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Biomedical subjects

Russell Scott

Publications and source records attributed to Russell Scott.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Biovariability of plasma adiponectin.

BACKGROUND: Adiponectin is a cytokine produced by adipose tissue with insulin sensitising and anti-atherosclerotic effects. Low plasma adiponectin levels are used as a marker of the metabolic syndrome and incipient type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We carried out a series of studies to determine the short- and long-term variability of plasma adiponectin levels, including diurnal and post-prandial changes. These investigations also included examining the effect of frozen storage on plasma adiponectin levels. RESULTS: A nested study in 10 overweight subjects with the metabolic syndrome and 10 age- and sex-matched controls showed intra-subject variation in adiponectin levels over a 30-day period of 12.2% and 18.8%, respectively, equivalent to reference change values of 1.7 and 3.6 microg/mL. In non-obese subjects, plasma adiponectin levels varied minimally over a 15-month period (baseline, 8.3+/-2.9 microg/mL vs. +15 months, 8.2+/-3.0 microg/mL, p=0.95) and showed only minor diurnal and post-prandial changes (pre-meal, 8.2+/-3.0 microg/mL vs. 3 h post-prandial, 8.3+/-3.1 microg/mL, p=0.60). The adiponectin assay had an intra-assay variation of 8.8%, with storage at -30 degrees C for 33 months or three cycles of freezing and thawing having no discernible effect on adiponectin levels. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that plasma adiponectin levels have relatively low biovariability and that adiponectin can be sampled fasting or non-fasting to provide a reliable marker of insulin resistance and incipient type 2 diabetes.

Adiponectin↗
PubMed2003

Pilot study on the clinical effects of dietary supplementation with Enzogenol, a flavonoid extract of pine bark and vitamin C.

Flavonoids are naturally occurring plant compounds with established in vitro antioxidant properties and potential cardioprotective effects. We carried out a 12-week pilot study on the effects of dietary supplementation with an extract of bioflavonoids prepared from the bark of Pinus radiata trees [Enzogenol] containing added vitamin C. Data was collected from 24 healthy subjects aged between 55-75 years at baseline and at 6 and 12 weeks and included, routine biochemical and haematological indices, and anthropometric, blood pressure, forearm blood flow and haemorheological measurements. Enzogenol supplementation at a dosage of 480 mg/day of pine bark extract and 240 mg/day vitamin C did not result in changes in any biochemical or haematological indice and was associated with a significant reduction in the means of body weight, percentage body fat, systolic blood pressure and plasma viscosity. Basal and hyperaemic blood fl ow in forearm resistance vessels measured by plethysmography increased significantly during the study. The findings of this pilot study indicate that dietary supplementation with Enzogenol is safe and well tolerated and is associated with a number of beneficial effects on a range of established cardiovascular risk factors. These changes need to be validated by a placebo-controlled study but are consistent with other studies that have reported beneficial clinical effects following supplementation with bioflavonoids.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Acarbose improves glycemic control in overweight type 2 diabetic patients insufficiently treated with metformin.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of acarbose as add-on therapy in overweight type 2 patients with diabetes inadequately controlled by metformin. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This study adopted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group design. After a 4-week placebo run-in period, subjects were randomized to either acarbose (titrated up to 100 mg b.i.d.) or placebo. The primary efficacy variable was the change in HbA(1c) from baseline to the end of the 24-week treatment period. Change in fasting blood glucose was assessed as a secondary efficacy parameter. RESULTS: The intention-to-treat analysis from baseline to week 24 (81 patients for HbA(1c) and 82 for fasting blood glucose) showed statistically significant differences between acarbose and placebo treatment in HbA(1c) (1.02%; 95% CI 0.543-1.497; P = 0.0001) and fasting blood glucose (1.132 mmol/l; 95% CI 0.056-2.208; P = 0.0395) (adjusted least square means). In all, 18 patients (47%) in the acarbose group were classified as responders with a > or =5% reduction in HbA(1c) (relative to baseline) at the end point compared to 6 (14%) in the placebo group (P = 0.001). The safety profiles were similar for both treatment groups except for the higher incidence of gastrointestinal side effects during acarbose therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of acarbose to metformin monotherapy provides an efficacious and safe alternative for glycemic improvement in overweight type 2 patients inadequately controlled by metformin alone.

Acarbose↗
PubMed2002

Efficacy and safety of statin therapy in children with familial hypercholesterolemia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with simvastatin.

BACKGROUND: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to evaluate LDL cholesterol-lowering efficacy, overall safety, and tolerability and the influence on growth and pubertal development of simvastatin in a large cohort of boys and girls with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (heFH). METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 173 heFH children (98 boys and 75 girls) were included in this study. After a 4-week diet/placebo run-in period, children with heFH were randomized to either simvastatin or placebo in a ratio of 3:2. Simvastatin was started at 10 mg/d and titrated at 8-week intervals to 20 and then 40 mg/d. During a 24-week extension period, the patients continued to receive simvastatin (40 mg) or placebo according to their assignment. After 48 weeks of simvastatin therapy, there were significant reductions of LDL cholesterol (-41%), total cholesterol (-31%), apolipoprotein B (-34%), VLDL cholesterol (-21%), and triglyceride (-9%) levels. HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I levels were increased by 3.3% and 10.4%, respectively (not significant). No safety issues became evident. Except for small decreases in dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate compared with placebo, there were no significant changes from baseline in adrenal, gonadal, and pituitary hormones in either treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: Simvastatin significantly reduced LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglyceride, VLDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B levels and was well tolerated in children with heFH. There was no evidence of any adverse effect of simvastatin on growth and pubertal development. Therefore, simvastatin at doses up to 40 mg is a well-tolerated and effective therapy for heFH children.

Adolescent↗