Insulin Resistance and Serum Levels of Interleukin-17 and Interleukin-18 in Normal Pregnancy

Preeclampsia (PE) is a syndrome exclusive to human pregnancy and responsible for high perinatal morbidity and mortality, whose manifestations include hypertension, proteinuria, and edema. There is evidence that PE incidence is four times higher in diabetic type 1 women than in non-diabetic women; and increases in women with metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. C-peptide is a 31 amino acid residue polypeptide part of the proinsulin, which is enzymatically cleaved into insulin and C-peptide molecule. Both are simultaneously secreted in equimolar concentrations into blood, thus serum C-peptide level might reflect real insulin production. Little is known about the relationship between circulating levels of C-peptide and the increase in blood pressure in PE. For this reason, we assessed serum levels of C-peptide, and insulin in women with normal pregnancy and with PE, in a population of 30 Venezuelan women. Serum samples were evaluated by multiplex microsphere analysis (Bio-Plex Pro Assays). Our results show increased insulin and C-peptide serum levels in women with PE. Spearman correlation analysis in all subjects showed a positive association between SBP and C-peptide (r= 0.4841; P<0.0251) and insulin (r= 0.4386; P<0.0221), associated with a positive correlation between SBP and proteinuria and glucose. Our results suggest that an increase in C-peptide could be associated with the development of hypertension and insulin resistance in PE. Therefore, the quantification of this peptide could be a promising biomarker to predict the onset of pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Download Full-text

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Overweight Children and its Relationship with Retinol Serum Levels

International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research ◽

10.1024/0300-9831.78.1.27 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 78 (1) ◽

pp. 27-32 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Suano de Souza ◽

Silverio Amancio ◽

Saccardo Sarni ◽

Sacchi Pitta ◽

Fernandes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Insulin Resistance ◽

Liver Disease ◽

Fatty Liver ◽

Lipid Profile ◽

Fatty Liver Disease ◽

Thiobarbituric Acid ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Control Group ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Objectives: To evaluate the frequency of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the retinol serum levels, lipid profile, and insulin resistance in overweight/obese children. To relate these biochemical variables with the risk of this disease in the population studied. Methods: The study was cross-sectional and prospective, with 46 overweight/obese school children (28 female, 18 male; mean age 8.6 years). The control group consisted of 45 children, paired by age and gender. Hepatic steatosis, evaluated by ultrasound, was classified as normal, mild, moderate, or severe. Also evaluated were serum retinol levels; thiobarbituric acid reactive substances; lipid profile; and fasting glucose and serum insulin levels, used for the calculation of the Homeostasis Model Assessment. Results: Hepatic ultrasound alterations were found in 56.5% and 48,9% of the overweight/obese and control group children, respectively. Presence of obesity was associated with high levels of triglycerides (OR = 4.6; P = 0.002). In the studied children, the risk of steatosis was related to a trend to a higher percentage of retinol inadequacy (OR = 2.8; p = 0.051); there was no association with thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, lipid profile, or insulin resistance. Conclusions: The high frequency of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in both groups, evaluated by hepatic ultrasound, in low-socioeconomic level children, independent of nutritional condition and without significant association with insulin resistance, emphasizes that especially in developing countries, other risk factors such as micronutrient deficiencies (e.g. vitamin A) are involved.

Download Full-text

POSTOPERATIVE COMPLIANCE OF BARIATRIC SURGERY PATIENTS REGARDING THE ASSESSMENT OF SERUM LEPTIN LEVELS AND INSULIN RESISTANCE

Medical Connections ◽

10.33311/medcon.2019.49.1.1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 49 (1/2019) ◽

Keyword(s):

Insulin Resistance ◽

Bariatric Surgery ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Medical Laboratory ◽

Leptin Resistance ◽

Obese Patients ◽

Laboratory Assessment ◽

Serum Leptin ◽

Before And After ◽

Bariatric Patients

Background and aims: Overweight and obese patients who undergo bariatric surgery require a rigorous clinical and paraclinical assessment both before and after the surgery at 3, 6, and 12 months.The present study aims the assessment of serum leptin levels and insulin resistance status in compliant bariatric patients to scheduled medical laboratory assessment at 6 months after surgery. Material and Method: The study included 109 eligible patients selected for bariatric surgery, 48 of whom attended the scheduled visit at 6 months after the surgery. Laboratory assessing regarded the insulin resistance by determining before meal the serum levels of leptin, glucose and insulin, as well as HOMA 1 and HOMA 2 indexes. Results: Patients who underwent bariatric treatment experienced a significant decrease in insulin resistance status. A higher percentage in the preoperative group was recorded in women, feature which was also recorded in the postoperative group that attended the scheduled visit at 6 months after surgery. Age is also an important factor that significantly influences the behavioral adherence to postoperative visits. Conclusions: Insulin resistance status improved significantly in 6 months after bariatric surgery among the fully compliant patients. The percentage of attendance at scheduled visits is higher among women, and decreases with age. Keywords: obesity surgery, leptin resistance, insulin resistance, HOMA index, compliance

Download Full-text

Association of Serum Levels of Zinc, Copper, and Iron with Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13020548 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 548

Author(s):

Chia-Wen Lu ◽

Yi-Chen Lee ◽

Chia-Sheng Kuo ◽

Chien-Hsieh Chiang ◽

Hao-Hsiang Chang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Insulin Resistance ◽

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Linear Models ◽

Serum Zinc ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Least Square ◽

Model Assessment ◽

Serum Concentrations ◽

Metabolic Factors ◽

Homeostatic Model Assessment

The association between serum concentrations of zinc, copper, or iron and the risk of metabolic syndrome are inconclusive. Therefore, we conduct a case-control study to explore the relationship between serum levels of zinc, copper, or iron and metabolic syndrome as well as each metabolic factor and insulin resistance. We enrolled 1165 adults, aged ≥ 40 (65.8 ± 10) years in a hospital-based population to compare the serum levels of zinc, copper, and iron between subjects with and without metabolic syndrome by using multivariate logistic regression analyses. The least square means were computed by general linear models to compare serum concentrations of zinc, copper, and iron in relation to the number of metabolic factors. The mean serum concentrations of zinc, copper, and iron were 941.91 ± 333.63 μg/L, 1043.45 ± 306.36 μg/L, and 1246.83 ± 538.13 μg/L, respectively. The odds ratios (ORs) of metabolic syndrome for the highest versus the lowest quartile were 5.83 (95% CI: 3.35–10.12; p for trend < 0.001) for zinc, 2.02 (95% CI: 1.25–3.25; p for trend: 0.013) for copper, and 2.11 (95% CI: 1.24–3.62; p for trend: 0.021) for iron after adjusting for age, sex, personal habits, body mass index, and homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance. Additionally, the serum zinc, copper, and iron concentrations increased as the number of metabolic factors rose (p for trend < 0.001). This was the first study to clearly demonstrate that higher serum levels of zinc, copper, and iron were associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome and the number of metabolic factors independent of BMI and insulin resistance.

Download Full-text

Addition of Olive Leaf Extract to a Mixture of Algae and Extra Virgin Olive Oils Decreases Fatty Acid Oxidation and Synergically Attenuates Age-Induced Hypertension, Sarcopenia and Insulin Resistance in Rats

Antioxidants ◽

10.3390/antiox10071066 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 1066

Author(s):

Daniel González-Hedström ◽

María de la Fuente-Fernández ◽

Teresa Priego ◽

Ana Isabel Martín ◽

Sara Amor ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Insulin Resistance ◽

Vascular Function ◽

Virgin Olive Oil ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Acid Oxidation ◽

Antioxidant Compounds ◽

Mrna Levels ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Olive Leaf ◽

Leaf Extracts

Olive-derived products, such as virgin olive oil (EVOO) and/or olive leaf extracts (OLE), exert anti-inflammatory, insulin-sensitizing and antihypertensive properties and may be useful for stabilizing omega 3 fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) due to their high content in antioxidant compounds. In this study, the addition of OLE 4:0.15 (w/w) to a mixture of algae oil (AO) rich in n-3 PUFA and EVOO (25:75, w/w) prevents peroxides formation after 12 months of storage at 30 °C. Furthermore, the treatment with the oil mixture (2.5 mL/Kg) and OLE (100 mg/Kg) for 24 month old Wistar rats in 21 days improved the lipid profile, increased the HOMA-IR and decreased the serum levels of miRNAs 21 and 146a. Treatment with this new nutraceutical also prevented age-induced insulin resistance in the liver, gastrocnemius and visceral adipose tissue by decreasing the mRNA levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. Oil mixture + OLE also attenuated the age-induced alterations in vascular function and prevented muscle loss by decreasing the expression of sarcopenia-related markers. In conclusion, treatment with a new nutraceutical based on a mixture of EVOO, AO and OLE is a useful strategy for improving the stability of n-3 PUFA in the final product and to attenuate the cardiometabolic and muscular disorders associated with aging.

Download Full-text