Anticarbohydrate antibodies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Evaluating the prevalence of antichitobioside carbohydrate antibody [ACCA], antilaminaribioside carbohydrate antibodies [ALCA], antimannobioside carbohydrate antibodies [AMCA] and anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies [ASCA], in patients with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. 268 serum samples were used; 115 Crohn's disease [CD], 83 ulcerative colitis, and 70 healthy control samples. All samples were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the following four anticarbohydrate antibodies: ACCA, ALCA, AMCA, and ASCA. In patients with Crohn's disease the prevalence of the anticarbohydrate antibodies was: ASCA 69%, AMCA 32%, ACCA 28% and ALCA 24% with the highest prevalence being for ASCA [P-value<0.0001] while in patients with ulcerative colitis the prevalence was: ACCA 46%, AMCA 35%, ALCA 23% and ASCA 15% with the highest prevalence being for ACCA [P-value 0.00l]. Anticarbohydrate antibodies are significantly present in patients with IBD. The use of a panel of anticarbohydrate antibodies may provide additional help in distinguishing IBD from non-IBD disease patterns and narrow the range of differential diagnosis in these patients

Adiponectin muitimers in patients with Barrett's Oesophagus

Barrett's oesophagus is associated with abdominal obesity. Adiponectin is a peptide that is secreted from adipocytes and circulates in three multimeric forms: low molecular weight [LMW], middle molecular weight[MMW], and high molecular weight [HMW]. The anti-inflammatory effects of adiponectin are specific to individual muitimers, with the LMW being most anti-inflammatory. We investigated the possibility that circulating levels of adiponectin and its multimers would be associated with the risk of Barrett's oesophagus. This study comprised patients diagnosed to have Barrett's oesophagus, and control subjects diagnosed to have gastrooesophageal reflux disease [GORD], all were diagnosed in the gastroenterology and endoscopy unit, King Fahd hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Plasma adiponectin levels and its multimers were evaluated for patients with Barrett's oesophagus and controls with GORD. There were 120 cases of Barrett's oesophagus and 250 GORD controls. Total adiponectin was not significantly associated with Barrett's oesophagus; low levels of LMW adiponectin and low LMW/total ratio were significantly present in patients with Barrett's oesophagus. Low levels of LMW adiponectin are significantly associated with Barrett's oesophagus

Statin therapy and serum testosterone in men with Type 2 diabetes

There is a high prevalence of hypogonadism in men with type 2 diabetes. Statins could potentially decrease testosterone levels by reducing the availability of cholesterol for androgen synthesis. In this study we compared testosterone levels and hypogonadal symptoms with statin use in men with type 2 diabetes. Total testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin [SHBG], and estradiol were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Bioavailable testosterone was measured by the modified ammonium sulfate precipitation method. Free testosterone was calculated using Vermeulen's formula. Symptoms of hypogonadism were assessed using the Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Male questionnaire. Statins were associated with lower total testosterone and a trend toward lower SHBG compared with untreated patients. Bioavailable testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol, and hypogonadal symptoms were not affected. Atorvastatin was associated with reduced total testosterone and a trend toward reduced SHBG compared with no treatment, and there was a dose-response effect with the lowest levels of total testosterone seen in men treated with >/=20 mg atorvastatin .Simvastatin use was not associated with significant reductions in testosterone or SHBG levels. Assessing androgen status using total testosterone in men with type 2 diabetes treated with Statins, particularly atorvastatin, may potentially lead to diagnostic error. Levels of bioavailable testosterone or free testosterone are recommended for the assessment of hypogonadism in this group if total testosterone levels are borderline