Miguel Civera

Contribution of hyperammonemia and inflammatory factors to cognitive impairment in minimal hepatic encephalopathy

To assess the contribution of hyperammonemia and inflammation to induction of mild cognitive impairment (or MHE). We analyzed the presence of mild cognitive impairment (CI) by using the PHES battery of psychometric tests and measured the levels of ammonia and of the inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-18 in blood of patients with different types of liver or dermatological diseases resulting in different grades of hyperammonemia and/or inflammation. The study included patients with 1) liver cirrhosis, showing hyperammonemia and inflammation; 2) non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) showing inflammation but not hyperammonemia; 3) non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) showing inflammation and very mild hyperammonemia; 4) psoriasis, showing inflammation but not hyperammonemia; 5) keloids, showing both inflammation and hyperammonemia and 6) controls without inflammation or hyperammonemia. The data reported show that in patients with liver diseases, cognitive impairment may appear before progression to cirrhosis if hyperammonemia and inflammation are high enough. Five out of 11 patients with NASH, without liver cirrhosis, showed cognitive impairment associated with hyperammonemia and inflammation. Patients with keloids showed cognitive impairment associated with hyperammonemia and inflammation, in the absence of liver disease. Hyperammonemia or inflammation alone did not induce CI but the combination of certain levels of hyperammonemia and inflammation is enough to induce CI, even without liver disease.

Circulating mononuclear cells nuclear factor-kappa B activity, plasma xanthine oxidase, and low grade inflammatory markers in adult patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia

Eur J Clin Invest 2010; 40 (2): 89–94

Influence of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein promoter polymorphism −493 Gt on fasting plasma triglyceride values and interaction with treatment response to atorvastatin in subjects with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia

Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C). Phenotypic expression is highly variable, being influenced by diet, age, gender, body mass index, apolipoprotein E genotype and type of LDL-receptor gene mutation. Microsomal triglyceride (TG) transfer protein (MTP) is a protein involved in lipid metabolism. Polymorphism MTP −493 GT has been shown to modulate lipid levels in several populations. To analyse the effect of this polymorphism in the lipid phenotype expression of FH and treatment response, we studied a sample of 222 Spanish FH patients, of whom 147 were studied before and after treatment with 20 mg of atorvastatin daily during 6 weeks. The variant was analysed by polymerase chain reaction amplification and single-strand confirmation polymorphism. Treatment reduced LDL-C, total cholesterol and TGs. Baseline fasting TGs and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were lower in female T allele carriers (TG: 111±51 mg/dl GG, 89±35 mg/dl GT, 83±26 mg/dl TT, P=0.022; very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: 24±13 mg/dl GG, 16±5 mg/dl GT, 17±5 mg/dl TT, P=0.018). Triglyceride response to atorvastatin was modulated by this polymorphism in men (P=0.009), but not in women, although differences between genotypes were maintained after treatment. In conclusion, the MTP −493 GT polymorphism modulates pre- and post-treatment plasma TG values of FH in Spanish subjects in a gender-specific way. Other environmental and genetic factors likely also modulate this response.

Relationship between insulin resistance, inflammation and liver cell apoptosis in patients with severe obesity

In obesity, insulin resistance appears frequently after activation of proinflammatory molecules. Caspase‐generated cytokeratin‐18 (CK‐18) fragments are produced during the apoptosis of hepatic cells. The main objective in the present study is to investigate the relationship between insulin resistance and caspase‐generated CK‐18 fragments in patients with severe obesity.

Alterations in adipocytokines and cGMP homeostasis in morbid obesity patients reverse after bariatric surgery.

Obesity‐associated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), covering from simple steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is a common cause of chronic liver disease. Aberrant production of adipocytokines seems to play a main role in most obesity‐associated disorders. Changes in adipocytokines in obesity could be mediated by alterations in cyclic GMP (cGMP) homeostasis. The aims of this work were: (1) to study the role of altered cGMP homeostasis in altered adipocytokines in morbid obesity, (2) to assess whether these alterations are different in simple steatosis or NASH, and (3) to assess whether these changes reverse in obese patients after bariatric surgery.

Plasma homocysteine levels are independently associated with the severity of peripheral polyneuropathy in type 2 diabetic subjects

Peripheral polyneuropathy (PN) is a frequent complication of diabetes. However, mechanisms underlying the development of PN are multifactorial and not well understood. Our aim was to examine the association of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) with the prevalence and grade of peripheral PN in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We studied a cohort of 196 subjects with T2DM classified according to the grade of PN (Neuropathy Disability Score, NDS). Subjects with the highest grade of PN were older and had significantly increased levels of creatinine, microalbuminuria, HbA1c, and plasma Hcy compared to the other two groups. The differences in plasma Hcy values were maintained after correcting for confounding factors. Plasma Hcy, HbA1c, duration of diabetes, and age were predictors of the grade of PN. In conclusion, for each increase of 1 µmol in plasma Hcy there was a 23% increase of the risk of diabetic PN evaluated by NDS. Moreover, the grade of PN was predicted by plasma Hcy and HbA1c values, age and duration of diabetes. Further prospective studies should be conducted to confirm the association of plasma Hcy levels with the grade of PN in subjects with T2DM.

Identificación y caracterización del primer español con defecto homocigoto familiar de unión de la apolipoproteína B

Fundamento El defecto familiar de union de la apolipoproteina B-100 (DFB) es una enfermedad hereditaria autosomica dominante debida a mutaciones localizadas en el gen de la apolipoproteina B-100, clinicamente indistinguible de la hipercolesterolemia familiar. Describimos el primer homocigoto espanol para el DFB. Metodos Estudiamos por tecnica de PCR–SSCP la mutacion R3500Q en los familiares de primer y segundo grado de la familia con DFB previamente descrita por nuestro grupo. Ademas, analizamos la actividad del receptor de LDL en un ensayo con LDL conjugada con oro coloidal. Resultados El paciente presenta en ambos alelos la mutacion R3500Q causante de DFB. El estudio de la actividad del receptor de LDL es normal, lo que descarta que se trate de una hipercolesterolemia familiar. El grado de hipercolesterolemia es menor del esperado tratandose de un homocigoto (colesterol total, 415, y cLDL, 352 mg/dl), y presenta una buena respuesta terapeutica a estatinas y resins (descensos de hasta un 42% para el colesterol total y de un 51% para el cLDL). Conclusiones Hemos detectado y caracterizado el primer homocigoto espanol para el DFB (mutacion R3500Q), que presenta valores moderadamente elevados de colesterol total y cLDL a pesar de su situacion de homocigosis. Estos datos demuestran que el fenotipo lipoproteico de los homocigotos DFB es diferente de la situacion de homocigosis para la hipercolesterolemia familiar.

Diferencias en las características clínico-biológicas y prevalencia de complicaciones crónicas en relación con el envejecimiento de pacientes con diabetes tipo 2

UNLABELLED Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic, highly prevalent disease that increases with age. Because of this, and due to its chronic complications, T2DM causes high human, social, and financial costs. In addition, the elderly population with T2DM has a marked clinical heterogeneity. Therefore, our main objective was to analyze the relationship of age with the clinical and biological manifestations of the disease and the prevalence of chronic complications in patients with T2DM. MATERIAL AND METHODS A cross-sectional study of a large population with T2DM (n=405) randomly selected from a Diabetes Unit and 2 health care centers (60%). The clinical, anthropometric, and biochemical variables of the subjects were collected using standard methods to assess the effect of age on the clinical and biochemical phenotype of patients with T2DM. RESULTS We have noted that patients with T2DM > 70 years old have a clinical and biochemical phenotype different from younger subjects (<60 years) including longer times since diabetes onset, higher diastolic blood pressure levels, and lower body mass index (BMI) values. As regards to biological variables, these patients have lower triglyceride levels, impaired kidney function, and lower HbA1c values. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome is lower in patients with T2DM > 70 years of age. Age was inversely related to parameters associated to metabolic syndrome (BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, and triglyceride levels). CONCLUSIONS We have defined the clinical and biochemical profile of patients with T2DM > 70 years attending health care centers. In addition, the prevalence of stroke, kidney disease, and distal symmetrical polyneuropathy is higher in patients with T2DM >70 years as compared to younger patients (<60 years).

Influencia de las mutaciones HF Valencia 1 y 2 del gen del receptor de LDL sobre la respuesta terapéutica a simvastatina en sujetos con hipercolesterolemia familiar heterocigota caracterizada molecularmente

Fundamento Analizar si el diagnostico molecular de la hipercolesterolemia familiar (HF) ayuda apredecir la respuesta terapeutica a simvastatina, en una poblacion mediterranea del sur de Europa. Sujetos y metodo Hemos estudiado la respuesta terapeutica en 27 sujetos con diagnostico genetico de HF (11 varones) pertenecientes a 8 familias con HF, seleccionadas por muestreo aleatorio entre 30 familias con HF con diagnostico molecular, en un estudio de intervencion sin grupo control con 20 mg/dia de simvastatina. Comparamos las caracteristicas clinicobiologicas entre sujetos clasificados como HF mutaciones nulas ( HF Valencia 1 y Valencia 2 ; n = 11) o HF mutaciones no nulas (n = 16) en situacion basal y tras 6 semanas de tratamiento con simvastatina. Resultados Los sujetos con mutaciones nulas ( HF Valencia 1 y 2 ) que no expresan ARNmy, por tanto, no sintetizan rLDL a partir del alelo mutado, responden menos al tratamiento con simvastatina que los pacientes con HF con mutaciones no nulas. La media del porcentaje de reduccion del cLDL fue significativamente inferior en el grupo con mutaciones nulas (32,6% [9,5] frente a 42,8% [12,2], p = 0,03). Ademas, los valores plasmaticos del cHDL en situacion basal y postratamiento fueron menores en los sujetos con HF con mutaciones nulas. No encontramos diferencias estadisticamente significativas en los parametros clinicos y lipidicos en situacion basal ni tras tratamiento entre varones y mujeres. Conclusion La respuesta terapeutica a simvastatina en sujetos con HF molecularmente caracterizados es significativamente menor en los sujetos con HF con mutaciones nulas (HF Valencia1 y 2). La aplicacion de estos resultados ayudara a predecir la respuesta al tratamiento con estatinas y permitira disenar terapeuticas individualizadas en este grupo de sujetos con alto riesgo cardiovascular.

Validez de la valoración subjetiva global como método de despistaje de desnutrición hospitalaria. Prevalencia de desnutrición en un hospital terciario

INTRODUCTION Hospital malnutrition is a highly prevalent problem that affects patient morbidity and mortality resulting in longer hospital stays and increased healthcare costs. Although there is no single nutritional screening method, subjective global assessment (SGA) may be a useful, inexpensive, and easily reproducible tool. METHODS A cross-sectional, observational, randomized study was conducted in 197 patients in a tertiary hospital. SGA, anthropometric data, and biochemical parameters were used to assess the nutritional status of study patients. RESULTS Fifty percent of subjects were malnourished according to SGA. A higher prevalence of malnutrition was found in medical (53%) as compared to surgical departments (47%). Half the subjects (50%) had malnutrition by SGA, but only 37.8% received nutritional treatment during their hospital stay. Mean hospital stay was longer for patients malnourished (13.5 days) or at risk of malnutrition (12.1 days) as compared to well nourished subjects (6.97 days). SGA significantly correlated (P<.012) with anthropometric and biochemical malnutrition parameters. CONCLUSIONS Prevalence of hospital malnutrition is very high in both medical and surgical departments and is inadequately treated. SGA is a useful tool for screening hospital malnutrition because of its high degree of correlation with anthropometric and biochemical parameters.