Mild peripheral neuropathy prevents both leg muscular ischaemia and activation of exercise-induced coagulation in Type 2 diabetic patients with peripheral artery disease.

Aim: To study the influence of peripheral neuropathy on intermittent claudication in patients with Type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

Methods: Twenty-five patients with T2DM were grouped according to the ankle/brachial index (ABI): 10 with ABI > 0.9 without peripheral artery disease (PAD; group T2DM) and 15 with ABI < 0.

Relationship of early carotid artery disease with lipoprotein (a), apolipoprotein B, and fibrinogen in asymptomatic essential hypertensive patients and normotensive subjects.

Background: We investigated the relationships between plasma lipids and lipoprotein fractions and carotid artery lesions (CAL) in 177 cerebro-vascularly asymptomatic subjects, of whom 107 were primary hypertensive patients and 70 normotensive controls.

Methods: The prevalence and severity of CAL, as assessed by calculating a score of severity (score of CAL) and the maximal stenosis of both sides, as well as the intimal-medial thickness (IMT) were evaluated with a high-resolution echo-Doppler technique. We measured total serum cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)], Apo (apolipoprotein)AI, ApoAII, ApoB, and fibrinogen.

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and carotid artery disease in mild-to-moderate primary hypertension.

Background: The evidence linking activation of the renin-angiotensin system with accelerated cerebro-vascular atherosclerosis remains controversial. We therefore prospectively investigated the relationships of plasma renin activity and aldosterone levels with carotid artery lesions (CAL) in essential hypertension.

Methods: We evaluated the prevalence and severity of CAL and the intimal-medial thickness (IMT) with a high-resolution echo-Doppler technique in 107 cerebrovascularly asymptomatic consecutive primary hypertensives (55 male, 52 female) and in 70 (42 male, 28 female) normotensive controls.

Cardiovascular effects of anabolic steroids in weight-trained subjects.

The effects of large doses of anabolic steroids on 24-hour blood pressure, cardiac structure and function, and lipid profiles were studied in 10 body builders using anabolic steroids and 14 body builders who did not use steroids (control subjects). All subjects underwent noninvasive 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, echocardiography, Doppler analysis of transmitral flow, and analysis for lipoprotein and gonadotropin levels. Anabolic steroid users were studied at the end of a steroid cycle and after a period of withdrawal.

Lipoprotein profile, diet and body composition in athletes practicing mixed an anaerobic activities.

Objective: To compare lipoprotein profile, body composition and diet in a sample of athletes practicing mixed and anaerobic sports activities, and in a group of sedentary controls.

Experimental Design: Cross selectional study.

Participants: Twenty professional soccer players (mixed trained), twenty body builders (anaerobic trained) and twenty sedentary subjects, all males and matched for age were studied.