Indirect assessment of endothelial function in patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus

Thirty eight participants [27 men, 11 women] with age between 40-60 years were divided into 3 groups. Group I: Includes 13 healthy subjects. Group II: Includes 13 patients with essential hypertension. Group III: Includes .12 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Using high-resolution ultrasound, brachial artery diameters at rest, during reactive hyperaemia [endothelium-dependent dilation] and after sublingual glyceryl trinitrate [GTN] application [endothelium-independent dilation] were measured. The percentage increase of brachial artery diameter after reactive hyperemia [flow-mediated diltation% or FMD%] in control subjects was 8.85 +/- 0.25% while it was found to decrease significantly [P<0.0001] in hypertensive and diabetic patients by 60% and 67% respectively. Furthermore, the percentage increase of the brachial artery diameter after glyceryl trinitrate [glyceryl trinitrate-induced dilatation% or. GTNID%] in control healthy subjects was 14.41 +/- 0.81%. The GTNID% was found to decrease significantly [P < 0.006] by 25% in hypertensive patients. No significant GTNID% change was found in diabetic patients

Red blood cell deformability in diabetes mellitus

The Rigidity of human RBCs from normal healthy subjects and from diabetic mellitus patients was assessed by 5um pore diameter polycarbonate filtration system. The Rigidity of RBCs from diabetic patients was found to vary according to the type of treatment which the patients received. Rigidity of RBCs from diabetic patients on oral hypoglycaemic agents treatment was similar to RBC rigidity from normal healthy subjects. In contrast, rigidity of RBCs from diabetic patients on diabetic diet only or on insulin treatment was found to be higher than the rigidity of RBCs from either normal healthy subjects or from diabetic patients on oral hypoglycaemic agents treatment. No relationship was found between the vitro rigidity measurement of RBCs and the in vivo glucose levels

Plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide in dehydrated patients

The levels of the plasma atrial natriuretic peptide[ANP] are affected by the plasma volume reduction. In the present work, the levels of ANP were measured in 32 infants and children suffering of mild, moderate and severe dehydration caused by gastroenteritis of various etiology. The results indicated that the levels of ANP are decreased according to the degree of dehydration in comparison to the well rehydrated subjects. These results suggest that ANP might play a role in the pathophysiology of dehydration