Performance of two metabolic syndrome definitions in the estimation of cardiovascular disease among hypertensive patients.

The authors evaluated the significance of metabolic syndrome (MetS) diagnosis, as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) and by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), in the evaluation of cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients. Among 638 patients, the prevalence of MetS was 54.7% when the IDF criteria were used, compared with 45.

Uric acid as a factor in the metabolic syndrome.

Hyperuricemia is a prevalent finding in patients presenting metabolic syndrome, although its clinical meaning is still controversial and often underestimated. Men and women have different serum urate levels at all ages, and the impact of hyperuricemia in cardiovascular and renal outcomes is generally associated with a worse prognosis in women. Recent studies also have called attention to another perspective on hyperuricemia, indicating that it may be not only a consequence of insulin resistance states but also a significant predictor of the development of metabolic syndrome.

Is cystatin C a useful marker in the detection of diabetic kidney disease?

Background/aims: To evaluate cystatin C as a marker of diabetic kidney disease in normoalbuminuric diabetic patients without chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: A cross- sectional study was carried out comprising 243 hypertensive patients, 61 of them with type 2 diabetes, presenting normoalbuminuria and an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) >or=60 ml/min/1.73 m(2).

Uric acid as a marker for renal dysfunction in hypertensive women on diuretic and nondiuretic therapy.

Hyperuricemia is a common finding in hypertensive patients, especially among those who are on diuretic therapy. However, its clinical relevance regarding cardiovascular and chronic kidney disease (CKD) has not clearly been established. The authors assessed whether, in a population of 385 hypertensive women categorized according to diuretic therapy, the stratification in quartiles by uric acid levels would identify a gradient of changes in renal function and in risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Abdominal obesity is associated with potassium depletion and changes in glucose homeostasis during diuretic therapy.

The activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is an important mechanism that contributes to hypertension in obese individuals. Thiazide diuretics also activate the RAS in response to volume contraction and can lead to a decrease in serum potassium values and glucose metabolism abnormalities. To evaluate the impact of abdominal obesity on potassium depletion and glucose homeostasis in hypertensive patients receiving thiazide therapy, the authors studied 329 hypertensive patients without known diabetes or impaired renal function.

Impact of weight loss on adipocytokines, C-reactive protein and insulin sensitivity in hypertensive women with central obesity.

Objective: To assess the impact of weight reduction on serum adipocytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), and insulin sensitivity in hypertensive female patients with central obesity.

Methods: This study was performed using the database and stored serum samples of female patients who had participated in an intervention study focused on weight loss. Thirty hypertensive women aged 18 to 65, body mass index (BMI) > 27 kg/m2, and central obesity were selected.