Overweight, waist circumference, age, gender, and insulin resistance as risk factors for hyperleptinemia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of overweight, waist circumference, age, gender, and insulin resistance as risk factors for hyperleptinemia. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a population of 197 subjects: 59 men (21 aged < 60 years and 38 aged > or =60 years) and 138 women (37 aged < 60 years and 101 aged > or =60 years). The groups were stratified by overweight and normal weight. After a 12-hour fasting period, we measured serum leptin and insulin levels with radioimmunoassay methods. We also measured serum glucose and lipid profile. The data were analyzed by means of comparative tests. A variance-stabilizing transformation (natural logarithmic) was used to meet multiple linear regression, analysis of covariance, and logistic regression models. RESULTS: The leptin serum levels were higher and statistically significant in young and older women than they were in men. We observed an interaction between gender and body mass index to explain the difference in leptin levels (p < 0.0001). Our study demonstrated an inverse relationship between leptin with age and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. In logistic regression analysis, the overweight x gender interaction and waist circumference have a statistically significant influence as independent variables on hyperleptinemia (overweight x gender odds ratio = 6.81; 95% confidence interval, 1.10 to 46.86; p < 0.05 and waist circumference odds ratio = 4.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.47 to 12.83; p = 0.001). DISCUSSION: Women who were overweight or had a higher waist circumference (women > or = 88 cm and men > or = 102 cm) have a significantly higher risk of having hyperleptinemia. The increase in age as an isolated variable is not a risk factor for hyperleptinemia.

Epidermal growth factor and gastrin in scleroderma/CREST syndrome

Background. The objective of this study was to determine levels of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and gastrin (GA) in saliva, serum, and urine in scleroderma (Scl) and CREST syndrome. Methods. EGF and GA levels were mesured by radioimmunoassay in saliva, serum and urine in 10 patients (51 years, median; range, 35-66 years); 9 females and 1 male with Scl, 3 females with CREST syndrome, and 18 age-and sex-matched controls, 17 females and 1 male free of any systemic inflammatory disease. Results. In serum, the EGF was lower in Scl/CREST than controls (p=0.02), while GA serum concentrations were higher in Scl/CREST (p=0.02). In urine, EGF in Scl/CREST was slightly lower than controls (p=NS) and GA concentrations were higher than controls (p=0.03). In saliva, the EGF levels in Scl/CREST were also slightly lower than controls (p=NS), while GA concentrations in both Scl/CREST and controls were not different (p=NS). Conclusions. Low concentrations of EGF in serum probably play a role in the pathogenesis of Scl/CREST. GA concentration can be increased as a consequence of the low levels of EGF because of the structural homology of this peptide with urogastrone, a GA inhibitor factor

Participación de hormonas y factores reguladores de la implantación y el desarrollo de la unidad fetoplacentaria / Hormonal participation and regulating factors of implantation and the fetoplacentary unity development

Si bien el embrión tiene un programa genético de su propio desarrollo, para que se lleven a cabo el desarrollo y diferenciación embrionaria, así como la gestación normal, deben establecerse una serie de interacciones coordinadas entre el concepto y la madre, las cuales son mediadas por mensajeros químicos mediante mecanismo autocrinos, paracrinos y endocrinos. En el presente trabajo se analiza la participación de hormonas y factores réguladores de la implantación y el desarrollo de la unidad feto-placentaria