Short-Term Standard Diet Consumption Prior to the Oral Fat Tolerance Test Modulates the Postprandial Triglyceride Response.

We hypothesized that the consumption of a 3-day standard diet (SD) prior to the oral fat tolerance test (OFTT), used to evaluate postprandial lipemia, may counteract the undesirable effects of individual dietary habits on the test results. The OFTT was applied to 22 healthy adults (11 females and 11 males), after their habitual diets (HDs) and following the consumption of a 3-day SD (45-60% energy from carbohydrate, 20-35% from fat, and 10-20% from protein). Plasma triglyceride (TG) concentrations were measured during fasting and at the fourth hour of the OFTT. A 3-day SD significantly reduced fasting and fourth-hour TG concentrations and delta TG values by 10%, 12.8%, and 22.7%, respectively. Decreases were observed in fasting and fourth-hour TG and delta TG values following the 3-day SD compared to the HD in subjects with fasting TG concentrations between 89 and 180 mg/dL (p = 0.062, p = 0.018, and 0.047, respectively). As a result, the consumption of a 3-day standardized diet prior to the OFTT may be useful to eliminate the false positive or negative effects of individual dietary habits on test results and to correctly identify individuals who should be administered the OFTT.

Elevated Circulating Endocan Levels Are Associated with Increased Levels of Endothelial and Inflammation Factors in Postprandial Lipemia.

BACKGROUND: Postprandial lipemia (PPL) causes endothelial dysfunction by causing endothelial damage to lipoproteins that remain rich in triglycerides. Endocan is a proteoglycan with increased tissue expression, endothelial activation, and neovascularization. The aim of the study was to examine circulating endocan levels in PPL subjects by considering the degree of PPL response according to a high-fat test meal. The other aim was to determine the association between endocan levels and endothelial and inflammatory factors. METHOD: Fifty-four hyperlipidemic subjects and 28 normolipidemic subjects consumed the high-fat meal. Endocan, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and VEGFA as endothelial factors and IL-6 and LFA-1α as inflammatory factors were evaluated. RESULTS: Fasting serum endocan, VEGFA, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 IL-6, and LFA-1α levels were increased in the PPL group compared to the control group. The PPL group was divided into tertiles based on mean AUC levels. Endocan levels in tertile 3 were at the highest and were increased significantly compared to tertiles 1 and 2. AUC and endocan levels were positively correlated with other endothelial and inflammation factors. ROC analysis showed endocan levels to be one of the highest values. CONCLUSIONS: Circulating endocan is seen at significantly higher levels and independently associated with endothelial and inflammatory factors in postprandial lipemia and dyslipidemia.

Effects of hazelnut supplemented diet on doxorubicin-induced damage of reproductive system in male rats.

The present study was objected to investigate the effect of hazelnut supplemented diet on the levels of oxidative stress and fertility parameters against doxorubicin-induced testicular and epididymal tissue damage of male rats. Rats were randomly divided into four groups (each n = 8), namely control group (CG), doxorubicin group (DG), doxorubicin + hazelnut group (DHG), and doxorubicin + vitamin E group (DEG). This is the first study designed using DHG. Doxorubicin was intraperitoneally injected into all diet groups except CG at a dose of 3 mg/kg body weight on days 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28. In addition, DHG was supplemented with a hazelnut diet at a dose of 3 g/kg body weight/day and vitamin E was added to the drinking water of DEG at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight/day. DHG reversed the side effects of doxorubicin and positively improved the epididymis sperm quality, testicular and epididymal tissue injury, testosterone level, epididymis oxidative stress index, and lipid peroxidation in male rats. These findings suggest that hazelnut has positive effects against doxorubicin dependent damage on male rats and it may be a promising supplement for amelioration of testicular toxicity. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Hazelnut has numerous positive health effects due to its macronutrients, micronutrients, lipid-soluble compounds and bioactive phenolics. Studies have shown that regular consumption of hazelnut may have a positive effect on lipid parameters, oxidative stress, inflammation markers, and endothelial dysfunction in both healthy people and patients with chronic diseases. Although doxorubicin (Adriamycin, DOX) is an antibiotic that has been widely used in cancer treatment for nearly 30 years, it causes organ toxicity including testicular tissue. Hazelnut may have positive effects on the damage caused by DOX in the reproductive system. However, studies on the effect of hazelnut on male reproductive health are scarce. Therefore, this study provided a basis for the clinical evaluation of the effects of hazelnut on the reproductive system.

Evaluation of serum sTWEAK and sCD163 levels in patients with acute and chronic coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested soluble tumor necrotizing factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) and sCD163 may be a potential cardiovascular biomarker. We aimed to evaluate sTWEAK and sCD163 levels and predictive values in patients with chronic coronary artery disease (CAD) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: Two hundred fourteen angiography-made patients were enrolled in the study and divided into 3 groups: 30 controls with normal angiograms, 99 patients with ACS, 85 patients with chronic CAD. sTWEAK, sCD163 and CRP levels were measured. Receivers operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed to determine the predictive values of sTWEAK and sCD163 levels and the sCD163/sTWEAK ratio. Gensini scores were used to assess severity of CAD. RESULTS: sTWEAK levels in chronic CAD and ACS patients were lower compared to the control group (P<0.0001). sCD163 levels (P<0.0001) and the sCD163/sTWEAK ratio (P<0.0001) were higher in the ACS patients compared to the control and chronic CAD patients. ROC analysis revealed low sTWEAK level and high sCD163/sTWEAK ratio predicted chronic CAD, and low sTWEAK, high sCD163, CRP levels and sCD163/sTWEAK ratio predicted ACS. According to ROC analyses, significance of sTWEAK levels for chronic CAD was more marked compared to ACS (P<0.0001 vs P=0.001) and significance of sCD163/sTWEAK ratio was greater than sTWEAK for ACS (P<0.0001 vs P=0.001). These parameters didn't correlate with severity of disease, obtained gensini scoring, in chronic CAD. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded thatsTWEAK level may be a diagnostic marker of especially chronic CAD, sCD163 level of ACS, and the sCD163/sTWEAK ratio of both chronic CAD and ACS.

Is the combined use of insulin resistance indices, including adipokines, more reliable in metabolic syndrome?

BACKGROUND/AIM: To determine the levels of adipokines (leptin, adiponectin, resistin, and visfatin) and the indices of insulin sensitivity/ resistance, and to examine the relationship among them in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study groups included 45 subjects with MetS (31 women/14 men), and 45 sex- and age-matched non-MetS healthy volunteers (31 women/14 men). The levels of adipokines were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The levels of leptin and visfatin were significantly higher in the MetS than in the non-MetS subjects (P < 0.01). There was no difference in adiponectin levels in subjects with and without MetS (P = 0.052). Similarly, resistin did not show any statistically significant difference. A statistically significant positive correlation ofleptin with insulin levels was observed, while negative correlations of visfatin levels with age, and resistin levels with the ratio of adiponectin to leptin, were found in the MetS (P <0.05). The combination of adipokines, insulin resistance-sensitivity parameters, and MetS criteria parameters gave more significant differences than a single parameter. CONCLUSION: Since the parameters mentioned above might affect, interact with, and/or interfere with each other, the combinations of these parameters might give more reliable results to evaluate the insulin resistance/sensitivity in MetS patients.