Does nesfatin-1 influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in adult males with obstructive sleep apnoea?

There is growing evidence that obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) influences the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG axis) in men. The aim of the study was to assess the association of nesfatin-1 with HPG axis disturbances in OSA. This is a prospective study with consecutive enrolment. It comprises 72 newly diagnosed OSA patients ((AHI: apnoea-hypopnea index) 18 subjects: 5 ≤ AHI < 15; 24: 15 ≤ AHI < 30; 30: AHI ≥ 30) and a control group composed of 19 patients (AHI < 5). All patients underwent polysomnography and fasting blood collection for nesfatin-1, testosterone, luteinising hormone (LH), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatinine and glucose. Groups had similar levels of LH, nesfatin-1 and testosterone (p = 0.87; p = 0.24; p = 0.08). Nesfatin-1 was not correlated to LH (p = 0.71), testosterone (p = 0.38), AHI (p = 0.34) or the oxygen desaturation index (ODI) (p = 0.69) either in the whole group, or in sub-groups. The study did not reveal any association between the HPG axis and nesfatin-1 in OSA adult males. It is possible that nesfatin-1 is not a mediator of HPG axis disturbances in adult patients with OSA.

The Impact of Supplementation with Folic Acid on Homocysteine Concentration and Selected Lipoprotein Parameters in Patients with Primary Hypertension.

The aim of the study was the assessment of the impact of supplementation with folic acid on the concentration of homocysteine, total cholesterol (TC), HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), apoprotein AI (apoAI) and apoprotein B (apoB) in patients suffering from primary hypertension. The examined group comprised 42 patients suffering from primary hypertension. All examined patients underwent laboratory tests as follows: concentration of homocysteine, folic acid, TC, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, TG, apoAI and apoB. All patients were orally administered with 15 mg of folic acid per day for 45 d. After this period, all laboratory tests were repeated. Homocysteine concentration was measured by the FPIA method, concentrations of apoAI and apoB were measured by the nephelometric method, and other parameters with routine methods. After administration of 15 mg of folic acid to patients with primary hypertension, a considerable decrease in the concentration of homocysteine was observed in parallel with a substantive growth of HDL-cholesterol, as well as apoprotein AI concentrations and a reduction of the apoprotein B concentration. Results of statistical analysis indicated a significant correlation between the decline in homocysteine concentration and the increase in HDL-cholesterol concentration, as well as between the increase of folic acid concentration and the increase in apoAI concentration in patients following the intake of folic acid. The drop in homocysteine concentration through the supplementation with folic acid can cause quantitative changes in the lipid and lipoprotein parameters which, in consequence, may lead to the mitigation of risk concerning the development of atherosclerosis.