BACKGROUND The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is higher in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) than in the general population; it may be due to the high prevalence of obesity presented by many of them. The aim of this study was to evaluate the insulin resistance (IR) using the HOMA (Homeostasis Model Assessment) method, in DS adolescents, describing it according to the sex, body mass index (BM...

The lithium (Li) and potassium (K) salts of 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO) and 2,4,6-trinitroanilino benzoic acid (TABA) were prepared and characterized during this work. The synthesis was carried out by addition of a solution of lithium/potassium hydroxide to the aqueous solution of NTO and TABA, respectively. The products were characterized by elemental analysis, metal content determinatio...

OBJECTIVES South-Asians have lower adiponectin levels compared to Caucasians. It was not clear however, if this intrinsic feature is related to aspects of glucose metabolism. This study aims to determine the relationship between body fat distribution and adipocytokine in South-Asian subjects by measuring serum adipocytokines, adiposity, insulinemia, and glucose tolerance levels. METHODS In th...

A severe burn leads to hypermetabolism and catabolism resulting in compromised function and structural changes of essential organs. The release of cytokines has been implicated in this hypermetabolic response. The severity of the hypermetabolic response following burn injury increases with age, as does the mortality rate. Due to the relationship between the hypermetabolic and inflammatory respo...

Adiponectin, a novel protein secreted exclusively by adipocytes, has emerged as an important potential mediator of the insulin resistance that is so characteristic of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (1,2). Consistent with the established inverse relationship between plasma adiponectin concentration and insulin resistance, hypoadiponectinemia has been documen...

Ghrelin is secreted primarily by the stomach. It circulates as acyl-(AG) and desacyl-(DG) forms. AG (but not DG) stimulates appetite. Ghrelin is elevated in Prader Willi syndrome (PWS), suggesting it may cause the characteristic hyperphagia and overweight. Short-acting somatostatin analogue octreotide suppresses ghrelin in PWS. We hypothesized that long-acting octreotide (Sandostatin LAR®, L-Oc...

Are ghrelin levels really elevated in epileptic patients? To the Editor, I have recently read a reply letter by Dr. Berilgen regarding my comments about his article published in Seizure. 1 However, I found that his/their replies/ comments to my letter were scientifically unacceptable. Here, I wish to expand upon his/their interpretation of epileptic ghrelin levels. It seems he and his co-worker...

R ecent meta-analysis (1) and systematic review (2) show that high and low birth weight are related in a Ushaped manner to later risk of type 2 diabetes. It is also interesting to denote the positive birth weight/type 2 diabetes associations within the normal weight range. It is now widely accepted that both genetic and environmental factors are engaged in intrauterine growth, glucose tolerance...

GLP-1 receptor agonists have antihypertensive properties, explained via release of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) as shown in mice (1). Whether GLP-1 directly interacts with the natriuretic peptide system in humans was studied in a single report (2). Here, we studied interaction of two major incretins, glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) and GLP-1, both administered exogenously, wi...

OBJECTIVE Leptin is a highly hydrophilic protein that circulates in plasma as a 16-kDa protein. It is produced in adipose tissue and also recently described to be synthesized by placental tissue. Plasma concentration of leptin is positively correlated to body fat mass, and administration of recombinant leptin to mice indicates that leptin participates in the regulation of food intake and energy...