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Journal Article 2007; 28(Suppl 4): 10-11 PubMed PMID: 18030255 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Alcohol Drinking:epidemiology, Beer, Biomarkers:blood, Cross-Sectional Studies, Europe:epidemiology, Female, Humans, Inflammation:blood, Male, Middle Aged, Wine,.   

: Anti-inflammatory effects of moderate alcohol consumption have been proposed to explain why moderate alcohol intake lowers coronary heart disease risk. The relationship between overall alcohol, beer or wine consumption and markers of systemic inflammation in three different geographical areas in Europe, was investigated....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(5): 639-642 PubMed PMID: 17984948 Citation  Keywords:  Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Depressive Disorder:blood, Dissociative Disorders:blood, Female, Humans, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System:physiopathology, Male, Middle Aged, Pituitary-Adrenal System:physiopathology, Prolactin:blood, Statistics, Nonparamet.   

OBJECTIVES: Usual neuroendocrinological manifestation of traumatic stress and dissociation is dysregulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The aim of the present study is to perform examination of HPA axis as indexed by basal serum prolactin and test its relationship to dissociative symptoms and symptoms of traumatic stress.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: 25 inpatients treated at the university hospital with diagnosis of unipolar depression mean age 41.23 (SD=11.53) were assessed using psychometric measures of dissociation (DES) and traumatic symptoms (TSC-40), and using standard biochemical analytical methods basal serum prolactin levels were investigated.

RESULTS: Data show that prolactin manifests significant relationship to dissociative symptoms (r=0.52, p=0.004). Significant correlation was not found between prolactin and traumatic symptoms measured by TSC-40 (r=0.31, p=0.07).

CONCLUSIONS: The present data suggest that serum prolactin levels in unipolar depressive patients are related to dissociative symptoms that is likely caused by passive coping mechanisms leading to dissociation....

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Comparative Study 2007; 28(5): 575-579 PubMed PMID: 17984939 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Circadian Rhythm:physiology, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Nerve Growth Factors:blood, Oxygen:blood, Polysomnography, S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit, S100 Proteins:blood, Severity of Illness Index, Sleep Apnea, Obstructive:blood, Stat.   

OBJECTIVE: Responsible for sleep brain perfusion changes, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) constitutes a cardiovascular risk. To find out about any diffuse damage to the brain tissue, we studied the S100B protein, whose serum level is known to rise in stroke and craniocerebral trauma.

METHODS: 60 men (mean age 51.7+/-11.8 years) referred to us for OSA without any major comorbidity were examined polygraphically. S100B was determined with electrochemiluminiscence immunoassay (ECLIA) from evening and morning blood samples.

RESULTS: All sixty men were diagnosed with OSA. The difference between the evening level of S100B 0.068+/-0.030 microg/l and the morning level 0.059+/-0.029 microg/l was significant (p=0.0004). Patients with mild OSA were found to have the evening S100B 0.063+/-0.023 microg/l, the morning level 0.042+/-0.012 microg/l, the difference being significant (p=0.00051). In moderate OSA the difference between the evening -0.070+/-0.017 microg/l and morning levels -0.055+/-0.025 microg/l was less significant (p=0.043). In severe OSA no difference was found between the evening and morning concentrations of S100B (0.070+/-0.036 microg/l and 0.070+/-0.031 microg/l respectively). The difference between the evening and morning S100B levels correlated negatively with AHI and ODI and positively with basal saturation and average minimal oxygen saturation.

CONCLUSIONS: Sleep with signs of severe OSA influences S100B protein release....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(5): 671-674 PubMed PMID: 17984938 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Aromatase:metabolism, Cholestenone 5 alpha-Reductase:metabolism, Female, Hypothalamus, Middle:embryology, Immobilization, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Preoptic Area:embryology, Rats, Rats, Wistar, Sex Characteristics, Stress, Psy.   

OBJECTIVES: Prenatal stress results in demasculinization and feminization of sexual behavior in adult male rats. Earlier the preventive effect of testosterone replacement of an androgen deficiency in male fetuses during exposure to stress has been demonstrated. Nevertheless the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying hormonal protection of the brain sexual differentiation are not clear.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Time-mated rats were undergone to 1 h strict immobilization during days 15 to 21 of gestation. Another group of stressed dams was injected with testosterone propionate on the 17th, 19th and 21st gestational days subcutaneously (5 mg/kg b.w.) 30 min prior to restraining. Aromatase and 5alpha-reductase activities were determined in the preoptic area and medial basal hypothalamus of 10-day old offspring.

RESULTS: Aromatase activity in the preoptic area declined in affected with prenatal stress males and reached the normal female level. It completely restored in prenatally stressed males under influence of prenatal testosterone replacement. 5alpha-reductase activity decreased in the preoptic area of prenatally stressed females. In those pretreated with testosterone propionate, 5alpha-reductase activity was significantly elevated above normal level.

CONCLUSIONS: The data obtained demonstrate a preservation of aromatase activity in the preoptic area of males resulted from testosterone replacement. Presumably testosterone exerts its protective effect on the male sexual behavior by prevention of neurochemical feminization of the brain preoptic area and, perhaps, due to some other mechanisms....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(5): 629-632 PubMed PMID: 17984934 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Amino Acid Substitution, China, Female, Fibrillin-1, Fibrillins, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Latent TGF-beta Binding Proteins:metabolism, Male, Marfan Syndrome:genetics, Microfilament Proteins:genetics, Middle Aged, Mutation, Missens.   

: In order to further understand the role of fibrillin-1 (FBN1, OMIM 134797) perturbations in the pathogenesis of Marfan syndrome (MFS, OMIM 154700) we studied a Han Chinese family in which MFS was segregating. In the Chinese family with 5 affected members, mutation screening for FBN1 was performed using direct sequencing. A novel non-synonymous mutation in the transforming growth factor beta binding protein-like (TB) domain of the FBN1 gene was found. The missense mutation c.3022T>C (C1008R) located in exon 24. This mutation was present in the proband and in two other affected family members, but in neither unaffected family members nor unrelated control subjects. The novel non-synonymous mutation, c.3022T>C (C1008R) in the TB domain of FBN1 gene, may be involved in the pathogenesis of MFS in a Han Chinese family....

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Clinical Trial 2007; 28(5): 633-638 PubMed PMID: 17984932 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Antidepressive Agents:therapeutic use, Cerebrovascular Circulation:drug effects, Combined Modality Therapy, Depressive Disorder, Major:therapy, Female, Functional Laterality, Gyrus Cinguli:blood supply, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pilot Projec.   

OBJECTIVES: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a brain stimulation technique which has received increasing attention as an antidepressant treatment. However available studies are characterized by a substantial variability in response. We hypothesized that individual patients' characteristics might contribute to such heterogeneity. Therefore we investigated whether either alterations of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) or clinical characteristics may predict antidepressant response to rTMS.

DESIGN: 24 patients with major depression and stable medication received high frequency (10 Hz) rTMS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) for two weeks as add-on treatment. ECD-Single photon emission computed tomographay (SPECT) imaging was performed 1 to 2 days before rTMS.

SETTING: Tertial referral center

RESULTS: After two weeks of rTMS a mean reduction of 30% of the initial Hamilton Depression Rating Score (HAMD) was observed. Using a multivariate regression model with simultaneous evaluation of the relative impact of a-priori chosen potential factors influencing treatment outcome, two variables, the pretreatment anterior cingulate rCBF and the former response to antidepressant agents proved significant. High pretreatment anterior cingulate activity and low treatment resistance to pharmacologic therapy were positive predictors for treatment response to rTMS.

CONCLUSIONS: Pretreatment anterior cingulate activity seems to be a useful prognostic marker of rTMS treatment response, which is in line with other treatment strategies, like sleep deprivation, electroconvulsive therapy or antidepressant medication....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(5): 699-703 PubMed PMID: 17984931 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Adult, Factor V:genetics, Female, Gene Frequency, Humans, Jordan, Male, Middle Aged, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide:genetics, Prothrombin:genetics, Reference Values, Venous Thromboembolism:genetics,.   

: Factor V Leiden and prothrombin G20210A are related genetic risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Analysis for both mutations is increasingly being performed on patients exhibiting hypercoagulability. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of factor V Leiden (FVL), prothrombin-G20210A (PT-G20210A) polymorphisms and their coexistence among apparently healthy Jordanians. One thousand apparently healthy individuals from representative regions of Jordan with no previous history of VTE participated in this study. The mean age of participants was 28.5+/-6.4 years (age range 18-45 years). Two hundred and eighteen subjects were APC resistant with an APC-R mean of 85.52+/-15.35 seconds; the non-resistant subjects had an APC-R mean of 159.90+/-26.96 seconds. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) for the simultaneous detection of FVL and prothrombin G20210A was used to analyze the 218 DNA samples that were APC-R resistant. Both mutations generate HindIII RFLPs and the prothrombin amplicon contains an invariant HindIII recognition sites. The multiplex PCR-RFLP of Factor V for those 218-samples was: 41 wild-type, 169 heterozygous mutant, and eight homozygous mutant individuals. For prothrombin G20210A, the multiplex PCR-RFLP identified 215 wild-type and three heterozygous mutant individuals. Factor V positive individuals (n=50) had a mean F-V activity of 78.04%+/-25.81. F-V activity among wild type (n=41), F-V Leiden heterozygous (n=169) and F-V Leiden homozygous (n=8) were 92.93%+/-16.17, 87.02%+/-15.21 and 96.14%+/-12.32, respectively. Factor II positive subjects (n=47) had a mean factor II activity of 127.96%+/-21.37. F-II activity among carriers (heterozygous, n=3) and non-carriers (normal, n=215) of PT-G20210A mutation were 107.67%+/-9.29 and 105.00%+/-17.79, respectively. The prevalence of FVL was 21.8% and there is a little likelihood of the co-inheritance of the FVL and PT-G20210A among healthy young adults, since only few cases were found to be carriers for the two alleles....

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Comparative Study 2007; 28(5): 643-646 PubMed PMID: 17984928 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Age of Onset, Erythrocyte Count, Erythropoietin:blood, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pedigree, Restless Legs Syndrome:blood,.   

BACKGROUND: The restless legs syndrome (RLS) is divided into two forms: idiopathic and secondary. About half the cases of the former are found to have a positive family history. The lack of objective and quantitative parameters in familial RLS also represents a drawback for genetic studies. We tried to find a feature distinguishing the sporadic from the familial forms of the RLS.

METHODS: RLS patients were examined for clinical picture and laboratory markers including erythropoietin levels. Patients with a priori known causes of secondary RLS, were excluded. All biochemical and hematological parameters were standardized for sex and age groups relative to the population mean and standard deviation.

RESULTS: In our set of 311 patients (65.3% women, mean age 54.6 years, SD 14.7 years) 96 reported positive family history (64.6% women, mean age 53.1 years, SD 15.8 years). We found a significantly lower age at the onset of RLS symptoms in familial cases (mean 29.3 vs. 44.0, Z 5.9, p<0.0001), and, in sporadic cases, a significantly lower absolute count of red blood cells (Z -2.02, p=0.043 respectively). Erythropoietin levels in the familial cases were significantly lower than in the reference population (median -2.26 SDs from the mean). None of the other parameters were significantly different between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm previously published lower age at symptom onset in familial RLS and provide the first evidence of lower erythropoietin levels in RLS patients. These observations might help to identify the specific phenotype for genetic association studies....

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