[Determination of adiponectin levels in patients with heart failure, and their association with severity of disease]

Adiponectin, an adipocyte-derived hormone, is expressed in adipose tissue and directly sensitized the body to insulin. It enhances fatty acid oxidation in skeletal, cardiac muscle and in the liver, thus reducing triglyceridecontent in these tissues. It stimulates glucose uptake by skeletal and cardial muscle. Hypoadiponectinemia has been identified as an independent risk factor for type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease [CAD], and hypertention. Experimental studies show that adiponectin pays a protective role in the development of insulin resistance, atherosclerosis, and inflammation. More recent findings have shown that adiponectin directly affects signaling in myocardial cells and exerts beneficial actions on the heart after ischemia-reperfusion injury. Whereas the relationship between low adiponectin levels and increased CAD or myocardial infarction risk has been established, the role of plasma adiponectin in congestive heart failure [CHF] appears to be more complex. This study focuses on Association of hyperadiponectinemia with severity of heart failure. To determine serum adiponectin levels in patients with congestive heart failure [CHF]. Our study group comprised 110 patients with CHF who were divided into 4 subgroups according to New York Heart Association [NYHA] functional class, and 27 control subjects. Serum levels of adiponectin were determined. Serum adiponectin levels were significantly increased according to the NYHA class in the patients with CHF; control: 5.6 +/- 2.29 micro g/ml, NYHA II: 9.14 +/- 7.18 micro g/ml, NYHA III: 13.68 +/- 12.06micro g/ml. NYHA IV: 22.34 +/- 16.08 micro g/ml [p<0.05]. Serum adiponectin increased according to the severity of CHF. These results indicate that release of adiponectin is involved in the pathogenesis of CHF

[Anti-beta 2-glycoprotein 1 IgG antibodies as risk factor for acute myocardial infarction]

Beta 2-Glycoprotein I [beta 2-GPI], a plasma protein with in vitro anticoagulant properties, has been recognized to have an important role in the antiphospholipid syndrome [APS] as a cofactor and an [co]antigen. Recent study showed that Anti-beta2- GPI antibodies were found in the immunoassays of patients with defined antiphospholipid syndrome, but also in patients with thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, cerebral infarction, and coronary heart disease. The study comprised 76 subjects [48 patients with myocardial infarction and 28 controls], anti-beta2-GP1 IgG were detected using immunoassay. Anti-beta2- GPI IgG antibodies, seemed to behave as independent risk factor for myocardial infarction