Category: Issue 1 (January- March)151

More news from IMPROVE-IT (IMProved Reduction of Outcomes: Vytorin Efficacy International Trial)

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Niki Katsiki, Vasilios G. Athyros, Dimitris P. Mikhailidis

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The IMProved Reduction of Outcomes: Vytorin Efficacy International Trial (IMPROVE-IT) reported a significant reduction in first primary endpoint (PEP) post-acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in patients (n=18,144) on ezetimibe + simvastatin compared with placebo + simvastatin.1 The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in the combination group were significantly lower than in the monotherapy group (53.7 vs 69.5 mg/dl; 1.4 vs 1.8 mmol/l) …

Expert consensus on the rational clinical use of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors

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Apostolos Achimastos, Theodoros Alexandrides, Dimitrios Alexopoulos, Vasilios Athyros, Alexandra Bargiota, Eleni Bilianou, Christina Chrysochoou, Evridiki Drogari, Moses Elisaf, Emanouel Ganotakis, Ioannis Goudevenos, Ioannis Ioannidis, Genovefa Kolovou, Vasilios Kotsis, Ioannis Lekakis, Evangelos Liberopoulos, Andreas Melidonis, Vasilios Nikolaou, George Ntaios, Nikolaos Papanas, Stavros Pappas, Christos Pitsavos, Loukianos Rallidis, Dimitrios Richter, Ioannis Skoumas, Nicolaos Tentolouris, Dimitrios Tousoulis, Alexandros Tselepis, KonstantinosTsioufis, Dimitrios Tziakas, Konstantinos Tziomalos, Panagiotis Vardas, Charalabos Vlachopoulos, Dimitrios Vlahakos

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Two proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, evolocumab and alirocumab, have recently been approved by both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. These fully human monoclonal antibodies selectively block PCSK9, thus permitting the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor to effectively recycle to the surface of liver cells. The administration of these antibodies leads to robust LDL …

Neoadjuvant therapy for advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: an emerging treatment modality?

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Iraklis Perysinakis, Chrysanthi Aggeli, Gregory Kaltsas, George N. Zografos

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OBJECTIVE: Complete surgical resection is the only potentially curative treatment of localized pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Unfortunately, a significant proportion of these patients present with unresectable locally advanced tumors or massive metastatic disease. Recently, a new therapeutic approach for this subset of patients has emerged consisting of neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgical exploration in responders …

Recent advances in the molecular mechanisms causing primary generalized glucocorticoid resistance

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Nicolas C. Nicolaides, Agaristi Lamprokostopoulou, Amalia Sertedaki, Evangelia Charmandari

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Primary Generalized Glucocorticoid Resistance is a rare condition characterized by generalized, partial, target tissue insensitivity to glucocorticoids owing to inactivating mutations, insertions or deletions in the human glucocorticoid receptor (hGR) gene (NR3C1). Recent advances in molecular and structural biology have enabled us to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of action of the mutant receptors and to understand how certain conformational alterations …

Lipid accumulation product is associated with metabolic syndrome in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

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Djuro Macut, Ivana Božić Antić, Jelica Bjekić-Macut, Dimitrios Panidis, Konstantinos Tziomalos, Danijela Vojnović Milutinović, Olivera Stanojlović, Biljana Kastratović-Kotlica, Milan Petakov, Nataša Milić

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OBJECTIVE: There is a need for a simple and accurate method for the assessment of cardiovascular risk in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Lipid accumulation product (LAP) is based on the assessment of waist circumference and serum triglycerides that yield an estimation of lipid overaccumulation. We aimed to determine whether LAP is associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Caucasian women with PCOS …

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system localization in human fetal heart

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Efterpi Chouridou, Maria Lambropoulou, Maria Koureta, Christina Zarouchlioti, Ioanna Balgouranidou, Evangelia Nena, Nikolaos Papadopoulos, Ekaterini Chatzaki

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OBJECTIVE: The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family consists of the neuropeptides CRF, Ucn I, II and III and the binding sites CRFR1, CRFR2 and CRF-BP. It regulates stress response and the homeostasis of an organism. In this study, we examined the presence of the CRF system in the human hearts of normal and pathological fetuses. DESIGN: Heart tissues from 40 archival human fetuses were divided …

Presence of the RET Cys634Tyr mutation and Gly691Ser functional polymorphism in Iranian families with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A

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Maryam Nasiri Aghdam, Mohammad Reza Abbaszadegan, Alireza Tafazoli, Mohammad Aslzare, Zohreh Mosavi

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PURPOSE: Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A) is a complex autosomal dominant inherited syndrome characterized by medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), pheochromocytoma and primary parathyroid hyperplasia. In patients with only one or two clinical features, identification of a germ line RET (REarranged in Transfection) mutation is required to make the diagnosis and initiate genetic counseling. METHODS: We analyzed blood DNA from three Iranian families with three generations …

The growth endocrine axis and inflammatory responses after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

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Themistoklis Floros, Anastassios Philippou, Dimitrios Bardakostas, Dimitrios Mantas, Michael Koutsilieris

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OBJECTIVE: It is well known that conventional surgery leads to detrimental immune and catabolic responses, thus there is growing interest in the effect of minimally invasive techniques on postoperative endocrine and immune function. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)/IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) axis and acute phase (interleukin-6, IL-6, and C-reactive protein, CRP) responses in patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy …

Progesterone pretreatment increases the stress response to social isolation in ewes

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Aline Freitas-de-Melo, Juan Pablo Damián, Maria José Hötzel, Georgget Banchero, Rodolfo Ungerfeld

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OBJECTIVE: In rodents, progesterone (P4) pretreatment increases anxiety and response to stressors. Social isolation is a stressor that generates physiological and behavioural stress responses in sheep. The aim of the study was to compare the stress response of anoestrous ewes previously treated or not with P4 to the social isolation test. DESIGN: Ten ewes received P4 treatment during 13 d (group P4-W) and another 10 remained untreated as controls (group Con) …