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Journal Article 2011; 32(5): 634-640 PubMed PMID: 22167131 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Body Mass Index, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease:epidemiology, Genetic Variation:genetics, Genotype, Humans, Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins:genetics, Male, Middle Aged, Obesity:epidemiology, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Schizophr.   

OBJECTIVES: The insulin receptor substrate-4 (IRS-4) protein is highly expressed in the hypothalamus that plays a main role in the regulation of body weight. Therefore, as overweight and obesity are more frequent in patients with schizophrenia compared to the general population, this study was undertaken to investigate potential associations between body mass index (BMI) or height and polymorphisms in the IRS-4 gene in schizophrenia patients and healthy controls.

METHODS: The IRS-4 gene of 93 patients and 59 controls was screened for DNA sequence variations, and then 10 detected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were investigated in relation to BMI and height of patients and controls.

RESULTS: Mean BMI was higher in patients than in controls, whereas there was no difference regarding height. Significant associations were found between patients' BMI and genotypes of six SNPs (rs1801164, rs80131334, rs41307415, rs73253702, rs1801162, rs2073114) or a haplotype including these six SNPs. In contrast, no associations were found between BMI or height of controls, or height of patients, and the genotypes or haplotypes.

CONCLUSION: This study clearly demonstrates associations between BMI and IRS-4 variants in schizophrenia patients, but not in healthy controls, pointing to a possible involvement of IRS-4 in the control of body weight in schizophrenia....

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Journal Article 2011; 32(Suppl 2): 29-31 PubMed PMID: 22101879 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Adult, Bias (Epidemiology), Diet, Diet Surveys:standards, Eating, Energy Intake, Fatty Acids, Fruit, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Reproducibility of Results, Rural Population, Vegetables, Young Adult,.   

OBJECTIVES: Bias is common in the assessment of self-reported dietary intake and physical activity. Little is known about the reasons for this underreporting, which is obtained even from rural individuals and lean subjects.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Healthy volunteers (16 males, aged 18-55 years) were given two different full diets (high and low in saturated fat), each for a period of 4 weeks.

RESULTS: The subjects were able to provide a report of their dietary intake with relatively high accuracy (68.4%) on day one. Accuracy declined on day two (64.2%), and on day three, the reporting accuracy was only 55.0% (p<0.05). Interestingly, on day one, individuals were more precise (p<0.05) in their dietary reports if they had consumed an unhealthy diet high in saturated fat (72.5%) than a healthy diet high in unsaturated fat (64.4%). The most frequently omitted items were fruits and vegetables. The non-reporting of food items consumed is very high, even in the short term, and individuals tend to remember unhealthy items better.

CONCLUSIONS: Our pilot study showed that the inaccuracy of self-reported data includes not only the underestimation of energy intake (portion size) but also inaccurate qualitative data....

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Journal Article 2011; 32(Suppl 2): 21-23 PubMed PMID: 22101877 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, C-Reactive Protein:analysis, Czech Republic:epidemiology, Family Characteristics, Fatigue:psychology, Female, Humans, Immunochemistry, Male, Middle Aged, Nephelometry and Turbidimetry, Poverty:psychology, Socioeconomic Factors, Stress, Psychologica.   

BACKGROUND: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase serum protein produced by the liver. High plasma levels of CRP have been associated primarily with infection, but elevated CRP levels have also been found to be associated with more than one hundred conditions and factors, including social and economic factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: To evaluate the possible association between individuals' number of children and plasma levels of C-reactive protein, we studied a representative population of 2,426 adults. CRP was analyzed using the high sensitivity method (hsCRP). Individuals were divided into five groups of zero, one, two, three and four and more children.

RESULTS: We found that individuals with more children had significantly higher levels of plasma hsCRP than individuals without children or than individuals with a low number of children (p for trend <0.001). This association could reflect the known associations between CRP and higher economic stress, exhaustion, episodic stress and chronic stress.

CONCLUSIONS: We found significantly elevated levels of plasma CRP in individuals with more children than in individuals without children or with a low number of children....

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Journal Article 2011; 32(Suppl 2): 13-16 PubMed PMID: 22101875 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Alcoholic Beverages:statistics & numerical data, Animals, Beer:statistics & numerical data, Beverages, Coffee, Czech Republic:epidemiology, Diet Surveys, Energy Intake, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Milk, Sex Factors, Surveys.   

BACKGROUND: Food intake is a commonly monitored issue in many studies. In contrast, almost no information has been published on beverage intake in adults.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: To evaluate beverage intake, we studied a population of 1, 200 adults (656 males and 544 females, aged 18-54 years). The volumes and types of beverages were obtained from self-reported questionnaires.

RESULTS: The mean beverage intake was highly variable, with a minimum of 450 mL/day and a maximum of 5,330 mL/day. A mean of 1,575 mL/day was found in the entire population (2,300 mL in males and 840 mL in females). Different patterns in the consumption of beverage types were observed between the males and females. For both males and females, the most common beverage consumed was water followed by tea. The next preferable beverages were alcoholic beer, coffee, and non-alcoholic beer in males and coffee, milk, and alcoholic beer in females. The estimated caloric intake from beverages covers, in most individuals, 10-30% of the recommended daily caloric intake.

CONCLUSIONS: There is substantial variation among individuals, both in beverage intake and in caloric intake through beverages. The caloric intake from beverages reaches, in some individuals, one-third of the recommended daily caloric rate....

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Clinical Trial 2011; 32(4): 557-562 PubMed PMID: 21876515 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Angioplasty:methods, Cerebrovascular Disorders:complications, Chronic Disease, Disability Evaluation, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Jugular Veins, Male, Middle Aged, Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive:complications, Multiple Scleros.   

OBJECTIVE: In this study, the mid-term results (6 month follow-up) of the endovascular treatment in patients with Chronic Cerebro-Spinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) and multiple sclerosis (MS) were prospectively evaluated.

METHODS: Thirty-six patients with confirmed MS and CCSVI underwent endovascular treatment by the means of the uni- or bilateral jugular vein angioplasty with optional stent placement. All the patients completed 6 month follow-up. Their MS-related disability status and quality of life were evaluated 1, 3 and 6 months postoperatively by means of the following scales: Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Heat Intolerance scale (HIS) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). For patency and restenosis rate assessment, the control US duplex Doppler examination was used.

RESULTS: Six months after the procedure, restenosis in post-PTA jugular veins was found in 33% of cases. Among 17 patients who underwent stent implantation into the jugular vein, restenosis or partial in-stent thrombosis was identified in 55% of the cases. At the 6 month follow-up appointment, there was no significant improvement in the EDSS or the ESS. The endovascular treatment of the CCSVI improved the quality of life according to the MSIS-29 scale but only up to 3 months after the procedure (with no differences in the 6 month follow-up assessment). Six months after the jugular vein angioplasty (with or without stent placement), a statistically significant improvement was observed only in the FSS and the HIS.

CONCLUSIONS: The endovascular treatment in patients with MS and concomitant CCSVI did not have an influence on the patient's neurological condition; however, in the mid-term follow-up, an improvement in some quality-of-life parameters was observed....

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Comparative Study 2011; 32(4): 530-539 PubMed PMID: 21876509 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Antibodies:pharmacology, Biomarkers, Tumor:metabolism, Biopsy, Carcinoma in Situ:metabolism, Disease-Free Survival, Female, Humans, Lymphatic Vessels:immunology, Middle Aged, Neoplasm Invasiveness, Neoplasm Recurrence, Local:metabolism, Predi.   

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the immunohistochemical expression of vascular endothelial growth factors VEGF-C and D, as well as the expression of VEGFR-3 in VIN and vulvar invasive cancer and to compare the density of lymphatic marker D2-40 antibody in both groups, and to compare them with different clinicopathologic features.

MATERIALS & METHODS: The study was performed using tissue material and clinical data from 100 women diagnosed with VIN and 100 women diagnosed with invasive vulvar cancer.

RESULTS: No significant differences were found in the expression of VEGF-C and -D or VEGFR-3 between those patients with VIN and those with invasive vulvar cancers. Weak expression of VEGF-C was confirmed only in two cases of the analyzed series; in all cases, expression of VEGF-D and VEGFR-3 was observed. The strongest expression of VEGF-D and VEGFR-3 was observed in the group of invasive cancers. The highest density of lymphatic vessels per 2 mm was observed in VIN. In the cancer group, small lymphatic vessels with a narrow oval lumen were observed. Moreover, in two cases of vulvar cancer, the presence of intratumoral lymphatic vessels was observed.

CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that lymphangiogenesis begins at the preinvasive stage of vulvar carcinogenesis and suggests the important role of VEGF-C, VEGF-D, VEGFR-3 and LV (D2-40) as prognostic factors in the process of carcinogenesis in the vulvar area....

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Journal Article 2011; 32(4): 545-551 PubMed PMID: 21876507 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Antimanic Agents:therapeutic use, Bipolar Disorder:drug therapy, Drug Resistance:genetics, Female, Gene Frequency, Genotype, Humans, Linkage Disequilibrium, Lithium Carbonate:therapeutic use, Male, Middle Aged, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide.   

OBJECTIVES: Glucocorticoid receptor has been considered in the pathogenesis of bipolar disorder as it is an important regulator of the circadian rhythm and HPA negative feedback. As glucocorticoid receptor may be possibly related to lithium action we aimed to investigate variation in the GR gene in association with response to lithium treatment in Polish population of bipolar patients.

METHODS: We analyzed 115 bipolar patients treated with lithium carbonate for 5-27 years. Thirty patients were identified as excellent lithium responders (ER), 58 patients as partial responders (PR), and 27 patients were non-responders. Genotypes of eight analyzed polymorphisms of GR gene (rs10052957, rs6196, rs6198, rs6191, rs258813, rs33388, rs6195, rs41423247) were established by TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assays. Statistical analysis was done with Statistica version 9.0. Linkage disequilibrium analysis was performed in Haploview v. 4.1.

RESULTS: We have found significant differences in allele frequencies for BclI polymorphism between patients with different lithium response with C allele associated with excellent lithium response. For the other GR polymorphisms any significant association with different lithium response was found. We observed a strong linkage disequilibrium of five GR polymorphisms (rs6198, rs6191, rs6196, rs258813, rs33388), with TAAGA haplotype more prevalent in the group of partial- and non-responders to lithium.

CONCLUSION: The GR gene variation seems to be involved in the response to lithium treatment in our group of bipolar patients....

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Journal Article 2011; 32(4): 437-441 PubMed PMID: 21876505 Citation  Keywords:  Adiponectin:blood, Adult, Aged, Deep Brain Stimulation:methods, Eating:physiology, Female, Ghrelin:blood, Hormones:blood, Humans, Hydrocortisone:blood, Hypothalamus:physiology, Insulin:blood, Leptin:blood, Male, Middle Aged, Parkinson Disease:metabolism, .   

OBJECTIVES: Weight gain has been reported in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) treated with deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS). To evaluate the influence of STN-DBS on weight changes, we studied food-related hormones.

DESIGN: Anthropometric parameters and food-related hormones (leptin, adiponectin, resistin, ghrelin, cortisol, insulin, and thyroid stimulating hormone) were measured in 27 patients with STN-DBS during a 12 month period following electrode implantation.

RESULTS: Besides marked motor improvements on STN-DBS, PD patients significantly gained weight. The mean weight gain at 12 months was 5.2±(SD)5.8 kg. A significant decrease in cortisol levels compared to baseline appeared at month 2 and persisted at 12 months (p<0.01, corrected), with no significant changes in other hormones tested.

CONCLUSIONS: Changes in peripheral food-related hormones do not appear to cause weight gain in PD patients. Direct effects of STN-DBS on hypothalamic catabolic/anabolic peptide balance remain hypothetical and necessitate further elucidation....

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