WNIN/GR-Ob mutant rat is a novel animal model to study metabolic syndrome (obesity, insulin resis... more WNIN/GR-Ob mutant rat is a novel animal model to study metabolic syndrome (obesity, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance and cardiovascular diseases). We have investigated the islet characteristics of obese mutants at different age groups (1, 6 and 12 months) to assess the islet changes in response to early and chronic metabolic stress. Our data demonstrates altered islet cell morphology and function (hypertrophy, fibrotic lesions, vacuolation, decreased stimulation index, increased TNFα, ROS and TBARS levels) in mutants as compared to controls. Furthermore, network analysis (gene-gene interaction) studied in pancreas demonstrated increased inflammation as a key factor underlying obesity/metabolic syndrome in mutants. These observations pave way to explore this model to understand islet adaptation in response to metabolic syndrome.
Obesity is associated with metabolic diseases, including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and ... more Obesity is associated with metabolic diseases, including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia. Antiobesity drugs are available but have side effects. Hydroxy citric acid (HCA) with ATP-citrate lyase enzyme-inhibiting activity has been identified as a safe potential supplement for weight management and as an antiobesity agent. In the present study, we aim to test the antiobesity potential of the fruit rind powder of G. indica (a plant rich in HCA) in genetically obese rats. Forty-five-day-old Male WNIN/GR-Ob rats were divided equally into four groups with each group having six rats. Group 1 was fed with a standard powder diet (SPD), whereas Groups 2, 3, and 4 were fed with SPD containing 1%, 3%, and 5%, respectively, of G. indica powder for 12 weeks. Food intake, body composition, oral glucose tolerance test, plasma insulin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lipid profile, hepatic glycogen, ATP-citrate lyase, and Glucose-6-Phosphate deh...
Obesity, a multifactorial nutrition disorder, is no longer the problem of the affluent West; it h... more Obesity, a multifactorial nutrition disorder, is no longer the problem of the affluent West; it has been slowly gaining entry in to developing countries as well. Ever since the first demonstration of an experimental hypothalamic obese rat model, laboratory animals have been in the forefront of basic research concerned with this important metabolic disease. Apart from nongenetic models, an array of genetic murine models of obesity is now available. Over the years the obese loci in these mutants were localised, and most of them have been cloned. Among them leptin and its receptor--the first gene products to be identified, have revolutionised the field, and the possibility of a 'lipostat' mechanism operating in the body is no longer in the realm of imagination. Studies are now on, to identify the murine obese genes in the human population with a view to understand the problem and intervene therapeutically. We have recently developed a new rat model of obesity in our animal faci...
WNIN/Ob (obese and euglycaemic) and WNIN/GR-Ob (obesity with impaired glucose tolerance), were is... more WNIN/Ob (obese and euglycaemic) and WNIN/GR-Ob (obesity with impaired glucose tolerance), were isolated and established from Wistar rat stock (WNIN). Both strains showed physical, physiological and biochemical indices related to obesity. We present here haematology, histology and pathophysiological changes between the phenotypes of these strains, lean (+/+), carrier (+/-) and obese (-/-). A total of 72 animals of equal gender consisting of three phenotypes were used for the study. Haematology, organ weights were measured and histopathology of the tissues studied using standard procedures. In 12 lean and obese rats (equal gender) of WNIN/GR-Ob group morphometry of pancreatic islets was done immunohistochemically (IHC). Obese rats of both the strains showed normal haematology (except low platelet count), but exhibited changes in the organ weights and in histopathology in organs like liver, kidney, brain and testis/ovary. Hyperplasia of adipocytes was seen in obese rats as compared to ...
1. Lab Anim Sci. 1997 Aug;47(4):428-31. Identification of impaired-glucose-tolerant animals from ... more 1. Lab Anim Sci. 1997 Aug;47(4):428-31. Identification of impaired-glucose-tolerant animals from a Wistar inbred rat colony. Giridharan NV, Lakshmi CN, Raghuramulu N. National Center for Laboratory Animal Sciences (NCLAS ...
Gossypol was isolated and purified from cotton seed flour. It was found to inhibit rat testis cyt... more Gossypol was isolated and purified from cotton seed flour. It was found to inhibit rat testis cytosolic LDH-X activity, in vitro, in a dose-dependent manner. Preincubation of the enzyme with gossypol increased the inhibitory effect markedly. Addition of NADH to the preincubation mixture imparted some protection against inhibition. The inhibitory effect of gossypol was competitive with respect to NADH, but non-competitive with respect to alpha-ketoglutarate. The latter is reported to be a specific substrate for rat LDH-X and hence can be used for measuring LDH-X activity in the presence of other lactic dehydrogenase isoenzymes. Preliminary studies show that gossypol can inhibit other dehydrogenases such as glutamic dehydrogenase, glutathione reductase and malic dehydrogenase as well.
Gossypol acetic acid could induce total infertility in male Wistar/NIN strain rats at a dose of 3... more Gossypol acetic acid could induce total infertility in male Wistar/NIN strain rats at a dose of 30 mg per kg body weight per day, for 52 days. 20 mg for 52 days and 30 mg for 38 days produced partial infertility. Highly significant correlation between parameters of infertility like reduced cauda sperm count, and implantation sites, and reduction in LDH-X activity of cauda epididymal sperm and carnitine levels in cauda epididymal fluid were observed. Testis remained unaffected.
ABSTRACT Aim: Role of leptin in bringing about systemic immune response under obesity has so far ... more ABSTRACT Aim: Role of leptin in bringing about systemic immune response under obesity has so far been speculative. In the present study we addressed this question using genetically obese rats developed at our centre- WNIN/Ob and WNIN/GR-Ob. Methodology: Both the lean (+/+) and homozygous obese animals (-/-) received either phosphate buffered saline or leptin. While another set of fed lean and obese served as controls. Effect of leptin on immune function was assessed in terms of splenic lymphocyte proliferative response to Concavalin A (Con A), splenic CD4/CD8 ratio and Nitric oxide (NO) production by macrophages. Further, we also studied if the effect of leptin on immune function was associated with changes in receptor OBR (Leptin receptor) and or JAK2 (Janus tyrosine kinase 2) total protein expression. Results: Lean animals of both the strains (WNIN/GR-Ob & WNIN/Ob lean) responded to leptin treatment, in terms of increased CD4/CD8 ratio and lipopolysaccharide stimulated peritoneal macrophage Nitric Oxide (NO) production (P<0.05), while splenic lymphocyte proliferative response (P<0.05) to Concavalin A upon leptin treatment was observed only in WNIN/GR-Ob lean animals. Furthermore, significant increase in obese receptor (OBR) protein expression and a trend for JAK2 protein expression (P=0.06) upon leptin treatment were seen in WNIN/GR-Ob and WNIN/Ob lean animals respectively. Conclusion: The data thus show that leptin resistance could be one of the factors associated with immune dysfunction in obese condition.
WNIN (Wistar/NIN) is an inbred rat strain maintained at National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) for... more WNIN (Wistar/NIN) is an inbred rat strain maintained at National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) for more than 90 years, and WNIN/Ob is an obese mutant originated from it. To determine their genetic relatedness with major rat strains in biomedical research, they were genotyped at various marker loci. The recently identified markers for albino and hooded mutations which clustered all the known albino rats into a single lineage also included WNIN and WNIN/Ob rats. Genotyping using microsatellite DNA markers and phylogenetic analysis with 49 different rat strains suggested that WNIN shares a common ancestor with many Wistar originated strains. Fst estimates and Fischer's exact test suggest that WNIN rats differed significantly from all other strains tested. WNIN/Ob though shows hyper-leptinemia, like Zucker fatty rat, did not share the Zucker fatty rat mutation. The above analyses suggest WNIN as a highly differentiated rat strain and WNIN/Ob a novel obese mutant evolved from it.
Obesity is shown to increase the incidence and severity of infectious diseases and individuals se... more Obesity is shown to increase the incidence and severity of infectious diseases and individuals seem to exhibit poor antibody response to vaccination due to several inherent immune defects. With the increasing prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) seen in obese individuals, the present study was aimed to investigate the basal immune response and immune response upon Hepatitis B vaccination (HBV) in an obese rat model WNIN/GR-Ob with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Decreased proportions of splenic CD4(+) T helper cells and CD3(+) T cells were observed in obese animals compared to lean animals. Upon HBV, obese animals showed reduced cell-mediated immunity and humoral immunity in terms of splenic lymphocyte proliferative response to Concanavalin A (Con A) and Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBsAg-specific IgG response. Innate immunity as assessed in terms of Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNF α) and Nitric oxide (NO) production by peritoneal macrophages upon HBV was low and...
Development of appropriate animal model systems have greatly helped our understanding of the basi... more Development of appropriate animal model systems have greatly helped our understanding of the basic mechanism(s) of several degenerative diseases. WNIN/GR-Ob?a mutant rat strain developed at the National Center for Laboratory Animal Sciences facility of National Institute of Nutrition, is a new animal model ideal to study the metabolic syndrome since it is obese with impaired glucose tolerance and also exhibits several secondary complications. The present study was performed in the pancreas of this mutant model to assess the global gene expression (microarray) to assess the transcriptome level changes in situ depicting inflammation, obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes in these animals. Our findings suggest an interplay of several confounding factors in pancreas which include inflammation /macrophage infiltration/apoptosis/oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress, all contributing for the shift toward pro-inflammation. We were able to phenotypically correlate the metabolic alterations vis-a-vis candidate genes (array analyses) compared between mutants and its age matched, parental controls. We advocate that the data reported here would provide a suitable insight in to the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome .
A strong association between retinal degeneration and obesity has been shown in humans. However, ... more A strong association between retinal degeneration and obesity has been shown in humans. However, the molecular basis of increased risk for retinal degeneration in obesity is unknown. Thus, an animal model with obesity and retinal degeneration would greatly aid the understanding of obesity-associated retinal degeneration. The retinal abnormalities in a novel rat model (WNIN-Ob) with spontaneously developed obesity are described. Histologic and immunohistochemical examination were performed on retinal sections of 2- to 12-month-old WNIN-Ob rats, and findings were compared with those of lean littermate controls. RNA from retinas of 12-month-old WNIN-Ob and lean littermate rats was used for microarray and qRT-PCR analysis. The WNIN-Ob rats developed severe obesity, with an onset at approximately 35 days. Evaluation of retinal morphology in 2- to 12-month-old WNIN-Ob and age-matched lean littermate controls revealed progressive retinal degeneration, with an onset between 4 to 6 months of age. Immunohistochemical analysis with anti-rhodopsin, anti-cone opsin, and PSD-95 antibodies further confirmed retinal degeneration, particularly rod cell loss and thinner outer plexiform layer, in the obese rat retina. Gene expression by microarray analysis and qRT-PCR established activation of stress response, tissue remodeling, impaired phototransduction, and photoreceptor degeneration in WNIN-Ob rat retina. WNIN-Ob rats develop increased stress in retinal tissue and progressive retinal degeneration after the onset of severe obesity. The WNIN-Ob rat is the first rat model to develop retinal degeneration after the onset of obesity. This novel rat model may be a valuable tool for investigating retinal degeneration associated with obesity in humans.
Studies have confirmed correlation between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and chronic obstructive pulm... more Studies have confirmed correlation between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, to date, no studies have analyzed correlation between exacerbations of COPD (ECOPD) and MetS. The aim of this preliminary study was to examine if presence of MetS increases the frequency and duration of ECOPD. Patients with COPD were prospectively enrolled and followed between March 2008 and September 2009. Medical records, pulmonary function tests, chest X-rays; laboratory test results were gathered to establish the presence of COPD and MetS. Patients were divided in two groups; with and without MetS. The ECOPD was defined as worsening of symptoms requiring increased use of rescue medications and/or need for either systemic steroids or antibiotics or that led to emergency room visit or hospitalizations during 12 months follow-up. A total of 106 patients were recruited, 29 with MetS and 77 without. The mean exacerbation of COPD frequency was 2.4 ± 0.8 in MetS group versus 0.68 ± 0.6 in the control group during the follow-up period (P < 0.001). Mean duration of each exacerbation was 7.5 ± 1.5 days in patients with MetS versus 5 ± 2.4 days in patients without. Serum C-reactive protein (r = 0.31, P = 0.001), fasting blood glucose (r = 0.55, P < 0.001), and triglycerides (r = 0.251, P = 0.01) were positively and significantly correlated with exacerbation frequency. This study demonstrates an association between ECOPD and its duration with the MetS. The systemic inflammation induced by common cytokines may explain the linkage between the two conditions.
WNIN/GR-Ob mutant rat is a novel animal model to study metabolic syndrome (obesity, insulin resis... more WNIN/GR-Ob mutant rat is a novel animal model to study metabolic syndrome (obesity, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance and cardiovascular diseases). We have investigated the islet characteristics of obese mutants at different age groups (1, 6 and 12 months) to assess the islet changes in response to early and chronic metabolic stress. Our data demonstrates altered islet cell morphology and function (hypertrophy, fibrotic lesions, vacuolation, decreased stimulation index, increased TNFα, ROS and TBARS levels) in mutants as compared to controls. Furthermore, network analysis (gene-gene interaction) studied in pancreas demonstrated increased inflammation as a key factor underlying obesity/metabolic syndrome in mutants. These observations pave way to explore this model to understand islet adaptation in response to metabolic syndrome.
Obesity is associated with metabolic diseases, including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and ... more Obesity is associated with metabolic diseases, including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia. Antiobesity drugs are available but have side effects. Hydroxy citric acid (HCA) with ATP-citrate lyase enzyme-inhibiting activity has been identified as a safe potential supplement for weight management and as an antiobesity agent. In the present study, we aim to test the antiobesity potential of the fruit rind powder of G. indica (a plant rich in HCA) in genetically obese rats. Forty-five-day-old Male WNIN/GR-Ob rats were divided equally into four groups with each group having six rats. Group 1 was fed with a standard powder diet (SPD), whereas Groups 2, 3, and 4 were fed with SPD containing 1%, 3%, and 5%, respectively, of G. indica powder for 12 weeks. Food intake, body composition, oral glucose tolerance test, plasma insulin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lipid profile, hepatic glycogen, ATP-citrate lyase, and Glucose-6-Phosphate deh...
Obesity, a multifactorial nutrition disorder, is no longer the problem of the affluent West; it h... more Obesity, a multifactorial nutrition disorder, is no longer the problem of the affluent West; it has been slowly gaining entry in to developing countries as well. Ever since the first demonstration of an experimental hypothalamic obese rat model, laboratory animals have been in the forefront of basic research concerned with this important metabolic disease. Apart from nongenetic models, an array of genetic murine models of obesity is now available. Over the years the obese loci in these mutants were localised, and most of them have been cloned. Among them leptin and its receptor--the first gene products to be identified, have revolutionised the field, and the possibility of a 'lipostat' mechanism operating in the body is no longer in the realm of imagination. Studies are now on, to identify the murine obese genes in the human population with a view to understand the problem and intervene therapeutically. We have recently developed a new rat model of obesity in our animal faci...
WNIN/Ob (obese and euglycaemic) and WNIN/GR-Ob (obesity with impaired glucose tolerance), were is... more WNIN/Ob (obese and euglycaemic) and WNIN/GR-Ob (obesity with impaired glucose tolerance), were isolated and established from Wistar rat stock (WNIN). Both strains showed physical, physiological and biochemical indices related to obesity. We present here haematology, histology and pathophysiological changes between the phenotypes of these strains, lean (+/+), carrier (+/-) and obese (-/-). A total of 72 animals of equal gender consisting of three phenotypes were used for the study. Haematology, organ weights were measured and histopathology of the tissues studied using standard procedures. In 12 lean and obese rats (equal gender) of WNIN/GR-Ob group morphometry of pancreatic islets was done immunohistochemically (IHC). Obese rats of both the strains showed normal haematology (except low platelet count), but exhibited changes in the organ weights and in histopathology in organs like liver, kidney, brain and testis/ovary. Hyperplasia of adipocytes was seen in obese rats as compared to ...
1. Lab Anim Sci. 1997 Aug;47(4):428-31. Identification of impaired-glucose-tolerant animals from ... more 1. Lab Anim Sci. 1997 Aug;47(4):428-31. Identification of impaired-glucose-tolerant animals from a Wistar inbred rat colony. Giridharan NV, Lakshmi CN, Raghuramulu N. National Center for Laboratory Animal Sciences (NCLAS ...
Gossypol was isolated and purified from cotton seed flour. It was found to inhibit rat testis cyt... more Gossypol was isolated and purified from cotton seed flour. It was found to inhibit rat testis cytosolic LDH-X activity, in vitro, in a dose-dependent manner. Preincubation of the enzyme with gossypol increased the inhibitory effect markedly. Addition of NADH to the preincubation mixture imparted some protection against inhibition. The inhibitory effect of gossypol was competitive with respect to NADH, but non-competitive with respect to alpha-ketoglutarate. The latter is reported to be a specific substrate for rat LDH-X and hence can be used for measuring LDH-X activity in the presence of other lactic dehydrogenase isoenzymes. Preliminary studies show that gossypol can inhibit other dehydrogenases such as glutamic dehydrogenase, glutathione reductase and malic dehydrogenase as well.
Gossypol acetic acid could induce total infertility in male Wistar/NIN strain rats at a dose of 3... more Gossypol acetic acid could induce total infertility in male Wistar/NIN strain rats at a dose of 30 mg per kg body weight per day, for 52 days. 20 mg for 52 days and 30 mg for 38 days produced partial infertility. Highly significant correlation between parameters of infertility like reduced cauda sperm count, and implantation sites, and reduction in LDH-X activity of cauda epididymal sperm and carnitine levels in cauda epididymal fluid were observed. Testis remained unaffected.
ABSTRACT Aim: Role of leptin in bringing about systemic immune response under obesity has so far ... more ABSTRACT Aim: Role of leptin in bringing about systemic immune response under obesity has so far been speculative. In the present study we addressed this question using genetically obese rats developed at our centre- WNIN/Ob and WNIN/GR-Ob. Methodology: Both the lean (+/+) and homozygous obese animals (-/-) received either phosphate buffered saline or leptin. While another set of fed lean and obese served as controls. Effect of leptin on immune function was assessed in terms of splenic lymphocyte proliferative response to Concavalin A (Con A), splenic CD4/CD8 ratio and Nitric oxide (NO) production by macrophages. Further, we also studied if the effect of leptin on immune function was associated with changes in receptor OBR (Leptin receptor) and or JAK2 (Janus tyrosine kinase 2) total protein expression. Results: Lean animals of both the strains (WNIN/GR-Ob & WNIN/Ob lean) responded to leptin treatment, in terms of increased CD4/CD8 ratio and lipopolysaccharide stimulated peritoneal macrophage Nitric Oxide (NO) production (P<0.05), while splenic lymphocyte proliferative response (P<0.05) to Concavalin A upon leptin treatment was observed only in WNIN/GR-Ob lean animals. Furthermore, significant increase in obese receptor (OBR) protein expression and a trend for JAK2 protein expression (P=0.06) upon leptin treatment were seen in WNIN/GR-Ob and WNIN/Ob lean animals respectively. Conclusion: The data thus show that leptin resistance could be one of the factors associated with immune dysfunction in obese condition.
WNIN (Wistar/NIN) is an inbred rat strain maintained at National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) for... more WNIN (Wistar/NIN) is an inbred rat strain maintained at National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) for more than 90 years, and WNIN/Ob is an obese mutant originated from it. To determine their genetic relatedness with major rat strains in biomedical research, they were genotyped at various marker loci. The recently identified markers for albino and hooded mutations which clustered all the known albino rats into a single lineage also included WNIN and WNIN/Ob rats. Genotyping using microsatellite DNA markers and phylogenetic analysis with 49 different rat strains suggested that WNIN shares a common ancestor with many Wistar originated strains. Fst estimates and Fischer's exact test suggest that WNIN rats differed significantly from all other strains tested. WNIN/Ob though shows hyper-leptinemia, like Zucker fatty rat, did not share the Zucker fatty rat mutation. The above analyses suggest WNIN as a highly differentiated rat strain and WNIN/Ob a novel obese mutant evolved from it.
Obesity is shown to increase the incidence and severity of infectious diseases and individuals se... more Obesity is shown to increase the incidence and severity of infectious diseases and individuals seem to exhibit poor antibody response to vaccination due to several inherent immune defects. With the increasing prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) seen in obese individuals, the present study was aimed to investigate the basal immune response and immune response upon Hepatitis B vaccination (HBV) in an obese rat model WNIN/GR-Ob with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Decreased proportions of splenic CD4(+) T helper cells and CD3(+) T cells were observed in obese animals compared to lean animals. Upon HBV, obese animals showed reduced cell-mediated immunity and humoral immunity in terms of splenic lymphocyte proliferative response to Concanavalin A (Con A) and Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBsAg-specific IgG response. Innate immunity as assessed in terms of Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNF α) and Nitric oxide (NO) production by peritoneal macrophages upon HBV was low and...
Development of appropriate animal model systems have greatly helped our understanding of the basi... more Development of appropriate animal model systems have greatly helped our understanding of the basic mechanism(s) of several degenerative diseases. WNIN/GR-Ob?a mutant rat strain developed at the National Center for Laboratory Animal Sciences facility of National Institute of Nutrition, is a new animal model ideal to study the metabolic syndrome since it is obese with impaired glucose tolerance and also exhibits several secondary complications. The present study was performed in the pancreas of this mutant model to assess the global gene expression (microarray) to assess the transcriptome level changes in situ depicting inflammation, obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes in these animals. Our findings suggest an interplay of several confounding factors in pancreas which include inflammation /macrophage infiltration/apoptosis/oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress, all contributing for the shift toward pro-inflammation. We were able to phenotypically correlate the metabolic alterations vis-a-vis candidate genes (array analyses) compared between mutants and its age matched, parental controls. We advocate that the data reported here would provide a suitable insight in to the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome .
A strong association between retinal degeneration and obesity has been shown in humans. However, ... more A strong association between retinal degeneration and obesity has been shown in humans. However, the molecular basis of increased risk for retinal degeneration in obesity is unknown. Thus, an animal model with obesity and retinal degeneration would greatly aid the understanding of obesity-associated retinal degeneration. The retinal abnormalities in a novel rat model (WNIN-Ob) with spontaneously developed obesity are described. Histologic and immunohistochemical examination were performed on retinal sections of 2- to 12-month-old WNIN-Ob rats, and findings were compared with those of lean littermate controls. RNA from retinas of 12-month-old WNIN-Ob and lean littermate rats was used for microarray and qRT-PCR analysis. The WNIN-Ob rats developed severe obesity, with an onset at approximately 35 days. Evaluation of retinal morphology in 2- to 12-month-old WNIN-Ob and age-matched lean littermate controls revealed progressive retinal degeneration, with an onset between 4 to 6 months of age. Immunohistochemical analysis with anti-rhodopsin, anti-cone opsin, and PSD-95 antibodies further confirmed retinal degeneration, particularly rod cell loss and thinner outer plexiform layer, in the obese rat retina. Gene expression by microarray analysis and qRT-PCR established activation of stress response, tissue remodeling, impaired phototransduction, and photoreceptor degeneration in WNIN-Ob rat retina. WNIN-Ob rats develop increased stress in retinal tissue and progressive retinal degeneration after the onset of severe obesity. The WNIN-Ob rat is the first rat model to develop retinal degeneration after the onset of obesity. This novel rat model may be a valuable tool for investigating retinal degeneration associated with obesity in humans.
Studies have confirmed correlation between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and chronic obstructive pulm... more Studies have confirmed correlation between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, to date, no studies have analyzed correlation between exacerbations of COPD (ECOPD) and MetS. The aim of this preliminary study was to examine if presence of MetS increases the frequency and duration of ECOPD. Patients with COPD were prospectively enrolled and followed between March 2008 and September 2009. Medical records, pulmonary function tests, chest X-rays; laboratory test results were gathered to establish the presence of COPD and MetS. Patients were divided in two groups; with and without MetS. The ECOPD was defined as worsening of symptoms requiring increased use of rescue medications and/or need for either systemic steroids or antibiotics or that led to emergency room visit or hospitalizations during 12 months follow-up. A total of 106 patients were recruited, 29 with MetS and 77 without. The mean exacerbation of COPD frequency was 2.4 ± 0.8 in MetS group versus 0.68 ± 0.6 in the control group during the follow-up period (P < 0.001). Mean duration of each exacerbation was 7.5 ± 1.5 days in patients with MetS versus 5 ± 2.4 days in patients without. Serum C-reactive protein (r = 0.31, P = 0.001), fasting blood glucose (r = 0.55, P < 0.001), and triglycerides (r = 0.251, P = 0.01) were positively and significantly correlated with exacerbation frequency. This study demonstrates an association between ECOPD and its duration with the MetS. The systemic inflammation induced by common cytokines may explain the linkage between the two conditions.
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