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Comparative Study 2010; 31(5): 679-683 PubMed PMID: 21173748 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Biomarkers:blood, Blood Glucose:metabolism, Body Mass Index, Case-Control Studies, Comorbidity, Diabetes Mellitus:blood, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2:blood, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Female, Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated:metabolism, Humans, Insu.   

OBJECTIVES: Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), leptin, leptin soluble receptors (sOB-R) and free leptin index (FLI) may all be influenced by diabetes, but their associations remain unclear. Therefore, we put forward a hypothesis that serum leptin, sOBR and FLI might be parallel to Hb1c, as they all reflect the metabolic status.r />r /> DESIGN AND SETTING: We measured leptin and sOB-R concentrations in 97 obese non-diabetic (47 women and 50 men), and 65 obese diabetic (32 women and 33 men) humans, and examined whether they were related to HbA1c. Under the condition, the presence of diabetes was the only differentiating factor between two groups of frankly obese humans.r />r /> RESULTS: Non-diabetic vs. diabetic, median and interquartile range, respectively: Leptin (ng/ml), 30.83, 37.27 vs. 28.24, 23.34; p>0.05; sOB-R (ng/ml), 17.62, 17.05 vs. 21.81, 16.61, p<0.05; FLI, 231.23, 310.00 vs. 131.76, 157.68, p<0.05. To investigate the influence of HbA1c on leptin and sOB-R, both groups were divided into tertiles based on HbA1c. In diabetics, leptin did not differ between the high, intermediate, and low HbA1c levels subgroups, p>0.05, and leptin was not influenced by HbA1c levels: r=0.086; p>0.05. For sOB-R, respectively: p>0.05; r=0.080; p>0.05. In non-diabetics, respectively: p<0.05; r=0.2923; p<0.05 for leptin; and p<0.0001, r=0.5103; p<0.0001, for s-OB-R.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: Not leptin alone but serum sOB-R and FLI are the markers of leptin action impairment in type 2 diabetes. Further, HbA1c is not associated with metabolic status of leptin in obese diabetic patients, whereas this association is found in obese non-diabetic humans....

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Comparative Study 2010; 31(5): 657-662 PubMed PMID: 21173747 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Cells, Cultured, Cytokines:metabolism, Dental Implantation:instrumentation, Dental Implants, Female, Humans, Interferon-gamma:metabolism, Interleukin-1beta:metabolism, Interleukin-4:metabolism, Interleukin-6:metabolism, Lymphocytes:immunology, Male.   

OBJECTIVES: In most of patients in need of implantation treatment in the oral cavity, implants heal well, nevertheless, there are some individuals, in whom titanium implants fail for reasons, which remain unclear.r />r /> DESIGN: The aim of our study was to determine if there is a difference between metal influenced IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-γ cytokines production in patients with successfully healed implants compared to those, whose implant therapy was unsuccessful.r />r /> SETTING: The two study groups included 12 patients with failed dental titanium implants and 9 patients with successfully healed implants. In the subjects, cytokine production was established after lymphocyte cultivation with mercury, nickel and titanium antigens.r />r /> RESULTS: IL-1β levels were significantly increased in all patients after stimulation with titanium and in patients with accepted implants compared to patients with failed implants after the stimulation with mercury and titanium. Titanium caused significantly increased IL-6 production in all patients. TNF-α and IFN-γ levels were also significantly increased after the stimulation with titanium. Significantly increased TNF-α levels were found in patients with accepted implants as compared to patients with failed implants.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: Increased production of IL-1β a IL-6 cytokines in reaction to titanium and increased production of TNF-α and IFN-γ cytokines in reaction to mercury, which is very often present in the form of amalgam in the oral cavity of persons in need of implant therapy, can play an important role in immune reactions during implant healing process. In patients with failed titanium implants, decreased production of these cytokines may participate in implant failure....

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Journal Article 2010; 31(5): 635-644 PubMed PMID: 21173746 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Agonists:pharmacology, Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists:pharmacology, Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists:pharmacology, Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Antagonists:pharmacology, Animals, Clonidine:pharmacology, Cytotoxicity.   

OBJECTIVE: Our previous work has shown that α-adrenoreceptor (α-AR)-coupled signaling modulates T lymphocyte function. Here, we investigate the expression of α₁- and α₂-ARs in natural killer (NK) cells and roles of the two subtypes of α-ARs and their coupled signals in modulation of NK cell function.r />r /> METHODS: NK cells were purified by Ficoll-Isopaque one-step gradient centrifugation and in discontinuous Percoll density gradients from splenic cells of rats. The mRNA expressions of α₁-ARs and α₂-ARs in NK cells were measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Flow cytometry was employed to detect the cytotoxicity of NK cells.r />r /> RESULTS: NK cells expressed both α₁-AR and α₂-AR mRNAs. Phenylephrine, a selective α₁-AR agonist, increased the cytotoxicity of NK cells. This effect of phenylephrine was reduced by corynanthine, a selective α₁-AR antagonist, and was blocked by PLC inhibitor U-73122, but not by PKA inhibitor H-89. Clonidine, a selective α₂-AR agonist, also enhanced the cytotoxicity of NK cells. This action of clonidine was blocked by α₂-AR antagonist yohimbine or by PKA inhibitor H-89, but not by PLC inhibitor U-73122.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: NK cells express α₁- and α₂-ARs. Activation of the either subtype of α-ARs augments NK cell function. This action of α₁-ARs is transduced by PLC, while α₂-AR effect is mediated by PKA signaling....

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Comparative Study 2010; 31(5): 631-634 PubMed PMID: 21173745 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Body Mass Index, Case-Control Studies, Cataplexy:diagnosis, Comorbidity, Czech Republic:epidemiology, Female, Humans, Male, Medical Records, Middle Aged, Narcolepsy:diagnosis, Obesity:diagnosis, Polysomnography, Sleep, Wakefulness,.   

BACKGROUND: Narcolepsy with cataplexy (NC) differs from narcolepsy without cataplexy (NwoC) in the cerebrospinal fluid levels of hypocretin. Since hypocretin is known to regulate not only wakefulness but also eating behaviour, we decided to compare the two entities for body mass index (BMI) and the presence of obesity.r />r /> METHODS: Clinical data on patients with NC and NwoC was studied and examined, including nocturnal polysomnography and the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT). The results were rated against a group of age- and sex-matched healthy controls.r />r /> RESULTS: The BMI in NC (29.1±SD=5.8) was significantly higher than in NwoC (25.4±4.4) or in the controls (25.8±3.9) (p<0.001, F=17.4, df= 323), while no difference in BMI was found between NwoC and the controls. The proportion of patients with BMI >30 was significantly greater in NC (39.0%) than in NwoC (13.8%) or than in the control group (13.0%). A negative correlation of BMI and sleep latency in MSLT (p=0.009) was found in the combined NC and NwoC groups.r />r /> CONCLUSION: Unlike NC, NwoC has neither a higher BMI nor a higher incidence of obesity than the general population....

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Journal Article 2010; 31(5): 622-630 PubMed PMID: 21173744 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Anxiety:drug therapy, Behavior, Animal:drug effects, Delayed-Action Preparations:administration & dosage, Injections, Intraperitoneal, Locomotion:drug effects, Male, Maze Learning:drug effects, Motor Activity:drug effects, Oxytocics:administratio.   

OBJECTIVES: Carbetocin (CBT), an oxytocin (OXY) analog, was designed to exert prolonged peripheral actions. It has also been proposed as potential therapeutic mean in certain psychiatric disorders where OXY role has been implicated. This study examined the effects of both peptides on behavior of naive and restraint stress exposed rats in the open field (OF) and elevated plus maze (EPM) tests.r />r /> METHODS: Spontaneous behavior in the OF and EPM was measured in Wistar rats after intraperitoneal (i.p.) application of OXY or CBT and/or repeated restraint stress. Behavioral parameters were recorded and subsequently elaborated by an automated activity monitoring system (AnyMaze, Stoelting, U.S.A.). Changes in the total movement distance (TMD) and movement in the center area (CMD) were postulated as indicators of the anxiety level.r />r /> RESULTS: OXY (0.05 mg/kg) and CBT (0.3 mg/kg) increased TMD but not CMD 60 min after the i.p. treatment; the increased locomotion/exploration indicate participation of arousal/vigilance. Daily stress exposures for three consecutive days, followed by behavioral tests, reduced locomotion of rats in OF and EPM tests; OXY and CBT partly prevented these effects. Five days after the last stress, rats exhibited an increase of both TMD and CMD in the OF. CBT but not OXY prevented these long-term post-stress changes. In the EPM the stressed rats exhibited an increase in time spent in open arms; CBT accelerated this time development. Similar prevention of stress behavioral sequel in OF were obtained in study when stress and peptides were applied for three consecutive days but behavioral testing was postponed for several days to determine the long-lasting effects. CBT reduced the developed locomotor enhancement (6-11 days post-stress) irrespectively whether injected before or after stress.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: Repeated restraint stress exposure produced acute and persisting effects on Wistar rat behavior in the OF and EPM tests. CBT either injected before or after stress practically abolished the developed changes in the mobility parameters. The CBT effectiveness to ameliorate the late post-stress behavioral alteration supports the notion of its therapeutic potential in psychiatric disorders in which the role of OXY has been implicated....

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Case Reports 2010; 31(5): 597-601 PubMed PMID: 21173743 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Anti-Bacterial Agents:therapeutic use, Biopsy, Brain Abscess:drug therapy, Diagnosis, Differential, Female, Headache:etiology, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Neurosurgical Procedures, Pituitary Diseases:complications, Sphenoid Bone:surgery, Tr.   

OBJECTIVES: Pituitary abscess is rare disease and the correct diagnosis is difficult because there are non-specific symptoms and it is often radiologically indistinguishable from other pituitary lesions.r />r /> CASE PRESENTATION: We present one case of pituitary abscess that constitute 0.15% of all pituitary adenomas operated in our department in the 20 years. A 49-year-old woman presented with a history of 10 months bifrontal headache. The MRI showed cystic intra and suprasellar mass with ring enhancement after contrast injection. During transsphenoidal surgery, copious yellowish pus was found. Antibiotic therapy was performed. Histological study of the cyst wall confirmed the diagnosis of pituitary abscess.r />r /> CONCLUSION: Pituitary abscess should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all other cyst mass in patients with diabetes insipidus....

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Comparative Study 2010; 31(5): 700-707 PubMed PMID: 21173742 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Body Mass Index, Dwarfism, Pituitary:diagnosis, Exercise, Female, Health Status, Human Growth Hormone:deficiency, Humans, Male, Obesity:diagnosis, Quality of Life, Surveys and Questionnaires,.   

OBJECTIVES: A great similarity exists between growth hormone (GH) deficiency and obesity in terms of disturbances of organ morphology and function. The aim of the study was to compare health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) as well as exercise capacity and its subjective assessment in adult patients with GH deficiency and in adult patients with obesity.r />r /> METHODS: Ten (10) GH-deficient, thirty (30) obese, and thirty (30) healthy subjects participated in the study. HR-QoL comprised two parameters: QoL measured by using the Quality of Life Assessment of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults (QoL-AGHDA) questionnaire, and subjective evaluation of general health state by using the Visual Analogue Scale. The exercise capacity was determined in Six Minute Walking Test and it was subjectively assessed by Borg Scale for Rating Perceived Exertion and the modified Medical Research Council scale.r />r /> RESULTS: Decreased HR-QoL (both parameters) was observed in both GH-deficient and obese patients, with that effect being much more pronounced in the former group. Both, GH-deficient and obese patients, revealed decreased exercise capacity, which was also subjectively assessed as decreased, especially by GH-deficient patients. Positive relationships between HR-QoL and exercise capacity or its subjective assessment, observed in healthy subjects, partially lost their significance in obese, whereas they completely disappeared in GH-deficient subjects.r />r /> CONCLUSION: A decrease in HR-QoL is more pronounced in GH-deficient than in obese patients, whereas exercise capacity is unfavourably affected by both disorder to a similar extent, with the lack of clear relationship between these two parameters especially in GH-deficient patients....

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Comparative Study 2010; 31(5): 673-678 PubMed PMID: 21173741 Citation  Keywords:  Aged, Biomarkers:blood, Body Mass Index, Cholesterol, HDL:blood, Cholesterol, LDL:blood, Comorbidity, Diabetes Mellitus:blood, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Obesity:blood, Poland:epidemiology, Regression Analysis, Resistin:blood, Triglycerides:blood,.   

OBJECTIVES: Plasma cholesterol, triglycerides and serum resisistin may all be influenced by diabetes and obesity, but their associations remain unclear. Therefore, we put forward a hypothesis that serum lipids might be parallel to resistin, as they all reflect the metabolic status of obese humans.r />r /> DESIGN AND SETTING: We measured the concentrations of resistin, total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TG) in 134 obese non-diabetic (73 women and 61 men) and 65 obese diabetic (33 women, 32 men) humans, and examined their interrelations. Obesity was defined according to the WHO criterion (BMI, ≥ 30 kg/m²) The presence of diabetes was the only differentiating factor between two groups of frankly obese humans.r />r /> RESULTS: Non-diabetic vs. diabetic, median and interquartile range, respectively: resistin (ng/mL) 26.08, 16.09 vs. 22.37, 14.54, p=0.736; TC (mmol/L) 5.02, 1.39 vs. 5.16, 1.56, p=0.374; HDL-C (mmol/L): 1.10, 0.41 vs. 1.02, 0.47 p<0.05; LDL-C (mmol/L): 3.00, 1.05 vs. 3.00, 1.30 p=0.978; TG (mmol/L) 1.70, 1.43 vs.1.95, 1.81 p<0.05. To investigate the interrelations between resistin and lipids, a simple regression analysis was used, and the results were for resistin & TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, and TG, respectively: in the whole cohort r=-0.1364, p=0.0670, r=0.1514, p=0.0437, r=-0.2573, p=0.0006, r=0.0434, p=0.5597; in non-diabetics: r=-0.2067, p=0.0213, r=0.1023, p=0.2621, r=-0.2399, p=0.0083 and r=0.0288, p=0.7497; in diabetics r=0.0280, p=0.8360, r=0.2267, p=0.0929, r=-0.2933, p=0.0298, r=0.1349, p=0.3127.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: In diabetic and non-diabetic subjects the atherogenic LDL cholesterol shows an inverse correlation with resistin, whereas the protective anti-atherosclerotic HDL cholesterol is positively correlated with resistin....

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