The association between a low urine pH and the components of metabolic syndrome in the Korean population: Findings based on the 2010 Korea National health and nutrition examination survey.

BACKGROUND: Low urine pH is related to obesity and insulin resistance, which are components of metabolic syndrome (MS). The aim of this study was to identify the relation between a low urine pH and MS after controlled for other covariates including demographic and lifestyle factors in adult Korean population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross-sectional and nationally representative survey and 1960 men and 2702 women were included in this study. Study subjects were divided into the group with urine pH <5.5 and the group with urine pH ≥5.5 refer to literature. We then evaluated the association between low urine pH and MS. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, drinking status, regular exercise, and blood urea nitrogen level, the odds ratio (OR) for the presence of MS in the group with urine pH <5.5 was 1.350 (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.158-1.573) using the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute criteria or 1.304 (95% CI: 1.082-1.572) using the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Among MS components, elevated fasting glucose (OR: 1.231, 95% CI: 1.058-1.433, P = 0.007) and elevated triglyceride (TG) (OR: 1.389, 95% CI: 1.189-1.623, P < 0.001) showed a significantly high OR. CONCLUSION: The findings confirmed that low urine pH is associated with MS in the Korean population. Among MS components, elevated fasting glucose and elevated TG showed a significantly high OR.

A case of incidentally discovered subclinical cushing syndrome in a patient with chronic fatigue and anxiety.

Subclinical Cushing syndrome (SCS) is a hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis abnormality characterized by autonomous cortisol secretion in patients with no typical signs or symptoms of Cushing syndrome. SCS patients may have adverse metabolic and cardiovascular effects due to slight, but continuous glucocorticoid secretion. Glucocorticoids also affect behavior, mood, neural activity, and a number of specific biochemical processes in the central nervous system. Here, we report a case of SCS due to an adrenal incidentaloma in a hypertensive diabetic patient who presented with chronic fatigue and anxiety that disappeared after the removal of the adrenal adenoma.

Adjustment of gut hormones release pattern following a fixed mealtime change in human.

BACKGROUND: Gut hormones secretion is related to habitual mealtimes. However, how fast gut hormones adjust to that change when people change their fixed mealtime remains unknown. METHODS: Seven healthy male volunteers were asked to eat a test breakfast at 0700 am for 2 weeks before the start of the study. Then, their fixed mealtime was intentionally changed from 0700 am to 0900 am for next 2 weeks. Blood samples were drawn every half hour from 0500 am until next 3h after breakfast for determining gut hormone levels every week. RESULTS: After a change in fixed mealtime, the release pattern of acylated ghrelin was first adjusted identically according to the change and then total ghrelin was made. The meal-related fluctuations of acylated ghrelin were delayed by 120 min from week 1 after the change, while those of total ghrelin were delayed by 60 min at week 1, by 120 min at week 2. Two weeks was not enough time to adjust completely for PYY(3-36) to the change. CONCLUSION: Two weeks is enough time until the pattern release of ghrelin, but not PYY(3-36) , is adjusted fully after a fixed mealtime change in human.