Three-vessel coronary artery disease may predict changes in biochemical brain injury markers after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Neurological injury is a frequent and important complication of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Several risk factors for this type of sequela have been identified, among them aortic arch atherosclerosis. Our previous study indicated that atherosclerotic burden in coronary arteries may likewise predict postoperative neurological complications (Pawliszak et al., 2016b). We assessed the severity of this condition by using the SYNTAX score calculator. However, diagnosing angiographic three-vessel coronary artery disease (3VD) could be an even simpler method of achieving this goal.

Circulating omentin-1 might be associated with metabolic health status in different phenotypes of body size

ABSTRACT Objective Adipokines are mediators of body composition and are involved in obesity complications. This study aimed to assess the association of circulating omentin-1, vaspin, and RBP-4 with body composition indices and metabolic health status (MHS) in different phenotypes of body size. Subjects and methods A total of 350 subjects were included in the current cross-sectional study. Body composition was measured using a body composition analyzer, and serum concentrations of omentin-1, vaspin, and RBP-4 were assessed by ELISA kits. Results Circulating omentin-1 was significantly (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.00-1.91, P = 0.01) and marginally (OR = 1.63, 95%CI: 1.00-1.75, P = 0.06) associated with MHS in the overweight and obese subjects, respectively. But no association was seen between omentin-1 and MHS in normal-weight subjects. Serum levels of vaspin and RBP-4 were not correlated with MHS. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was observed between circulating omentin-1 and body mass index (BMI) as well as fat percentage (P = 0.02) in the MHS group. Serum vaspin concentrations were not related to body composition components in both groups. In addition, in the MHS group, circulating RBP-4 was positively correlated with fat percentage and fat mass (FM) (p < 0.0001) and was negatively correlated with fat-free mass (FFM) and total body water (TBW) (p < 0.0001). In contrast, in the metabolically unhealthy group, RBP-4 was negatively correlated with fat percentage, FM, and BMI (p < 0.0001) and was positively correlated with FFM and TBW (p < 0.0001). Conclusions This study showed that circulating levels of omentin-1 are useful predictors of metabolic health status in overweight and obese people.

Low vaspin levels are related to endothelial dysfunction in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Vaspin is a novel adipocytokine associated with glucose tolerance and chronic inflammation. Some studies reveal that vaspin may be involved in cardiovascular diseases. Our objective was to investigate the relationship between serum vaspin levels and endothelial function in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. One hundred and twenty patients with newly diagnosed ankylosing spondylitis and 100 healthy subjects were studied. Serum vaspin levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. High resolution ultrasound was used to measure brachial artery diameter at rest, after reactive hyperemia (flow-mediated dilation, FMD) and after sublingual glyceryltrinitrate. Serum vaspin level in patients was 1.92±1.03 ng/mL, which was significantly lower than that in healthy subjects (2.88±0.81 ng/mL). By dividing the distribution of serum vaspin levels into quartiles, FMD levels increased gradually with the increase of serum vaspin levels in patients (P<0.01). Univariate analysis showed a correlation between vaspin and FMD (r=0.73, P=0.003), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r=-0.45, P=0.033), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r=0.63, P=0.025), fasting blood glucose (r=-0.79, P=0.006), triglycerides (TG) (r=-0.68, P=0.036), systolic blood pressure (r=-0.35, P=0.021), C-reactive protein (r=-0.67, P=0.011), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (r=-0.77, P=0.023) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r=-0.88, P=0.039) in patients. Multivariate analysis indicated that serum vaspin levels were independently associated with FMD, HOMA-IR and TG in patients. Our study found that serum vaspin levels were decreased in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and were associated with FMD levels. Vaspin may serve as an independent marker for detecting early stage atherosclerosis in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Serum vaspin levels are associated with decreased insulin sensitivity in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus in Bangladesh

The present study aimed to explore the relationship of circulating vaspin levels with insulin sensitivity and anthropometric factors. This study was conducted with 65 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus [T2DM] patients with age-matched 65 healthy controls. Serum glucose was measured using glucose-oxidase method, lipid profiles by enzymatic end-point methods, and fasting insulin and vaspin levels were assessed with ELISA techniques. Homeostasis model assessment for insulin sensitivity [HOMA%S] and insulin secretory capacity [HOMA%B] were estimated from the fasting glucose and insulin levels using HOMA-CIGMA software. Fasting serum insulin [micro U/ml] was higher in the diabetic group than controls [16.0 +/- 7.9 vs. 10.9 +/- 3.3, respectively, p=0.0001]. The mean [ +/- SD] HOMA%S of the diabetics was significantly lower than that of the controls [48 +/- 31 vs. 76 +/- 55, respectively, p = 0.001]. The HOMA%B of the T2DM group was nearly 50% of that of the controls [71 +/- 40 vs. 131 +/- 46, respectively, p = 0.001]. The T2DM group exhibited significantly lower serum vaspin [ng/ml] levels than the controls [0.62 +/- 0.26 vs. 0.83 +/- 0.28, respectively, p = 0.001]. Vaspin levels were negatively correlated with waist circumference [r = 0.17, p = 0.043] and positively correlated with HOMA%S [r = 0.243, p = 0.007] among all of the participants. The association of serum vaspin with diabetes remained highly significant [p = 0.008] in binary logistic regression analysis performed after adjusting for the effects of confounders. Serum vaspin level is positively associated with insulin sensitivity and negatively correlated with serum glucose, BMI and waist-height ratio

Effects of an eight-week resistance training on plasma vaspin concentrations, metabolic parameters levels and physical fitness in patients with type 2 diabetes

Vaspin as a novel adipokine has insulin-sensitizing effects, which may be associated with decreased blood glucose concentration. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of resistance exercise training on plasma vaspin concentrations and its relation to plasma levels of insulin and glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes [T2D]. In a quasi-experimental study, 18 male patients with T2D [mean age, 48.50 +/- 7.73 years, mean weight, 79.41 +/- 12.60 kg] were divided into 2 groups as follows: control [n=9], and resistance training [RT; n=9] groups. Resistance training was performed 3 times weekly for 8 weeks. Anthropometric, metabolic parameters and plasma vaspin levels were measured at baseline and at the end of study. Within-group data were analyzed with the paired t test, and between-group effects were analyzed with the independent t test. Waist-hip ratio [WHR], glucose, insulin of plasma and insulin resistance [homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR] score] were all significantly decreased, whereas levels of vaspin and plasma lipids [cholesterol, triglycerides [TG], high-density lipoprotein [HDL], low-density lipoprotein [LDL] and very low-density lipoproteins [VLDL]] showed no significant changes in RT group as compared with the related values of control groups. Serum vaspin levels did not correlate with anthropometric and metabolic parameters at the assigned times. Our findings suggest that 8-week of resistance training significantly improved insulin resistance index; however, this form of exercise failed to result in significant changes in serum vaspin concentration and lipid profiles. Further research is needed to investigate the role of vaspin in human physiology and to elucidate the effect[s] of exercise intervention on serum vaspin concentrations

Evaluation of serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen as a novel biomarker for diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignancy in the world. In Egypt, HCC was reported to account for about 4.7% of chronic liver disease (CLD) patients. Squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) has been reported to be strongly expressed in HCC tissue hampering its extensive use in clinical practice. AIM: To evaluate the clinical usefulness of serum SCCA levels as a serological marker for early detection of HCC among high-risk patients compared to AFP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study comprised of three groups. Group A included 30 patients with CLD diagnosed based on clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographical investigations; group B included 49 patients with HCC diagnostically confirmed by spiral CT, elevated alfafetoprotein (AFP), and/or liver biopsy; and group C, the control group, included 15 healthy subjects matched for age and sex. All groups were subjected to thorough history taking, full clinical examination, and laboratory investigations including liver functions, viral markers, and AFP and SCCA estimation using ELISA technique. RESULTS: This study revealed a highly significant difference between patients with HCC, CLD, and controls regarding serum SCCA levels (5.138 +/- 7.689, 1.133 +/- 0.516, and 0.787 +/- 0.432 ng/ml, respectively). SCCA level was persistently elevated in patients with HCC with normal AFP levels representing its useful role in early detection and follow-up of patients treated for HCC. The area under the curve (AUC) of SCCA was 0.869 (95% CI 0.783-0.929), the cut-off value was established at 1.5 ng/ml with sensitivity of 77.6% and specificity of 84.4%). The difference between AUC of SCCA and that of AFP was 0.09 which mounted statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: SCCA could represent a useful tool as a marker for detection of HCC.

Hereditary angioedema: a Taiwanese family with a novel gene mutation.

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by a deficiency of C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH). Affected individuals have attacks of swelling involving almost any part of the body. We studied a family with 15 living members, including a 16-year-old girl who had 3 attacks of angioedema in 2 years. Her paternal uncle had died of asphyxiation during an attack 15 years previously. We analyzed the blood of each family member for C3, C4, and C1-INH levels and sequenced the SERPING1 (formerly C1NH) gene that codes for C1-INH. Six individuals had decreased serum levels of C4 and C1-INH, and they were all found to have a single nucleotide A deletion at codon 210 of the gene, 1210fsX210, a novel mutation that accounts for the HAE in this family.