Objective To investigate the factors which may affect the secretions of human leptin and free fatty acids (FFA) by measuring plasma glucose, serum insulin, leptin and FFA levels during reduced sample number intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTT) in the subjects with different status of insulin resistance and ? cell function. Methods According to oral glucose tolerance test, 7 normal, 10 overweight/obese individuals, 12 subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and 11 with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) were recruited. During IVGTT, serum insulin, leptin and FFA levels at 12 time points were simultaneously measured. Results Compared to the stable secretion of leptin, during 180 min in the IVGTT, the FFA secretion showed a "U" shape profile. The correlation analysis showed that the average serum leptin and FFA levels in 3 h were independent to fasting plasma glucose concentration. The partial correlation coefficient of leptin and insulin decreased after being adjusted for FFA (before r=0.77, P0.05). Conclusion The changes of serum FFA levels in IVGTT are more significant than those of leptin after glucose loading. Fasting plasma glucose levels do not significantly affect the average serum levels of leptin and FFA. On the contrary, insulin manifests such action but does not affect the secretion profile of these parameters.

Objective To explore the relationship between serum leptin level and the hypothalamuspituitary-gonad ( HPG) axis in female adolescents with anorexia nervosa ( AN). Methods Sixteen newly diagnosed female adolescents with AN in Shanghai and Zhejiang province were investigated, and their serum leptin, FSH, LH and body composition were measured before and after 18 weeks treatment, and their menorrhea cycles were observed. The rhythm of 24 h serum leptin secretion was studied in 4 patients with AN. Twenty-six, healthy females with normal weight and without contraceptive medication were studied as controls. Results (1) All of 16 patients had amenorrhea, 3 primary amenorrhea and 13 secondary amenorrhea. At admission LH in 14 patients and FSH in 12 patients were below the low limit of the normal reference range (1.5 U/L and 4. 6 U/L respectively), and among them 5 patiend had both 15% weight gain and significantly increased serum leptin level (P

According to the differentiation of symptamcomplex theory of Spleen Deficiency on myasthenia grvis, with our clinical experience of treatment for some years. Astragalus Saponins and Buzhong Yiqi compound were selected to make phannaceutic experiment for peripheral blood mononuclear cells culture of 14 samples of 10 myasthenia gravis patients. Two controlled groups were given with the treatment of dexamethasone and 60Co respectively. The results showed that liters of nAchR-Ab in cells culture superatants were significantly decreased by watersoluble Astragalus saponias (418.8-2328 fmol/rnl- 0 fmol/ml in 6 cases; 1143 -1235 fmol/ml - 43-157 fmol/ml in 2 cases). Buzhong Yiqi compund could enhance the immunoregulatory action.

Objective To study insulin sensitivity and first-phase insulin secretion in obese subjects with impaired glucose regulation (ICR) in Shanghai. Methods A total of 129 subjects [38 lean controls and 91 obese subjects with ICR including 64 isolated impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) ,8 isolated impaired fasting glucose (IFC) and 19 IFC + ICT] underwent 75 g oral glucose tolerance test and insulin-modified reduced sample number (n = 12) of Bergman's minimal model method with frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGTT). Insulin resistance was determined from the insulin sensitivity index (S1) of the FSIGTT. Insulin secretion was determined during the FSIGTT by the acute insulin response to glucose (AIRg). The disposition index (DI) , the product of AIRg and S1, was used to determine whether AIRg was adequate to compensate for insulin resistance. Results (1) Compared with normal controls, the value of S1 was significantly decreased in 3 groups with ICR (all P

Objective To improve the awareness of clinical manifestation, endocrine changes and prognosis in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). Methods The clinical features and endocrine functions of 28 patients with AN were analysed, and the prognosis was based on the results of 4 months-7 years follow-up of these patients. The change of serum leptin level was observed during different therapeutic periods in 13 patients. Results Most of AN patients were young women (92.9%, 26/28), age of onset was (19.4?3.8)years old and the duration of follow-up was from 4 months to 7 years. Self-starvation, extreme weight loss and amenorrhoea were the characteristic manifestations. This investigation discovered 24 patients with hypofunctional hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis, 12 with hyperfunctional hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, 9 with decreased levels of thyroid hormones, 2 with increased level of GH (n=10), 8 with decreased level of IGF-Ⅰ (n=10). Leptin levels in AN patients (n=9) weresignificantlydecreasedascomparedwiththecontrol group (n=26) 〔(1.21?0.36 vs 7.70?4.15)?g/L, P