Relationship between Serum Bilirubin Levels and Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders.

Objective: We investigated the relationship between serum bilirubin levels and metabolic syndrome (MetS), and the longitudinal effects of baseline serum bilirubin concentrations on MetS in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders undergoing atypical antipsychotics.

Methods: The sample of this study consisted of 131 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Waist circumference, blood pressure, and levels of triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting glucose, and insulin were evaluated at baseline and at month six.

Evaluation of Oxidative Status in Patients Treated with Electroconvulsive Therapy.

Objective: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is used in the treatment of many psychiatric diseases and this therapy may be effective on antioxidant defence system. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of ECT on oxidative stress.

Methods: Fourteen major depression, 11 schizophrenia and 8 bipolar affective disorder patients diagnosed and received ECT treatment, and 37 healthy volunteers enrolled in the study.

Adiponectin and Cardiac Hypertrophy in Acromegaly.

Background: Adiponectin is an adipocytes-derived hormone which has been shown to possess insulin-sensitizing, antiatherogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties. In acromegaly, the data on adiponectin is contradictory. The relationship between adiponectin levels and cardiac parameters has not been studied.

Comparison of the effects of different intravenous fat emulsions in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome and sepsis.

Background: In this study, the authors aimed to compare the effects that a medium- and long-chain triglyceride (MCT/LCT) fat infusion and a fish oil-based (ω-3) fat infusion for parenteral nutrition (PN) had on systemic inflammation, cytokine response, and hepatic steatosis in mixed intensive care unit (ICU) patients.

Methods: This was a single-center, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial in a university hospital. Four patient groups, including systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and sepsis patients, were assigned to receive PN employing the MCT/LCT fat infusion or the fish oil-based fat infusion over 7 days.

Leflunomide: is a new oral agent in treatment of acute pancreatitis?

Objectives: Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) is a potent mediator in several steps of acute pancreatitis. Leflunomide is a novel immunomodulating drug that is also a potent inhibitor of NF-kappaB activation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of leflunomide pretreatment in severe necrotizing pancreatitis in rats.

SHBG levels correlate with insulin resistance in postmenopausal women.

Background: Overweight or central obesity is generally associated with increases in fasting insulin levels, insulin resistance, and glucose intolerance and has been identified as a target for new therapeutic strategies, including early change in lifestyle. Early biochemical markers for identifying at-risk patients will be useful for prevention studies. The aim of this study is to investigate whether or not SHBG level is a useful index of hyperinsulinemia and/or insulin resistance in pre- and postmenopausal obese women.

Are C-reactive protein and homocysteine cardiovascular risk factors in obese children and adolescents?

Background: Several prospective epidemiological studies have demonstrated that high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and plasma homocysteine (hcy) are predictors of future coronary events among healthy men and women. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate a possible relationship between hsCRP, hcy levels and body mass index (BMI), relative weight (RW), serum leptin levels, and cardiovascular risk factors in obese children and adolescents.

Methods: The study involved 28 obese children and adolescents (13 girls, 15 boys; BMI>95 per thousand for age and sex), 4.

Growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor axis in patients with subclinical thyroid dysfunction.

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate serum concentrations of GH, IGF-I, and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in patients with subclinical thyroid dysfunction before and after normalization of thyroid function.

Design And Methods: The study included 51 patients (mean age 42.2+/-1.

Insulin-like growth factor-I gene and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 polymorphism in patients with thyroid dysfunction.

Background And Aims: Thyroid hormones have important roles in normal growth and skeletal muscle development. IGF-I is one of the most important growth factors and is needed for the proliferation and development of thyroid cells. It stimulates fibroblasts, follicular and endothelia cells in thyroid gland.

Associations between sex hormone binding globulin and metabolic syndrome parameters in premenopausal obese women.

Background And Aims: The aim of this study was to determine sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations in premenopausal obese women and to evaluate the relationships between sex hormones and features of the metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Settings And Design: Retrospective cross-sectional analysis was carried out on 350 obese patients aged 25 to 69 years referred to the Department of Endocrinology, Pamukkale University in 2002-2003.

Materials And Methods: 125 premenopausal euthyroid patients were eligible for this study.

Effects of aluminum on insulin-like growth factor I levels and antioxidant status.

Background: The aim of this research was to investigate the toxic effects of aluminum (Al) on plasma insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels and on the liver, the main production site of IGF-I. In addition, we analyzed the influence of Al on liver malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels, and how the antioxidant vitamin E (vit E) affects the altered levels of these parameters.

Methods: Adult male rats (n = 28) were randomly divided into the following four groups: Al alone, Al + vit E, vit E alone, and untreated control group.

Relationship between insulin and sex hormone-binding globulin levels during weight loss in obese women.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of insulin sensitivity on the relationship between sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and insulin levels during active weight loss in euthyroid obese women.

Research Design And Methods: The study population comprised 80 premenopausal overweight and obese (BMI > or =27) women (mean age 41.44 +/- 10.

P-glycoprotein polymorphism in hypo- and hyper-thyroidism patients.

P-glycoprotein (Pgp) is encoded by the multidrug resistance gene (MDR1) in humans and is the product of MDR1. It is expressed in various tissues and is related to drug distribution in intestinal erythrocytes, capillary endotel of brain, proximal tubules cells of kidneys and liver canalicular cells. Expression of Pgp is affected by Pgp polymorphism, and exon 26 C3435T polymorphism is the most common one.

Obesity is associated with increased serum TSH level, independent of thyroid function.

Objective: To reinvestigate the relationship between circulating TSH levels and adiposity in a cohort of obese people, who have normal thyroid function.

Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional analysis was carried out on 226 euthyroid obese or overweight female patients. Thirty-nine female lean and euthyroid subjects (BMI<25 kg/m2) were included in the study group.

Increased plasma levels of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF-binding protein 3 in pregnant rats with exercise.

Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) are closely related molecules. Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) is a main molecule that binds IGF-I. GH, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 have important roles in growth and development.

Effects of cadmium and zinc on plasma levels of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor I, and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3.

Humans are constantly exposed to cadmium (Cd) as a result of the increase in air pollution and cigaret use. Zinc (Zn), which is an essential element for the metabolism of and the constituent of many enzymes, causes growth retardation in the deficiency status, so at present it is often added to the diet without measuring blood levels of this element. We also aimed to observe the effects of both Cd and Zn on the plasma levels of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) in this study.

C-reactive protein levels in non-obese pregnant women with gestational diabetes.

A low-grade systemic inflammation is concomitant in diabetes. There is a pathophysiological relation between gestational diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes mellitus, which was further supported by significantly elevated risk of type 2 diabetes in women with a history of previous gestational diabetes mellitus. We investigated the relation between low-grade systemic inflammation expressed as C-reactive protein and gestational diabetes in non-obese pregnant women.

Is procalcitonin a reliable marker for the diagnosis of infected pancreatic necrosis?

Background: Infected necrosis in acute pancreatitis is the main factor in determining the prognosis of the disease. Early and accurate diagnosis of infected pancreatic necrosis might decrease mortality. The aim of the present study is to identify a reliable marker for the onset infection in three different experimentally induced pancreatitis models.

Effects of chronic aluminum administration on blood and liver iron-related parameters in mice.

In this study, the effects of chronically administered aluminum on iron metabolism-related parameters of liver and blood of mice were investigated. An additional purpose to determine how chronic aluminum administration together with vitamin E as an antioxidant to mice changed the parameters related to iron metabolism. For these purposes, we used 21 adult female Balb-c mice in this study.

Hyperhomocysteinemia: a risk factor for retinal vein occlusion.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the plasma homocysteine levels in patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in order to reveal whether hyperhomocysteinemia was a risk factor for RVO.

Methods: Thirty-three consecutive patients diagnosed to have RVO of any type and 25 age- and sex-matched controls without RVO were included in this prospective case-control study. Data regarding age, sex, history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, other vascular events, glaucoma, medications and smoking habits were obtained from all subjects.

Influence of acute exercise on urinary protein, creatinine, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF binding protein-3 concentrations in children.

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is a polypeptide hormone and present in human urine. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) is the major form of binding protein in human circulation and functions as a carrier for IGF-I. Our goal was to determine the effects of volleyball exercise on the concentrations of urine protein, creatinine, IGF-I, and IGFBP-3 in children and to find out whether these effects differ between boys and girls.

Usefulness of procalcitonin for diagnosis of sepsis in the intensive care unit.

Introduction: The diagnosis of sepsis in critically ill patients is challenging because traditional markers of infection are often misleading. The present study was conducted to determine the procalcitonin level at early diagnosis (and differentiation) in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and sepsis, in comparison with C-reactive protein, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha.

Method: Thirty-three intensive care unit patients were diagnosed with SIRS, sepsis or septic shock, in accordance with the American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine consensus criteria.

Evaluation of soluble transferring receptor levels in children with iron deficiency and beta thalassemia trait, and in newborns and their mothers.

In this study we first aimed to investigate the value of soluble transferrin receptor levels (sTfR) in healthy, iron deficient and beta thalassemia trait children and to determine whether sTfR is a useful indicator of iron deficiency. Secondly, we investigated the effects of iron supplementation of sTfR levels in a group of iron deficient children. Third was to describe sTfR in newborn infants and determine whether or not maternal iron deficiency is an important predictor of infant sTfR.