An evaluation of visfatin levels in obese subjects.

INTRODUCTION: Visfatin is a protein secreted by adipose tissue, which shows insulin mimetic properties. The role of visfatin in the development of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome continues to raise controversy. The aim of the study was to evaluate visfatin levels and to attempt to establish the relationship between visfatin and selected anthropometric and biochemical parameters in obese individuals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 68 obese subjects (15 men and 53 women) aged 37.8 +/- 13.2 years with body mass index (BMI) values of 39.4 +/- 6.4 kg/m(2) without a previous diagnosis of abnormal glucose metabolism. The control group comprised 30 healthy nonobese volunteers (6 men and 24 women) with normal glucose metabolism, aged 38.2 +/- 14.9 years with BMI values of 22.8 +/- 3.0 kg/m(2). RESULTS: We found significantly higher visfatin levels in the obese subjects compared to the control group (median visfatin level of 39.6 v. 17.3 ng/ml, p = 0.0006). In the obese group there was a statistically significant negative correlation between visfatin levels and age (r = -0.26, p = 0.034), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) (r = -0.28, p = 0.031) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) (r = -0.36, p = 0.0037). No statistically significant correlations were found between visfatin levels and the remaining parameters under study. In the control group, visfatin levels did not show any significant correlation with any of the parameters under study. CONCLUSIONS: We found elevated levels of visfatin in obese subjects, which did not correlate with the majority of anthropometric parameters with the exception of WHR (negative correlation). This correlation may suggest that elevated visfatin levels are associated with the distribution of adipose tissue characteristic of gynoid rather than visceral obesity. In the group of obese subjects, visfatin levels decreased with age and glycated haemoglobin levels.

[Assessment of selected factors influencing birthweight in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus]. / Analiza wybranych parametrów wplywajacych na mase ciala noworodka u kobiet z cukrzyca ciezarnych.

OBJECTIVES: Giving birth to a chi;d with an excessive brithweight is one of the most common neonate complications observed in the pregnant women with gestation diabetes (GDM). DESIGN: The aim of the study was an evaluation of selected factors affecting birthweight in the GDM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from 867 pregnant women were analysed. The influence of: age, height, place of living and mother's educational background and BMI before pregnancy and weight gain during pregnancy and also HbA1c, triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) values in the 3rd term of pregnancy (T3) were determined. The TC and TG were assessed by the enzymatic method by means of the Bio Merieux firm set--France, HbA1c by means of the immunoturbidimetric method using the Roche firm sets--France. RESULTS: Statistically significant birthweight differences were affirmed according to: mother's height (respectively the groups: < or = 155 vs 156-169 vs > or = 170 cm), BMI before pregnancy (< 25 vs 25-29.9 vs > or = 30 kg/m2), weight gain in pregnancy (< 12 vs > or = 12 kg), TG (< 2.7 vs > 2.7 mmol/l) and HbA1c in T3. No influence of mother's age, her place of living, educational background, HbA1c at admission and TC values in T3 on the neonates birthweight was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The anthropometric and environmental factors (mother's height, weight, weight gain in pregnancy) have a more significant influence on the neonates birthweight of the mothers with GDM, than social-demographic factors (age, educational background, place of living), the way of treatment of GDM and TC in T3. The TG level in T3, beside HbA1c is an independent, prognostic factor of birthweight in GDM.

[Early development of Charcot neuroarthropathy in the course of compensated diabetes mellitus--case report]. / Wczesny rozwój neuroartropatii Charcota w przebiegu dobrze wyrównanej cukrzycy--opis przypadku.

Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN)--chronic and progressive, destructive disease of bones and joints, which develops on the background of neuropathy, is late and uncommon complication of diabetes. It occurs almost exclusively in patients with a mean duration of diabetes at least 10 years. We report the case of woman, who developed an acute phase of CN 11 months after recognition of diabetes. Because of recent recognition of diabetes and good glycaemic control, CN wasn't considered in the differential diagnosis of swelling, pain and warmth of feet. The initial diagnosis was missed, leading in few months, to development of irreversible deformity of both feet.