The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of genetic factors on three components of plasma high density lipoproteins, HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I) and lipoprotein particle Lp A-I (Lp A-I), which contains apo A-I but not apo A-II. These analyses were carried out on 106 nuclear families with one or more children (407 subjects) who volunteered for health screening at the Center for Preventive Medicine, Vandoeuvre, France. After adjustment by stepwise multiple linear regression analysis for age, gender, weight, height, ponderosity, alcohol consumption, smoking habits, and hormonal treatment in females, a multifactorial model (considering the effect of polygenes, individual, specific, environmental and common household factors) was fitted to each variable separately. The hypothesis of no common household effects was accepted for each of the traits. The contribution of genetic factors to inter-individual variance was larger than the contribution of environmental factors for apo A-I (h2 = 0.81) and Lp A-I (h2 = 0.63) but not for HDL-C (h2 = 0.44). Bivariate analyses were carried out by parameterizing covariance components between traits. The genetic correlations were always significantly different from zero. They were estimated to be 0.73 between HDL-C and apo A-I, 0.40 between HDL-C and Lp A-I, 0.51 between apo A-I and Lp A-I. These results suggest that HDL-C, apo A-I and Lp A-I are only in part affected by the same genes and that the measurement of lipids as well as the apo A-I and Lp A-I gives complementary and different information on the metabolic and genetic aspects.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Reference limits of plasma fibrinogen.

Fibrinogen is considered to be a strong predictor and independent factor of cardiovascular diseases. The data presented here describe the baseline measurements of fibrinogen in 1008 apparently healthy subjects, aged 4-60 years and their relationship to age, sex, body weight, smoking, alcohol, and use of oral contraceptives. Pearson's correlations and a linear multiple regression model were used. Plasma fibrinogen was measured kinetically in a photometer, the Behring Chromotimer, using the CTS-fibrinogen method. There were neither statistical difference between girls and boys aged 4-20 years nor correlation with variables related to cardiovascular diseases. In adults, we found an increase of plasma fibrinogen concentration with age and no statistical difference between men and women, except in subjects aged 40-50 years. There was a positive correlation between fibrinogen and ponderal index. In women aged 20-30, 30-40, 40-50 and 50-60 years, the mean fibrinogen concentrations increased of 0.009, 0.021, 0.010 and 0.015 g/l for one percent of overweight, in each subgroup respectively. In women aged 20-30 years using oral contraceptives, the mean fibrinogen concentration was 0.19 g/l higher than in women not using oral contraceptives. The smoking effect was observed only in 30-40 year-old men. Each cigarette smoked per day increases of the mean fibrinogen by 0.35 g/l after standardization for ponderal index and alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption was negatively correlated to plasma fibrinogen in subjects 30-40 years old. In women, 1 g of alcohol per day induces a 0.008 g/l decrease in the mean fibrinogen while in men the decrease is 0.004 g/l.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Avidin-biotin enzyme immunoassay of osteocalcin in serum or plasma.

We describe a competitive enzyme immunoassay, the ExtrAvidin-biotin system, for determining osteocalcin in human serum or plasma. Antibodies were raised against bovine osteocalcin. Binding of the antibodies to osteocalcin was calcium-dependent. Limit of detection is 0.07 nmol/L (0.4 microgram/L). The standard curve for method is linear between 0.3 and 17.6 nmol/L (1.9 and 100 micrograms/L). Interassay CV over the range 0.9 to 14.8 nmol/L (5.3 to 84 micrograms/L) is 7.5% to 11.7%. Analytical recovery is 105% +/- 5% (mean +/- SD). The measurement, which is adapted to microtiter plates, requires only 20 microL of serum and 5 h. The coefficient of correlation between the concentrations measured by this method and by a commercially available radioimmunoassay kit (CIS Biointernational) is 0.91. Osteocalcin can be measured in serum or heparinized plasma. Hemolysis (174 mumol/L hemoglobin) reduces osteocalcin concentration by 54%. High concentrations of triglycerides (7 mmol/L) give an overestimation of 63%. Serum concentrations of osteocalcin measured in 130 healthy subjects (ages 15-64 years) and 86 children (ages 4-14 years) were 1.4 +/- 0.8 and 4.0 +/- 1.5 nmol/L (8.1 +/- 4.6 and 22.5 +/- 8.6 micrograms/L), respectively (mean +/- SD).

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

Plasma osteocalcin: biological variations and reference limits.

Osteocalcin, the most abundant non-collagenous protein in the bone matrix, is partly released in blood. We have measured its concentration by a radio-immunoassay procedure in 1096 apparently healthy subjects from both sexes who came for a health screening examination. Their ages varied from 4 years to over 65 years. Venous blood was drawn in the morning from fasting subjects. Plasma osteocalcin was higher in men than in women. Its level increased significantly with age, body weight, height and bone age until age 12-13 years in girls and 14-15 years in boys. In women, osteocalcin level increased after the age of 50 years and was higher than in men. It remained constant over age 60 years in both sexes, but was higher in women. There was no effect of menstrual cycle in girls at puberty. Plasma osteocalcin did not vary with follicular and luteal phases or with the use of oral contraceptive drugs in women. The usual nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs had no effect on blood osteocalcin level. Reference limits according to age and sex are provided.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

Biological factors affecting concentrations of serum LpAI lipoprotein particles in serum, and determination of reference limits.

We used an electroimmunoassay to measure LpAI lipoprotein particles (lipoproteins containing apolipoprotein AI but not apolipoprotein AII) in serum of a presumably healthy population of about 1000 subjects, noting sex- and age-related variations for the age interval four to 70 years. Results were higher for women than men. For males, the value for the 50th percentile of the distribution was highest in the 10- to 14-year subgroup, 0.69 g/L, decreasing to 0.60 g/L in adults. For females, the values increased regularly, from 0.59 g/L at ages four to 10 years to 0.79 g/L after age 55 years. The influence of puberty, menopause, oral contraceptives, alcohol consumption, and morphometric characteristics was studied. Only being overweight by more than 20% statistically influenced LpAI values in men and in women. We used these results to select a reference population and to establish reference limits of LpAI at ages 25 to 35 years: 0.40-0.95 g/L for men and 0.46-1.05 g/L for women.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

[Age dependence, sex independence and reference values of serum fructosamine determined using a new colorimetry method].

Reference ranges were evaluated for a new colorimetric method for the determination of fructosamine in serum. The reference group was composed of 1114 non-diabetics of both sexes including children. Reference values are only slightly affected by age and sex. In the course of childhood to adolescence fructosamine values raise and finally stabilize in adults. The small differences between both sexes have no effect on the interpretation of clinical results. Relating fructosamine values to albumin or total protein has little impact on the distribution of the values when protein values were within the reference range.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1976

[Comparison of values, obtained on heparinised serum or plasma, for common biochemical examinations].

The biologist may prefer to use plasma rather than serum to facilitate sampling procedures in his laboratory. It is important to know whether or not the patients' results will be affected by this change. In daily practice, there is no difference to speak of between plasma and serum for bilirubin, calcium, potassium, creatinin, urea, cholesterol, sodium, uric acid, triglycerid and iron. There are, however, differences for total proteins, phosphates and glucose.

Blood Chemical Analysis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Biochemical values of immigrant groups in north-east France.

Laboratory-test results for a population of immigrants living in north-east France revealed differences between the concentration of the blood constituents of immigrants and native French people. By immigrants we mean persons now living in France but coming from other geographical locations such as Italy, the Iberian Peninsula, northern or central Europe, northern Africa, or the Near or Middle East. Multiple regression analysis confirmed the need to establish reference limits in immigrants for many blood constituents because of a significant shift of the curve relative to that for the French population. We have determined appropriate reference limits, for some ten blood constituents in each group of immigrants.

Adolescent↗