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Biomedical subjects

N P Lee

Publications and source records attributed to N P Lee.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

Beta cell function declines with age in glucose tolerant Caucasians.

OBJECTIVE: As type 2 diabetes results from an imbalance between insulin sensitivity and beta cell function, either or both may worsen with age. However, existing data are controversial on the effect of ageing on both insulin sensitivity and beta cell function. SUBJECTS AND DESIGN: We enrolled 149 healthy, glucose tolerant and normotensive Caucasians (age 35 +/- 1 years, body mass index 26.07 +/- 0.44 kg/m2, waist-hip ratio 0.842 +/- 0.009 cm/cm, mean +/- standard error). A cross-sectional study was designed to examine the impact of age on insulin sensitivity and beta cell function. Their beta cell function (percentage B [%B]) and insulin sensitivity (percentage S [%S]) were estimated using the homeostasis model assessment. RESULTS: Simple regression analysis revealed that %B declined with age (P = 0.008) while no relation was found between %S and age (P = 0.769). A stepwise regression analysis revealed that body mass index and diastolic blood pressure explained 14.7% of variation in %S, while age, waist-hip ratio, gender, and systolic blood pressure had no influence on %S. Age, body mass index and diastolic blood pressure together accounted for 21.7% of variation in %B, with age being an independent variable. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, we showed that beta cell function declined with age at a rate of about 1% per year. In contrast, insulin sensitivity was not affected by ageing. Our observations suggest that the age-related decline in glucose tolerance is primarily related to the loss of beta-cell function.

Adult↗

Insulin sensitivity is inversely correlated with plasma intact parathyroid hormone level.

Abnormal glucose metabolism and a high prevalence of diabetes have been reported in patients with primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism. We hypothesize that plasma intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) level is a determinant of either insulin sensitivity or beta-cell function. The study included 52 normotensive, healthy subjects with glucose tolerance. Insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function were assessed using a hyperglycemic clamp. Fasting plasma iPTH was determined. The relationships between its level and insulin sensitivity index and beta-cell function were examined. Insulin sensitivity index was inversely correlated with plasma iPTH level (r2 = .104, P = .020). The first phase insulin response was positively correlated with plasma iPTH level (r2 = .098, P = .023), but no correlation existed with the second phase insulin response. After adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, and waist-to-hip ratio, plasma iPTH level was an independent determinant of insulin sensitivity index (P = .019). However, no independent relationship between plasma iPTH level and beta-cell function (the first phase and second phase insulin response) was found. In normotensive, glucose-tolerant, and healthy subjects, plasma iPTH level accounts for 10.4% of the variation in insulin sensitivity index. For each pg/mL increment in plasma iPTH level, there is a decrease of 0.247 micromol/L/m2/min/pmol/L in insulin sensitivity index. Although the molecular basis of this relationship is not clear, our results indicate that plasma iPTH level is inversely correlated with insulin sensitivity index.

Adult↗

Insulin sensitivity differs among ethnic groups with a compensatory response in beta-cell function.

OBJECTIVE: A drastic difference is evident in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes among ethnic groups. We examined the role of beta-cell function and insulin sensitivity in this disparity among 4 ethnic groups. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: beta-Cell function and insulin sensitivity were assessed in 77 healthy glucose-tolerant subjects using a hyperglycemic clamp (18 Asian-Americans, 9 African-Americans, 34 Caucasians, and 16 Mexican-Americans). RESULTS: A wide range of variation was evident in clinical features of the studied subjects. Insulin sensitivity index and the second-phase insulin response differed among the 4 groups (P = 0.0023 and P = 0.0082, respectively), whereas the first-phase insulin response was marginally different (P = 0.1090). Stepwise regression analysis revealed that ethnicity was an independent determinant for the insulin sensitivity index (P = 0.0014) after adjusting for sex, age, diastolic blood pressure, waist-to-hip ratio, and BMI. Also, a compensatory response of beta-cell function was observed among the ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we observed a drastic difference in insulin sensitivity among the different ethnic groups and observed that their beta-cell function compensates for the prevailing insulin sensitivity. The difference in the prevalence of abnormal glucose tolerance in different ethnic groups could be a result of differences in insulin sensitivity

Adult↗

The menopause.

Menopause is diagnosed after 12 months of amenorrhoea resulting from the permanent cessation of ovarian function. The mean age at menopause is 51 years. The perimenopause, a time of changing ovarian function, precedes the final menses by several years. The physiology and clinical manifestations of this transition to menopause are not well understood; however, some symptoms, such as hot flashes, certainly begin in the perimenopause. Causal associations between menopause and several symptoms and diseases are proposed. The evidence for these associations varies and is reviewed. Hormone replacement therapy can be directed at symptom relief or at prevention or treatment of chronic diseases. Doses and routes of hormone replacement therapy vary by indication. Complications of hormone replacement therapy depend on the regimen used. Knowing the expected vaginal bleeding pattern for each hormone replacement therapy regimen is important, since unexpected bleeding may signal endometrial hyperplasia. Postmenopausal hormone therapy is a complex intervention that produces positive and negative specific health effects. Overall, based on observational studies, postmenopausal women who use hormones have a 30-50% lower all-cause mortality rate than those who do not use hormones. It is important to recognise that the value that individual women place on various health outcomes associated with hormone replacement therapy may differ. Thus, the decision to use hormone replacement therapy should be made jointly by each woman and her health-care provider, after careful consideration of possible benefits, risks, and her personal preferences.

Coronary Disease↗

Fulminant adult respiratory distress syndrome after suction lipectomy. A case report.

The adult respiratory distress syndrome developing within 24 hours in a patient who underwent suction lipectomy for body contouring under general anaesthesia is reported. During surgery, in which a total of 1.3 l of suction matter was removed, the patient became haemodynamically unstable and mildly hyperthermic. Subsequently, clinical signs and symptoms of the fat embolism syndrome developed. Aggressive haemodynamic and respiratory support over an 8-day period resulted in patient survival. Malignant hyperthermia was excluded as cause for the clinical presentation on muscle biopsy and in vitro caffeine contracture studies. Although usually complication-free, suction lipectomy may be associated with life-threatening incidents. Even suction volumes as low as 1.3 l have potential hazards, therefore the procedure merits regular postoperative observation and re-assessment.

Adult↗

Effect of hormones on growth and function of cultured canine tracheal epithelial cells.

Insulin (INS), endothelial cell growth supplement (ECGS), transferrin (TF), cholera toxin (CT), hydrocortisone (HC), triiodothyronine (T3), and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were systematically examined for their effects on proliferation, ion transport activity, and morphological differentiation of canine tracheal epithelial (CTE) cells in culture. INS, ECGS, TF, and CT increase proliferation of CTE cells cultured on plastic Petri dishes but exhibit no acute effect on the bioelectric activity of freshly excised CTE. CT increases amiloride-insensitive transepithelial ion transport across both freshly excised canine trachea and CTE cultures. EGF has no effect on proliferation of CTE cells on plastic but induces hyperplasia of CTE cells on collagen matrices. EGF does not alter basal transepithelial ion transport across cultures but increases cellular responsiveness to beta-adrenergic stimulation. HC and T3 have no effect on proliferation or transepithelial bioelectric properties of CTE cells but improve morphological differentiation yielding cultures of complex epithelia containing cuboidal ciliated and nonciliated cells. These results demonstrate that growth and function of cultured CTE cells are affected by specific growth factors.

Amiloride↗