Prevalence of non alcoholic fatty liver disease in premenopausal, posmenopausal and polycystic ovary syndrome women. The role of estrogens.

Background & Aim: Non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in Western countries. Population studies have demonstrated that men and posmenopausal women have higher prevalence of NAFLD. The aim was to investigate the prevalence of NAFLD in premenopausal, posmenopausal and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) women.

High ghrelin and obestatin levels and low risk of developing fatty liver.

Aim: Obesity and insulin resistance are associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It was recently reported that the ratio between levels of ghrelin and obestatin is also associated with obesity and insulin resistance. We investigated the association between the ghrelin/obestatin ratio and NAFLD.

Metabolic syndrome and estimates of cardiovascular disease in cirrhotic patients.

Objective: The expected survival rate in patients with liver cirrhosis has increased in recent years, putting them into a clinical scenario in which cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome could be common causes of morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and other risk factors and estimate the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study assessing the patients' lifestyle, and their anthropometric and biochemical data.

Gallstones are associated with carotid atherosclerosis.

Background/aims: Gallstone disease (GD) and cardiovascular disease (CD) are common diseases worldwide with considerable economical impact and they are strongly associated. Carotid atherosclerosis is an excellent marker of risk for CD like stroke and myocardial infarction. The aim of this study was to assess the association between gallstones and carotid atherosclerosis.

[Therapeuric aspects of NAFLD. A literature review].

The prevalence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis has increased in the last years, paralleling the increasing incidence of overweight and obesity in the general population and related comorbidities. It is expected that in near future, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis will be responsible for a large number of subjects with chronic liver disease due to fatty liver Because of this, treatment options for fatty liver are necessary. To date, the cornerstone of treatment is based in weight reduction, with diet and increased physical activity, although reports indicating that insulin sensitizers and medications that reduce oxidative stress may hold promise for the treatment of this condition.

Association among C-reactive protein, Fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular risk.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with several metabolic disturbances involving inflammation. Ultrasensitive C-reactive protein (uCRP), a marker of coronary heart disease and other chronic diseases, has not been investigated in NAFLD. We tested the relationship between uCRP and NAFLD in middle-aged asymptomatic subjects, independently of other metabolic disturbances associated with metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk.

The efficacy of adipokines and indices of metabolic syndrome as predictors of severe obesity-related hepatic steatosis.

The aim of this study was to investigate adiponectin, leptin, and metabolic syndrome as predictors of the severity of obesity-related steatosis. By ultrasonography steatosis-positive (cases) subjects (n = 141) were compared with controls (n = 111). Demographic and anthropometric data and serum concentrations of adiponectin, leptin, and insulin were measured.

Obesity-related leptin receptor polymorphisms and gallstones disease.

Objective: Investigate the association between polymorphisms in the leptin receptor gene associated with obesity and gallstone disease.

Design: We conducted a cross-sectional study, carried out at a tertiary setting.

Subjects: We enrolled 97 subjects, comprising 54 subjects with gallstones (cases) and 43 controls (without gallstones).

Serum leptin levels and insulin resistance are associated with gallstone disease in overweight subjects.

Aim: To establish an association between the serum leptin levels and the development of gallstone disease (GD).

Methods: We carried out a non-matched case-controlled study in a university hospital in Mexico City. Two hundred and eighty-seven subjects were included: 97 cases with gallstones and 190 controls.

Prevalence of hepatitis C infection in a population of asymptomatic people in a checkup unit in Mexico city.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has an estimated prevalence of 3% around the world. Unfortunately, many persons with HCV infection are asymptomatic. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hepatitis C Virus infection in asymptomatic persons.

Adiponectin as a protective factor in hepatic steatosis.

Aim: Obesity and insulin resistance (IR) are closely related to hepatic steatosis (HS), and adiponectin is a hepatic insulin sensitizer that has important effects in liver function. This study aims at investigating the relationship between serum adiponectin concentration and the presence of HS.

Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study in a check-up unit of a University Hospital in Mexico City.

Metabolic syndrome as a risk factor for gallstone disease.

Aim: To establish an association between the presence of metabolic syndrome and the development of gallstone disease.

Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study in a check-up unit in a university hospital in Mexico City. We enrolled 245 subjects, comprising 65 subjects with gallstones (36 women, 29 men) and 180 controls (79 women and 101 men without gallstones).

Strong association between gallstones and cardiovascular disease.

Background And Aim: Obesity is closely associated with the increased morbidity and mortality of many common diseases in the Western world, including coronary heart disease (CHD) and gallstone diseases (GD). We have investigated the association between GD and CHD in a cross-sectional study.

Methods And Results: Subjects who had gallstones visible by ultrasound were considered as cases and subjects negative for gallstones were classified as controls.

The Amerindian's genes in the Mexican population are associated with development of gallstone disease.

Background: It has been suggested that genes related to Amerindian ancestry account for the high prevalence of gallstone disease (GD) observed in Mexican-Americans. The HLA-B39 is an allele found in higher frequency in Amerindians whereas HLA-B15 is rarely found. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that gallstone susceptibility genes are more prevalent in Mexicans with recent Amerindian ancestry.

Weight reduction and ursodeoxycholic acid in subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is an increasingly recognized condition that may progress to end-stage liver disease. We investigated the effects of weight reduction and ursodeoxycholic acid administration in patients with this disease.

Research Methods And Procedures: A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.