1.
Renal function is impaired in normotensive chronic HCV patients: role of insulin resistance.
Sciacqua, A, Perticone, M, Tassone, EJ, Cimellaro, A, Caroleo, B, Miceli, S, Andreucci, M, Licata, A, Sesti, G, Perticone, F
Internal and emergency medicine. 2016;(4):553-9
Abstract
Renal dysfunction is an independent predictor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We investigated whether chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the related insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia influence renal function in comparison with a group of healthy subjects and with another group with metabolic syndrome. We enrolled 130 newly diagnosed HCV outpatients matched for age and gender with 130 patients with metabolic syndrome and 130 healthy subjects. Renal function was evaluated by calculation of glomerular filtration rate (e-GFR, mL/min/1.73 m(2)) using the CKD-EPI equation. The following laboratory parameters were measured: fasting plasma glucose and insulin, total, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, creatinine, and HOMA to evaluate insulin sensitivity. HCV patients with respect to both healthy subjects and metabolic syndrome patients have a decreased e-GFR: 86.6 ± 16.1 vs 120.2 ± 23.1 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (P < 0.0001) and 94.9 ± 22.6 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (P = 0.003), respectively. Regarding biochemical variables, HCV patients, in comparison with healthy subjects, have a higher triglyceride level, creatinine, fasting insulin and HOMA (3.4 ± 1.4 vs 2.6 ± 1.3; P < 0.0001). At linear regression analysis, the correlation between e-GFR and HOMA is similar in the metabolic syndrome (r = -0.555, P < 0.0001) and HCV (r = -0.527, P < 0.0001) groups. At multiple regression analysis, HOMA is the major determinant of e-GFR in both groups, accounting for, respectively, 30.8 and 27.8 % of its variation in the metabolic syndrome and HCV. In conclusion, we demonstrate that HCV patients have a significant reduction of e-GFR and that insulin resistance is the major predictor of renal dysfunction.
2.
Community-Based Mind-Body Meditative Tai Chi Program and Its Effects on Improvement of Blood Pressure, Weight, Renal Function, Serum Lipoprotein, and Quality of Life in Chinese Adults With Hypertension.
Sun, J, Buys, N
The American journal of cardiology. 2015;(7):1076-81
Abstract
Obesity, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, and poor quality of life are common conditions associated with hypertension, and incidence of hypertension is age dependent. However, an effective program to prevent hypertension and to improve biomedical factors and quality of life has not been adequately examined or evaluated in Chinese older adults. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of a Tai Chi program to improve health status in participants with hypertension and its related risk factors such as dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and quality of life in older adults in China. A randomized study design was used. At the conclusion of the intervention, 266 patients remained in the study. Blood pressure and biomedical factors were measured according to the World Diabetes Association standard 2002. A standardized quality-of-life measure was used to measure health-related quality of life. It was found that a Tai Chi program to improve hypertension in older adults is effective in reducing blood pressure and body mass index, maintaining normal renal function, and improving physical health of health-related quality of life. It did not improve existing metabolic syndrome levels, lipid level (dyslipidemia) or fasting glucose level (hyperglycemia), to prevent further deterioration of the biomedical risk factors. In conclusion, Tai Chi is effective in managing a number of risk factors associated with hypertension in Chinese older adults. Future research should examine a combination of Tai Chi and nutritional intervention to further reduce the level of biomedical risks.