Plasma visfatin concentrations in polycystic ovary syndrome: relationships with indices of insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism

Visfatin, a protein secreted by adipose tissue, is suggested play a role in pathogenesis of insulin resistance. In polycystic ovary syndrome [PCOS], insulin resistance might be involved in the development of endocrine and metabolic abnormalities. The aim of the study was to measure plasma visfatin levels in PCOS women and to assess the relationship between plasma visfatin concentration and indices of insulin resistance and markers of hyperandrogenism in PCOS patients. A total of 50 women were studied. Twenty five women had PCOS, and the remaining 25 were healthy women with regular menstrual cycles who served as control subjects. Blood samples were collected between the 3 rd and the 5 th days of a menstrual cycle in the control group and 3-5 days after a spontaneous menses, or independent of cycle phase in the presence of amenorrhea in the PCOS group for estimation of insulin, glucose, lipid parameters, sex-hormone and visfatin levels. Plasma visfatin concentrations were significantly higher in the PCOS group [72.94 +/- 33.3ng/ml] than in the control group [54.69 +/- 3l.5ng/ml] [p= 0.039]. The PCOS group had higher insulin resistance [HOMA-lR] [3.12 +/- 0.98] in comparison to the control group [2.27 +/- 0. 68] [p=0.017]. In the PCOS group, plasma visfatin levels were found to be positively correlated with BMI and waist circumference, HOMA-lR as well as with free androgen index, and negatively correlated with LH, total testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin[SHBG] levels. In the whole study group, plasma vislatin levels was positively correlated with BMI and waist circumference, FSH and SHBG levels as well as with free androgen index, and negatively correlated with LH, total testosterone values. Visfatin levels are increased in women with PCOS compared to healthy controls. Visfatin is associated with insulin resistance in PCOS patients. Positive correlation found between visfatin and free androgen index in PCOS patients

Serum heat shoch protein 70 levels in pre-eclampsia and adverse pregnancy outcomes

Heat shock protein 70 [Hsp 70], a marker of cellular stress, was suggested to be elevated in pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia. Adverse pregnancy outcomes [APOs] are a group of common obstetric diseases and many studies have been conducted in an effort to clarify their risk factors It is well known that these risk factors can induce the synthesis of a group of highly conserved proteins, called heat shock proteins [Hsps]. The aim of the study was to measure serum heat shock protein [Hsp]70 in mothers with pre-eclampsia and adverse pregnancy outcomes [APOs] and to evaluate whether it can be applied as a useful indicator for the development of these conditions. Eighty pregnant women were included in this study [20 pre-eclamptic women, 20 women with threatened preterm labor, 20 women with intrauterine growth restriction and 20 healthy women with non-complicated pregnancy]. After obtaining informed consent, serum samples were collected from all participants to measure Hsp70 levels. The levels of Hsp 70 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Measurement of serum Hsp 70 levels showed statistically higher values among pre-eclamptic patients compared to preterm, Intrauterine growth restriction [IUGR] and control groups [24.6 +/- 12.7 ng/ml, 15.l +/- 5.4 ng/ml, 14.3 +/- 6.1 ng/ml, 11 .7 +/- 4.9 ng/ml respectively, p

accurate specific marker for type 2 DM

Target-tissue resistance to insulin characterizes type 2 diabetes mellitus. Resistin is produced and released from adipose tissue to serve endocrine functions likely involved in insulin resistance. Studies showed that resistin serum levels increase with obesity. The aim of the study is estimate and evaluates the current evidence of serum resistin in obese patients with type 2 diabetes and clarify its relation to glycemic control. The present study included 60 females obese patients who had type II diabetes, compared with 20 non-diabetic obese persons as control. The following parameters were done for every subject participating in the study: Fasting and postprandial blood glucose, lipid profile, serum insulin, serum resistin and calculation of HOMA-IR. There were highly significant increases in serum resistin, serum insulin and HOMA-IR in diabetic patients compared to control subjects. There were significant positive correlations between serum resistin and waist circumference, fasting and postprandial blood glucose, serum total cholesterol, serum LDL, serum insulin and HOMA-IR. This study suggests that resistin may have a role in obesity as well as in altering glucose metabolism leading to the progression of T2D. Further studies of the roles of resistin will shed new light on prevention and treatment of T2D and open a new field for the development of new drugs to improve insulin resistance