Host-guest chemistry of a bis-calix[4]pyrrole derivative containing a trans/cis-switchable azobenzene unit with several aliphatic bis-carboxylates.

The azobenzene unit used as a photochemically and thermally switchable linker in the assembly of a bis-calix[4]pyrrole receptor provides a means to modulate the binding of bis-carboxylates of significant biological importance in cancer research. Conversely, the complexation of different bis-anionic guests has significant kinetic effects on both the photochemical and thermal trans/cis isomerization of the azobenzene unit.

Relationship of metabolic syndrome with pulse pressure in patients with essential hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Pulse pressure is largely dependent on arterial stiffness. Recent studies have documented reduced large artery compliance in nondiabetic subjects with metabolic syndrome (MS). The aim of our study was to analyze, in a group of patients with essential hypertension and without diabetes mellitus, the influence of MS on clinic and 24-h pulse pressures. METHODS: A total of 528 hypertensive subjects, aged 18 to 72 years, who were free of cardiovascular and renal diseases were enrolled. Of the subjects, 41% had MS. In all subjects routine blood chemistry, echocardiographic examination, and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were performed. RESULTS: When compared with subjects without MS, hypertensive patients with MS exhibited more elevated clinic pulse pressures (66 +/- 16 v .58 +/- 14 mm Hg; P < .00001) and 24-h (51 +/- 9 v .48 +/- 7 mm Hg; P = .00001). These results held even after correction for age, sex, stroke volume, mean pressures, and total cholesterol. The regression line relating PP with age was steeper in patients with MS than in those without MS. Multivariate regression models confirmed that the relationships of MS with clinic (beta = 0.12; P = .003) and 24-h PP (beta = 0.11; P = .01) were independent from several confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: The elevated levels of clinic and 24-h PP observed in hypertensive patients with MS may reflect increased large arteries stiffness and may therefore contribute to explain the enhanced cardiovascular risk associated with MS.

Impact of metabolic syndrome on left ventricular mass in overweight and obese hypertensive subjects.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MS) has been associated with an increased left ventricular (LV) mass in recent reports. Little is known about the association of MS with LV mass (LVM) in overweight and obese individuals. The aim of our study was to investigate the relation between MS and LVM in a population of overweight and obese hypertensive subjects. METHODS: 289 non-diabetic essential hypertensives with a body mass index >25 kg/m2, were enrolled. In all subjects routine blood chemistry, echocardiographic examination and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were performed. RESULTS: In the group of overweight patients, participants with MS (n=58), when compared to those without it (n=127), exhibited significantly greater LVM indexed for height(2.7) (LVMH(2.7)) (50+/-12 vs 44+/-11 g/m(2.7); p=0.0001), even after controlling for age, gender and 24-h systolic blood pressure. Similar results were obtained in the group of obese individuals, being LVMH(2.7) (56+/-12 vs 44+/-9 g/m(2.7); p<0.0001) greater in subjects with MS (n=77) than in those without MS (n=27), even after adjustment for age, gender and clinic systolic blood pressure. The independent association of MS with LVMH(2.7) in overall study population was confirmed by linear multiple regression analyses (beta=0.20; p=0.0004). CONCLUSIONS: MS seems to increase LVM over and above the potential contribution of blood pressure, body size and other single components of this syndrome. Since LV hypertrophy is a well-known predictor of cardiovascular events, our results may partly explain the enhanced cardiovascular risk associated with MS.

Influence of the metabolic syndrome on aortic stiffness in never treated hypertensive patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Metabolic syndrome (MS) carries an increased risk for cardiovascular events and there is a growing awareness that large artery stiffening is a powerful predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Little is known about the relationship of MS with aortic stiffness. The aim of our study was to analyze, in patients with essential hypertension, the influence of MS, defined according to the criteria proposed by the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (NCEP-ATP III), on carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), a measure of aortic stiffness. METHODS: Ninety-three untreated essential hypertensives, aged between 23 and 61 years, without diabetes mellitus, were studied. All subjects underwent routine blood chemistry, oral glucose tolerance test with glucose and insulin determinations, albumin excretion rate (AER) measurement, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, and measurement of carotid-femoral PWV, by means of a computerized method. RESULTS: Patients with MS (n = 28) showed higher age-adjusted carotid-femoral PWV (10.1 +/- 1.4 vs 9.3 +/- 1.4 m/s; p = 0.01) when compared to subjects without MS. This difference held after controlling for gender and for 24-h mean blood pressure (MBP) (p = 0.02) and lost its statistical significance after further adjustment for AER. In a multiple regression model, excluding the individual components of MS, in which metabolic syndrome was added along with age, gender, smoking habit, LDL cholesterol, HOMA index, 24-h MBP and 24-h heart rate, MS remained independently associated with carotid-femoral PWV (beta = 0.29; p = 0.002). The statistical significance of this association disappeared after the inclusion into this model of AER. CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic syndrome is associated with an increased aortic stiffness. Main explanatory factors of this association are age, systolic blood pressure and albumin excretion rate.