Plasma or serum 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid can be used interchangeably in patients with neuroendocrine tumours.

5-hydroxyindole acetic acid, a metabolite of serotonin, is used in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with neuroendocrine tumours, in particular patients with small intestinal neuroendocrine tumours associated with the carcinoid syndrome. Analysis of 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid was commonly performed in urine, but blood-based assays are now becoming available. The objective of this study was to assess how 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid compares in plasma and serum as a biochemical marker of neuroendocrine tumours.

Dyslipidaemia: what's around the corner?

Hyperlipidaemia is a major risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Statins are the mainstay of therapy and new guidelines focus on the use of these agents without specific targets for low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol or non high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. However, patients remain at risk of cardiovascular disease despite statin therapy so new drugs are required.

Dyslipidaemia related to insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease in South Asian and West African populations.

The global burden of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasing. Obesity is rapidly increasing worldwide and is associated with dyslipidaemia, metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Excess risks of T2DM and CVD are found in migrant Indian Asian and West African populations but with increasing urbanization similar changes are occurring in the original populations and are likely to predispose to a large increase in worldwide burden of CVD.

Lipid-lowering agents.

The role of lipid lowering in reducing the risk of mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular disease (CVD) is well established. Treatment particularly aimed at decreasing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is effective in reducing the risk of death from coronary heart disease and stroke. Statins form the cornerstone of treatment.