The sural sensory/radial motor amplitude ratio for the diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy in type 2 diabetic patients.

Background And Aim: The diagnosis of peripheral diabetic neuropathy is based on clinical examination. Nerve conduction study (NCS) enables earlier diagnosis, but it is demanding and requires specialised personnel. In an attempt to simplify the procedure, this study aimed to identify a new electrophysiological index, which might correlate with results obtained on standardised NCS in patients with long-standing type 2 diabetes.

Association of polymorphisms of the serotonergic system with smoking initiation in Caucasians.

Background: The serotonergic system may be implicated in susceptibility to nicotine dependence as nicotine increases 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) release in brain and symptoms of nicotine withdrawal may be modulated by diminished serotonergic neurotransmission. We examined the association of polymorphisms of genes involved in release and receptor function of 5-HT with cigarette smoking initiation in subjects of Caucasian origin.

Methods: 5-HTTLPR polymorphism of the 5-HT transporter gene and -759C/T (rs3813929) and -697G/C (rs518147) polymorphisms of the 5-HT(2C) receptor gene were analyzed in 172 smoking initiators and 254 non-initiators, using PCR-RFLP method.

A prospective study of acute poisonings in a sample of Greek patients.

Objectives: Acute poisoning is one of the most common situations managed in the emergency department. Significant differences have been reported concerning the prevalence and etiology of poisoning. This study aims to present the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of poisonings in the region of Thrace in Northern Greece, where no similar studies have been performed.

The serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) is associated with type 2 diabetes.

Background: The serotonergic system contributes substantially to the regulation of glucose homeostasis and feeding. 5-HTTLPR is a serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene-linked polymorphic region that regulates the transcriptional activity of 5-HTT. Our aim was to investigate the possible association of 5-HTTLPR polymorphism with type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity.

Presence of CYP2C9*3 allele increases risk for hypoglycemia in Type 2 diabetic patients treated with sulfonylureas.

Aims: Hypoglycemia is a common adverse effect of sulfonylurea oral hypoglycemic agents. Impaired metabolism of sulfonylureas due to gene polymorphisms in the metabolic enzyme CYP2C9 might lead to hypoglycemia. In the present study we explored the association of the CYP2C9 variant alleles CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3 with the incidence of hypoglycemic events in diabetic patients receiving the sulfonylureas glimepiride and gliclazide.