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Biomedical subjects

A M Pereira Arias

Publications and source records attributed to A M Pereira Arias.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Association of interferon-gamma and interleukin 10 genotypes and serum levels with partial clinical remission in type 1 diabetes.

We studied whether serum interferon (IFN)-gamma or interleukin (IL)-10 levels and their corresponding functional polymorphic genotypes are associated with partial remission of type 1 diabetes (T1D). A multi-centre study was undertaken in patients with newly diagnosed T1D and matched controls. T1D patients were followed for 3 months and characterized for remission status. Partial clinical remission was defined as a daily insulin dose <or= 0.38 units/kg/24 h with an HbA1c <or= 7.5%. Thirty-three patients and 32 controls were phenotyped for serum concentrations of IFN-gamma and IL-10 and genotyped for functional polymorphisms of the IFN-gamma and IL-10 genes. Sixteen of 25 informative patients (63%) remitted. Serum IFN-gamma concentrations were significantly decreased in remitters but increased in non-remitters compared to controls, and did not change over time in any group. IFN-gamma genotypes corresponded with serum levels in controls and non-remitters, but not in remitters who displayed the lowest serum IFN-gamma levels despite more often carrying high-producing IFN-gamma genotypes. Neither the frequency of IL-10 genotypes nor serum IL-10 concentration differed between patients and controls. The combination of high-producing IFN-gamma genotype together with low serum IFN-gamma concentration at the time of diagnosis provided a strong positive predictive value for remission. Serum IFN-gamma concentrations predicted by genotype and observed serum levels were discordant in remitters, suggestive of regulation overruling genetic predisposition. Although high-producing genotypes were less frequent in remitters, they were predictive of remission in combination with low serum IFN-gamma levels. These data imply that remission is partially immune-mediated and involves regulation of IFN-gamma transcription.

Analysis of Variance↗

Persisting challenges in plasma endocrinology: reference values and endocrine tests.

The analysis of plasma hormone concentrations is of fundamental importance for the diagnosis and treatment of endocrine diseases. Although hormone analyses are performed in huge numbers in all hospitals on a daily basis, the interpretation of the resulting plasma hormone concentrations can be difficult. In addition to the effects of the underlying disease, biological and analytical issues affect hormone concentrations. Therefore, adequate reference values and strict standardisation of sampling and analytical procedures are very important for the final interpretation of the results of hormone analysis.

Diagnostic Techniques, Endocrine↗

Indomethacin does not affect endogenous glucose production in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

In healthy subjects, basal endogenous glucose production is partly regulated by paracrine intrahepatic factors. It is currently unknown whether paracrine intrahepatic factors also influence the increased basal endogenous glucose production in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Administration of indomethacin to patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus stimulates endogenous glucose production and inhibits insulin secretion. Our aim was to evaluate whether this stimulatory effect on glucose production is solely attributable to inhibition of insulin secretion. In order to do this, we administered indomethacin to 5 patients with type 2 diabetes during continuous infusion of somatostatin to block endogenous insulin and glucagon secretion and infusion of basal concentrations of insulin and glucagon in a placebo-controlled study. Endogenous glucose production was measured 3 hours after the start of the somatostatin, insulin and glucagon infusion, for 4 hours after administration of placebo/indomethacin, by primed, continuous infusion of [6,6-(2)H(2)] glucose. At the time of administration of placebo or indomethacin, there were no significant differences in plasma glucose concentrations and endogenous glucose production rates between the two experiments (16.4 +/- 2.09 mmol/l vs. 16.6 +/- 1.34 mmol/l and 17.7 +/- 1.05 micromol/kg/min and 17.0 +/- 1.06 micromol/kg/min), control vs. indomethacin). Plasma glucose concentration did not change significantly in the four hours after indomethacin or placebo administration. Endogenous glucose production in both experiments was similar after both placebo and indomethacin. Mean plasma C-peptide concentrations were all below the detection limit of the assay, reflecting adequate suppression of endogenous insulin secretion by somatostatin. There were no differences in plasma concentrations of insulin (76 +/- 5 vs. 74 +/- 4 pmol/l) and glucagon (69 +/- 8 vs. 71 +/- 6 ng/l) between the studies with levels remaining unchanged in both experiments. Plasma concentrations of cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine were similar in the two studies and did not change significantly. We conclude that indomethacin stimulates endogenous glucose production in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus by inhibition of insulin secretion.

Aged↗

The quantification of gluconeogenesis in healthy men by (2)H2O and [2-(13)C]glycerol yields different results: rates of gluconeogenesis in healthy men measured with (2)H2O are higher than those measured with [2-(13)C]glycerol.

The quantification of gluconeogenesis (GNG) by (2)H2O and [2-(13)C]glycerol and the mass isotopomer dilution analysis of glucose does not involve assumptions regarding the enrichment of the oxaloacetate precursor pool. To compare these two methods we measured GNG in six healthy postabsorptive males under identical, strictly standardized, eucaloric conditions, once after oral administration of (2)H2O and once during a primed continuous infusion of [2-(13)C]glycerol. Endogenous glucose production (EGP) was measured by infusion of [6,6-(2)H(2)]glucose. EGP was not different after (2)H2O administration or during [2-(13)C]glycerol infusion (12.2 +/- 0.7 vs. 11.7 +/- 0.3 micromol/kg.min). However, GNG measured after (2)H2O administration was significantly higher than that during [2-(13)C]glycerol infusion (7.4 +/- 0.7 vs. 4.9 +/- 0.6 micromol/kg.min; P = 0.03), representing approximately 60% and 41% of EGP, respectively. The (2)H2O study was repeated during primed continuous infusion of unlabeled glycerol, showing that infusion of glycerol at the rate used in the [2-(13)C]glycerol method does not affect the measurement of GNG with (2)H2O, viz. 7.4 +/- 0.7 without glycerol vs. 7.6 +/- 0.9 micromol/kg.min with glycerol, representing approximately 60% vs. 62% of EGP. In conclusion, GNG measured by (2)H(2)O yields higher results than those measured by [2-(13)C]glycerol. This discrepancy is not merely caused by infusion of glycerol per se. Rather, the discrepancy between both methods probably relates to conceptual problems in underlying assumptions in one or both methods.

Adult↗

Indomethacin decreases insulin secretion in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

In healthy subjects, basal endogenous glucose production (EGP) is partly regulated by paracrine intrahepatic factors. Administration of indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis, resulted in a transient stimulation of EGP without changes in glucoregulatory hormone concentrations. It is unknown whether similar paracrine factors influence basal EGP in type 2 diabetes mellitus. The effects of 150 mg indomethacin, a nonendocrine stimulator of glucose production in healthy adults, and placebo on EGP were measured in a randomized placebo-controlled study in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (3 men and 3 women; mean age, 58.5 years; mean body mass index, 28.6 kg x m(-2)). EGP was measured before and for 6 hours after administration of placebo/indomethacin, by a primed, continuous infusion of [6,6-2H2]glucose. After indomethacin, plasma glucose and EGP increased in all subjects by 14% (P < .05) and 48% (P < .05), respectively. In the control experiment, plasma glucose and EGP declined gradually in all subjects by 22% (P < .001) and 17% (P = .004), respectively. The stimulation of glucose production coincided with the inhibition of insulin secretion by 52% within 1 hour after administration of indomethacin (P < .001). In the control experiment, insulin secretion decreased gradually by 18% after 6 hours (P < .001). Thus, indomethacin inhibits insulin secretion and stimulates EGP in type 2 diabetes.

Adult↗

The effects of carbohydrate variation in isocaloric diets on glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis in healthy men.

To evaluate the effect of dietary carbohydrate content on postabsorptive glucose metabolism, we quantified gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis after 11 days of high carbohydrate (85% carbohydrate), control (44% carbohydrate), and very low carbohydrate (2% carbohydrate) diets in six healthy men. Diets were eucaloric and provided 15% of energy as protein. Postabsorptive glucose production was measured by infusion of [6,6-2H2]glucose, and fractional gluconeogenesis was measured by ingestion of 2H2O. Postabsorptive glucose production rates were 13.0 +/- 0.7, 11.4 +/- 0.4, and 9.7 +/- 0.4 micromol/kg x min after high carbohydrate, control, and very low carbohydrate diets, respectively (P < 0.001 among the three diets). Gluconeogenesis was about 14% higher after the very low carbohydrate diet (6.3 +/- 0.2 micromol/kg x min; P = 0.001) compared to the control diet, but was not different between the high carbohydrate and control diets (5.5 +/- 0.3 vs. 5.5 +/- 0.2 micromol/kg x min). The rates of glycogenolysis were 7.5 +/- 0.5, 5.9 +/- 0.3, and 3.4 +/- 0.3 micromol/kg x min, respectively (P < 0.001 among the three diets). We conclude that under eucaloric conditions in healthy subjects, dietary carbohydrate content affects the rate of postabsorptive glucose production mainly by modulation of glycogenolysis. In contrast, dietary carbohydrate content affects the postabsorptive rate of gluconeogenesis minimally, as evidenced by only a slight increase in gluconeogenesis during severe carbohydrate restriction.

Adult↗

Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome induced by whole-body hyperthermia and polychemotherapy in a patient with disseminated leiomyosarcoma of the uterus.

OBJECTIVE: Whole-body hyperthermia (WBH) in combination with chemotherapy is a relatively new promising treatment modality for patients with cancer. The objective of this report is to present the development of an acute systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) following WBH in combination with chemotherapy. Although WBH can also induce cytokine production, MODS has not been described before in association with WBH. DESIGN: Case report. The patient was treated with WBH (core temperature 41.8 degrees C using a radiant heat device (Aquatherm) ) in combination with polychemotherapy (ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide (ICE) ) in the context of a clinical trial for metastatic sarcomas. SETTING: Department of medical oncology and intensive care unit of a university hospital. PATIENT: A 58-year-old Caucasian woman treated for disseminated leiomyosarcoma of the uterus, who developed SIRS with brain dysfunction, hypotension, respiratory failure and renal dysfunction following WBH/ICE. INTERVENTIONS: She was successfully treated in the intensive care unit by mechanical ventilation, inotropics and antibiotics. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: There was a remarkable recovery within 2 days: she regained full conciousness, could be extubated, inotropic support was stopped and creatinine levels returned to pre-treatment levels. All cultures remained sterile. After almost complete recovery, 5 days later a second episode of fever during neutropenia occurred and, despite antibiotic treatment, she died of Bacteroides distasonis sepsis. CONCLUSION: WBH should be added as a new cause to the already known list of physical-chemical insults which can result in MODS.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗