ABSTRACT
Objectives: this prospective study was proposed to determine the levels of circulating leptin in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus [CHC] infection, and to identify its correlation with anthropometric parameters, lipaemic profile, biochemical liver functions, histological and virological studies
Methods: seventy-five patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection [CHC] without anti-viral treatment were enrolled in this study. Fifteen age- sex and body mass index [BMI]-matched healthy individuals served as controls. All patients and controls underwent measurements for anthropometric parameters, circulating leptin, lipaemic profile and biochemical liver functions. A liver biopsy and viral load measurements were performed for all patients
Results: the serum leptin level in patients with chronic HCV infection was significantly higher than that in controls. Serum leptin levels in females in general were significantly higher those in males. Serum leptin levels were positively correlated with body fat%, BMI, Apo B, steatosis grade and ALT but not with other liver function, serum lipids, HCV RNA levels, necroinflammatory score and fibrosis grade. However significant correlations were found between the serum leptin and ALT levels with necroinflammatory activity score in the CHC group without steatosis. By inserting the score of steatosis [0-3] into the score of necroinflammation, significant correlations were detected for the new modified activity score with serum leptin or ALT level
Conclusions: HCV infection interferes with fat and lipid metabolism in patients with chronic HCV infection, and the serum leptin levels might be a reflection of the abnormalities in fat and lipid metabolism resulted from viral infection and related hepatic necroinflammation. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the possible etiopathologic, immunoregulatory and potential therapeutic role of leptin in chronic HCV infection
ABSTRACT
Aim: both homocysteine and vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] are implicated in development and progression of atherothrombotic vascular disease. We sought to determine whether there is a relationship between homocysteine and VEGF in healthy individuals and in patients with peripheral arterial disease [PAD] or diabetes mellitus [DM]
Methods: measurements of plasma homocysteine and VEGF and expression of VEGF in leucocytes were performed before and after intervention. Twelve healthy individual were evaluated before and 4h after methionine loading, whereas 10 patients with PAD and 15 patients with DM were evaluated before and 6 weeks after oral administration of B vitamins and folate
Results: basal homocysteine was elevated in patients with PAD and DM [21. 5 +/- 9 and 19.9 +/ l micro mol/l, respectively]. Methionine resulted in significant elevation, while B vitamins resulted in significant reduction of homocysteine and VEGF and there was a significant correlation between homocysteine and VEGF changes [r = 0.73, p < 0.01]. Moreover, VEGF mRNA expression in leucocytes was upregulated after methionine loading and was downregulated after B vitamins and folate treatment
Conclusion: these findings demonstrate that B vitamins and folate can successfully lower plasma homocysteine and VEGF expression in leucocytes in patients with PAD and DM