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Biomedical subjects

J A Rull

Publications and source records attributed to J A Rull.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

High prevalence of low HDL cholesterol concentrations and mixed hyperlipidemia in a Mexican nationwide survey.

The prevalence of lipid abnormalities revealed in a survey done in 417 Mexican cities is described. Information was obtained on 15,607 subjects, aged 20 to 69 years. In this report, only samples obtained after a 9- to 12-h fast were included (2,256 cases: 953 men and 1,303 women). The population is representative of Mexican urban adults. Mean lipid concentrations were: cholesterol, 4.80 mmol/l; triglycerides, 2.39 mmol/l; HDL cholesterol, 1.00 mmol/l; and LDL cholesterol, 3.06 mmol/l. The most prevalent abnormality was HDL cholesterol below 0.9 mmol/l (46.2% for men and 28.7% for women). Hypertriglyceridemia (>2.26 mmol/l) was the second most prevalent abnormality (24.3%). Severe hypertriglyceridemia (>11.2 mmol/l) was observed in 0.42% of the population. Increased LDL cholesterol (> or =4.21 mmol/l) was observed in 11.2% of the sample. Half of the hypertriglyceridemic subjects had a mixed dyslipidemia or low HDL cholesterol. More than 50% of the low HDL cholesterol cases were not related to hypertriglyceridemia. Insulin resistance was found in 59% of them. In conclusion, the prevalence of hypoalphalipoproteinemia and other forms of dyslipidemia in Mexican adults is very high and it is among the highest previously reported worldwide.

Adult↗

The apolipoprotein E4 allele is not associated with an abnormal lipid profile in a Native American population following its traditional lifestyle.

The apolipoprotein E4 allele is associated in industrialized countries with an elevated LDL cholesterol concentration and an increased cardiovascular risk. Our purpose in this study was to assess the influence of the genetic variation at the APOE gene locus on the lipid profile of a Native American rural population. We examined plasma lipid levels and the common apo E alleles in 142 healthy randomly selected adults living in their native communities in western Mexico. Their age was 38+/-17 years and the BMI 25.7+/-4.5 kg/m2. Plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL C and HDL C were 165+/-29.6, 126+/-83, 98+/-26 and 42+/-12.7 mg/dl respectively. Ninety-one per cent of the subjects had Lp(a) concentrations below 20 mg/dl and 30% had levels lower than 2 mg/dl. The most common APOE genotype was E3/3 (63%), followed by E3/4 (30.1%). The prevalence of the E2 allele was very low (2.3%). No difference was observed in LDL C concentrations between the E3/E3 and E3/E4 subjects; however carriers of the E2/3 genotype had lower LDL C levels. Similar results were obtained for cholesterol and apo B levels. In summary, the increased LDL C levels associated with the E4 allele in previous studies were not observed in a population with non-westernized habits. Environmental factors, such as diet and lifestyle, could outweigh the hypercholesterolemic predisposition resulting from the presence of the apo E4 allele.

Adult↗

Laparoscopic versus open adrenalectomy in Cushing's syndrome and disease.

BACKGROUND: Adrenalectomy in Cushing's syndrome and disease involves particular risks and complications. The aim of the study was to compare the open posterior and the flank laparoscopic approaches in this group of patients. METHODS: Forty patients who underwent unilateral or bilateral adrenalectomy for hypercortisolism between 1991 and 1999 were studied. Patients were divided as follows: adenoma--5 laparoscopic and 6 open; hyperplasia--17 laparoscopic and 12 open. Demographics, surgical details, outcome, and complications were comparatively analyzed. RESULTS: Patients undergoing laparoscopic or open adrenalectomy were comparable in terms of age, sex distribution, body mass index, respiratory status, and anesthetic risk. Operative time was longer in the laparoscopic group. One patient in the laparoscopic group died of upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding on postoperative day 17. Two patients in the open group and one in the laparoscopic group experienced postoperative complications. Cure of the disease occurred in all patients. Mild abdominal wall pain developed in one patient in each group. No abdominal wall weakness was identified in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Cure rate and operative and long-term morbidity were similar for laparoscopic and open adrenalectomies in this series. However, it is important to emphasize that late complications in our patients who underwent the posterior open procedure were rather infrequent.

Adenoma↗

Diseases and problems secondary to massive obesity.

Morbid obesity is a health hazard. It carries several health risks and decreases life expectancy. Individuals with morbid obesity may develop one or more complications. These are mainly cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, gastrointestinal, renal, genitourinary and gynaecological. Patients with morbid obesity also have a high surgical risk. This review analyses the most common complications of morbidly obese patients and their changes after surgically induced weight loss.

Female↗

Cardiac abnormalities associated with morbid obesity.

Morbidly obese patients are at increased risk for structural and functional abnormalities of the heart. This paper summarizes the effects of obesity on the heart, the effect of weight reduction on cardiac function, the impact of coronary artery disease on cardiac cardiomyopathy, and our experience in obesity heart disease at the Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición in Mexico.

Cardiomyopathies↗

Lack of agreement between the World Health Organization Category of impaired glucose tolerance and the American Diabetes Association category of impaired fasting glucose.

OBJECTIVE: To study the concordance between the 1997 American Diabetes Association (ADA) impaired fasting glucose (IFG) category with the World Health Organization (WHO) impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) status in a population with a high prevalence of diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed the oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) carried out at the Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubiran (INNSZ) central laboratory from June to December 1997. We included patients with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) between 60 and 160 mg/dl. The results from the glucose tolerance test were selected as the gold standard. RESULTS: Among the 1,802 glucose tolerance test results available for analysis, 1,706 fulfilled the requirements to be included. Diabetes and IGT were remarkably more frequently diagnosed when the WHO criteria were applied. The new ADA criteria failed to diagnose 69% of WHO diabetic patients and the vast majority of WHO glucose-intolerant subjects. Using the new criteria, 82% were considered normal. Of the IFG subjects, 39% were classified as diabetic and 23% were normal according to the 2-h postchallenge glucose values. Only 37% of the IFG patients were, in fact, glucose intolerant according to the WHO criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Our results clearly show that the 1997 ADA criteria are less sensitive for diagnosing diabetes than OGTT-based WHO criteria. Even more important, there is poor agreement between the WHO category of IGT and the ADA category of IFG.

Adult↗

Efficacy of fine-needle aspiration biopsy of thyroid nodules: experience of a Mexican institution.

In most centers only selected patients with high risk thyroid nodules undergo thyroid surgery, and fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) is used to select patients for surgical treatment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of FNA on the management of thyroid nodules at our institution. A total of 872 patients who underwent FNA over a period of 7 years were retrospectively analyzed. There were 66 men and 806 women with a mean age of 40 +/- 15 years. Altogether 549 patients presented with a thyroid nodule and 323 with multinodular disease. The sensitivity and specificity of FNA were 90.0% and 99.8%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 98% and 99%, respectively, and the accuracy was 99%. Our results are in agreement with those of other reports establishing that FNA of the thyroid is safe, reliable, and effective for differentiating benign from malignant nodules.

Adolescent↗

Nortriptyline-fluphenazine vs. carbamazepine in the symptomatic treatment of diabetic neuropathy.

We compared the efficacy and tolerance of the combination of nortriptyline-fluphenazine (NF) vs. carbamazepine (CMZ) in the symptomatic therapy of patients with severe, distal, symmetrical, predominantly sensitive diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN). We followed a double blind, crossover, randomized and double placebo design. Sixteen patients with severe DPN participated in the study. Patients received either NF (1 tablet three times a day (tid)), for 2 weeks and 2 tablets tid for the next 2 weeks or CMZ 1/2 tablet tid for 2 weeks and 1 tablet tid for the next 2 weeks. After this, patients received placebos of both drugs (wash-out period), until symptoms returned to baseline levels (100%), then they were crossed over to receive the other comparing drug schedule. A visual analogue scale was used to evaluate the percent changes in pain and paresthesia. HbA1, fasting serum glucose, and safety tests were performed at 2- and 4-week intervals, respectively. Both therapies produced significant improvement of both pain and paresthesia. No statistically significant differences were observed between both therapies for either pain or paresthesia. No significant biochemical changes were observed with any of the two therapies. Side effects were mild and more frequent in the NF period. In this study no superiority of either drug schedule was demonstrated; therefore, the decision to use any of them should be made according to the associated pathology and potential side effects of each drug.

Adult↗

Biguanide related lactic acidosis: incidence and risk factors.

The objective of this study was to evaluate in an open population the incidence and risk factors of biguanide related lactic acidosis. All patients currently treated in the Department of Diabetes and Lipid Metabolism of the Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición and their records were reviewed for the present use or history of administration of biguanides. The study was complemented with a revision of all admissions of diabetic patients to the emergency room during 1987-1990. In the outpatient study, 235 cases were included. No case of lactic acidosis was found. A high percentage of the biguanide treated patients had one or more lactic acidosis related risk factors. In the emergency study, 609 admissions of 273 patients were included. In 17 patients a metabolic non-ketotic acidosis was diagnosed. The frequency of non-ketotic acidosis for the different treatments was: 29.4 cases x 1000 emergency admissions for sulphonylurea treated group, 32 for sulphonylurea plus phenformin treated and 47.94 for type II insulin treated patients. All cases had severe precipitant diseases that can cause lactic acidosis with or without associated biguanide administration. No metformin related cases were found. The conclusions of this study are that biguanides in general and metformin in particular are not associated with a high risk of lactic acidosis. Severe systemic dysfunction associated with intercurrent diseases, frequently observed in diabetic patients, is the main determinant for the appearance of lactic acidosis.

Acidosis, Lactic↗