PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Proto

Publications and source records attributed to A Proto.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Plasma leptin levels after biliopancreatic diversion: dissociation with body mass index.

Human obesity is associated with increased leptin levels, related to body composition and fat mass (FM). Insulin has been suggested to be a regulator of in vivo leptin secretion. To further investigate the relationships between insulin and leptin levels in human obesity, we have studied 10 obese females, aged 26-57 yr [body mass index (BMI), 42.9+/-6.3], successfully treated by biliopancreatic (BPD) diversion, in an early postoperative period (2 months after surgery, post-BPD I; BMI, 37.2+/-7.5) and a late postoperative period (16-24 months after surgery; BMI, 27.6+/-3.96). Fourteen normal female subjects (18-59 yr; BMI, 27.9+/-1.4 kg/m2) were studied as controls. In pre-BPD obese subjects, leptin levels were higher than those in controls (60.5+/-18.8 vs. 28.7+/-4.8 ng/mL; P<0.001). BMI and insulin levels were also significantly greater (P<0.0001 and P<0.03, respectively). After surgery, the three parameters considered significantly decreased (P = 0.0007 for BMI, P<0.0001 for leptin, and P = 0.038 for insulin, using Friedman's test for repeated data). Concerning the correlation between leptin and FM in our patients, control subjects and pre-BPD subjects confirmed the correlation found in the general population (r = 0.78; P<0.01). On the contrary, post-BPD patients at 2 months lay outside the general correlation between FM and leptin; in fact, patients with low leptin levels still had a high FM. Moreover, in the post-BPD patients there was no longer a significant correlation between FM and leptin. Concerning the correlation between insulin and leptin levels, a significant correlation was present in control subjects and pre-BPD patients (r = 0.46; P<0.05). Using correlation analysis for repeated measures in surgically treated obese patients, a significant correlation within the subjects was present (r = 0.91; P<0.0001). After operation, BMI and leptin levels had a different pattern of decrease; leptin decreased rapidly, without correlation with BMI, indicating that body composition is not the only factor regulating leptin levels. The consistent correlation with insulin levels suggests an important interaction between these two hormones in post-BPD obese subjects.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical and hormonal response to general anaesthesia in patients affected by different degrees of mental retardation.

BACKGROUND: Poor or no clinical signs of psychological distress are usually observed in patients affected by severe or profound mental retardation (MR). The aim of this study was to use clinical and hormonal parameters in order to compare the amount of stress in patients affected by different degrees of MR undergoing general anaesthesia for dental care. METHODS: Nine patients affected by mild or moderate MR (group A: intellective quotient > 35) and 12 affected by severe or profound MR (group B: intellective quotient < 36), undergoing general anaesthesia for dental care, were studied. The reaction to venipuncture before anaesthesia induction and the recovery from anaesthesia were assessed by clinical scores. Cardiac rate and arterial pressure were recorded before and after venipuncture and after removing the endotracheal tube. Cortisol and prolactin, two hormones affected by stress, were determined in plasma the day prior to surgery (1), after anaesthesia induction (2), and after removing the endotracheal tube (3). RESULTS: During venipuncture, group B was significantly less reactive than group A (p < 0.05) and showed no arterial pressure increase while group A presented a significant increase of systolic pressure; conversely, the groups shared the same hormonal pattern at time 2 (cortisol did not change, prolactin increased significantly). Postoperatively A and B groups did not differ regarding cardiac rate and arterial pressure, while a wider range of postoperative scores was observed in group A in which a further prolactin increase was registered at time 3. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical evaluation can underestimate the stress to which patients affected by severe or profound MR are subjected during anaesthesia induction.

Adolescent↗