ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: S100A12, also known as EN-RAGE (extracellular newly identified receptor for advanced glycation end products binding protein) is a ligand for RAGE, and has been proposed to contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. In this study, we examined the plasma S100A12 concentration in patients with ESRD and undergoing hemodialysis (HD) and evaluated the relation between S100A12 level and carotid intimal media thickness (IMT) by ultrasound. METHODS: We measured plasma S100A12 concentration in 72 HD patients and 42 control subjects. IMT of the carotid artery was measured by high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography in 46 HD patients. RESULTS: The mean plasma S100A12 level was 2.3-fold higher in HD patients than in control subjects (25.0 +/- 2.32 vs. 10.7 +/- 0.97 ng/ml, p < 0.001). Stepwise multiple regression analysis identified circulating white blood cell count as a positive independent determinant and total cholesterol and serum albumin levels as negative independent determinants of plasma S100A12 concentration. The maximum IMT was positively correlated with plasma S100A12 level. Stepwise multiple regression analysis also identified plasma S100A12 as a significant independent determinant of the maximum IMT. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that S100A12 protein is involved in the acceleration of atherosclerosis in HD patients.
Subject(s)
Atherosclerosis/blood , Atherosclerosis/therapy , Renal Dialysis , S100 Proteins/blood , Aged , Carotid Arteries/diagnostic imaging , Case-Control Studies , Cholesterol/metabolism , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods , Female , Glycation End Products, Advanced/metabolism , Humans , Ligands , Male , Middle Aged , S100A12 Protein , Ultrasonography/methodsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of the ADAM questionnaire and aging males' symptoms' (AMS) rating scale for Japanese middle-aged men, we analyzed the results of these tests. We also examined the range of serum testosterone levels of these individuals. MATERIAL & METHODS: Answers to these tests were obtained from 187 healthy Japanese men (from 46 to 64 years old) who visited for medical check-up. Serum total (TT) and free (FT) testosterone were also examined, and calculated free (cFT) and bioavalable (cBT) testosterone levels were obtained. RESULT: According to the ADAM questionnaire, 140 (77.8%) men were judged to be PADAM. Mean AMS total, psychological, somatovegetative, and sexual symptom scores were 29.4, 7.5, 12.9, and 9.0, respectively. Although 32 (17.5%) men had more than moderate symptoms on AMS total score, 119 (65.0%) men complained of more than moderate sexual symptoms. In contrast, the testosterone levels of these people were not always low. Mean values of TT, FT, cFT, and cBT were 5.50 ng/ml, 14.7 pg/ml, 116.1 pg/ml, and 292.3 ng/dl, respectively. None of these testosterone levels was significantly correlated with age or AMS score. Only sexual symptom score among AMS subscales was significantly correlated with age. CONCLUSION: The borderlines for the ADAM questionnaire and AMS rating scale appear too stringent for healthy Japanese middle-aged men. The sexual activity of Japanese middle-aged men appears less than that of Westerners. Criteria of these tests in Japanese middle-aged men, especially sexual function, should be changed.
