[What does the relation of digoxin-like immunoactivity and serum insulin levels in pregnant women signify?]. / Co signalizuje vztah digoxínu podobnej imunoaktivity k hladinám inzulínu v sére tehotných zien?

BACKGROUND: Digoxin-like immunoactivity (DLIA) reflects the presence of endogenous substances which are close to cardiac glycosides. These substances via inhibition of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase increase intracellular calcium stores (Ca2+i) and may modulate various Ca(2+)-dependent mechanisms. Although DLIA are known primarily as hypertension and natriuresis promoting factors, several recent works have suggested that DLIA relates also to diabetes mellitus. The main stimulus for DLIA secretion represents volume-expansion. AIM OF STUDY: To assess relation of DLIA to glucose tolerance and insulin levels in pregnant women (PW). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 1) 67 PW (DLIA measured by RIA-kit HUMA-LAB Kosice), 2) 53 PW (DLIA measured by RIA-kit ORION). PW were subdivided according to the glucose tolerance and insulin concentrations. RESULTS: 1. DLIA in hyperinsulinemic PW were significantly higher than in those with normal insulin levels. 2. DLIA significantly correlated with insulin levels as well as with insulinogenic index. 3. The increase in plasma glucose and insulinemia during OGTT was accompanied by a decrease in DLIA. These findings were independent of other measured parameters (age, body mass index, pregnancy induced weight gain, blood pressure and steroid hormones). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that DLIA does not respond only to changes regarding sodium-retention and volume-expansion, but also to changes in glucose and insulin metabolism. Thus, DLIA could represent one of the markers of "specific" neurohumoral activation. However, the question of whether an elevation in DLIA may consequently modulate mechanisms of insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity, vascular reactivity and other Ca2+i-dependent mechanisms remains speculative. (Tab. 4, Fig. 4, Ref. 41).

[Dynamics of digoxin-like immunoactivity during the oral glucose tolerance test in pregnant women]. / Dynamika digoxínu podobnej imunoaktivity pocas OGTT u tehotných zien.

The changes of serum digoxin-like immunoactivity (DLIA) during 75g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), were investigated in 25 pregnant women with various glucose tolerance. 13 women had a normal glucose tolerance (NGT), 12 women had an impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Test was performed after 25 week of pregnancy. The results were compared with 9 nonpregnant healthy volunteers (NHV). After an oral glucose challenge, there was observed a significant decrease in serum DLIA (p < 0.01 in 1st hour), in both groups of the pregnant women. In the group of NHV these findings were not found. Our findings suggest a possible relationships between DLIA and glucose tolerance in pregnant women. However, it needs further investigation. (Tab. 1, Fig. 1, Ref. 24.)

Deletion delta F508 and haplotype analysis of CFTR gene region in Slovak CF patients.

Analysis of a sample of 50 unrelated cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and 46 nuclear families from Slovakia (Czechoslovakia) by the polymerase chain reaction and Southern hybridization revealed that the proportion of the delta F508 mutation was 58% in this population, and that the frequency of the B (i.e., KM19/XV2c [1-2]) haplotype was increased in both delta F508 and non-delta F508 CF chromosomes (98% and 46%, respectively). These results support the view that the trans-European gradient of the delta F508 frequency is of a geographical rather than of an ethnic origin, and that in Slavonic populations, there exists an as yet unidentified but frequent CF mutation other than delta F508, associated with the B haplotype.