Biomedical subjects

P Mackin

Publications and source records attributed to P Mackin.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Prevalence of obesity, glucose homeostasis disorders and metabolic syndrome in psychiatric patients taking typical or atypical antipsychotic drugs: a cross-sectional study.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Atypical antipsychotic drugs may be associated with obesity and other components of the metabolic syndrome, but this relationship is controversial. We investigated the hypothesis that atypical antipsychotics are associated with a greater degree of metabolic dysfunction than typical agents. METHODS: Metabolic parameters were measured in 103 diagnostically heterogeneous psychiatric out-patients. Patients had been taking typical or atypical antipsychotic drugs for a minimum of six months. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients were taking atypical agents, 20 typical agents and 14 a combination. Mean values (+/-SD) for the whole group were: age 43.8 years (11.4); BMI 29.1 kg/m(2) (5.1); W:H ratio 0.88 (0.09). Metabolic parameters, including beta cell function and insulin sensitivity, measured by HOMA, did not differ with regard to the prescribed antipsychotic drug. Six patients had undiagnosed diabetes, six patients had impaired fasting glucose, and eight fulfilled criteria for the metabolic syndrome, all of whom were taking atypical agents (p=0.07 vs typical agents). Subgroup analyses of those taking atypical agents revealed differences in BMI (mean, +/-SD) between olanzapine (27.3 kg/m(2)+/-5.1) and quetiapine (31.9 kg/m(2)+/-5.1), p=0.01, and HbA(1c) (olanzapine, 5.1%+/-0.6 vs quetiapine, 5.6%+/-0.6; p=0.03). Other atypical agents were intermediate with regard to these parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity, dyslipidaemia and abnormalities of glucose homeostasis are prevalent in this group. Patients taking atypical agents showed a trend towards abnormalities of glucose homeostasis. Prospective studies are needed to explore the precise relationship between antipsychotic drugs, glucose homeostasis, obesity and the metabolic syndrome.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and bipolar disorder.

There is robust evidence demonstrating abnormalities of the HPA axis in bipolar disorder. Hypercortisolism may be central to the pathogenesis of depressive symptoms and cognitive deficits, which may in turn result from neurocytotoxic effects of raised cortisol levels. Manic episodes may be preceded by increased ACTH and cortisol levels, leading to cognitive problems and functional impairments. Identification and effective treatment of mood and cognitive symptoms of mood disorders are clinical goals, but currently available treatments may fall short of this ideal. Manipulation of the HPA axis has been shown to have therapeutic effects in preclinical and clinical studies, and recent data suggest that direct antagonism of GRs maybe a future therapeutic strategy in the treatment of mood disorders.

Antimanic Agents↗

PubMed1998

Labour ward midwives' perceptions of stress.

This exploratory study set out to examine labour ward midwives' perceptions of stress. It utilized a combination of two self-report questionnaires, one devised by McGrath et al. and the GHQ12. Additional qualitative data were collected by asking midwives to produce narratives about recent stressful events. A convenience sample of the 43 midwives formed the study population and a response rate of 77% was achieved. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative narratives were explored for content analysis. Midwives in this study demonstrated their awareness of stress in their working and personal lives and many took active steps to redress the negative effects with exercise, hobbies and talking with colleagues. However, the study revealed that 78% of the midwives indicated that having insufficient time to perform their duties was very stressful, paralleled by their perceived inability to influence work-based decisions. The study revealed that both medical and midwifery colleagues frustrated their endeavours to change an unsatisfactory condition. The GHQ12 revealed 30% of the midwives had scores above the threshold level of 2 indicating psychiatric morbidity and this is of major concern. The narratives revealed that lack of communication between the professionals about decision making was a major source of stress and as a result of this study efforts to improve multidisciplinary communication through the development of journal clubs and planned social activities is under consideration by the unit. Overall, the findings from this study highlight stress as a potential, occupational health problem in the working lives of some labour ward midwives.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Lack of association of angiotensin II type 1 receptor gene polymorphism with diabetic nephropathy in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Several observations suggest that inherited factors are influential in the development of nephropathy in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Genetic components of the renin angiotensin system are possible candidate genes. The aim of this study was to determine the role of the hypertension associated angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) gene A1166C polymorphism in susceptibility to nephropathy in IDDM. We examined 264 Caucasoid patients with IDDM and overt nephropathy (as defined by persistent proteinuria in the absence of other causes, hypertension and retinopathy), 136 IDDM patients with long duration of diabetes and no nephropathy (LDNN group), 200 recently diagnosed IDDM patients (Sporadic Diabetic group), and 212 non-diabetic subjects. The AT1R gene polymorphism was assessed using the polymerase chain reaction and restriction isotyping. Genotype frequencies did not differ significantly between the sporadic diabetic group and the nephropathy group (p = 0.245), nor between the long duration non-nephropathy group and the nephropathy group (p = 0.250). Allele frequencies were not significantly different between the three groups (p = 0.753). We conclude that there is no significant association between the hypertension associated AT1R gene polymorphism and diabetic nephropathy in patients with IDDM in the UK.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Examination of two genetic polymorphisms within the renin-angiotensin system: no evidence for an association with nephropathy in IDDM.

Premature cardiovascular disease is common in insulin-dependent diabetic (IDDM) patients who develop diabetic nephropathy. Genetic polymorphism within the renin-angiotensin system has been implicated in the aetiology of a number of cardiovascular disorders; these loci are therefore candidate genes for susceptibility to diabetic renal disease. We have examined the angiotensin converting enzyme insertion/deletion polymorphism and angiotensinogen methionine 235 threonine polymorphism in a large cohort of Caucasian patients with IDDM and diabetic nephropathy. Patients were classified as having nephropathy by the presence of persistent dipstick positive proteinuria (in the absence of other causes), retinopathy and hypertension (n = 242). Three groups were examined for comparison: ethnically matched non-diabetic subjects (n = 187); a geographically defined cohort of newly diagnosed diabetic patients (n = 341); and IDDM patients with long duration of disease (> 15 years) and no evidence of overt nephropathy (n = 166). No significant difference was seen in distribution of angiotensin converting enzyme or angiotensinogen genotypes between IDDM patients with nephropathy and recently diagnosed diabetic subjects (p = 0.282 and 0.584, respectively), nor the long-duration non-nephropathy diabetic subjects (p = 0.701 and 0.190, respectively). We conclude that these genetic loci are unlikely to influence susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy in IDDM in the United Kingdom.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Renal function in long-duration type I diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: The development of persistent proteinuria is reported to be uncommon after 30 years of type I diabetes, and the significance of microalbuminuria in patients with long-duration diabetes is unclear. We therefore undertook to study, in detail, renal function in patients with long-duration type I diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We measured albumin excretion rate (AER), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and serum creatinine in 140 patients with > or = 30 years of type I diabetes. We also assessed patients for other micro- macrovascular complications of diabetes together with factors implicated in the development of diabetic renal disease. RESULTS: Of the patients, 23% had microalbuminuria (AER 20-200 micrograms/min and/or urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio [ACR] > 2.5 mg/mmol [men] or > 3.5 mg/mmol [women] and dipstick negative for proteinuria), 4% had overt nephropathy (AER > 200 micrograms/min or persistent dipstick positive proteinuria), and 73% were normoalbuminuric (AER < 20 micrograms/min or ACR < 2.5 mg/mmol [men], < 3.5 mg/mmol [women]). Patients with microalbuminuria had lower GFR (81.5 +/- 30.2 vs. 96.0 +/- 20.3 ml.min-1.1.73 m-2; P = 0.06) and higher serum creatinine (104 +/- 32 vs. 92 +/- 16 mumol/l; P = 0.06) than those patients with normoalbuminuria. Both serum creatinine (P < 0.05) and tobacco consumption (P = 0.01) were significantly and independently related to elevated albumin excretion. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial proportion of these patients have microalbuminuria and evidence of impaired renal function, suggesting that progression to end-stage renal failure may still be inevitable. Clinicians should continue to monitor renal function in these patients. The relationship between tobacco consumption and nephropathy also makes clear the need to reduce cigarette smoking in the diabetic population.

Adult↗