Gender difference of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in DD genotype of ACE insertion/deletion polymorphism in elderly Chinese.

Introduction: In this study we investigated the gender difference of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in a population of Hong Kong-dwelling elderly Chinese.

Materials And Methods: A total of 1767 (843 male, 924 female) Hong Kong-dwelling elderly Chinese were recruited. ACE I/D genotypes were identified by polymerase chain reaction amplification and serum ACE activity was determined using a commercially available kinetic kit.

Pharmacokinetic properties of single-dose lamivudine/adefovir dipivoxil fixed-dose combination in healthy Chinese male volunteers.

Background: Both lamivudine and adefovir dipivoxil are approved for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and have established safety profiles. A fixed-dose combination (FDC) formulation of lamivudine/adefovir dipivoxil for the treatment of CHB may provide dosing convenience and improve adherence.

Objective: This study compared the pharmacokinetic profiles of an FDC capsule containing lamivudine/adefovir dipivoxil 100/10 mg and conventional lamivudine 100-mg + adefovir dipivoxil 10-mg tablets to determine bioequivalence.

Effects of grapefruit juice and SLCO1B1 388A>G polymorphism on the pharmacokinetics of pitavastatin.

Pitavastatin undergoes little hepatic metabolism but it is a substrate for uptake and efflux transporters, particularly OATP1B1 (gene SLCO1B1). A previous study in 8 Japanese healthy subjects showed that co-administration with grapefruit juice (GFJ) resulted in a small increase in systemic exposure to pitavastatin. We examined whether common polymorphisms in SLCO1B1 might influence the pharmacokinetics of pitavastatin or the interaction with GFJ.

Effects of CYP2D6*10, CYP3A5*3, CYP1A2*1F, and ABCB1 C3435T polymorphisms on the pharmacokinetics of flecainide in healthy Chinese subjects.

Background: Although flecainide is thought to be meta-bolized predominantly by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6, it shows pharmacokinetic interactions with drugs, such as verapamil and digoxin, which may suggest other CYP pathways or ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters might be involved. This study evaluated effects of common polymorphisms in Chinese in CYP2D6, CYP3A5, CYP1A2, and ABCB1 on flecainide pharmacokinetics.

Methods: Single oral 100-mg doses of flecainide were given to 15 healthy male Chinese subjects who were genotyped for the CYP2D6*2, *5, *10, CYP3A5*3, CYP1A2*1F and ABCB1 C1236T, G2677T/A, and C3435T polymorphisms.

Study of potential cardioprotective effects of Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi): results of a controlled human intervention trial.

Previous studies have suggested that Lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum) has antioxidant effects and possibly beneficial effects on blood pressure, plasma lipids and glucose, but these have not been confirmed in subjects with mild hypertension or hyperlipidaemia. The objective of the present study was to assess the cardiovascular, metabolic, antioxidant and immunomodulatory responses to therapy with Lingzhi in patients with borderline elevations of blood pressure and/or cholesterol in a controlled cross-over trial. A total of twenty-six patients received 1·44 g Lingzhi daily or matching placebo for 12 weeks in a randomised, double-blind, cross-over study with placebo-controlled run-in and cross-over periods.

Pharmacogenetic analysis of lipid responses to rosuvastatin in Chinese patients.

Lipid changes with statin treatments vary greatly between individuals for reasons which are largely unknown. This study was performed to examine the genetic determinants of lipid responses to rosuvastatin in Chinese patients. A total of 125 polymorphisms in 61 candidate genes from 386 Chinese patients were analyzed for association with the lipid responses to rosuvastatin 10 mg daily.

Subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in patients with psoriatic arthritis.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) compared with healthy controls, and to identify clinical and biologic markers for atherosclerotic disease in this patient population.

Methods: Subclinical atherosclerosis was defined as the average of intima-media thickness (IMT) measures in the common carotid artery, bifurcation, and internal carotid artery on both sides above the 95th percentile of healthy controls. IMT was measured using carotid ultrasonography in 82 consecutive PsA patients and 82 healthy controls matched on age, sex, and ethnicity.

Impact of TNF inhibition on insulin resistance and lipids levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have increased cardiovascular mortality. TNF-alpha is a critical mediator of inflammation and metabolic response in patients with RA. Increased insulin resistance and dyslipidemia were known risk factors in patients with active RA, however, the regulation of these metabolic parameters by TNF-alpha is poorly understood.