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Biomedical subjects

R B Verdery

Publications and source records attributed to R B Verdery.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Hypocholesterolemia as a predictor of death: a prospective study of 224 nursing home residents.

The relationship of cholesterol, albumin, hemoglobin and glucose levels, and anthropometric variables to risk of death was examined in all residents of a nursing home. Risk of death was a "U-shaped" function of the cholesterol levels. A tenfold increase in relative risk was associated with cholesterol less than 3.4 mmol/l, and the least risk was associated with the middle tertile of cholesterol levels (4.0-5.0 mmol/l). For any level of plasma cholesterol, risk was constant with time for at least 6 months. Low albumin, low hemoglobin, and high fasting glucose levels were also associated with increased mortality; cholesterol levels were nonlinearly related to levels of these risk factors. Proportional hazards models showed that immobility, presence of decubitus ulcers of at least stage II, and use of enteral feeding were also risk factors for death. Because hypocholesterolemia correlated significantly (p less than .05) with the presence of decubiti, elevated white blood cell count, and use of enteral feeding, the association between hypocholesterolemia and risk of death was most likely due to its association with malnutrition and infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Changes in lipoprotein concentrations during the development of noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in obese rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

Abnormalities in plasma lipoprotein concentrations commonly found in subjects with noninsulin-dependent diabetes may be related to insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, or other metabolic defects. The middle-aged obese rhesus monkey is an animal model in which these defects can be separated in time during the development of diabetes. It is, therefore, a model system for examining the sequence of metabolic changes which occur before and after the onset of diabetes. This sequence of changes was used in the present study to determine if lipoprotein changes occur in association with the development of diabetes in the rhesus monkey. Increases in plasma triglyceride, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglyceride, and VLDL cholesterol, and decreases in high density lipoprotein cholesterol were observed across previously identified groups ranging from normal to diabetic. Plasma triglycerides increased from 0.54 +/- 0.09 (normal) to 1.27 +/- 0.50, 1.93 +/- 0.79, and 4.28 +/- 2.24 in three intermediate groups with progressive hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, to 7.59 +/- 2.73 mmol/L in the diabetic monkeys. Increases in VLDL triglyceride and VLDL cholesterol paralleled the plasma triglyceride increases. High density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased across the groups from 2.33 +/- 0.16 (normal) to 1.72 +/- 0.20, 1.17 +/- 0.13, and 1.09 +/- 0.20 mmol/L in the intermediate groups, and was lowest in the diabetic monkeys, 1.00 +/- 0.21. The obese rhesus monkey can therefore be used to study lipoprotein abnormalities as they occur both before and in noninsulin-dependent diabetes.

Aging↗
PubMed1990

'Wasting away' of the old old: can it--and should it--be treated?

Asthenia/cachexia, a syndrome which may manifest as a "wasting away," is growing in importance as the number of those ages 75 to 85 and over 85 increases. The syndrome has clearly identifiable laboratory abnormalities, a multitude of etiologic factors, and serious consequences. Accurate diagnosis of the causative agent is often difficult, since asthenia/cachexia is associated with aging, acute disease, and chronic disease. In addition, empiric treatment is often unpleasant and causes grief to families attempting to provide humane care for parents and grandparents at the end of life. The goal of the practitioner is to identify and intervene judiciously in the progressive deterioration of individuals who develop asthenia/cachexia and its complications.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance methyl and methylene linewidths from plasma decrease during postprandial lipemia.

Narrow proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) linewidths from plasma have been associated with the presence of malignancy (Fossel et al., New Engl. J. Med. (1986) 315, 1369-1376). In that study, subjects and controls were not fasted. In the present study, 1H-NMR methyl and methylene linewidths were measured in plasma from normolipemic individuals without cancer both during fasting and every 90 min after eating a fat meal. Plasma lipoprotein levels were measured in order to relate results to postprandial lipemia. Methyl, methylene, and average 1H-NMR linewidths were strongly positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein levels and inversely correlated with triacylglycerol-rich lipoprotein levels in both the fasting and postprandial states. Linewidths decreased postprandially, reaching a nadir at the peak of plasma triacylglycerol levels. This study demonstrated that postprandial lipemia can lead to narrowing of plasma methyl and methylene resonances comparable to that reported for subjects with cancer.

Chylomicrons↗
PubMed1989

Measurement of normative HDL subfraction cholesterol levels by Gaussian summation analysis of gradient gels.

This report describes development of a computerized method for analyzing polyacrylamide gradient gels of high density lipoproteins (HDL) by Gaussian summation, a simple technique to obtain standardized measurements of size and amount of HDL subfractions. Conditions for reproducibility and ranges of linearity were established. By Gaussian summation analysis, five or six HDL subfractions could be found in the plasma of most normolipidemic people. The relationship of staining intensity to cholesterol level was determined for Coomassie Blue R-250, permitting determination of the cholesterol levels in the individual subfractions, with standard errors of repeated measurements of 2% or less of the total HDL area, and accuracy, limited by the standard error of the chromogenicity, of 1-2 mg/dl for the least abundant fractions and 3-4 mg/dl for the most abundant subfractions. Levels of HDL2b measured by this method were statistically the same as levels of HDL2 measured by dextran sulfate-Mg2+ precipitation. Gaussian summation analysis of gradient gels was used to measure HDL subfraction cholesterol levels in subjects from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging to obtain normative levels for men and women for the major HDL subfractions. Comparisons of these levels with each other and with triglyceride and cholesterol levels showed that triglyceride levels were inversely correlated with levels of HDL2a and HDL2b, cholesterol levels were directly correlated with levels of HDL3b and HDL3a, and that HDL3b levels were inversely correlated with levels of both HDL2a and HDL2b.

Cholesterol, HDL↗
PubMed1975

Arrangement of lipid and protein in human serum high density lipoproteins: a proposed model.

Based on size and compositional data, models for the two major density subclasses of human serum high density lipoproteins have been developed. Descriptions of both the surface structure of the high density lipoproteins and the structure of their apolar core regions are integral parts of these models. The surface is described as a mosaic of amphiphilic lipid and helical protein regions. The conformation and orientation of the various apolar lipid components as restricted by the surface organization is discussed.

Apoproteins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A prospective study of outcome from protein-energy malnutrition in nursing home residents.

To study recovery from protein-energy malnutrition in patients newly admitted to a chronic care facility, biochemical and anthropomorphic malnutrition indicators were measured prospectively over a 2-month period. Subjects were observed for a mean of 76 +/- 18 days after admission. Factors which might affect nutritional status including method of feeding, energy prescribed, use of supplemental feedings, assistance in eating, and amount of diet consumed were recorded. Confounding variables including illness, mental status, functional status, or prescription drugs were evaluated for their impact. On the basis of an empiric nutrition score, 54% of newly admitted residents were malnourished. Improvement in nutritional score occurred in 63% of malnourished patients remaining in the facility whereas 37% remained malnourished. Two related factors, percentage of diet consumed and degree of assistance required in eating, were important differences in the outcome of patients remaining malnourished. Interventional studies to determine whether outcome can be improved by more aggressive feeding methods or by feeding teams need to be undertaken.

Aged↗