Biochemical markers of vascular calcification in elderly hemodialysis patients.

The increased vascular calcification, cardiovascular morbidity, and mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients has been associated with disturbances in mineral-bone metabolism. In order to determine markers of the vascular calcification frequently observed in these patients, blood samples of elderly male and female hemodialysis CKD patients were used to measure serum levels of: osteoprotegerin (OPG), total soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (sRANKL), and fetuin-A by enzyme immunoassay; tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP-5b), and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) by immunoenzymometric assay; osteocalcin (OC) by ELISA; iPTH by immunoradiometric assay; 25(OH)D(3) and 1,25(OH)(2)D(3), by I(125) radioimmunoassay; and calcium and phosphorus by photometric assay. Serum OPG, BAP, iPTH, phosphorus, and OC levels were higher and serum 25(OH)D(3), 1,25(OH)(2)D(3), and fetuin-A levels lower in both male and female CKD patients than in their respective controls.

Mineral-bone metabolism markers in young hemodialysis patients.

Objective: To study the most frequent markers of mineral-bone metabolism in young hemodialysis (HD) patients in order to detect any metabolism changes that could lead to the atherosclerosis and extravascular calcification frequently observed in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and estimate their potential prognostic significance.

Design And Methods: We measured serum levels of intact-PTH (iPTH), Osteoprotegerin (OPG), total soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (sRANKL), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP-5b), osteocalcin (Oc), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), calcium, phosphorus, 25(OH)D(3) and 1,25 (0H)(2)D(3) in young HD patients and controls

Results: In comparison to controls, serum OPG, iPTH, BAP, phosphorus, and osteocalcin levels were higher whereas 25(OH)D(3) and 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) were lower in HD patients.

Conclusion: In conclusion, our results indicate that bone formation and resorption parameters are already altered in young HD subjects.

A nutritional intervention study with hydrolyzed collagen in pre-pubertal spanish children: influence on bone modeling biomarkers.

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of dietary intake of commercial hydrolyzed collagen (Gelatine Royal) on bone remodeling in pre-pubertal children.

Methods: A randomized double-blind study was carried out in 60 children (9.42 +/- 1.

Lipid profiles and oxidative stress parameters in male and female hemodialysis patients.

To study atherogenesis markers in patients with stage 5D chronic kidney disease (CKD-5D) on hemodialysis to determine which parameters are modified and whether their behavior differ between male and female patients of similar age. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, total proteins, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, autoantibodies against oxidized low-density lipoproteins-cholesterol, homocysteine (Hcy), folate, and vitamin B12 were measured in male and female controls and CKD-5D patients on hemodialysis for >6 months. The CKD-5D patients had significantly lower cholesterol, LDL-c and ox-LDL levels and significantly higher ox-LDL-AB and Hcy levels versus their respective controls.

Two models of homocysteine behavior in acute myocardial infarction.

Objectives: To study homocysteine (Hcy) levels during post-infarction follow-up.

Methods And Results: In this study, serum Hcy levels were measured in 90 healthy individuals and in 127 patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) on the day of infarction (day 0) and days 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11 post-infarction, comparing Hcy levels in MI patients on day 0 with their follow-up results and with levels in controls. Overall, MI patients had higher Hcy levels on day 0 versus controls.

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and growth axis hormones in patients after surgery.

We selected 38 patients scheduled for cholecystectomy and studied their serum concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and growth axis hormones [growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 (GH/IGF-1)]. We aimed to determine whether alterations in these concentrations resulted from surgical stress or, on the contrary, preceded surgery and were themselves a cause of chronic diseases that reduce life expectancy. We measured the serum concentrations of DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S), ACTH, cortisol, human GH (hGH), IGF-1, and IGF-1 binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) preoperatively and then 2 and 7 days after surgery; we also compared the preoperative findings with those of a healthy control group.

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and growth axis hormones in patients with ischemic heart disease.

Background: The present study aimed to determine whether decreases in dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and growth axis components precede cardiovascular disease or are a consequence of it.

Methods: We measured the concentrations in serum of DHEA-S, ACTH, cortisol, growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 in 30 male controls and also in 37 male patients on days 0, 2, 5, 7 and 9 after suffering a myocardial infarction (MI).

Results: There was no significant variation in any of these parameters between the controls and the patients on day 0.

Follicular fluid markers of oocyte developmental potential.

Background: Concentrations of certain substances in follicular fluid (FF) are related to fertilization outcome and early post-fertilization development. The study aim was to identify FF markers with which to predict embryo implantation potential.

Methods: Concentrations of selected hormones, cytokines and growth factors in individual FF samples obtained during assisted reproduction treatment were related with treatment outcomes.

Relationship between fertilization results after intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and intrafollicular steroid, pituitary hormone and cytokine concentrations.

Previous studies relating hormone and cytokine concentrations in follicular fluid to oocyte fertilizability were flawed by the uncertainty about the actual oocyte maturity status at the time of recovery and by the possible contribution of the male factor to failures of conventional in-vitro fertilization. This is the first study in which oocyte maturity was assessed immediately after recovery and only mature oocytes were selected for treatment by intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Fertilization outcomes were related to follicular fluid concentrations of 17beta-oestradiol, progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone (LH), growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha).

Effects of human growth hormone on the catabolic state after surgical trauma.

The aims of our studies were: (1) to determine if the protein catabolic response after a major or moderate surgical trauma can be restrained by the administration of exogenous human growth hormone (hGH); (2) to determine if the administration of hGH can improve systemic host defenses, thus reducing the risk of infection, and (3) given that the postoperative fatigue syndrome (POF) is mediated by the endocrino-metabolic response to surgery we attempt to determine if the administration of hGH can prevent or reduce POF. Therefore, we performed three placebo-controlled randomized double-blind trials on 216 patients. Major gastrointestinal surgery was treated only with total parenteral nutrition (TPN; n = 20) or TPN plus 4 IU hGH (n = 18).

Can the use of growth hormone reduce the postoperative fatigue syndrome?

Convalescence after surgery is characterized by a period of fatigue (POF). If we assume that the POF syndrome has a multifactorial etiology, it is clear that the aim of therapeutic measures should be to reduce the response to surgical stress. The purpose of the present study was to determine if administering exogenous human growth hormone (hGH) can prevent the development or reduce the duration of the POF.

Exogenous growth hormone: effects on the catabolic response to surgically produced acute stress and on postoperative immune function.

The first purpose of the present prospective randomized study was to determine if the protein catabolic response after operation could be restrained by administration of hypocaloric parenteral nutrition (HPN) plus human growth hormone (hGH). Our second aim was to determine if the administration of hGH could improve the systemic host defenses, thereby reducing the risk of infection. We performed a placebo-controlled randomized double-blind trial in 180 patients after elective cholecystectomy with or without choledochoduodenostomy (placebo = control group, n = 93; hGH-treated group, n = 87).