylated ghrelin in obese children after OGTT at 30 min, but there was an increase at 120 min, suggesting that the dynamic of the response to OGTT is slower and there is an upregulation of active ghrelin in the second half of OGTT in obese children.

[Routine examinations in the densitometry department]. / Studien aus dem Alltag der densitometrischen Abteilung.

The authors describe observations on the basis of the high number of patients at their osteodensitometry clinic. They found that in ankylosing spondylitis vertebral osteodensity would not be practical to be taken into account for estimating osteopenia. They suggest the "slicing" method of the 4th lumbar vertebra, taking into consideration the middle slice only. The second part of their study proved that daughters of their patients, suffering from osteoporosis with fractured vertebra, had significantly lower osteodensity as compared with the age and menstrual cycle-matched controls.

[Determination of diminished bone mineral density in ankylosing spondylitis]. / Csökkent csont ásványianyag-tartalom igazolása spondylitis ankylopoeticában.

Bone mineral density was determined by DEXA method on the lumbal spine and on the femoral neck, on 44 patients suffering from ankylosing spondylitis. It was established that the osteopenie (low bone mineral density) was covered by the syndesmophytes. The comparative measurement showed a lower bone mineral density for patients, who don't have syndesmophytes on the L II-IV. vertebraes.

The effect of prostaglandin F2 alpha treatment on the endometrial oestradiol receptor system.

The effects of prostaglandin F2 alpha treatment on oestradiol receptor levels were studied in human decidual tissues from the first trimester of pregnancy. Two types of nuclear oestradiol binding sites in decidual tissue were detected. Type I receptors bind the oestradiol with high affinity and low capacity (Kd = 1.4 nM, Bmax = 0.3 pmol/mgDNA, Hillcoeff = 1), while type II binding sites have lower affinity and higher capacity for the hormone (Kd = 20.4 nM, Bmax = 2.0 pmol/mgDNA, Hillcoeff = 3). The nuclear oestrogen binding capacities of decidual tissue were affected by prostaglandin F2 alpha in a time dependent manner. Within the first 10 hrs after prostaglandin F2 alpha application the concentration of low affinity, high capacity binding sites (type II) was enhanced in comparison with the control values. Later, 20-24 hrs after the treatment, both types of nuclear oestrogen binding sites were increased significantly. When prostaglandin F2 alpha treatment failed to induce abortion no change in the concentration of nuclear oestrogen binding sites was observed. Oestradiol receptor concentration in the cytoplasm apparently was not affected by prostaglandin F2 alpha treatment.

[Fertility of females with abnormalities of the uterus]. / Fertilität von Frauen mit Missbildungen des Uterus.

In 209 females examined with hysterosalpingography indications for examination were fertility disturbances in 131 cases, inspection of operation scar after caesarean section in 42 cases, repeated failure of intrauterine device in 9 cases and other causes in 27 cases. Development malformations of the uterus were observed in 54 females (25.8%), which comprised 40 cases with fertility malfunctions and 14 cases who had been delivered of before. The high percentage of women, who, in spite of malformations of the uterus, were delivered either spontaneously or by means of the caesarean section of live children leads to the following conclusions: 1. The occurrence of uterine malformations is more frequent than the incidence in women examined because of fertility malfunctions would indicate. 2. Uterine malformations in women who had been delivered were not always diagnosed. 3. The occurrence of repeated failure of intrauterine device coincides conspicuously with the occurrence of uterine malformations. The diagnosis of developmental malformations of the uterus cannot be always the cause of infertility.

[The course of pregnancy after failure of intrauterine contraception]. / Osud gravidity po zlyhaní vnútromaternicovej antikoncepcie.

PIP: The analysis of intrauterine contraception studied in 2548 women during 65,925 cycles over the preiod 1974-79 revealed a total of 227 failures; i.e., in 8.9% of users and 1 pregnancy/290.4 cycles. Of this number, there were 6 extrauterine pregnancies and 11 spontaneous deliveries in women with IUDs. In 2 cases, preterm labor was recorded, and there was no incidence of fetal malformation. Failure of contraception is being evaluated with respect to age, parity, and the number of cycles followed up after IUD insertion. Influences affecting IUD frequency and its failure, as well as its potential adverse effects are discussed. (author's modified)^ieng