Role of non-lipid risk factors like hs-CRP, uric acid and thyroid stimulating hormone in metabolic syndrome

Background: Metabolic syndrome is the cluster of diseases which arises due to excess of plasma glucose, cholesterol, fatty acids, blood pressure and obesity. The role of lipids in the development of MetS had been extensively studied. Though some non-lipid factors like hsCRP, uric acid and TSH level also remain elevated in the serum of the MetS patients, the role of these non-lipid risk factors remain incompletely understood. The objective of this study was to investigate which of these factors better predicts Mets, in order to help prevention and early detection of MetS and its associated type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. Aim and objectives was to study the significance of serum highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), serum uric acid (SUA) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in metabolic syndrome.Methods: A total of four hundred and fifty subjects (211 men and 239 women) aged ≥35 years attending the hospital were divided into three groups based on the components level of MetS as control (CS), normal (MS) and severe (SMS) MetS groups. Their fasting blood sample were taken and analyzed for the serum hs-CRP, uric acid and TSH levels. The result showed that the mean hs-CRP and uric acid levels were significantly higher in Metabolic Syndrome group (MS) and in Severe Metabolic Syndrome group (SMS) when compared to control group. But the mean TSH levels were more in MS group and in SMS group than the control which was statistically not significant. The analysis of relative significance of these risk factors showed that serum hs-CRP level had a positive linear correlation with the severity of MetS whereas, the TSH level was significantly high only in SMS and the uric acid level was not correlated with the MetS.Results: Our study revealed that type II (absence of sutural bones) was commoner than type I (presence of type I) asterion. The asterion was 4.82±0.58 cm from tip of the mastoid process on the right side and 4.70±0.70 cm on the left. It was greater in males than in females, p value being statistically significant (P = 0.00 and P = 0.02 for right and left sides respectively). The distance of asterion from supramastoid crest was 4.22±0.73 cm on the right and 4.23±0.58 cm on the left. The distance in males was more than in females. The P value 0.00 was statistically significant on the right side. Regarding the position of the asterion in relation to transverse sinus, it was on the transverse sinus in 62% cases, below it in 32% and above in 6%.Conclusions: In the present study, there was higher mean serum hs-CRP level in patients with metabolic syndrome which showed a linear increase with increasing number of components of the metabolic syndrome. Though available literature indicated that hyperuricemia adult subjects tend to develop MetS more frequently our findings showed this increase was not dependent on the severity of MetS. Also, significantly high TSH levels were found only in severe MetS suggest that as per this study the serum hs-CRP values may be consider as the diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome and helps to improve future prediction of development of type 2 DM and cardiovascular diseases.

Role of vitamin c as an antioxidant in cadmium chloride induced testicular damage.

Cadmium is one of the most toxic heavy metals and potential for human exposure has generally increased with increase in industrial usage of this element. The purpose of the present study was to determine anti-oxidative role of vitamin C against cadmium chloride induced oxidative stress on rat testis. Adult male rats(n=6/group) were divided into five groups ,one control (Gr.I- 0.9% Saline treated) & two untreated experimental & two pretreated experimental groups. The untreated groups were injected with single dose of 0.5 & 1 mg /kg bw cadmium chloride (Gr.II &Gr.III) intraperitoneally. Vitamin C (30mg/kg bw,ip) was orally administered for 30 days prior to the exposure to 0.5 and 1mg/kg bw(Gr,IIa &Gr.IIIA) of cadmium chloride. In all the groups, rats were sacrificed 15 days after the final cadmium chloride or saline administration and the changes in the testicular weight and testicular level of Melonaldehyde , glutathione & superoxide dismutase were studied. Exposure to cadmium chloride lead to significant decrease in the testicular weight& level of GSH & SOD and increase in the level of testicular MDA compared to normal control. Pretreatment with vitamin C (30mg/kg bw) significantly prevented the increase in MDA level of the testis & ameliorated the fall in GSH & SOD as well as testicular weight compared to 0.5mg/kg bw cadmium chloride group. But pretreatment with vitamin C did not show any beneficial effect with 1mg/kg bw cadmium treated group. The study reports the antioxidative role of vitamin C in ameliorating lower doses of cadmium chloride induced testicular damage.

The involvement of amygdala nucleus in chronic stress induced changes on ingestive behavior of wistar rats.

Organisms are constantly subjected to stimuli that can be construed as stressors. Stress regulation is a highly integrated process controlled largely by the brain. The role of amygdala in stress tolerance has attracted continued interest because of its central role in processing emotional information. In the present study, the Wistar albino rats were subjected to chronic swimming (physical) stress and chronic immobilization (psychological) stress for 60 days with or without bilateral lesions of the nucleus of amygdala. Their food intake, water intake and body weight were measured. Exposure to stressors significantly decreased the body weight, food and water intake whereas amygdala lesioning significantly increased the body weight (P<0.001), food intake (P<0.001) and water intake (P<0.001).However, the stress induced decrease observed in the body weight and food intake of the amygdala lesioned groups was significantly more (P<0.001) during immobilization stress than swimming stress. It can be concluded that amygdala nucleus appears to play a prominent role in minimizing the stress induced changes in the food intake and body weight; and this role was more evident in immobilization stress than a physical stress. Thus, the present study support the notion that the amygdala nucleus play a definite role in minimizing stress induced changes in the ingestive behavior and its role in psychological stress is more prominent.

Reversal of impact of BMI on autonomic modulation in geriatric population.

Background: The main cause for most of the old age complication is due to derangement of cardiovascular and autonomic nervous activity. This study was proposed to record and asses the HRV in elderly population involved with respect to Body mass index to predict and prevent further deterioration and thereby help the elder to lead more normal, healthy and active life. Materials& methods: 80 normal volunteers were selected, with ages between 55 to 85 years. They were evaluated clinically for Heart rate variability (HRV) and body mass index. Based on BMI, subjects were divided in to two groups. Group I with 40 subjects whose BMI was ≤25 and group II with 40 subjects whose BMI was 25 to 30. To assess the autonomic changes, in this study different parameters of HRV were recorded in both the groups and compared during normal (N), deep breathing (DB) and cold pressor test (CPT) conditions. Results showed that the SDANN, Time domain HRV was more in subjects with high BMI when compared to subjects with normal BMI during normal condition, in CPT condition parasympathetic activity was more in subjects with high BMI compared to subjects with normal BMI. Conclusion; This study showed in old age higher the BMI more the HRV and the degree of parasympathetic activity was more in higher BMI.

Alcohol expectancy responses from first year medical students: Are they prone to alcoholism?

CONTEXT: Modern life style and affluence lead to changes in people's outlook on various habits, including alcohol intake. Some of them will fall prey to the addictive nature of the drink. AIMS: Present study was done to evaluate the responses to comprehensive alcohol expectancy questionnaire (comprehensive effects of alcohol - CEOA) in order to test the tendency towards alcohol intake among the First Year Medical (MBBS) students of our college - that is, to assess the positive or negative reinforcement they would expect if they consumed alcohol. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The study was done by giving a set of questionnaires to be answered by the students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Questionnaires of CEOA had 38 responses, in which both negative and positive feelings were represented. All questions were again grouped into four groups of positive and three groups of negative responses. Each question was rated to what degree they agreed, by 4-point Likert-type scale (1 = disagree, 2 = slightly disagree, 3 = slightly agree, 4 = agree). The positive and negative responses were analyzed to group them into agreeing or disagreeing type. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Analysis of responses by Student 't' test and 2-way ANOVA was done to analyze the results. 'P' RESULTS: Results showed that negative expectancies outweighed positives significantly (2.8017 +/- 0.58554 vs. 2.3055 +/- 0.67604, t = 7.526; P< 0.001.). Females rated the negatives more firmly (P< 0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference with respect to different religious beliefs, places of origin or incomes of the respondents. An experience of alcohol had a significant effect on the responses where they had stronger positive expectancy, which is an important point revealed in this study. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we have observed a general acceptance that alcohol could provide positive reinforcement, especially among those who have had a prior experience of intake of alcohol. Thus, this study throws light on whether there is likelihood of youngsters falling into addiction in the later part of their life; hence it can act as a useful predictor for parents, health professionals, social counselors and the society as a whole so that they can take preventive measures against alcohol addiction.

Alteration of preference of food substances in terms of taste & nutritional value following the lesion of two subdistricts of nucleus accumbens.

Adult albino rats of Wistar strain (200 to 250 g) were lesioned at the nucleus accumbens (Acb) either in the shell area (Acbsh) or in the core area (Acbc). The rats were offered a choice of water and 0.2 per cent saccharine or water and 12 per cent sucrose solution. During the prelesion period, the rats preferred water to the sweet tasting fluids. The Acbc lesion shifted the preference to saccharine from water, but rats with the same lesion consumed equal quantities of sucrose and water. On the other hand, lesion of the Acbsh increased the water intake when paired with either sucrose or saccharine. Food intake was also increased in this lesioned group. The results suggest that the Acbc area appears to participate in the mediation of taste of food while the Acbsh area probably regulates feeding behaviour based on the nutritional value of food substances.

Regulatory role of nucleus accumbens in the ingestion of sucrose and saccharine.

Adult albino rats of Wistar strain of 200 to 250 g body weight were lesioned at nucleus accumbens either in the shell area or in core area. The rats were offered 0.2% saccharine solution or 12% sucrose solution or water for drinking. During the prelesion period, rats consumed more of saccharine followed by sucrose and water. The lesion of core area increased the consumption of both the sweet taste solutions but did not affect the water intake. Lesioning of shell area caused an increase in water and sucrose intake whereas saccharine intake remained unaffected. The results suggest that the core area of nucleus accumbens subserves taste induced ingestion and the shell area mediates the effect of nutritional value of food.

Anorexigenic effect of fecal extract from ventromedial hypothalamic (VMH) lesioned rats on normal rats.

Feces of ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) lesioned obese and sham operated (SL) rats were separately pooled and subjected to column chromatography using sephadex G-150. Fractions showing peak absorption at 280 nm, obtained from respective group of rats were separately pooled and divided into 9 equal aliquots and injected ip in two groups of overnight fasted normal rats (OFN rats). Rats injected with fecal extract from VMH lesioned rats showed decreased food and water intake which was not seen in rats treated with the fecal extract from SL rats suggesting the possible presence of an anorexigenic substance in the feces of VMH lesioned rats but absent in SL rats.

Effect of ammonia, urea and diammonium phosphate (DAP) on lung functions in fertilizer plant workers.

A spirometric study (FVC, FEV1 & PEFR/Min) was carried out in workers exposed to fertilizer chemicals (91) as a whole, out of which 31 were Ammonia, 30 Urea and 30 DAP plant workers, and 68 were controls belonging to the same age, sex, body surface area and socio-economic status. This study showed significant reduction in both PEFR/min and FEV1, the reduction being more in PEFR/Min., seems to indicate obstructive type of lung changes affecting the larger air-ways first, followed by bronchospasm. But FVC showed a significant reduction only after more than 10 years of exposure, probably causing restrictive changes only after prolonged exposure. Out of the 3 chemicals, DAP affected all the 3 parameters most, followed by Ammonia and Urea affected the least.

A comparative study of lung functions in rice mill and saw mill workers.

A lung function study was carried out to determine the relative effect of rice husk and saw dust on mill workers. The study consisted of 195 subjects of which 56 rice mill workers, 71 saw mill workers and 68 controls of similar age, sex and socio-economic condition. FVC was significantly reduced in saw-mill workers compared to both the controls and rice mill workers. Both FEV1 and PEFR/min were significantly reduced in both mill workers compared to controls. The fall in PEFR/min in saw mill workers was also significant when compared to rice mill workers. FVC was reduced after 5 years of exposure only in saw mill workers. FEV1 was reduced within a year which was further reduced after 5 years in both mill workers. PEFR/min was highly reduced within a year remained so even after 5 years.