Serum Cholesterol

Children with hyperlipidemia secondary to renal disease develop premature atherosclerosis and glomerulosclerosis. The aims of this pilot study were to find the dosage and short-term efficacy of simvastatin and potential adverse events in children with chronic kidney diseases. This was a random, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over clinical trial performed on children with hyperlipidemia secondary to kidney disorders. After being placed on a diet for 3 months, patients were randomly placed in one of two balanced group blocks and treated with diet plus placebo or simvastatin at doses of 5 mg for children weighing 30 kg or less and 10 mg for children weighing over 30 kg, for 1 month, and then doubled for two more months. After this treatment, patients were placed on a diet for a 3-month washout period. During the last trial phase, patients previously treated with simvastatin were administered a placebo, and vice versa. A total of 25 patients with ages ranging from 4 years to 17 years were included in the study. A significant decrease in the levels of serum cholesterol (26.4%), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (35.4%) and triglycerides (23.1%) was noted during the study, primarily during the simvastatin treatments, in which case cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides decreased by 23.3%, 33.7% and 21%, respectively. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels increased moderately (10.7%) during the study but without differences during simvastatin treatment. No differences were found across groups with respect to adverse events. In the short-term the combination of diet and simvastatin was effective in lowering hyperlipidemia in children with renal disorders.

It is generally agreed that physiological levels of melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland, are important in protecting against oxidative stress-induced tissue damage. We investigated the effects that pinealectomy and the administration of exogenous melatonin have on the brains, testes, duodena and stomachs of rats. Pinealectomized (Px) and sham-operated (non-Px) rats were used. We evaluated structural changes, and catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), super oxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The rats were divided into the following five groups (eight rats in each group): sham (non-Px), Px+ vehicle, Px+ melatonin (10 mg/kg given daily intraperitoneally for a week), melatonin and ethyl alcohol. The antioxidant levels in the tissue of Px rats were significantly lower than in those of the sham group. Administering melatonin significantly increased antioxidant levels (p < 0.05). The Px rats also showed a significant increase in MDA levels when com...

The common carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is correlated with the angiographically determined coronary artery stenosis. However, their correlation is weak, which limits the clinical application of the IMT as a predictor of coronary artery stenosis. The IMT reflects diffuse early-phase atherosclerosis, whereas the angiographically determined coronary artery stenosis is a late-phase phenomenon. The latter is localized and rapidly progressive with plaque rupture and acute thrombosis. Instead of the angiographically determined coronary artery stenosis, we employed myocardial flow reserve (MFR) that reflects diffuse early-phase coronary atherosclerosis and impaired coronary vasodilatation function. We evaluated the relationship between the IMT and the MFR. Twenty-three patients with angiographically diagnosed coronary artery disease (CAD) underwent B-mode ultrasound examination to measure their common carotid IMT and positron emission tomography (PET) with dipyridamole intervention to obtain their MFR. We also performed B-mode ultrasound examination in 21 patients with hypertension without CAD and in 15 control subjects. The common carotid IMT in patients with CAD was thickened (0.92+/-0.15 vs. 0.81+/-0.14 mm in patients with hypertension (P<0.05) and 0.69+/-0.13 mm in control subjects (P<0.01)). The IMT was inversely correlated with the MFR (r=0.51, P<0.01). The correlations between the MFR and most of the coronary risk factors (age, blood pressure, serum cholesterol level and triglyceride level, HbA1c level, smoking index) did not reach statistical significance. Thickened common carotid IMT is also an indicator of reduced MFR or early-phase coronary atherosclerosis.

Clinical laboratory testing is a vital component of many stages of the medical decision making process, and therefore information about the quality of the measurement process is critical to the medical decision-making process. A statement of uncertainty of the result of a laboratory test provides this information. To obtain this information, the clinical laboratory measurement process is conceptualized as a self-contained system, the concept of process phases is introduced, and a broadly applicable algorithm describing the modeling and estimation of uncertainty of such processes is developed. The article discusses how performance specifications for individual components can be used to characterize their uncertainty, and uses Monte Carlo simulation to integrate these individual component uncertainties into a net system uncertainty. The proposed approach is illustrated by developing a mathematical model of the serum cholesterol assay analysis procedure. The uses of the model are to: 1) simulate, evaluate and optimize quality control policies without resorting to conducting controlled experiments, 2) obtain performance targets for the measurement process by using uncertainty estimates from the simulation, 3) estimate the contribution of each source of uncertainty to the net system uncertainty, and 4) study the effects of varying the parameters of the system on the net system uncertainty are illustrated with examples.

Scientific studies support recommendations to increase dietary soluble fiber as part of hyperlipidemia treatment. Rice bran contains minimal soluble fiber, but rice bran oil has a hypolipidemic effect. Full-fat rice bran was compared with oat bran and a rice starch placebo in hyperlipidemic humans to see if it might have a role in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. Moderately hypercholesterolemic (5.95-8.02 mmol/L), nonsmoking, nonobese adults were studied in a 6-wk, randomized, double-blind, noncross-over trial. Three groups added 84 g/d of a heat-stabilized, full-fat, medium-grain rice bran product (nÅ 14), oat bran product (nÅ 13) or rice starch placebo (n Å 17) to their usual low-fat diet. Serum cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), apoA1 and apoB were measured before and at the end of the supplementation period. Serum cholesterol decreased significantly (P ¡ 0.05) by 8.3 { 2.4% and 13.0 { 1.8% in the rice bran and oat bran groups, respectiv...

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of enrichment housing design on performance, selected welfare indicators, chicken meat composition and serum cholesterol concentration of broiler chicken. For this purpose, 480 Ross-308 chicks were assigned to two groups, Control and Test, each with 4 replications. The pens of the Test Group were enriched with perches and sand bedding. At the end of the study, 8 males and 8 females whose live weights were close to the group average from each group were slaughtered. Their blood was collected and serum was separated. For chemical analysis of the chicken meat, whole carcasses of 4 males and 4 females, and half of the breast and left thigh from the remaining 4 males and 4 females were collected. In the carcass group, whole carcass with its bones was minced, whereas in the other groups breast and tight meat were separated from the bones and minced in a meat grinder, homogenized with an electronic mixer, then flash frozen (-40 °C, 8–1...

uman immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individ- uals are living longer in the era of antiretroviral therapy. As a result, they are increasingly prone to the development of concomitant chronic disease. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in the United States and Europe. Recent studies suggest that CHD rates may be increasing among HIV-infected patients (see Epidemiological Evidence

In  this  study,  we  investigated  effects  of  Anacyclus  pyrethrum L.
aqueous root extracts on gonadotropins (LH,  FSH) and testosterone
serum in adult male rats. A total number of 60 maleadult rats were
divided  randomly  into  five  groups  (n=12)  including  one  control
group (A), sham control (B) and three test groups (C, D and E). Test
groups  (C,  D  and  E)  received  50,  100,  150  mg/kg  does  of  A.
pyrethrum  aqueous root extracts  intraperitoneally for a period of 28
days. At the end of the treatment period, the reproduction variables
such as gonadotropins (LH, FSH) and serum testosterone levels were
determined.  The  results  depicted  that  gonadotropins and  serum
testosterone  levels,  showed  a  significant  difference  between  the
treatments  and  control  groups  (P <  0.05).The  results  of  this  study
showed  that  aqueous  root  extract  of  A.  pyrethrum  increased
gonadotropins  (LH,  FSH),  as  well  as  serum  testosterone  levels.
Experimental  reports  was  showed  that  these  effects  may  be  caused
due  to  the  presence  of  chemical  compounds  in  the  plant.  A.
pyrethrum  root decomposition was repeatedly shown that the extract
was a resin compound called pyrethrin or pellitorin. It was reported
that the alkyl amide of  A. pyrethrum, pellitorin have positive effects
on reproduction.

The present study investigated the effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyx aqueous extract on the serum cholesterol, body weight and liver marker enzymes activities of normal albino rats. The aqueous extract was orally administered (100 – 800 mg/kg body weight) for 28 days to normal male albino rats. Total cholesterol, body weight, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were measured. Hibiscus sabdariffa administration significantly reduced serum cholesterol and body weight in a dose and duration dependent pattern. AST, ALP and ALT levels were significantly elevated in a dose and duration dependent pattern. The significant increase in the levels of the liver enzymes tends to suggest dysfunction in the coordinating of the liver activity. The extract ability to lower the total cholesterol level and body weight suggests its usefulness as a hypocholesterolemic and anti-obesity agent.

This review is intended to focus on the composition of oat and its therapeutic potential in the pharmacology that supports its use to cure various maladies. Oat (Avena sativa) is distinct among the cereals due to its multifunctional characteristics and nutritional profile. Recent advancement in food and nutrition has revealed the importance of its various components. It is a good source of dietary fiber especially β-glucan, minerals and other nutrients. Oat and oat by products have been proven to be helpful in the treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. Oat bran in particular, is good source of B complex vitamins, protein, fat, minerals besides heart healthy soluble fiber β-glucan. The β-glucan has outstanding functional properties and is of immense importance in human nutrition. Different physiological effects of β-glucan are related to its viscosity, attenuation of postprandial plasma glucose and insulin responses, high transport of bile acids towards lower parts of the intestinal tract and high excretion of bile acids thereby lowering of serum cholesterol levels. Moreover, it is helpful against coeliac disease. The incorporation of oat grains and oat bran in the food products improves not only the nutrition but also a therapy against various maladies.