Relationship between hyperuricemia and metabolic syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between metabolic syndrome and hyperuricemia. METHODS: A total of 2 374 subjects who received health examination in our hospital from Jan. 2004 to Dec. 2006 were enrolled in our study. Hyperuricemia is defined as >or=7 mg/dl (in men) or >or=6.0 mg/dl (in women). Metabolic syndrome was defined using AHA/NHLBI (American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) criteria. RESULTS: (1) The overall prevalence of hyperuricemia was 13.10%. The condition was more common in men than in women (19.07% vs 3.42%). (2) Among men, uric acid concentration is statistically significantly positively correlated with waist circumference, blood pressure, and triglyceride. Uric acid is negatively correlated with serum high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C). Uric acid concentration is most strongly correlated with serum triglyceride (r=0.379) and waist circumference (r=0.297). Among women, statistically significant positive correlations were noted for the serum uric acid concentrations with waist circumference, triglyceride and fasting plasma glucose. Serum triglyceride (r=0.329) and waist circumference (r=0.234) are most strongly correlated with uric acid concentrations. (3) Men with hyperuricemia had a 1.634-fold increased risk of metabolic syndrome as compared with those without hyperuricemia [odds ratio (OR)=1.634, P=0.000]. Women with hyperuricemia had a 1.626-fold increased risk of metabolic syndrome (OR=1.626, P=0.000) as compared with those without hyperuricemia. CONCLUSION: Hyperuricemia is prevalent among Chinese population. Additionally, serum uric acid is positively associated with metabolic syndrome.

Nutritional intervention in the metabolic syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Through an interventional study in the metabolic syndrome, evaluate the feasibility of the standard nutritional intervention. DESIGN: Select metabolic syndrome patients from people who received a health check in our hospital and randomly allocate them into four groups. The standard interventional group received both the nutritional intervention and health education; the simple interventional group only received the nutritional intervention; the simple health educational group only received health education; the control group did not receive any intervention measure. Examine the related index of the metabolic syndrome of each group before and half a year after the intervention: waistline, blood pressure, triglyceride, fasting plasma glucose etc. K-W test and Chi-square test, Bonferroni correction was used in our study. OUTCOMES: The index of the metabolic syndrome was significantly different for each of the four groups before and after intervention (p<0.05). Relative to the control group the total index for the standard nutritional interventional group and for, the simple health education group was significantly different, but there was no difference for the other indices (p>0.05) between the standard nutritional interventional group and simple nutritional interventional group, except that the waistline difference (p<0.005) showed statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The standard nutritional intervention is an effective strategy for patients with the metabolic syndrome.

[Electrophysiological study of 16 patients with severe N-hexane neuropathy].

OBJECTIVE: To observe electrophysiological changes of severe N-hexane neuropathy getting active therapies and discuss its prognosis. METHODS: A follow-up study involved 16 adult severe N-hexane neuropathy patients who got active therapies was performed. EMG in right muscle of thenar, tibial muscle, and vastus medialis, NCV in right median nerve, common peroneal nerve, and sural nerve were determined and analyzed before treatment and in the first, the third, the ninth, and the twenty-fourth month after treatment. RESULTS: The electrophysiology in severe N-hexane neuropathy patients showed that the voluntary potential during muscle relaxation increased by 25.0%; the motor unit potential time limit prolonged by 20.8%, and the amplitude increased by 12.5%, and multiphasic wave increased by 16.5% during mild contraction; the raise decreased by 25.0% during strong contraction. In control group, the MCV, SCV, SNAP, DML, and CMAP of median nerve were (54.63 +/- 5.33) m/s, (59.25 +/- 6.45) m/s, (26.53 +/- 6.32) microV, (3.96 +/- 0.65)ms, and (9.89 +/- 2.30) mV respectively, the MCV, CMAP, DML of common peroneal nerve were (48.49 +/- 3.25) m/s, (5.47 +/- 1.77) mV, (5.20 +/- 1.27) ms respectively, and the SCV, SNAP of sural nerve were (63.21 +/- 9.30) m/s, (4.63 +/- 1.29) microV respectively. Severe N-hexane neuropathy patients presented significantly different abnormalities in the NCV and EMG (P < 0.01). The MCV, SCV, SNAP, DML, CMAP of median nerve were (46.00 +/- 4.32) m/s, (40.66 +/- 2.65) m/s, (7.98 +/- 1.05) microV, (4.28 +/- 0.63) ms, and (6.32 +/- 1.54) mV respectively. The MCV, CMAP, DML of common peroneal nerve were (48.49 +/- 3.25) m/s, (3.21 +/- 1.99) mV, (7.32 +/- 1.65) ms respectively. The SCV, SNAP of sural nerve were (36.48 +/- 5.20) m/s, (2.15 +/- 1.22) microV respectively. These parameters gradually recovered to normal levels in 24 months after treatment. CONCLUSION: The electrophysiological abnormalities in severe N-hexane neuropathy patients can restore after treatment, and clinical prognosis is good.