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Biomedical subjects

H Lithell

Publications and source records attributed to H Lithell.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

Interruption of long-term lipid-lowering treatment with bezafibrate in hypertriglyceridaemic patients. Effects on lipoprotein composition, lipase activities and the plasma lipid fatty acid spectrum.

When bezafibrate therapy was interrupted in patients who had been on continuous treatment for hyperlipoproteinemia for 4-10 years, there were significant increases in the serum cholesterol, triglyceride and apolipoprotein B concentrations corresponding to an increase of the very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels by approximately 50%. This increase of VLDL was accompanied by reduced levels of the post-heparin lipoprotein lipase activity (LPLA) (P = 0.07) and hepatic lipase (P = 0.05) activity with a significant reduction of the skeletal muscle LPLA (P less than 0.05), but not the adipose tissue LPLA, and a retarded removal of an i v injected fat emulsion (P less than 0.01). There were no significant changes of the low or high density lipoprotein cholesterol or the apolipoprotein A-I or A-II concentrations. Three months after bezafibrate treatment the content of linoleic and gammalinoleic acid in the plasma cholesterol ester had increased significantly, while the palmitoleic and oleic acids were reduced in spite of unchanged dietary treatment. Taken together, the data indicate that a lipid-lowering effect of bezafibrate, particularly on the VLDL lipids, is maintained throughout long treatment periods. One mechanism for the reduced level of the triglyceride-rich lipoproteins is an increased activity of the lipoprotein-lipase activity in the skeletal muscle, which decreased when the treatment was interrupted. The significance of the changes of the plasma lipid fatty acid spectrum during bezafibrate treatment remains unclear.

Aged↗

Insulin resistance is a characteristic feature of primary hypertension independent of obesity.

The relationship between abnormalities in carbohydrate metabolism and hypertension was studied in 143 newly detected hypertensive patients (59% obese) of both sexes (90 males, 53 females) and compared with 51 normotensive controls. Insulin-mediated glucose disposal assessed with the euglycemic insulin clamp technique was significantly decreased in both non-obese (7.2 +/- 2.1 mg/kg/min; P less than .05) and obese hypertensives (5.1 +/- 2.1 mg/kg/min; P less than .01) compared with the controls (8.4 +/- 1.8 mg/kg/min). The decrease in insulin sensitivity and increase in basal insulin as well as a decreased rate of glucose disposal after an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) were verified also after statistical adjustment for sex, age, body mass index, and waist-hip ratio. The insulin index (ratio between peak and basal insulin) during IVGTT was significantly decreased in the hypertensive patients (P less than .001). After the statistical adjustment for the factors mentioned the following lipid abnormalities were still significant: total cholesterol (6.25 +/- 1.12 mmol/L non-obese; 6.06 +/- 1.20 mmol/L obese; 5.41 +/- 1.02 mmol/L controls), triglycerides (1.70 +/- 0.74 mmol/L nonobese; 2.26 +/- 1.13 mmol/L obese; 1.24 +/- 0.53 mmol/L controls) and free fatty acids (0.57 +/- 0.20 mmol/L nonobese; 0.59 +/- 0.20 mmol/L obese; 0.48 +/- 0.15 mmol/L controls). This study shows that after correction for a series of probable confounding variables, hypertension emerges as part of a syndrome characterized by major abnormalities of carbohydrate, insulin, and lipid metabolism, which independently or in concert may act as important risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Blood Glucose↗

Indices of mineral metabolism in subjects with an impaired glucose tolerance.

An altered mineral metabolism has been described both in insulin dependent and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. In order to investigate if a disturbed mineral homeostasis was an early feature in the development of diabetes, 52 middle-aged men who all had recently developed an impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) were compared to healthy control persons. The IGT subjects showed higher levels of serum calcium (2.38 +/- 0.081 mmol/l (SD) vs 2.35 +/- 0.065 in controls) but similar levels of plasma ionized calcium indicating an increased protein binding of serum calcium in IGT. Serum magnesium was significantly lower in the IGT subjects (0.79 +/- 0.060 mmol/l vs 0.85 +/- 0.065, p less than 0.001) while serum phosphate was unaltered. This study demonstrates indices of an impaired mineral metabolism in IGT subjects similar in characteristics to what has previously been reported in manifest diabetes mellitus suggesting that an alteration of mineral homeostasis could be part of a primary event.

Electrolytes↗

Effects of prolonged adrenaline infusion and of mental stress on plasma minerals and parathyroid hormone.

The role of the sympatho-adrenal system for the secretion of PTH in humans is not established. Previous studies on the effects of adrenaline on plasma mineral homeostasis have focused on injections or short-term infusions of adrenaline, and conflicting results concerning calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) responses have been reported. We therefore infused adrenaline or placebo continuously for 3 h to 10 healthy volunteers and studied several plasma minerals, as well as PTH levels. Venous plasma adrenaline concentrations increased to the upper physiological range (5 nmol l-1) during adrenaline infusion. Another nine volunteers were exposed for 25 min to mental stress (a colour word conflict test; CWT), which causes marked circulatory changes and raises plasma catecholamine concentrations. Plasma ionized and total calcium, and magnesium concentrations were slowly and gradually reduced during infusion of adrenaline, but there was only a small increase in PTH. Plasma potassium was decreased by adrenaline within 30 min and thereafter did not change further during infusion. There was a marked but transient increase in the plasma free fatty acids concentration, which were not related to the reduction of the calcium or magnesium levels. The adrenaline-induced decrements in calcium, magnesium and potassium, and increases in heart rates persisted 30 min after the infusion, despite a rapid decrease in plasma adrenaline concentrations within 5 min of termination of the infusion. Plasma phosphate concentrations were lowered during the first 90 min of adrenaline infusion, but after 3 h they had returned to baseline despite continued infusion. CWT induced small increments of the plasma ionized calcium and PTH concentrations. Plasma potassium levels were raised despite increases in plasma adrenaline at the beginning of the stress test, while phosphate values were reduced at the end of the test. Thus, long-lasting elevations of circulating adrenaline lower plasma ionized and total calcium, phosphate, magnesium and potassium, but the time courses for these changes differed markedly. Despite the reduction of plasma ionized calcium there was only little increase in PTH and thus no indication that sustained elevations of circulating adrenaline stimulates the secretion of PTH in vivo in humans. Responses to acute mental stress and adrenaline infusion differed qualitatively, indicating that adrenaline responses to stress are of minor importance in this respect.

Adult↗

Platelet and plasma catecholamines in relation to plasma minerals and parathyroid hormone following acute myocardial infarction.

Epinephrine has been shown to lower the plasma concentrations of several minerals and elevate those of parathyroid hormone (PTH). In order to evaluate the possible clinical importance of such experimental observations, 34 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were studied with daily determinations of plasma catecholamines, minerals, and PTH during the first week after AMI and at follow-up one month later. In addition, platelet catecholamines were determined as they fluctuate more slowly than plasma catecholamines. After infarction initial platelet epinephrine and norepinephrine levels were higher (p less than 0.05 for both) in nonsurvivors than survivors during a one year follow-up. Results suggested that activation of the sympathoadrenal system influences calcium homeostasis following AMI, but that the impact of sympathoadrenal activation on mineral metabolism is of minor clinical significance in the average AMI patient. High platelet catecholamine levels may predict a poor outcome after AMI.

Adrenal Medulla↗

A comparison of the effects of hydrochlorothiazide and captopril on glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with hypertension.

It has been suggested that the metabolic side effects of antihypertensive drugs are responsible for their failure to reduce cardiovascular morbidity in patients with hypertension. Therefore, in 50 patients with essential hypertension, we performed a randomized, double-blind, crossover study comparing the effects of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism of captopril (mean [+/- SD] dose, 81 +/- 24 mg per day) and hydrochlorothiazide (40 +/- 12 mg per day) over two four-month treatment periods. Captopril increased the insulin-mediated disposal of glucose, as compared with placebo, from 5.7 +/- 2.4 to 6.3 +/- 2.5 mg per kilogram of body weight per minute (P less than 0.05), whereas hydrochlorothiazide caused a decrease from 6.4 +/- 2.0 to 5.7 +/- 1.9 (P less than 0.01). Captopril had no effect on the basal insulin concentration, but it decreased the late (30- to 90-minute) insulin response to glucose and increased the early (2- to 6-minute) insulin peak. Hydrochlorothiazide increased the basal insulin concentration and the late insulin response to glucose. These findings may be explained by an increase in insulin sensitivity with captopril and a decrease with hydrochlorothiazide. Little or no change was seen in serum lipid or lipoprotein levels during treatment with captopril, whereas hydrochlorothiazide caused significant increases in serum total (5 percent) and low-density lipoprotein (6 percent) cholesterol levels and total (15 percent) and very-low-density lipoprotein (25 percent) triglyceride levels, as compared with placebo (P less than 0.01 for all comparisons). We conclude that hydrochlorothiazide for the treatment of essential hypertension has adverse effects on glucose and lipid metabolism. It is possible, but not proved in this study, that these changes may contribute to the risk for diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease. In contrast, captopril appears to have beneficial or no effects on glucose and lipid metabolism.

Blood Glucose↗

Sensitivity to insulin during treatment with atenolol and metoprolol: a randomised, double blind study of effects on carbohydrate and lipoprotein metabolism in hypertensive patients.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of metoprolol and atenolol on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and on insulin response to an intravenous glucose load. DESIGN: Randomised, double blind, double dummy, controlled crossover trial. SETTING: University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. PATIENTS: 60 Patients with primary hypertension (diastolic blood pressure when resting supine 95-119 mm Hg on at least two occasions during four to six weeks of treatment with placebo) randomised to receive either metoprolol (n = 30) or atenolol (n = 30) during the first treatment period. INTERVENTIONS: Placebo was given for a run in period of four to six weeks. Metoprolol 100 mg twice daily or atenolol 25 mg twice daily was then given for 16 weeks. The two drugs were then exchanged and treatment continued for a further 16 weeks. END POINT: Evaluation of effects of treatment with metoprolol and atenolol on glucose, insulin, and lipid metabolism and glucose disposal mediated by insulin. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Reduction of blood pressure was similar and satisfactory during treatment with both drugs. Glucose uptake mediated by insulin was measured during a euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp to evaluate patients' sensitivity to insulin. Glucose uptake decreased from 5.6 to 4.5 mg/kg/min when patients were taking metoprolol and from 5.6 to 4.9 mg/kg/min when they were taking atenolol. Both drugs caused a small increase in fasting plasma insulin and blood glucose concentrations and glycated haemoglobin concentration. Despite decreased sensitivity to insulin the increase in insulin concentration in response to an intravenous glucose tolerance test was small, suggesting inhibition of release of insulin. Very low density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein triglyceride concentrations were increased with both drugs and high density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration was decreased. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration was not affected. CONCLUSIONS: Long term use of metoprolol and atenolol causes metabolic abnormalities that may be related to the increased incidence of diabetes in patients with hypertension who are treated pharmacologically. These results may help to explain why the two drugs have failed consistently to reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease in several large scale studies.

Atenolol↗

Metabolic effects of diltiazem and atenolol: results from a randomized, double-blind study with parallel groups.

In a randomized, double-blind study (n = 58) with parallel groups, the effects of diltiazem (mean dose 329 mg/day) and atenolol (mean dose 67 mg/day) on carbohydrate and lipoprotein metabolism in hypertensive patients were compared. The mean systolic blood pressure (SBP)/diastolic blood pressure (DBP) reductions in the supine position were similar and satisfactory, 9/11 and 11/9 mmHg during atenolol and diltiazem treatment, respectively. Insulin-mediated glucose uptake, measured with the euglycaemic insulin clamp technique, decreased during atenolol treatment, from 7.1 to 5.6 mg/kg per min (P = 0.05). but not during treatment with diltiazem (initial value 6.8, final value 6.7 mg/kg per min; P greater than 0.8). Treatment differences between groups were statistically significant (P less than 0.05). During atenolol treatment there was a slight but significant increase in plasma glucose in the fasting state (P less than 0.05) and at the end of an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT; P less than 0.01), and in plasma insulin at the end of IVGTT (P less than 0.05). Despite increased insulin resistance the increase in insulin response was small, suggesting inhibition of insulin release. The insulin peak was decreased by 13% during diltiazem treatment (P less than 0.05). The concentrations of very-low and low-density lipoprotein triglycerides increased, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was unaffected during atenolol treatment. In conclusion, there was no difference between the antihypertensive effects of atenolol and diltiazem, but atenolol decreased insulin sensitivity and altered the lipid profile, thus possibly increasing the risk of diabetes mellitus and theoretically reducing the benefits of blood pressure reduction with regard to risk of coronary heart disease.

Adult↗

Dietary habits in renal stone patients compared with healthy subjects.

The dietary habits of renal calcium stone patients were investigated both by dietary history and by 4-day food records and compared with the dietary habits of control subjects, matched on the basis of age, sex, social and professional status. The method using 4-day records seemed to be more precise, judged by the correlation to the urinary output of nutrients. There was no difference in the daily intake of major nutrients between stone formers and controls, but a higher ingestion of vitamin C in controls and a larger consumption of alcohol among stone formers. In contrast to some epidemiological evidence, there were no significant differences in consumption of animal protein when stone formers were matched for social class. Despite a similar total intake of calcium, the stone formers excreted more calcium in the urine, probably reflecting a higher intestinal absorption of calcium. There seem to be only marginally different dietary habits between stone formers and carefully matched control subjects. Differences in the urinary output of minerals and electrolytes are mainly due to variations in gastrointestinal uptake.

Adult↗

Lipoprotein metabolism influenced by training-induced changes in human skeletal muscle.

The influence of training-induced adaptations in skeletal muscle tissue on lipoprotein metabolism was investigated in six healthy men. The knee extensors were studied at rest and during exercise after 8 wk of dynamic exercise training of the knee extensors of one leg, while the other leg served as a control. The trained and nontrained thighs were investigated on different occasions. In the trained knee extensors, muscle (m) lipoprotein lipase activity (LPLA) was 70 +/- 29% higher compared with the nontrained (P less than 0.05), and correlated positively with the capillary density (r = 0.84). At rest there was a markedly higher arteriovenous (A-V) VLDL triacylglycerol (TG) difference over the trained thigh, averaging 55 mumol/liter (range 30-123), than over the nontrained, averaging 30 mumol/liter (4-72). In addition to the higher LPLA and VLDL-TG uptake in the trained thigh, a higher production of HDL cholesterol (C) and HDL2-C was also observed (P less than 0.05). Positive correlations between m-LPLA and A-V differences of VLDL-TG (r = 0.90; P less than 0.05) were observed only in the trained thigh. During exercise with the trained thigh the venous concentration of HDL2-C was invariably higher than the arterial, and after 110 min of exercise a production of 88 mumol/min (54-199) of HDL2-C was revealed. Even though a consistent degradation of VLDL-TG was not found during exercise, the total production of HDL-C across the trained and nontrained thigh, estimated from A-V differences times venous blood flow for the whole exercise period, correlated closely with the total estimated degradation of VLDL-TG (r = 0.91). At the end of 2 h of exercise m-LPLA did not differ from the preexercise value in either the nontrained or the trained muscle. We conclude that changes in the lipoprotein profile associated with endurance training to a large extent are explainable by training-induced adaptations in skeletal muscle tissue.

Adult↗

Effects of insulin and exercise on muscle lipoprotein lipase activity in man and its relation to insulin action.

The effects of exercise and a physiological increase in plasma insulin concentration on muscle lipoprotein lipase activity (mLPLA), leg exchange of glucose, and serum lipoprotein levels were investigated in healthy young men. During euglycemic hyperinsulinemia (n = 7) at 44 mU.liter-1, m-LPLA in non-exercised muscle decreased from 30 +/- 7.4 mU.g-1 wet weight (w.w.) (mean +/- SE) to 19 +/- 3.3 (P less than 0.05). Furthermore, the decrease in m-LPLA correlated closely (r = 0.97, P less than 0.05) with the increase in leg glucose uptake. Moreover, basal m-LPLA correlated with the insulin-induced increase in leg glucose uptake (r = 0.93, P less than 0.05). In the control group (n = 6) in which saline was infused in place of insulin and glucose, m-LPLA in nonexercised muscle did not change with time. No change in m-LPLA was observed immediately after one-legged knee extension exercise, but 4 h after exercise m-LPLA was higher (P less than 0.05) in the exercised thigh (47 +/- 17.8 mU.g-1 w.w.) compared with the contralateral nonexercised thigh (29 +/- 6.3 mU.g-1 w.w.). This difference was not found 8 h after exercise. The triacylglycerol content of serum lipoproteins decreased during insulin infusion. It is concluded that in contrast to the effect on adipose tissue, physiological concentrations of insulin decrease m-LPLA in proportion to the effect of insulin on muscle glucose uptake, while muscle contractions cause a local, delayed, and transient increase in m-LPLA. Further-more, basal m-LPLA is an indicator of muscle insulin sensitivity.

Adult↗

Intestinal absorption of oxalate and calcium in patients with jejunoileal bypass.

Jejunoileal bypass (JIB) has been widely performed for treatment of excessive obesity. Formation of calcium oxalate stones is a common side effect. Since, under physiological conditions, the intestinal absorption of calcium and that of oxalate are interrelated, intestinal oxalate and calcium absorption were measured in the present study by isotope techniques in 19 JIB patients and 20 healthy controls. The JIB patients showed pronounced hyperoxaluria and markedly increased absorption of oxalate, with a urinary excretion of 14C-oxalate of 29 +/- 19% (controls 6.2 +/- 3.7%; p less than 0.001). There was a strong correlation between the intestinal absorption and urinary excretion of oxalate in the JIB patients (r = 0.72; p less than 0.001). Furthermore, their oxalate kinetics was altered, with continued urinary excretion of 14C-oxalate for up to 48 hours. The JIB patients also had reduced calcium absorption (36 +/- 9.1% vs. 47 +/- 9.0%; p less than 0.001) and patients with malabsorption of calcium and low urinary calcium had the highest intestinal absorption and urinary excretion of oxalate. It is concluded that hyperoxaluria in JIB patients is due to a significant extent to hyperabsorption of oxalate.

Adult↗

Long-term treatment with active vitamin D (alphacalcidol) in middle-aged men with impaired glucose tolerance. Effects on insulin secretion and sensitivity, glucose tolerance and blood pressure.

There are specific receptors for the active metabolite of vitamin D on the pancreatic beta cells and severe vitamin D deficiency can inhibit insulin secretion. In the present study 14 middle aged men with impaired glucose tolerance and low glucose-stimulated insulin values received 2 micrograms alphacalcidol daily for 18 months. On treatment there was a transient increase of both the peak and the late insulin response to intravenous glucose while neither intravenous nor oral glucose tolerance were consistently altered. Nor was the peripheral insulin sensitivity, measured by the euglycemic clamp technique, significantly affected. In the untreated state there was a positive relationship (r = 0.77) between the tissue insulin sensitivity and the serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. There was also an inverse relationship (r = 0.61) between systolic blood pressure and the serum levels of 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D. Although the subjects were normotensive and not overweight, treatment with alphacalcidol tended to lower both systolic (6 +/- 12 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressures (5.8 +/- 9.1 mmHg) and there was a small reduction (0.9 kg) in body weight. In conclusion, subjects with impaired glucose tolerance without vitamin D deficiency do not benefit from vitamin D supplementation, which however has some hypotensive action also in normotensive individuals.

Blood Glucose↗