Comparison of anthropometric parameters as predictors of serum lipids in premenopausal women.

No single anthropometric parameter has yet been generally accepted as being superior to others in assessing the metabolic risk associated with abdominal obesity. To compare waist circumference (WC) with waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), regarding their association with serum lipids, we studied 166 women aged 20 to 48 yr; 53 were obese [body mass index (BMI) 30-39.9 Kg/m2], 50 were overweight (BMI 25-29.9 Kg/m2) and 63 normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9 Kg/m2). Height, body weight, waist and hip circumferences, total serum cholesterol (Ch), low (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL)-Ch and triglyceride (TG) concentrations were measured. The correlation coefficients between the concentration of serum lipid fractions and each anthropometric parameter did not differ significantly for any lipid variable when WC, WHR and WHtR were compared in the 166 women. The same applied for the obese and the overweight group, whereas in normal weight women there was significant association only between WC and LDL-Ch and between WHR and Ch/HDL-Ch ratio. Stepwise regression analysis showed that the proportion of variance in serum lipids did not change significantly when WHR or WHR+WHtR were added to WC into the regression model (18%, 18% and 18% for Ch; 13%, 18% and 18% for HDL-Ch; 18%, 18% and 12% for LDL-Ch; 35%, 35% and 37% for TG, respectively). These results indicate that WC is the main parameter associated with serum lipid levels and that the ratios studied do not provide additional substantial information in women who need weight management.

[Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis in a Spanish male]. / Parálisis periódica tirotóxica en un varón español.

One of the few cases of thyrotoxic periodic paralysis in our country is reported. A twenty-one year old male patient with Graves disease for more than three years had a poor compliance with the therapeutical regimen, with mainly nightly episodes of self-limited limb weakness associated with hypokalemia. The patient has no familiar antecedents of periodic paralysis and the clinical manifestations resolved with treatment of hyperthyroidism.

A radioimmunoassay method for measurement of urinary kinins.

A sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay for measuring urinary kinins was developed. Antibodies against bradykinin were induced in rabbits by injecting bradykinin coupled to bovine albumin. One of the antisera generated was used at a final dilution of 1:18,000 to obtain a 30% total binding of bradykinin-(8-tyrosine)-[125I]-triacetate. Synthetic bradykinin (5-1,000 pg) was used as standard in the curves. The sensitivity of the assay was 5 pg. The recovery of bradykinin added to urinary samples was 86.85 +/- 6%. The intraassay and interassay coefficients of variation were 3.3% (n = 12) and 4.4% (n = 5), respectively. The antiserum showed no cross-reactivity with oxytocin or low molecular weight kininogen and cross-reacted with kallidin (lys-bradykinin), met-kallidin, and angiotensin I, but cross-reaction with angiotensin I (2.5%) was low enough to be disregarded. The mean urinary levels of total kinins in 12 normal subjects were 23.2 +/- (SEM) 2.2 micrograms/day.

Long-term evaluation of thyroidal response to partial calorie restriction in obesity.

Twenty obese patients were treated as out-patients with a 3.35 MJ (800 Kcal) per day diet, and, by the double-blind method, ten of the patients were prescribed 40 micrograms of triiodothyronine (T3) daily and the other ten placebo. Body weight and serum thyroxine (T4), T3 and reverse T3 (rT3) concentrations were measured before treatment, then monthly over 6 months. No significant difference in mean weight loss was found between the patients receiving T3 and those on placebo. Serum T3 concentration decreased slightly in patients on placebo and increased in those on T3 but these changes were not statistically significant. However, patients on T3 maintained a significantly higher concentration of T3 in serum than those on placebo. Mean serum T4 and rT3 concentrations remained essentially unchanged in the patients on placebo, whereas both decreased significantly in patients receiving T3. We conclude that changes in serum T3 during dietary treatment of obesity are of minor significance in limiting the expected weight loss in the patients.