BACKGROUND/AIMS: Many parasites induce changes in the lipid profiles of the host. Cholesterol increases the virulence of Entamoeba histolytica in animal models and in vitro culture. This study aimed to determine, in patients with an amebic liver abscess, the correlation between cholesterol and other features, such as the size and number of abscesses, standard hematological and serum chemistry profiles, liver tests, and duration of hospital stay. METHODS: A total of 108 patients with an amebic liver abscess and 140 clinically healthy volunteers were investigated. Cholesterol and triglycerides were measured in the sera. The data from medical observations and laboratory tests were obtained from the clinical records. RESULTS: A total of 93% of patients with an amebic liver abscess showed hypocholesterolemia not related to any of the studied parameters. Liver function tests correlated with the size of the abscess. The most severe cases of amebic liver disease or death were found in patients whose cholesterol levels continued to decrease despite receiving antiamebic treatment and hospital care. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the hypocholesterolemia observed in patients with an amebic liver abscess is not related to any of the clinical and laboratory features analyzed. This is the first study relating hypocholesterolemia to severity of hepatic amebiasis.
Amebicides/therapeutic use ; Cholesterol/metabolism ; *Entamoeba histolytica ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia/blood/*parasitology ; Length of Stay ; Liver Abscess, Amebic/blood/*complications/drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This multicenter, open-labeled, randomized trial was performed to compare the effects of rosuvastatin 10 mg and atorvastatin 10 mg on lipid and glycemic control in Korean patients with nondiabetic metabolic syndrome. METHODS: In total, 351 patients who met the modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criteria for metabolic syndrome with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels > or = 130 mg/dL were randomized to receive either rosuvastatin 10 mg (n = 173) or atorvastatin 10 mg (n = 178) for over 6 weeks. RESULTS: After 6 weeks of treatment, greater reductions in total cholesterol (- 35.94 +/- 11.38 vs. - 30.07 +/- 10.46%, p < 0.001), LDL-C (48.04 +/- 14.45 vs. 39.52 +/- 14.42%, p < 0.001), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (- 42.93 +/- 13.15 vs. - 35.52 +/- 11.76%, p < 0.001), and apolipoprotein-B (- 38.7 +/- 18.85 vs. - 32.57 +/- 17.56%, p = 0.002) levels were observed in the rosuvastatin group as compared to the atorvastatin group. Overall, the percentage of patients attaining the NCEP ATP III goal was higher with rosuvastatin as compared to atorvastatin (87.64 vs. 69.88%, p < 0.001). Changes in glucose and insulin levels, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index were not significantly different between the two groups. The safety and tolerability of the two agents were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Rosuvastatin 10 mg was more effective than atorvastatin 10 mg in achieving NCEP ATP III LDL-C goals in patients with nondiabetic metabolic syndrome, especially in those with lower NCEP ATP III target level goals.
Blood Glucose/metabolism ; Cholesterol, LDL/blood ; Female ; Fluorobenzenes/*administration & dosage ; Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated/metabolism ; Heptanoic Acids/*administration & dosage ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors/*administration & dosage ; Hypercholesterolemia/blood/complications/*drug therapy ; Hyperglycemia/blood/complications/*drug therapy ; Insulin/blood ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome X/blood/complications/*drug therapy ; Middle Aged ; Pyrimidines/*administration & dosage ; Pyrroles/*administration & dosage ; Sulfonamides/*administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effects of the extract of Ginkgo biloba leaf on hypercholestrolemia in children with primary nephritic syndrome (NS).

METHODSThirty-five children with NS were randomized into 2 groups for treatment with prednisone plus Ginkgo biloba leaf extract (18 cases) or with prednisone plus dipyridamole (17 cases) for 8 weeks. After completion of the treatments, the therapeutic effects were evaluated and the changes in the blood biochemical markers assayed.

RESULTSThe 8-week treatment with the extract significantly ameliorated the clinical symptoms and blood biochemistry as compared with prednisone plus dipyridamole group (P<0.01). The levels of urinic protein and blood lipid in Ginkgo leaf group were significantly lower than those in prednisome plus dipyridamole group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe extract from Ginkgo biloba leaf can lower blood lipid levels and urinic protein in children with NS and improve their clinical syptoms and the renal function, therefore has much clinical value as an adjuvant treatment of steroid therapy in such children.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dipyridamole ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; blood ; complications ; drug therapy ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; complications ; Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; therapeutic use ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Prednisone ; therapeutic use ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify and assess the factors related to the awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension based on jurisdictional areas of primary health care posts in a rural community of Korea. METHODS: This study was performed on 4598 adults aged over 30 years in a rural community and we measured their blood pressure (BP) from October. 2007 to August. 2009. Hypertension is defined as a condition characterized by a systolic BP > or =140 mmHg, a diastolic BP > or =90 mmHg or reported treatment with antihypertensive medications. We analyzed the factors related with the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension using chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension was 34.7%. The age-adjusted rates of hypertension awareness, treatment and control were 50.6%, 93.9% and 64.1%, respectively. Awareness of hypertension was related with increasing age. Higher awareness was found among men who were felt more stress, were obese and had hypercholesterolemia, and among women who were regulary taking medicine for hypertension, were obese and had diabetes mellitus. In women, the hypertension treatment was related a Medical aid and education for hypertension management. Controlled hypertension was more common among men who were educated about the management of hypertension and among women who had hypercholesterolemia. CONCLUSIONS: The awareness of hypertension was low and the control of hypertension was high compared with the nationwide data (KNHANES 2005). The results suggest that understanding the characteristics of hypertension in a community is important to perform a community based hypertension control program.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Antihypertensive Agents/therapeutic use ; Blood Pressure ; Diabetes Complications ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia/complications ; Hypertension/drug therapy/epidemiology/*prevention & control ; Interviews as Topic ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity/complications ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Rural Population ; Sex Factors ; Stress, Psychological/complications

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate trends of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor profiles over 17 years in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients at the Mayo Clinic. METHODS: We performed a time-trend analysis within the Mayo Clinic PCI Registry from 1994 to 2010. Results were the incidence and prevalence of CVD risk factors as estimate by the Framingham risk score. RESULTS: Between 1994 and 2010, 25 519 patients underwent a PCI. During the time assessed, the mean age at PCI became older, but the gender distribution did not change. A significant trend towards higher body mass index and more prevalent hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and diabetes was found over time. The prevalence of current smokers remained unchanged. The prevalence of ever-smokers decreased among males, but increased among females. However, overall CVD risk according to the Framingham risk score (FRS) and 10-year CVD risk significantly decreased. The use of most of medications elevated from 1994 to 2010, except for beta-blockers and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors decreased after 2007 and 2006 in both baseline and discharge, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the major risk factors improved and the FRS and 10-year CVD risk declined in this population of PCI patients. However, obesity, history of hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes, and medication use increased substantially. Improvements to blood pressure and lipid profile management because of medication use may have influenced the positive trends.
Adrenergic beta-Antagonists/therapeutic use ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors/therapeutic use ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases/complications/drug therapy/*epidemiology ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetes Mellitus/diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia/complications/diagnosis ; Hypertension/complications/diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/*statistics & numerical data/trends ; Prevalence ; Registries/statistics & numerical data ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; Time Factors