ABSTRACT
Background An increase in epicardial fat thickness (EFT) has been associated with increased cardiovascular risk and the development of atherosclerosis. Transthoracic echo-cardiography provides a reliable measurement of EFT. We evaluated the relationship of EFT with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and ankle-brachial index (ABI), in patients with metabolic syndrome. Methods We assessed 80 patients with metabolic syndrome who underwent echocardiography; EFT was measured by two cardiologists. The CIMT (B-mode colour imaging of extracranial carotid arteries using high-resolution ultrasound) was also measured by a certified ultrasonographer, and ABI was measured by the main researcher. Results We did not find any correlation between ABI with EFT (r=0.0103, p=0.93) or with CIMT (r=-0.1625, p=0.15). However, we found a significant correlation between EFT and CIMT (r=0.2718, r2=0.074, p=0.015). When we evaluated the risk for a CIMT >0.9 mm in patients with an EFT >3 mm, we found a statistically significant association (p=0.039). Interestingly, only 1 patient with an EFT <3 mm had a CIMT >0.9 mm. Conclusion We found that the EFT correlates with CIMT in patients with metabolic syndrome, which explains, at least in part, the higher risk of atherosclerosis in them. Measurement of EFT should be part of the cardiovascular risk evaluation in patients with metabolic syndrome.
Subject(s)
Carotid Intima-Media Thickness , Metabolic Syndrome , Ankle Brachial Index , Humans , Metabolic Syndrome/diagnostic imaging , Metabolic Syndrome/epidemiology , Pericardium/diagnostic imaging , Risk FactorsSubject(s)
Adipose Tissue/diagnostic imaging , Carotid Intima-Media Thickness/statistics & numerical data , Intra-Abdominal Fat/physiopathology , Metabolic Syndrome/physiopathology , Pericardium/diagnostic imaging , Adipose Tissue/physiopathology , Echocardiography/methods , Electric Impedance , Female , Humans , Intra-Abdominal Fat/diagnostic imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Pericardium/physiopathology , Ultrasonography/methodsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Biopterins have a crucial role in the function of nitric oxide synthase, uncoupling of the enzyme leads to endothelial dysfunction and vascular damage, The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the levels of biopterins with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in hypertensive type-2 diabetic patients. METHODS: We studied 30 hypertensive type-2 diabetic patients and 30 normotensive non-diabetic age-matched subjects, in whom biopterins levels were measured by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Additionally, the CIMT of both the common and internal carotid arteries was measured. The levels of biopterins and CIMT were correlated using the Pearson correlation coefficient test. RESULTS: We did not find a significantly correlation between biopterins levels and CIMT. However, we found a significantly inverse correlation between the BH4/BH2 ratio and the CIMT in patients (r = -0.54, p < 0.01). A multiple regression analysis revealed that the CIMT correlated significantly and independently with the BH4/BH2 ratio. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the BH4/BH2 ratio seems to be a better marker of vascular disease than biopterin levels.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Hypoadiponectinemia and hyperresistinemia are associated with cardiovascular disease. The increase in the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) assessed by B-mode ultrasound has been directly associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation between adipokine levels with CIMT in hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: Serum levels of adiponectin and resistin levels were measured by ELISA in 30 type 2 diabetic patients with never-treated hypertension and in age-matched healthy controls. The CIMT (B-mode color imaging of extracranial carotid arteries using high-resolution ultrasound) was also obtained. The relationship between adipokine levels and the adiponectin/resistin index with the CIMT was assessed by the Pearson correlation coefficient test. RESULTS: Adiponectin was lower (p < 0.05), and resistin higher (p < 0.01) in patients than in controls, CIMT correlated positively with resistin (R = 0.45, p < 0.02) and the adiponectin/resistin index (R = 0.58, p < 0.001), but not with adiponectin levels (r = -0.11, p > 0.1) in patients. Whereas only adiponectin levels correlated - negatively - with CIMT (r = -0.39, p < 0.02) in controls. CONCLUSION: Our results shown that the adiponectin/resistin index seems to be more strongly associated with atherosclerosis than adipokine levels, and may be used as a reliable marker of cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetic hypertensive patients.
Subject(s)
Adiponectin/blood , Carotid Intima-Media Thickness , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/blood , Hypertension/blood , Resistin/blood , Aged , Biomarkers/blood , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/diagnostic imaging , Female , Humans , Hypertension/complications , Hypertension/diagnostic imaging , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
En un estudio transversal, comparativo y abierto, se buscó por ultrasonido la presencia de placas de ateroma en arterias carótidas e iliacas en un grupo de 50 pacientes diabéticos no dependientes de insulina divididos de acuerdo con el tiempo de evolución de la enfermedad y se comparó con un grupo similar en edad y sexo de 50 sujetos no diabéticos. En ambos grupos se realizó perfil de lípidos. En el grupo de diabéticos 19 (38 por ciento) tenían placas de ateroma a nivel carotídeo y 21 (42 por ciento) a nivel iliaco, en forma proporcional al tiempo de evolución de la enfermedad y a las alteraciones en el perfil de lípidos, mientras que en ningún sujeto no diabético se encontró aterosclerosis detectable por ultrasonido a esos niveles (p = 0.005). Nuestros resultados, además de mostrar la mayor incidencia de aterosclerosis en estos pacientes, apoyan el uso del ultrasonido en la evaluación integral del diabético para la búsqueda de placas de ateroma en estas zonas de relevancia clínica. Se hace un análisis de los conocimientos recientes sobre los aspectos que favorecen la mayor incidencia de aterosclerosis en esta enfermedad
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Atherosclerosis , Atherosclerosis/etiology , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications , Embolism, Cholesterol , Endothelium, Vascular , Hyperlipidemias/diagnosis , Lipids/blood , Lipoproteins , Macrophages , Iliac Artery , Carotid ArteriesABSTRACT
Se presenta un caso de una paciente del sexo femenino de 42 años, con el diagnóstico de neumonía atípica por Chlamydia psittaci. Describimos sus datos clínicos y revisamos la literatura
Subject(s)
Middle Aged , Humans , Female , Chlamydia Infections/physiopathology , Chlamydophila pneumoniae/pathogenicity , Chlamydophila psittaci/pathogenicity , Pneumonia/microbiologyABSTRACT
En un estudio observacional, longitudinal y abierto, se valoró la seroprevalencia a los virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana 1 y 2 en 76 donadores voluntarios de sangre en el Hospital General de Ticomán S.S. De los 76 sujetos estudiados, 1 heterosexual promiscuo fue positivo al VIH-1, todos los donadores fueron seronegativos al VIH-2. Nuestros resultados apoyan la baja prevalencia del VIH-1 en la población fuera de los grupos de riesgo, y aunque no hubo seropositividad al VIH-2, debe tenerse en mente la aparición de dicho virus en nuestro país en cualquier momento
