The association between exocrine pancreatic dysfunction and insulin resistance in an insulin-resistant population in Turkey: A cross-sectional study.

Background: In insulin resistance (IR), it is thought that pancreatic fat accumulation may decrease pancreatic volume, cause an impaired endocrine function, and simultaneously lead to an exocrine dysfunction before diabetes develops. Aim: The association between pancreatic exocrine function and insulin resistance (IR) was assessed in a population with insulin resistance. Method: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that included 43 IR cases with no other comorbid diseases or pregnancy and 41 healthy controls. Fasting blood adiponectin, leptin, pancreatic amylase, lipase, and stool fecal elastase-1 (FE-1) were studied and compared in both groups. Results: The IR group consisted of 38 females (88.3%) and five males (11.6%), while the control group consisted of 31 females (75.6%) and ten males (24.3%). FE-1 levels were significantly lower in the IR group (P-value <0.01). Blood glucose, insulin, and HbA1c levels were significantly higher in the IR group than in the control (P-value of <0.01, <0.01, <0.01, respectively). Leptin levels were significantly higher in the IR group compared to the controls (P-value = 0.013). After dividing the whole group (n: 84) into two groups as FE-1 <200 µg/g (n: 61) and FE-1 ≥200 µg/g (n: 23), logistic regression analysis was performed; the significant predictor of low FE-1 was HOMA-IR (ODD ratio: 4.27, P-value <0.01, 95% confidence interval for ODD ratio: 1.95-9.30). Conclusion: This study showed that IR is associated with pancreatic exocrine dysfunction.

The effects of blood glucose regulation and treatment regime on mean platelet volume in type 2 diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND: Mean platelet volume (MPV) is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in type 2 diabetic patients. However, the effects of blood glucose regulation and treatment regime on MPV has not been adequately studied in type 2 diabetic patients. Aims: We studied the effects of blood glucose regulation and treatment regimen on mean platelet volume in Type 2 diabetic patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 232 diabetic patients who were admitted to the hospital in short intervals of 3 months in the last 2 years were included in the study. When the second admission HbA1c was greater than the first admission HbA1c, they were classified as being in the deteriorated blood glucose regulation group, otherwise they were classified in the improved blood glucose regulation group. Also, the deteriorated and improved blood glucose regulation groups were classified based on therapy modalities as the sulfonylurea + metformin group and the insulin + metformin group. Paired t-test was used for comparison of the groups. RESULTS: Of the 232 patients, 98 (42.2%) were male and 134 (57.8%) were female. There were 126 (55.2%) patients using sulfonylurea + metformin, while 106 (44.8%) patients were using insulin + metformin. MPV levels were significantly increased in patients with deteriorating glucose regulation (p = 0.003). This increase in MPV was only seen in the oral hypoglycemic treatment group (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested a close relationship between poor glycemic control and increased platelet activity in type 2 diabetic patients with oral antidiabetic therapy when compared to the insulin and metformin therapy modality.

Two Novel CEBPA Mutations in a Turkish Patient with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was first categorized in 1976 by French, American and British researchers, and divided into eight subgroups (M0 to M7), depending on the cytochemical or histological changes in the leukemic cells. The gene mutations of FLT3-ITD, CEBPA and NPM1 are the most common that cooperate together in the prognosis of AML. The CEBPA gene that is a hematopoietic transcription factor, is located on chromosome 19q13.11, and its prevalence is between 5.0 and 14.0% in AML. The patient was referred to our clinic suffering from menorrhagia, unplanned weight loss in a month and low platelet levels, and was diagnosed with AML on clinical and laboratory examination. Here, we report a patient carrying two novel pathogenic mutations that create a frameshift mutation on the CEBPA gene, c.940_941insCCGTCG TGGAGACGA CGAAGG and c.221_222delAC by Sanger sequencing methodology.

Evaluation of blood neutrophil to lymphocyte and platelet to lymphocyte ratios according to plasma glucose status and serum insulin-like growth factor 1 levels in patients with acromegaly.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular, respiratory, and cerebrovascular diseases and malignancies are responsible for morbidity and mortality in acromegaly. Also these diseases are associated with chronic inflammation. The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are currently gaining interest as new markers of inflammation. Moreover, increased morbidity and mortality are positively correlated with the presence of diabetes and levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in acromegaly. The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between these markers and acromegaly according to plasma glucose status and serum IGF-1 levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from 61 acromegaly patients who were in a newly diagnosed period (35 male, 26 female; mean age 38.13 ± 13.98). Patients with normal plasma glucose (n = 27), impaired fasting glucose (n = 18), and diabetes mellitus (n = 16) were categorized into three different groups. NLR and PLR were compared between the study groups and were evaluated according to IGF-1 levels. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in NLR and PLR measurements among the study groups (p > 0.05). However, there were significant positive correlations between NLR and IGF-1 levels and between PLR and IGF-1 levels when all patients were evaluated (r = 0.334, p = 0.011 and r = 0.277, p = 0.035, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report studying the relationship of NLR and PLR with glucose status and IGF-1 levels in acromegaly patients. Our study results suggest that subclinical inflammation may play a role in increased incidence of mortality and morbidity, which depends on uncontrolled IGF-1 levels in patients with acromegaly.

Association of calcium channel blocker use with lower hemoglobin levels in chronic kidney disease.

AIM: To search whether calcium channel blockers (CCBs) are associated with lower hemoglobin levels in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients who are not on renal replacement therapy (RRT), vitamin D and anti-anemic treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: CKD patients were classified into two groups. Patients on CCBs treatment (103 patients) and patients not using CCBs (104 patients) were compared cross-sectionally regarding clinical findings, complete blood count (CBC), biochemistry and regular medication use. Patients with polycystic kidney disease, comorbidities that could influence CBC other than iron deficiency of obscure origin, patients receiving RRT, erythropoietin (EPO), vitamin D, phosphate binders and drugs that could influence CBC were excluded. Under dependent variable of CCB use, all significantly different independent variables were subjected to multivariate binary logistic regression analysis (MBLRA). RESULTS: Lower hemoglobin, lower bilirubinemia, higher serum EPO, higher systolic blood pressure were observed in CCB users. Two groups were similar concerning age, gender, BMI, CKD etiology, CKD stage, pretibial edema prevalence, cardiothoracic index, diastolic blood pressure, corrected reticulocyte count, BUN, creatinine, eGFR, proBNP, parathormone, alkaline phosphatase, phosphorous, corrected calcemia, sCRP, relative EPO deficiency and prevalence of relative EPO deficient patients. Groups were comparable regarding comorbidities, types and usage frequencies of all antihypertensive medications other than CCBs. Higher systolic blood pressure and lower hemoglobin were significantly associated with CCB use after MBLRA. CONCLUSIONS: Hemoglobin was significantly lower in CCB users compared to non-users, among CKD patients who did not receive RRT, EPO, phosphate binders, vitamin D, iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid.

Interaction of two overlapped synthetic peptides from GB virus C with charged mono and bilayers.

The physical chemistry properties and interactions of E2 (125-139) and E2 (120-139) peptide sequences from GB virus C with model cell membranes were investigated by means of several biophysical techniques in order to gain better understanding of the effect of peptide length and lipid charge on membrane binding. The peptides, having one net negative charge at the pH of the assays, interacted with monolayers of all the phospholipids regardless of the charge but with more extent with the cationic DPTAP thus indicating that the interaction had both a hydrophobic and an electrostatic component as has been observed for other peptides of the same family. The peptides were able to leakage contents of liposomes and showed fluorescence energy transfer in vesicles depending on the vesicles lipid composition. On another hand, circular dichroism has shown that the peptides exist mainly as a mixture of disordered structure and ß-type conformations in aqueous solution but diminished its unstructured content, folding preferentially into α-helical conformation upon interaction with hydrophobic solvents or positively charged lipid surfaces. Altogether, results of this work indicate that the peptides interact at a surface level, penetrate into bilayers composed of fluid lipids and that conformational changes could be responsible for this effect.

Antibiotic prescribing over the last 16 years: fewer antibiotics but the spectrum is broadening.

The purpose of this study was to quantify the antibiotics prescribed in the outpatient setting of all primary health care professionals in Catalonia during 1992-2007. We calculated prescribed defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants and day (DID) from data provided by the Catalonian Health Service. The antibiotics analysed belonged to the J01 group (ATC/DDD classification). The overall prescribing of antibacterials has decreased by 11.9% during this period (1992: 16.75 DID, 2007: 14.75 DID). During this 16-year period, an increase was observed for penicillins (from 46.1% in 1992 to 59.6% in 2007) and for quinolones (from 13.3% to 15.7%). The prescription of cephalosporins remained steady and, conversely, a decrease in macrolides was found (from 14.8% to 12.2%). The leading antibiotic prescribed in 2007 was amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid (5.15 DID), followed by amoxicillin (2.95 DID). The former has increased by 84.4% since 2002. Penicillin V prescribing reached a peak in 2007 with 0.034 DID. There has been a slight reduction in antibiotic prescription in this 16-year study, with an increase of penicillins, mainly at the expense of those of broader antibacterial spectrum. Awareness of the rational use of antibiotics is mandatory, basically aimed at reducing the overall prescribing of antibiotics and encouraging those with a narrower spectrum.

Spectroscopic analysis of the interaction of a peptide sequence of Hepatitis G virus with bilayers.

Merocyanine 540 (MC540) has been used as external probe to determine the interaction of the peptide sequence 125-139 corresponding to the E2 protein of Hepatitis G virus, with lipid bilayers. The probe was incorporated into large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) or small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC). When incorporated into bilayers, MC540 shows two absorption maxima corresponding to the monomer (570 nm) and dimer (530 nm) form of the probe. Changes in the probe microenvironment are reflected by a modification in the position and/or intensity of these maxima. Addition of increasing amounts of peptide resulted in a slight decrease of the ratio A570/A530 thus indicating a change in MC540 partition into the membrane, going from a hydrophobic to a more hydrophilic environment. This effect was concomitant with an increase in dimer formation as stated from the values of the apparent dimerization constant (K(app)) obtained. Fluorescence spectra as well as steady state anisotropy measurements were in agreement with the above results indicating that the peptide was able to relocate the probe and displacing MC540 from its initial location into the bilayer. Results with SUVs or LUVs were similar for what curvature does not seem to play any role on peptide activity. These results reflect the ability of peptide to interact with biomimetic membranes in the lipid head group region.

[Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Buenos Aires Province]. / Sindrome pulmonar por hantavirus en la Provincia de Buenos Aires.

In Argentina the first Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) cases were characterized in 1995. Since then, Argentina is the country with the highest number of notified cases in South America. The disease is distributed in Northern, Southern and Central regions of the country, being Buenos Aires the most affected province from the Central region. In this study, we present seasonal and geographical distribution of HPS cases in Buenos Aires province, the association with diverse viral lineages and the serological characteristics of hantavirus infection in the period from 1997 up to the first semester of the year 2000. An increase in the number of HPS cases was observed up to 1999 and a gradual mortality decrease in the whole period. The cases occurred between spring and autumn, with a maximum peak in summer. The serological response was studied in 58 HPS confirmed cases at different times after the onset of symptoms. The cases were distributed between 27 localities, in two different directions from the city of Buenos Aires: South-southwest and North-northeast. More than 52% of the cases occurred in La Plata and neighboring localities. The viral genomes from 39 cases were all characterised as Andes virus (AND): AND Cent Plata 16%; AND Cent 21% and AND Cent Bs.As. 60%. Andes virus lineages only cocirculated in La Plata city. These results will contribute to establish a risk map leading to the implementation of improved strategies of prevention.