scholarly journals ACE DD Genotype Is Associated with High Visceral Sensitivity Index Score in Healthy Student Population in Bosnia and Herzegovina

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolina Tomic ◽  
Adi Osmanbegovic ◽  
Amina Mujala ◽  
Danilo Prtvar ◽  
Maida Hadzic ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Visceral Sensitivity Index (VSI) questionnaire measures gastrointestinal specific anxiety a mediator of the relationship between general psychological distress measures and gastrointestinal symptom severity. Studies have shown that angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) may be required for sympatoadrenal activation during stress. The aim of our study was to explore the relationship of ACE gene polymorphisms with the scores for self-reported visceral hypersensitivity in the sample of student population exposed to psychological distress. Methods A blood sample was taken from ninety students during exam period. DNA was isolated and genotyping of ACE polymorphism (rs1799752) was performed using PCR method. The PCR products were analysed on a 2% agarose gel. All respondents completed the VSI questionnaire and based on the scores were stratified into two comparison groups. Allele and genotype association was tested using Fisher’s Exact Test in WINPEPI. Results Respondents with total score of up to 65 were classified in the first group and with values over 65 in the second group. Increased frequencies of D allele and DD genotype were observed in the subgroup of students with higher VSI score. Conclusions Obtained results revealed statistically significant association of allele D and DD genotype with increased VSI score. Our results indicate that further genetic and genome studies of regulation of brain-gut axis and visceral hypersensitivity could be helpful in clinical interpretation of their impact on functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) symptoms and on development of some other acute and chronic stress related conditions in youth population.

2019 ◽  
Vol 317 (2) ◽  
pp. G203-G209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanyan Jiang ◽  
Beverley Greenwood-Van Meerveld ◽  
Anthony C. Johnson ◽  
R. Alberto Travagli

Symptoms of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), including fullness, bloating, abdominal pain, and altered gastrointestinal (GI) motility, present a significant clinical problem, with a reported prevalence of 25%–40% within the general population. More than 60% of those affected seek and require healthcare, and affected individuals report a significantly decreased quality of life. FGIDs are highly correlated with episodes of acute and chronic stress and are increased in prevalence and reported severity in women compared with men. Although there is evidence that sex and stress interact to exacerbate FGID symptoms, the physiological mechanisms that mediate these sex-dependent disparities are incompletely understood, although hormonal-related differences in GI motility and visceral sensitivity have been purported to play a significant role in the etiology. In this mini review, we will discuss brain-gut axis control of GI motility and sensitivity, the influence of estrogen on GI motility and sensitivity, and stress modulation of the brain-gut axis.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lily Sheppard ◽  
Richard Hicks

University students experience significantly high levels of psychological distress. Maladaptive perfectionism has been identified as a common trait among students that leads to diagnosed conditions such as depression and anxiety. Resilience and trait emotional intelligence have also been identified as common predictors of psychological illness and mediators between related maladaptive perfectionism. However, no current research has investigated maladaptive perfectionism’s relationship with a more general psychological distress experienced by university students. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate maladaptive perfectionism, resilience and trait emotional intelligence association with psychological distress in 171 university students (29 males; 138 females; Mage = 28.48 years; SD = 11.58). Results identified maladaptive perfectionism to significantly, positively correlate with psychological distress in university students. The combination of increased maladaptive perfectionism, low resilience and low trait emotional intelligence significantly predicted psychological distress. Additionally, resilience and trait emotional intelligence significantly added to the prediction of psychological distress, above and beyond maladaptive perfectionism. Finally, resilience and trait emotional intelligence both partially mediated the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and psychological distress in university students. Findings suggest resilience and trait emotional intelligence to be important factors in predicting general psychological distress in student maladaptive perfectionists. The current study provided additional supporting evidence for the importance of resilience and trait emotional intelligence in intervention and prevention strategies for psychological distress in maladaptive perfectionist students. 


2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mette M. Aanes ◽  
Maurice B. Mittelmark ◽  
Jørn Hetland

This paper investigated whether the lack of social connectedness, as measured by the subjective feeling of loneliness, mediates the well-known relationship between interpersonal stress and psychological distress. Furthermore, a relationship between interpersonal stress and somatic symptoms was hypothesized. The study sample included 3,268 women and 3,220 men in Western Norway. The main findings were that interpersonal stress was significantly related to psychological distress as well as to somatic symptoms, both directly and indirectly via paths mediated by loneliness. The size of the indirect effects varied, suggesting that the importance of loneliness as a possible mediator differs for depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and somatic symptoms. In the case of depressive symptoms, more than 75% of the total effect was mediated through loneliness, while in the case of somatic symptoms just over 40% of the total effect was mediated through loneliness. This study supports the hypotheses that social connectedness mediates a relationship between interpersonal stress and psychological distress. The study also provides the first link between interpersonal stress, as measured by the Bergen Social Relationships Scale, and somatic symptoms, extending earlier research on the relationship between interpersonal stress and psychological distress.


2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra L. Rovers ◽  
John J. Van Epps ◽  
Esra B. Akturk ◽  
Elizabeth A. Skowron

1991 ◽  
Vol 65 (03) ◽  
pp. 263-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
A M H P van den Besselaar ◽  
R M Bertina

SummaryIn a collaborative trial of eleven laboratories which was performed mainly within the framework of the European Community Bureau of Reference (BCR), a second reference material for thromboplastin, rabbit, plain, was calibrated against its predecessor RBT/79. This second reference material (coded CRM 149R) has a mean International Sensitivity Index (ISI) of 1.343 with a standard error of the mean of 0.035. The standard error of the ISI was determined by combination of the standard errors of the ISI of RBT/79 and the slope of the calibration line in this trial.The BCR reference material for thromboplastin, human, plain (coded BCT/099) was also included in this trial for assessment of the long-term stability of the relationship with RBT/79. The results indicated that this relationship has not changed over a period of 8 years. The interlaboratory variation of the slope of the relationship between CRM 149R and RBT/79 was significantly lower than the variation of the slope of the relationship between BCT/099 and RBT/79. In addition to the manual technique, a semi-automatic coagulometer according to Schnitger & Gross was used to determine prothrombin times with CRM 149R. The mean ISI of CRM 149R was not affected by replacement of the manual technique by this particular coagulometer.Two lyophilized plasmas were included in this trial. The mean slope of relationship between RBT/79 and CRM 149R based on the two lyophilized plasmas was the same as the corresponding slope based on fresh plasmas. Tlowever, the mean slope of relationship between RBT/79 and BCT/099 based on the two lyophilized plasmas was 4.9% higher than the mean slope based on fresh plasmas. Thus, the use of these lyophilized plasmas induced a small but significant bias in the slope of relationship between these thromboplastins of different species.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 336-340
Author(s):  
Yasmin Hamzavi Abedi ◽  
Cristina P. Sison ◽  
Punita Ponda

Background: Serum Peanut-specific-IgE (PN-sIgE) and peanut-component-resolved-diagnostics (CRD) are often ordered simultaneously in the evaluation for peanut allergy. Results often guide the plans for peanut oral challenge. However, the clinical utility of CRD at different total PN-sIgE levels is unclear. A commonly used predefined CRD Ara h2 cutoff value in the literature predicting probability of peanut challenge outcomes is 0.35kUA/L. Objective: To examine the utility of CRD in patients with and without a history of clinical reactivity to peanut (PN). Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of 196 children with PN-sIgE and CRD testing, of which, 98 patients had a clinical history of an IgE-mediated reaction when exposed to PN and 98 did not. The Fisher's exact test was used to assess the relationship between CRD and PN-sIgE at different cutoff levels, McNemar test and Gwet’s approach (AC1 statistic) were used to examine agreement between CRD and PN-sIgE, and logistic regression was used to assess differences in the findings between patients with and without reaction history. Results: Ara h 1, 2, 3, or 9 (ARAH) levels ≤0.35 kUA/L were significantly associated with PN-sIgE levels <2 kUA/L rather than ≥2 kUA/L (p < 0.0001). When the ARAH threshold was increased to 1 kUA/L and 2 kUA/L, these thresholds were still significantly associated with PN-sIgE levels of <2, <5, and <14 kUA/L. These findings were not significantly different in patients with and without a history of clinical reactivity. Conclusion: ARAH values correlated with PN-sIgE. Regardless of clinical history, ARAH levels are unlikely to be below 0.35, 1, or 2 kUA/L if the PN-sIgE level is >2 kUA/L. Thus, if possible, practitioners should consider PN-sIgE rather than automatically ordering CRD with PN-sIgE every time. Laboratory procedures that allow automatically and reflexively adding CRD when the PN-sIgE level is ≤5 kUA/L can be helpful. However, further studies are needed in subjects with challenge-proven PN allergy.


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