Resistin level is positively correlated with thrombotic complications in Southern Chinese metabolic syndrome patients.

BACKGROUND: The metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been found to be closely related with thrombotic diseases. The mechanism, however, is far from elucidated. AIM: This study was designed to investigate the relationship between endogenous resistin and thrombosis mediating factors, as well as its potential effects on the gene expression of cardiovascular disease biomarkers. METHODS: Ninety patients satisfied the MetS criteria, and 55 healthy subjects were recruited as part of a single-center clinical study. Plasma levels of resistin, tissue factor (TF), tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were measured by enzymelinked immunosorbent assays. The effect of resistin on the expression of cardiovascular disease biomarkers in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) was assayed by gene microarray. RESULTS: 1) The average levels of resistin in MetS patients with or without acute myocardial or cerebral infarction were significantly higher than those of the controls. 2) The TF and TFPI increase was higher in MetS with infarction patients than in MetS patients. 3) In MetS with infarction patients, resistin was positively correlated with TF and PAI-1 (r=0.313, p=0.008; r=0.401, p=0.002, respectively). 4) In HUVEC, the microarray showed that apolipoprotein C-I, ACE, tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 1A (TNFRSF1A) and member 5 (CD40) genes expression were dramatically increased by resistin. CONCLUSION: In patients with MetS, resistin is strongly associated with hypercoagulative and hypofibrinolitic activities. Moreover, resistin may induce thrombotic complications via mediating the lipoprotein metabolism and stimulating inflammation.

Six cases of ectopic ACTH syndrome caused by thymic carcinoid.

The ectopic ACTH syndrome (EAS) caused by thymic carcinoid is rare and its diagnosis remains a challenge to the endocrinologist. Here are six cases of EAS with a typical Cushing habitus accompanied by hyperpigmentation and hypokalemia. For all six patients, the high dose (8 mg) dexamethasone suppression test (HDDST) showed lack of suppression, computed tomography (CT) scanning documented anterior mediastinal masses, and the mediastenal tumors removed were confirmed as ACTH secreting thymic carcinoids by positive ACTH and NSE staining. Our data indicate that HDDST chest radiologic imaging and other laboratory examinations will greatly assist in diagnosing the thymic carcinoid-induced EAS at an earlier stage, which will significantly improve the long-term survival of the patient.

Inhibition by nociceptin on excitatory non-adrenergic non-cholinergic response in guinea pig airways.

AIM: To study the effect of nociceptin (NC), a newly discovered heptadecapeptide, and U-50488H, a kappa-opioid receptor agonist, on excitatory non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (eNANC) constriction responses in guinea pig isolated bronchus. METHODS: An eNANC response was induced by electric field stimulation (EFS) in the preparation via activation of the sensory nerve terminals. The effect of NC and U-50488H was analyzed on the response. RESULTS: Nociceptin 0.001 - 0.1 micromol/L inhibited the eNANC constriction which was induced by EFS but not by capsaicin in guinea pig bronchus. The constriction inhibited by NC 0.01 micromol/L was (43 +/- 31) % compared with the control. After pretreatment with naloxone 0.1 micromol/L, the constriction was inhibited by (46 +/- 28) %, without marked change compared with the above figure. IC50 (95 % of confidence limits) was 6.12 (3.8 - 9.9) nmol/L. U-50488H also inhibited the EFS-evoked eNANC constriction and the effect was abolished after pretreatment with naloxone. IC50 (95 % of confidence limits) was 1.08 (0.5 - 2.2) micromol/L. Capsaicin 0.01 - 1 micromol/L caused a cumulative constriction response in the preparation. Moreover, the effect of capsaicin was not affected by pretreatment with NC 0.01 micromol/L or U-50488H 0.1 micromol/L. The constriction induced by exogenous neurokinin A, were also unaffected by treatment with NC 0.01 micromol/L or U-50488H 0.1 micromol/L in isolated bronchus. CONCLUSION: Nociceptin inhibits EFS-induced eNANC constriction, which is not reversed by naloxone, while U-50488H inhibits EFS-induced eNANC response via activation of opioid receptor in guinea pig airways.

Urinary cations and blood pressure in the Chinese population.

Three collaborative studies on the relationship between blood pressure (BP) and urinary electrolytes confirmed a positive intrapopulation relationship between sodium (Na) intake and BP, especially in the northern districts of China. In the present article, data of overnight urinary electrolytes and BP of 3,251 subjects from 16 districts of China were pooled and analyzed. A consistent significantly positive correlation was shown between BP and UNa/UK ratio. Both men and women with a UCa less than 10 mmol/day showed a significant correlation of BP with UNa/UK. After age, body mass index adjusted, the correlation between BP and UNa or UNa/UCr showed consistently in males. BP correlated negatively with UCa only in men, whereas women in the age 50-59 group were found most sensitive to UNa/UK and a negative correlation of diastolic BP with UK was only found in women.

Urinary cations and blood pressure: a collaborative study of 16 districts in China.

Relationships between blood pressure and overnight urinary sodium, potassium and calcium were investigated in 3248 subjects from 16 districts in China. Average systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures of subjects from northern, middle and southern China were 116/74.2, 114/70.5 and 110.8/69.6 mmHg, respectively. Urinary sodium, potassium and calcium were 55.1, 8.3 and 1.1 mmol/l for the north, 63.6, 9.2 and 1.6 mmol/l for the middle and 50.0, 8.9 and 1.5 mmol/l for the south, respectively. The urinary sodium to potassium ratio was significantly and positively correlated with SBP and DBP in both males and females. Urinary sodium was weakly and positively correlated with SBP only in the north. Females over the age of 50 years were especially sensitive to sodium intake. Urinary calcium was negatively correlated with DBP in both males and females. Urinary calcium (creatinine) was negatively correlated with SBP in males, and with SBP and DBP in the south. Urinary potassium was negatively correlated with SBP and DBP only in the 20-29 year age group. Urinary potassium (creatinine) was negatively correlated with DBP only in the south. Age and body mass index were positively and level of education negatively correlated with blood pressure. Dietary factors for higher blood pressure in northern China were related to higher sodium, lower potassium and possibly lower calcium intake.