Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett technologies as nanoarchitectonic tools for the incorporation of curcumin in membrane systems.

Curcumin (CCM) is a molecule of particular interest in health applications due to its wide spectrum of benefits for humans. However, its water-insoluble character and low bioavailability have so far prevented its extended use as a therapeutic agent. Incorporation of CCM in drug delivery vehicles (liposomes, vesicles, exosomes, etc.) is expected to contribute to increasing its bioavailability. Studies of the affinity of CCM with the components of the membrane systems of such vehicles and determination of factors that may enhance curcumin entrapment in biological membranes are of fundamental importance. To that end, here we take advantage of the nanoarchitectonic capabilities of the Langmuir technique for the construction of model cell membranes and determination of thermodynamic properties in mixed films. The obtained results may serve to: (i) provide some light on the miscibility of CCM with the components in the cell membrane and (ii) determine the optimal conditions for the fabrication of membrane systems incorporating CCM. For that, binary and ternary mixed Langmuir films of CCM, DPPC (1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and CHOL (cholesterol) have been prepared. Whilst binary mixtures of DPPC and CCM exhibit poor miscibility and even phase segregation, CHOL has shown itself as a key element to promote the incorporation of CCM in the phospholipidic membrane containing DPPC. Both the thermodynamic studies of the ternary Langmuir films and the Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) images of Langmuir-Blodgett films have shown that ternary mixed films with a molar fraction composition of xDPPC/xCHOL/xCCM = 0.4/0.4/0.2 exhibit good miscibility, stability, and result in monolayers with a very homogeneous topography.

Consecución de objetivos terapéuticos de colesterol LDL en niños y adolescentes con hipercolesterolemia familiar. Registro longitudinal SAFEHEART / Attainment of LDL cholesterol treatment goals in children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolemia. The SAFEHEART Follow-up registry

Introducción y objetivos: Poco se conoce acerca de las características de los sujetos con hipercolesterolemia familiar (HF) menores de 18 años, así como del tratamiento hipolipemiante empleado en estos pacientes y la consecución de objetivos lipídicos en la vida real. Nuestro objetivo es valorar la consecución de objetivos de colesterol unido a lipoproteínas de baja densidad (cLDL) en pacientes con HF menores de 18 años incluidos en un gran registro nacional. Métodos: Se analizó a los pacientes menores de 18 años incluidos en un gran registro en marcha de pacientes con diagnóstico genético de HF en España. Se analizó la consecución de los objetivos recomendados de cLDL en plasma a la inclusión y en el seguimiento en relación con el uso de terapia hipolipemiante. Resultados: Se incluyó a 392 individuos menores de 18 años, de los que 217 obtuvieron diagnóstico genético de HF y seguimiento completo. El tiempo de seguimiento medio fue 4,69 [intervalo intercuartílico, 2,48-6,38] años; el 68,2% de los casos con HF tomaban estatinas y el 41,5% de los pacientes tenían el cLDL < 130 mg/dl. El uso de estatinas fue el único predictor de consecución de objetivos de cLDL. Conclusiones: Este estudio demostró que una alta proporción de pacientes con HF menores de 18 años tenía altas concentraciones de cLDL y no lograron alcanzar los objetivos de cLDL recomendados. El uso de estatinas fue el único predictor independiente asociado a conseguir el objetivo de cLDL recomendado. No se detectó ningún problema de seguridad durante el seguimiento. Estos resultados enfatizan que muchos pacientes con HF no están suficientemente controlados y aún es posible mejorar del tratamiento (AU)

Introduction and objectives: Little is known about the characteristics of persons with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) younger than 18 years, the lipid-lowering therapy used in these patients, and the lipid goals reached in real life. Our aim was to evaluate the achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) treatment goals in FH patients younger than 18 years enrolled in a large national registry. Methods: We analyzed patients younger than 18 years enrolled in a large ongoing registry of molecularly-defined patients with FH in Spain. The attainment of guideline-recommended plasma LDL-C goals at entry and follow-up was analyzed in relation to the use of lipid-lowering therapy. Results: We enrolled 392 individuals younger than 18 years. Of these, 217 were molecularly-diagnosed FH patients and had a complete follow-up. The median follow-up time was 4.69 years (interquartile range, 2.48-6.38 years), 68.2% of FH patients were on statins, and 41.5% patients had LDL-C < 130 mg/dL. Statin use was the only predictor of LDL-C goal attainment. Conclusions: This study shows that a high proportion of FH patients younger than 18 years have high LDL-C levels and fail to achieve recommended LDL-C targets. Statin use was the only independent predictor of LDL-C goal achievement. No safety concerns were detected during follow-up. These results indicate that many FH patients are not adequately controlled and that there is still room for treatment improvement (AU)

Attainment of LDL Cholesterol Treatment Goals in Children and Adolescents With Familial Hypercholesterolemia. The SAFEHEART Follow-up Registry.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Little is known about the characteristics of persons with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) younger than 18 years, the lipid-lowering therapy used in these patients, and the lipid goals reached in real life. Our aim was to evaluate the achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) treatment goals in FH patients younger than 18 years enrolled in a large national registry. METHODS: We analyzed patients younger than 18 years enrolled in a large ongoing registry of molecularly-defined patients with FH in Spain. The attainment of guideline-recommended plasma LDL-C goals at entry and follow-up was analyzed in relation to the use of lipid-lowering therapy. RESULTS: We enrolled 392 individuals younger than 18 years. Of these, 217 were molecularly-diagnosed FH patients and had a complete follow-up. The median follow-up time was 4.69 years (interquartile range, 2.48-6.38 years), 68.2% of FH patients were on statins, and 41.5% patients had LDL-C < 130mg/dL. Statin use was the only predictor of LDL-C goal attainment. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that a high proportion of FH patients younger than 18 years have high LDL-C levels and fail to achieve recommended LDL-C targets. Statin use was the only independent predictor of LDL-C goal achievement. No safety concerns were detected during follow-up. These results indicate that many FH patients are not adequately controlled and that there is still room for treatment improvement.