Waist circumference, metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease in a Pakistani cohort.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (M-IRS) is common in Asians. This study investigated the relationship of two definitions of M-IRS to atherosclerosis in Indian Asians with suspected coronary arterial disease (CAD).

Methods: 400 patients with chest pain selected for the presence or absence of angiographic disease were recruited from a tertiary referral centre in Pakistan into a prospective case-control study.

Differential effect of pioglitazone (PGZ) and rosiglitazone (RGZ) on postprandial glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a prospective, randomized crossover study.

Background: Postprandial metabolism is impaired in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2Dm). Two thiazolidinediones pioglitazone (PGZ) and rosiglitazone (RGZ) have similar effects on glycaemic control but differ in their effects on fasting lipids. This study investigated the effects of RGZ and PGZ on postprandial metabolism in a prospective, randomized crossover trial.

Cardiovascular risk factors determine erectile and arterial function response to sildenafil.

Background: Erectile dysfunction is related to endothelial function. Cardiovascular risk factors determine endothelial function. Sildenafil is effective in treatment of erectile dysfunction but shows variable results.

Low-density lipoprotein apolipoprotein B100 turnover in hypopituitary patients with GH deficiency: a stable isotope study.

Background: Epidemiological studies suggest that hypopituitary patients have an increased risk for cardiovascular mortality. The dyslipidaemia associated with this condition is often characterised by an increase in total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (LDL-C) and may contribute to these findings. The underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated.

Impaired renal function and atherosclerosis in a Pakistani cohort.

Objective: To investigate the relationship of creatinine and calculated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) with coronary arterial disease (CAD) in Pakistani patients.

Subjects: Four hundred individuals with chest pain; 200 with angiographic disease matched with 200 without occlusive disease.

Design: A prospective case-control study.

Asymmetric dimethyl arginine levels correlate with cardiovascular risk factors in patients with erectile dysfunction.

Background: Erectile dysfunction is related to penile arterial endothelial nitric oxide production. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and E-selectin are often considered plasma markers of endothelial function.

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between these plasma markers and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with erectile dysfunction.

Efficacy of ezetimibe in patients with statin-resistant and statin-intolerant familial hyperlipidaemias.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of the cholesterol absorption inhibitor ezetimibe in patients with refractory familial hyperlipidaemia or intolerant to statin therapy.

Methods: This prospective study assessed the safety and efficacy of ezetimibe in 200 patients with refractory familial hyperlipidaemias not achieving a low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol < 3 cholesterol < 3 mmol/L (116 mg/dL) including 22% intolerant to all statin therapy, many consuming intolerant to all statin therapy, many consuming sterol-containing products.

Results: Ezetimibe monotherapy resulted in 7% and 11% reductions in LDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein B respectively.

Waist-hip ratio and low HDL predict the risk of coronary artery disease in Pakistanis.

Objective: To establish risk factor causal associations for coronary artery disease (CAD) in the native Pakistani population.

Methods: We conducted a hospital-based, case-control study of 200 cases with angiographically documented CAD and 200 age- and sex-matched controls without angiographic evidence of CAD. Patients on lipid lowering therapy were excluded.

Raised plasma total sialic acid levels are markers of cardiovascular disease in renal dialysis patients.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) rates in dialysis patients are very high. One of the many associated risk factors is chronic inflammation. The relationship of baseline markers of chronic inflammation with the presence of CVD was assessed in a large cohort of stable dialysis patients.

The apolipoprotein E2 allele modulates activity and maximal velocity of the sodium-lithium countertransporter.

Background: Alterations in erythrocyte sodium-lithium countertransport (SLC) activity and its maximal velocity (Vmax) are associated with hypertension and hypertriglyceridemia. The presence of apolipoprotein (apo) E variants is associated with hypertriglyceridemia. This study investigated the relationship between apoE phenotype and SLC kinetics.

Effect of IGF-I therapy on VLDL apolipoprotein B100 metabolism in type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Abnormal lipid metabolism may be related to the increased cardiovascular risk in type 1 diabetes. Secretion and clearance rates of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) apolipoprotein B100 (apoB) determine plasma lipid concentrations. Type 1 diabetes is characterized by increased growth hormone (GH) secretion and decreased insulin-like growth factor (IGF) I concentrations.

A 6-month randomized trial of thyroxine treatment in women with mild subclinical hypothyroidism.

Purpose: The role of thyroxine replacement in subclinical hypothyroidism remains unclear. We performed a 6-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effects of thyroxine treatment for mild subclinical hypothyroidism, defined as a serum thyroid-stimulating hormone level between 5 to 10 microU/mL with a normal serum free thyroxine level (0.8-16 ng/dL).