Long-term use of proton pump inhibitors and vitamin B12 status in elderly individuals.

Background: Some studies have shown that short-term use of proton pump inhibitors decreases the absorption of vitamin B12, but the results of studies into long-term proton pump inhibitor use and vitamin B12 deficiency are inconsistent.

Aim: To investigate whether long-term proton pump inhibitor use is associated with an abnormal vitamin B12 status in elderly individuals.

Methods: One hundred and twenty-five long-term (>3, years) proton pump inhibitor users aged 65, years and above were recruited from general practices.

Comparison between serology and histology in the diagnosis of advanced gastric body atrophy: a study in a Dutch primary community.

Goals: To assess serologically diagnosed gastric body atrophy (GBA) by histology in a sample of the general population.

Background: GBA is a precursor lesion in gastric cancer. Data on GBA in a primary health care community in the Netherlands have not been reported.

Stimulation of liver-directed cholesterol flux in mice by novel N-acetylgalactosamine-terminated glycolipids with high affinity for the asialoglycoprotein receptor.

Objective: Interventions that promote liver-directed cholesterol flux can suppress atherosclerosis, as demonstrated for scavenger receptor-BI overexpression in hypercholesterolemic mice. In analogy, we speculate that increasing lipoprotein flux to the liver via the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPr) may be of therapeutic value in hypercholesterolemia.

Methods And Results: A bifunctional glycolipid (LCO-Tyr-GalNAc3) with a high-nanomolar affinity for the ASGPr (inhibition constant 2.

A new Hb evanston allele [alpha14(A12)Trp --> Arg] found solely, and in the presence of common alpha-thalassemia deletions, in three independent Asian cases.

Hb Evanston [alpha14(A12)Trp --> Arg] is considered to be a rare alpha chain mutant, and was originally observed in two Black families in 1982, inducing a mild Hb H disease phenotype in a homozygous state for the -alpha3.7 deletion ( -alpha(Evanston)/ -alpha). The mutant, evidently linked with one of the two -alpha3.

Long-term treatment of intestinal helminths increases mite skin-test reactivity in Gabonese schoolchildren.

Background: Several studies have shown an inverse association between helminth infections and atopy, but none have clearly established that the pathogens themselves, rather than other associated factors, cause the suppression of atopy. To show a direct link, prospective intervention studies are required.

Methods: A randomized, controlled trial was performed to study whether repeated anthelminthic treatment results in increased allergic sensitivity to house dust mites (HDMs) in chronically infected children.

Renal disease in relatives of Indo-Asian Type 2 diabetic patients with end-stage diabetic nephropathy.

Aims/hypothesis: Indo-Asian immigrants in The Hague, The Netherlands, have a nearly 40-fold higher risk of end-stage diabetic nephropathy compared to the Caucasian population. To detect a genetic susceptibility for nephropathy within the Indo-Asian population, we assessed whether familial clustering of nephropathy occurs in families of Indo-Asian Type 2 diabetic patients.

Methods: We compared nephropathy prevalence between two groups of first-degree relatives of Indo-Asian patients with Type 2 diabetes; the first group (case relatives) consisted of 169 relatives of patients with end-stage diabetic nephropathy; the second group (control relatives) consisted of 161 relatives of diabetic patients who had no nephropathy.

The effect of plasma caeruloplasmin levels on the sensitivity for activated protein C.

The effect of caeruloplasmin levels on the sensitivity for activated protein C (APC), measured by a clotting assay based on the activated partial thromboplastin time, was investigated in a large group of healthy individuals without factor V Leiden. A modest inverse association between caeruloplasmin and normalized APC sensitivity ratio was found (regression coefficient beta = -0.33 x 10-2; 95% confidence interval, -0.

Effect of simvastatin on renal function in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Background: In animal models, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors were able to improve renal function and endothelium-dependent vascular reactivity. In various experimental renal diseases, including autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors improved the rate of decline in renal function. We studied the effect of simvastatin on ADPKD patients.

The hypolipidemic action of bezafibrate therapy in hypertriglyceridemia is mediated by upregulation of lipoprotein lipase: no effects on VLDL substrate affinity to lipolysis or LDL receptor binding.

Fibrates are regarded as drugs of choice in hypertriglyceridemia (HTG). Downregulation of apolipoprotein (apo) C-III gene expression and upregulation of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene expression have been suggested to explain the hypolipidemic action of fibrates. This study was designed to study the effects of bezafibrate therapy on very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) susceptibility to lipolysis, VLDL binding to the low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor and postheparin LPL activities in patients with HTG.

Does jejunal feeding activate exocrine pancreatic secretion?

Background: The upper small bowel is of pivotal importance for the stimulation of exocrine pancreatic secretion in response to a meal. We hypothesize that more distal delivery of nutrients into the small intestine will result in less activation of pancreatic secretion.

Materials And Methods: Eight healthy subjects (3 male, 5 female; age 23 +/- 1 years) participated in two experiments, performed in random order.

Effect of insulin and glucose on basal and cholecystokinin-stimulated exocrine pancreatic secretion in humans.

Pancreaticobiliary secretion is reduced during acute hyperglycemia. In nondiabetics, this inhibitory effect also may result from hyperinsulinemia. Therefore we investigated the effects of acute hyperglycemia and euglycemic hyperinsulinemia on basal and cholecystokinin (CCK)-stimulated pancreaticobiliary secretion.

Effect of acute hyperglycemia on basal, secretin and secretin + cholecystokinin stimulated exocrine pancreatic secretion in humans.

Pancreatico-biliary secretion is reduced during acute hyperglycemia. We investigated whether alterations in pancreatico-biliary flow or volume output are responsible for the observed reduction in duodenal output of pancreatic enzymes and bilirubin during hyperglycemia. Eight healthy subjects were studied on two occasions during normoglycemia and hyperglycemia (15 mmol/l).

European multicentre evaluation of the Super Aution SA-4220 urinalysis analyser.

A multicentre evaluation of the urine test strip analyser Super Aution-4220 was carried out in six laboratories. The analytical performance of the instrument with regard to imprecision, linearity, detection limit, drift, carry-over and method comparison was studied. Using the Aution stick 8 test strip the pH, glucose, protein, ketones, bilirubin, blood, urobilinogen and leukocyte esterase were analysed.

Absence of seasonal variation in the phase of the endogenous circadian rhythm in humans.

Humans may be subject to seasonal variations, as evidenced by the existence of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and midwinter insomnia. However, some recent studies have shown that the seasonal variation in the phase of the circadian rhythm is relatively weak in healthy humans. In the present study, evidence is found that there is no seasonal variation in the phase of the endogenous circadian rhythm at all.

Effect of acute hyperglycemia on basal and bombesin-stimulated pancreaticobiliary secretion in humans.

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of acute hyperglycemia on basal and bombesin-stimulated pancreaticobiliary secretion. Seven healthy subjects participated in two experiments performed in random order during normoglycemia and hyperglycemic clamping at 15 mM. Duodenal outputs of bilirubin, trypsin, amylase, and bicarbonate were measured by aspiration with a recovery marker under basal conditions for 60 min and during continuous infusion of bombesin (1 ng/kg x min) for 60 min.

The high alkaline fraction on isoelectric focusing of cerebrospinal fluid is cystatin C.

A high alkaline fraction with a pI of 9.2 is sometimes seen on isoelectric focusing patterns of cerebrospinal fluid. The appearance of this fraction mainly depends on the type of concentrators used to prepare the cerebrospinal fluid samples, prior to isoelectric focusing.

Multicenter harmonization of common enzyme results by fresh patient-pool sera.

A region consisting of 19 clinical laboratories harmonized their calibration of seven common enzymes by using fresh patient-pool sera. One of the laboratories was chosen to act as Regional Reference Laboratory (RRL). This laboratory used internationally accepted (mostly IFCC) methods at 37 degrees C, with an intralaboratory CV < or = 2.

Effect of acute hyperglycaemia on basal and fat-induced exocrine pancreatic secretion in humans.

1. We have investigated the effect of acute hyperglycaemia on pancreatico-biliary secretion in healthy subjects. Duodenal outputs of trypsin, lipase, amylase, bicarbonate and bilirubin were measured for 90 min under basal conditions and for 90 min in response to intrajejunal fat administration (1 g/h) on 2 separate days: during normoglycaemia (blood glucose 5 mmol/l) and during acute hyperglycaemia aimed at 15 mmol/l.

Effect of acute hyperglycemia on basal and cholecystokinin stimulated exocrine pancreatic secretion in humans.

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of acute hyperglycemia on pancreatico-biliary secretion in healthy subjects. Duodenal outputs of bilirubin, amylase, trypsin and bicarbonate were measured by aspiration using a recovery marker under basal condition for 75 min and during continuous infusion of CCK (0.5 IDU/kg.