Effect of an intensive lifestyle intervention on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components among overweight and obese adults.

Background: Despite the fact that up to a third of the global population has metabolic syndrome (MetS), it has been overlooked in clinical settings. This study assesses the impact of a physician-supervised nonsurgical weight management program on the prevalence of MetS and its key indicators.

Methods: Four-hundred seventy-nine overweight and obese participants aged 19 years or older were included in a prospective longitudinal study.

Antiretroviral drug-induced endothelial dysfunction is improved by dual PPARα/γ stimulation in obesity.

Obesity rates are rising in HIV-infected populations; however, the putative role of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in the development of endothelial and cardiovascular derangements in the presence of pre-existing overweight/obesity is unclear. Although dual peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-alpha/gamma (PPARα/γ) stimulation mitigates HAART-induced metabolic dysfunction, vascular effects are unresolved. To investigate whether HAART induces vascular dysfunction in obesity and to explore the underlying mechanisms of PPARα/γ stimulation, male Wistar rats were placed on a high-calorie diet for 16 weeks.

The cardiovascular effects of Aspalathus linearis supplementation in male Wistar rats receiving fixed-dose combination first-line antiretroviral therapy.

HIV-infected populations receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The beneficial cardiovascular effects of rooibos are well described; however, it is unknown whether rooibos ameliorates harmful ART-induced cardiovascular side effects. We investigated the cardiometabolic effects of rooibos co-treatment in rats receiving ART (efavirenz, emtricitabine, tenofovir) for nine weeks.

Dialysis initiation: what's the rush?

The recent trend to early initiation of dialysis (at eGFR >10 ml/min/1.73 m(2) ) appears to have been based on conventional wisdoms that are not supported by evidence. Observational studies using administrative databases report worse comorbidity-adjusted dialysis survival with early dialysis initiation.

Urban exposure to ELF magnetic field due to high-, medium- and low-voltage electricity supply networks.

The regional environment protection agency (ARPA) of the Aosta Valley region in north Italy performed a survey of magnetic field triggered by the power supply network in high, medium and low voltages on the entire area of Aosta town. The electrical distribution system for houses was not however taken into account. The aim of the survey was to evaluate the global population exposure and not simply the assessment of the legal exposure limit compliance.

The average daily energy expenditure of elderly males and females.

The aim of this study was to report on the average daily energy expenditure by elderly males and females in their normal day-to-day activities. The study was based on an analysis of data collected over six months from daily diary recording of activities. The subjects, 82 males and 93 females, were non-institutionalized volunteers with a mean age of 68 years.

A cross-cultural assessment of perceived health problems in the elderly.

To study cross-cultural differences in perceived health problems in the elderly the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) developed by Hunt et al. was administered to subjects from the People's Republic of China and Australia. The Australian stratum was further categorized according to cardiovascular status.

Perceived health problems in subjects with varying cardiovascular diagnoses.

To study perceived health problems in subjects with differing cardiovascular status, the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) was administered to 210 subjects 55 years of age and over. Subjects were categorized as being cardiovascular "Normals," being hypertensive, having isolated coronary artery disease, or both being hypertensive and having coronary artery disease. An analysis of variance between the four cardiovascular strata on each of the six subscales of the NHP yielded significant differences between the groups on the subscales Pain, Physical Mobility, Energy, and Social Isolation.

Ventricular ectopy during prolonged ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring in elderly hypertensive subjects.

To examine whether ventricular ectopy in hypertensive older people is associated with age, the hypertensive process, or treatment, a 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram recording was obtained in 94 noninstitutionalized subjects aged 60-90 years with isolated hypertension and 136 noninstitutionalized normotensive subjects aged 60-82 years. A significantly higher prevalence of frequent ventricular ectopic beats (VEB greater than 100 per recording) was found in hypertensive and normotensive groups age greater than or equal to 70 years compared to age 60-69 years (44% vs 15%, P less than .01, and 28% vs 9%, P less than 01, respectively).

Intermittent claudication. The effect of physical training on walking tolerance and venous lactate concentration.

Twenty-one patients with intermittent claudication underwent a physical exercise program lasting 8 weeks. The patients were classified on the basis of maximal walking tolerance (MWT) and diagnosis at the initial examination. Seven of the patients had a MWT less than 1,000 m and no symptoms of chronic obstructive airways disease (COAD) or angina (group A), seven had a MWT less than 1,000 m plus angina and/or COAD (group B) and seven had an unlimited (greater than 1,250 m) MWT (group C).