Additional effect of low iron diet on iron reduction therapy by phlebotomy for chronic hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Iron-induced oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C. Both phlebotomy for removing body iron stores and low iron diet for minimizing portal iron supply to the liver have been shown to improve serum transaminase levels in patients with the disease. However, the cooperative effects of phlebotomy and low iron diet have not yet been elucidated in detail. METHODOLOGY: A pilot study was undertaken to investigate whether a low iron diet could improve the efficacy of phlebotomy in iron reduction therapy. Of 21 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C, 10 patients were treated with phlebotomy alone (group A) while 11 patients were treated with a low iron plus phlebotomy (group B). Phlebotomy was repeated biweekly until serum ferritin levels reached 10 ng/mL in both A and B groups. In addition, a low iron diet (iron intake of 8 mg/day or less) was recommended for group B, followed by estimation of iron intake from daily diet records. RESULTS: Serum alanine aminotransferase levels were significantly improved from 106+/-30 to 68+/-22 IU/L (p<0.005, paired t-test) in group A and from 100+/-33 to 46+/-10 IU/L (p<0.002, paired t-test) in group B. The enzyme levels after treatment were significantly higher in group A (p<0.02, non-paired t-test), which showed a higher upward distribution of the enzyme activity. The estimated dietary iron intake in group B was reduced from 17.6+/-6.1 to 8.2+/-3.7 mg/day. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that phlebotomy alone does not completely remove iron-induced oxidative stress and a low iron diet induces an additional effect in iron reduction therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

Glucosyl hesperidin lowers serum triglyceride level in hypertriglyceridemic subjects through the improvement of very low-density lipoprotein metabolic abnormality.

To examine the serum triglyceride (TG)-lowering effect of a soluble hesperidin derivative, glucosyl hesperidin (G-hesperidin), and its mechanisms, we carried out a G-hesperidin administration test in hypertriglyceridemic subjects. G-Hesperidin was administered to the subjects at 500 mg/d for 24 wk. In this study, the subjects were classified into high-TG type (TG > 150 mg/dL), borderline-TG type (TG 110-150 mg/dL) and normal-TG type (TG < 110 mg/dL) on the basis of their initial serum TG values. Among these phenotypes, serum TG level significantly decreased in the high-TG type during the G-hesperidin administration period. It was also observed that elevated values of serum remnant-like particle cholesterol (RLP-C), apolipoprotein (apo) B, apo C-II, apo C-III and apo E occurred in the high-TG type and that these serum levels were significantly reduced by G-hesperidin administration. Moreover, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of serum lipoproteins revealed that the very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)/low-density lipoprotein (LDL) ratio and LDL migration index of the high-TG type were remarkably higher than those of the other phenotypes but that their high values were significantly reduced by the administration. These results indicate that G-hesperidin preferentially lowers serum TG in hypertriglyceridemic subjects and that this effect is possibly caused by the improvement of VLDL metabolic abnormality, leading to the reduction of small dense LDL.

Focal tuberculous lymphadenitis in an HIV-1 infected patient.

A 41-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of focal swelling of the left supraclavicular lymph nodes. Eighteen months prior to admission, he had been diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection and was started on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). He responded well to HAART with an increase in CD4+ cell count and improvement in symptoms. However, one year after the initiation of HAART, he developed progressive enlargement of left supraclavicular lymph nodes. An excisional lymph node biopsy was performed for diagnosis, which revealed tuberculous lymphadenitis. Rifabutin, isoniazid, and ethambutol were initiated for treatment.

Effects of glucosyl hesperidin on serum lipids in hyperlipidemic subjects: preferential reduction in elevated serum triglyceride level.

Although hesperidin lowers serum total cholesterol (TC) or triglyceride (TG) in animal models, its effect in humans remains unclear. Using a soluble hesperidin derivative, glucosyl hesperidin (G-hesperidin), as a hesperidin source, we examined the efficacy on hyperlipidemic subjects. G-Hesperidin was administered to the subjects at 100 or 500 mg/d for 6 wk. The percentage of subjects who had a change in serum cholesterol levels was less than 20%. However, 45-55% of the total subjects showed a reduction in serum TG level. The subjects were classified into normal (TC<230mg/dL, TG<150mg/dL), high-TC (TC>230 mg/dL, TG<150 mg/dL) and high-TG (TG>150 mg/dL) types. While serum cholesterol levels scarcely changed in any phenotype, TG level was significantly reduced by administration in the high-TG type. In this phenotype, serum apolipoprotein (apo) C-II and E levels decreased by the administration, but non-apo B. G-Hesperidin also raised low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol/apo B in the high-TG type. These results indicate that G-hesperidin preferentially lowers serum TG in hypertriglyceridemic subjects and that this effect is possibly caused by the facilitation of catabolism of TG-rich lipoproteins and may contribute to the reduction of small dense LDL.