Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) serum levels and insulin resistance in men on chronic hemodialysis.

Background: In males with end stage renal disease biochemical hypogonadism is a frequent finding. Testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) have been associated with insulin resistance, a well-known condition in uremia. The aim of the present study was to investigate in males on chronic hemodialysis the relationship of testosterone and SHBG serum levels with insulin resistance.

Bone Mineral Density in Adult Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Assessed by Both DXA and QCT.

Purpose: Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in uncomplicated young adult patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and sex- and age-matched controls, using both dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and quantitative computed tomography (QCT) to investigate their diagnostic ability in detecting abnormal values in these patients.

Methods: 118 patients with T1DM (65 females, mean age 30.12 ± 8.

Eating habits and factors affecting food choice of adolescents living in rural areas.

Objective: To establish factors that affect food choices among adolescents living in rural areas and to identify their food choices.

Design: A random sample of adolescents living in a Greek rural area (n=382) aged 12-18 years were individually interviewed. Food consumption was assessed by a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire and adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated using the KIDMED questionnaire.

Evidence of increased muscle atrophy and impaired quality of life parameters in patients with uremic restless legs syndrome.

Background: Restless Legs Syndrome is a very common disorder in hemodialysis patients. Restless Legs Syndrome negatively affects quality of life; however it is not clear whether this is due to mental or physical parameters and whether an association exists between the syndrome and parameters affecting survival. METHOD#ENTITYSTARTX003BF;LOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using the Restless Legs Syndrome criteria and the presence of Periodic Limb Movements in Sleep (PLMS/h >15), 70 clinically stable hemodialysis patients were assessed and divided into the RLS (n = 30) and non-RLS (n = 40) groups.

AR CAG repeat length is not associated with serum gonadal steroids and lipid levels in healthy men.

Cardiovascular risk factors seem to be affected by androgens, which exert their action through the androgen receptor (AR). Androgenic action correlates inversely with a polymorphic CAG repeat region in the AR gene encoding for glutamine residues the length of which appears to influence high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. The aim of the study was to investigate the possible association between AR gene polymorphism and serum sex steroids and lipids.

Lower prevalence of epsilon 4 allele of apolipoprotein E gene in healthy, longer-lived individuals of Hellenic origin.

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE), and especially its epsilon4 isoform, is considered a risk factor predisposing to coronary heart disease. We hypothesized that the absence of epsilon4 allele offers a better chance for longer life. So we compared the prevalence of ApoE genotypes in 80 healthy aged individuals (HAI) (>80 years) and 391 Greek adults (median age 43 years) with ApoE genotype distribution consistent with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (chi(2) = 5.

Endothelin-1 plasma levels in hemodialysis treatment--the influence of type 2 diabetes.

In patients on chronic hemodialysis the prevalence of atherosclerosis is increased and is by far the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Endothelin-1, an endothelium-derived peptide with vasoconstrictive and mitogenic effects on vascular smooth muscles, is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the time course of plasma endothelin-1 levels during a hemodialysis session and to explore the influence of preexisting type 2 diabetes mellitus.