Biomedical subjects

Maria Mota

Publications and source records attributed to Maria Mota.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

The metabolic syndrome--a multifaced disease.

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a huge public health problem worldwide, being one of the major causes of cardiovascular disease, responsible for a growing number of premature deaths throughout the world. MetS includes a cluster of anomalies, such as: abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus or glucose intolerance, hypertriglyceridemia etc. The number of people with MetS increases with age, affecting more than 40% of people in their 60s and 70s. About 30% of European people over 50 have MetS. Some experts estimate that as many as two thirds of Americans may be suffering from MetS. The exact cause of MetS is not known: genetics play a minor role, acquired in-utero factors also play a role (prenatal malnutrition, toxin exposure, exposure to high levels of maternal cortisol). For most people, the MetS results primarily from lifestyle factors, such as: chronic stress, inadequate exercise. The MetS can be avoided and reversed in most cases. Weight loss is both a treatment and goal for MetS patients. Moderate weight loss, in the range of 5-10% of body weight, can help restore body's ability to recognize insulin and greatly reduce the chance that the syndrome will evolve into a more serious illness. In most people weight loss will lower blood pressure and improve triglyceride levels. Increased activity alone can improve insulin levels. Physical activity result in a weight loss, improved blood pressure, improved cholesterol and triglyceride level and reduced risk of developing diabetes. It is also important to treat: hyperlipidemia, hypertension, prothrombotic state.

Europe↗

PubMed2004

The quantification of cardiovascular risk factors in subjects with/without diabetes mellitus.

Data from the literature showed an increased cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 DM comparatively to subjects without DM, sustaining that diabetes mellitus is a cardiovascular disorder. In this context, we aimed to study the prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 DM comparatively to a control group without DM. The results are alarming, despite the great efforts of the members of the caring team. Smoking and alcohol consumption exceeding 30g/day are more frequent habits in patients with diabetes comparatively to controls, especially in men. Hypertension was present in 70.17% of diabetic patients, comparatively to 40.47% in controls; though already diagnosed, in the majority of diabetic patients, the therapeutic goal was achieved in only 25.45% subjects at the time we performed the study. Obesity including abdominal obesity is present from the moment diabetes is diagnosed and it is maintained further, indifferent of the duration of diabetes. Lipid parameters are very increased. So, it is imperative to intensify the therapeutic medical education, regarding each risk factor.

Albuminuria↗

PubMed2004

Cardiovascular risk factors in Turner syndrome.

Turner syndrome is due to haploinsufficiency of X chromosome genes that escape inactivation and associates female phenotype, short stature, gonadal dysgenesis, somatic stigmata, cardiovascular and renal anomalies and a large spectrum of other disorders (autoimmune thyroiditis, osteoporosis, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic liver diseases). The increased mortality in Turner syndrome is primarily a result of its cardiovascular complications. Congenital cardiac anomalies (coarctation of the aorta, bicuspid aortic valve, anomalous venous drainage) are present in 23-40% of patients; there is an increased risk of aortic dilation (42%) and dissection, ischemic heart disease and the risk of hypertension is increased three fold. In addition, insulin resistance may be present in up to 50% of women with Turner syndrome and an atherogenic lipid profile (increased cholesterol, triglycerides) favors the development of coronary artery disease. Our study was aimed to reveal anomalies in Turner syndrome that may increase cardiovascular risk. We studied a group of 62 Turner patients aged 16-67 years (mean age 26.8 years, SD = 11.1 years) comparatively to 62 age matched controls. Glycemia over 100 mg% was found in 11.3% of Turner patients vs 1.6% of controls and cholesterolemia over 200mg% was found in 51.2% of Turner patients vs 14.5% of controls; 24.2% of Turner patients were overweight vs 17.8% of controls and 6.4% were obese vs 4.8% of controls. In the Turner group we found congenital cardiac anomalies in 17.8%, hypertension in 6.5%, renal anomalies 11.3%, and hypothyroidism 29.2%.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Metabolic changes in Klinefelter syndrome.

Klinefelter syndrome is a hypergonadotropic hypogonadism determined by the presence of one or more extra X chromosomes and has an incidence of 1:800 males. It was shown that in Klinefelter syndrome mortality is increased due to diabetes, cardiovascular, respiratory and digestive diseases. Our goal was to assess the presence of metabolic changes which can increase cardiovascular risk. We compared 31 untreated Klinefelter patients aged 19-54 years (mean age 33.84 years, SD 11.79 years) with 31 age matched controls. Hypercholesterolemia was present in 56.67% of Klinefelter patients and correlated with age and the magnitude of androgenic deficit. None of the patients had diabetes mellitus but glycemic values above 100 mg% were present in 16.13% of cases (vs 3.2% in controls). 35.5% of Klinefelter patients and controls were overweight and 16.1% of Klinefelter patients were obese vs 9.7% of controls.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Erectile dysfunction in diabetes mellitus.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is 2-3 times more frequent in men with diabetes mellitus than in men without such a history and might be an early marker of endothelial dysfunction. We studied a group of 310 unselected male patients within the Clinical Center of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases of Dolj County, with ages ranging between 20-78 years (57.43 + 0.835) and a positive history of diabetes mellitus for 1-47 years (10.09 +/- 8.715). Erectile dysfunction, quantified using SHIM (Sexual Health Inventory for Men), was present in 196 patients (63.2%); severe in 52 patients (16.8%), moderate in 42 patients (13.5%) and mild in 102 patients (32.9%). Erectile dysfunction showed a positive correlation with age after 65 years, history of diabetes of more than 10 years, obesity, stroke, arteriopathy, retinopathy, neuropathy and the smoking habit and was not correlated to the type of diabetes mellitus, history of diabetes less than 10 years, diabetes therapy, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, nephropathy, dyslipidemia and alcohol consumption. Our results plead for a holistic approach of the diabetic patient, irrespective of age, in order to detect and to treat all the risk factors, keeping in mind that the appearance of erectile dysfunction might indicate the presence of occult chronic diabetes complications.

Adult↗