Interleukin-12p40 gene (IL-12B) polymorphism and Type 1 diabetes mellitus in Japanese: possible role in subjects without having high-risk HLA haplotypes.

The present study was undertaken to clarify a role of interleukin-12p40 gene (IL-12B) polymorphism, located on chromosome 5q33-34 (IDDM 18), in Japanese subjects with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD). In 179 subjects with T1DM, 166 with AITD (128 with Graves' disease and 38 with Hashimoto's thyroiditis) and 115 healthy control subjects, the IL-12B 3'UTR A-C polymorphism was determined by PCR-RFLP method. In T1DM subjects, the genotype was also analyzed in relation to human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1-DQB1 haplotype status.

Unilateral adrenalectomy improves insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus in a patient with ACTH-independent macronodular adrenal hyperplasia.

ACTH-independent macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (AIMAH) is a rare cause of Cushing's syndrome. Bilateral adrenalectomy is considered to be a standard therapy for AIMAH, although lifetime replacement of glucocorticoids is necessary after the procedure. This paper describes a subject with AIMAH who underwent unilateral adrenalectomy of the predominantly enlarged gland and subsequently displayed an improvement in insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus, the cardinal symptoms before the operation, concomitant with alleviation of abnormal cortisol secretion.

Decrease in serum C-reactive protein levels by troglitazone is associated with pretreatment insulin resistance, but independent of its effect on glycemia, in type 2 diabetic subjects.

Insulin-sensitizing thiazolidinediones (TZDs) decrease inflammatory markers such as high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in sera in addition to their hypoglycemic effects. However, factors associated with the decrease in serum hsCRP concentrations are unclear. In the present study, an effect of troglitazone on serum hsCRP levels was investigated and compared with its effect on glycemia.

Hypoadiponectinemia is associated with visceral fat accumulation and insulin resistance in Japanese men with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of serum adiponectin concentration with regional adiposity and insulin resistance in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A total of 73 Japanese men with type 2 diabetes (aged 59 +/- 11 years and body mass index [BMI] 23.8 +/- 3.

Relationship between exercise training-induced increase in insulin sensitivity and adiponectinemia in healthy men.

Circulating concentrations of adiponectin, an adipocyte-derived protein, are increased by thiazolidinediones and by weight reduction, accompanied with improvement in insulin sensitivity. The effect of exercise training, another therapy to increase insulin sensitivity (SI), on adiponectinemia is currently unclear. The present study was undertaken to clarify whether exercise training-induced increase in SI is related to changes in adiponectinemia in healthy men.

Close association of severe hyponatremia with exaggerated release of arginine vasopressin in elderly subjects with secondary adrenal insufficiency.

Objective: Hyponatremia occurs not infrequently in hypopituitarism. Arginine vasopressin (AVP)-induced impaired water excretion is found in patients with hypopituitarism and experimental models of glucocorticoid deficiency.

Design: The present study was undertaken to determine whether augmented release of AVP is involved in the development of hyponatremia in elderly subjects with secondary adrenal insufficiency.