Hyperlipidemia is one of the risk factors leading to erectile dysfunction (ED), a common disorder in men, especially in old men. Epidemiological studies have found that the decrease in high density lipoprotein (HDL) and elevation of total cholesterol/high density lipoprotein (TC/HDL) are correlated with ED. Studies have also shown that arterial stenosis and occlusion caused by hyperlipidemia could be attributed to the advanced-stage mechanism of ED induced by hyperlipidemia. Hyperlipidemia may damage man's erectile function at an early stage by affecting the endothelial cells and smooth muscles of the penis and the peripheral nerves for penile erection. Apart from dietary therapy and drug therapy aiming at hyperlipidemia, the traditional Chinese medicine therapy and gene therapy are two promising approaches to the treatment of ED caused by hyperlipidemia.
Aged ; Erectile Dysfunction ; epidemiology ; etiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; complications ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Male

Objective: To analyze the prevalence of dry and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in patients with diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia, and to analyze the risk factors for AMD. Methods: A population-based cross-sectional epidemiologic study was conducted involving 14,440 individuals. We assessed the prevalence of dry and wet AMD in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects and analyzed the risk factors for AMD. Results: The prevalence of wet AMD in diabetic and non-diabetic patients was 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively, and the prevalence of dry AMD was 17% and 16.4%, respectively. The prevalence of wet AMD in healthy, hypertensive, hyperlipidemic, and hypertensive/hyperlipidemic populations was 0.5%, 0.3%, 0.2%, and 0.7%, respectively. The prevalence of dry AMD in healthy, hypertensive, hyperlipidemic, and hypertensive/hyperlipidemic populations was 16.6%, 16.2%, 15.2%, and 17.2%, respectively. Age, sex, body mass index, and use of hypoglycemic drugs or lowering blood pressure drugs were corrected in the risk factor analysis of AMD. Diabetes, diabetes/hypertension, diabetes/hyperlipidemia, and diabetes/hypertension/hyperlipidemia were analyzed. None of the factors analyzed in the current study increased the risk for the onset of AMD. Conclusion There was no significant difference in the prevalence of wet and dry AMD among diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. Similarly, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of wet and dry AMD among subjects with hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Diabetes co-existing with hypertension and hyperlipidemia were not shown to be risk factors for the onset of dry AMD.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias/epidemiology* ; Hypertension/epidemiology* ; Macular Degeneration/etiology* ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the types of lipid disorder and its relationship with macrovascular diseases and insulin resistance in Chinese diabetic patients.

METHODS2,430 diabetic patients finished the diabetes complications assessment and were surveyed on their blood lipids, insulin level and macrovascular diseases. The insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated based on HOMA model.

RESULTSPrevalence of lipids disorder was as high as 63.8% in this group, including 23.9% with both hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia (HY-C-T), 16.1% with hypercholesterolemia only (HY-C), 15.0% with hypertriglyceridemia only (HY-T), 5.5% with lower HDL level (L-HDL), 3.3% with hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and lower HDL level together. Compared with the patients with normal lipid level (control group), no duration differences existed among these groups. There were more female patients in HY-C and HY-C-T groups. BMI and WHR were higher in all groups with lipid disorder except in HY-C group. Macrovascular diseases were more common in HY-C-T patients than in control group (33.6% vs 24.0%, P < 0.001). Average blood pressure and the prevalence of hypertension were significantly higher in HY-C-T, HY-C, HY-T groups than in control group (139/79, 138/76, 134/77 vs. 132/75 mmHg; 53.2%, 50.1%, 46.2% vs. 39.2%). Fasting insulin level was significantly higher in HY-C-T and HY-C-T-L-LDL groups than in controls. Insulin resistance was more severe in all patients with lipid disorder except in L-HDL group, particularly in the HY-C-T-L-HDL group.

CONCLUSIONS(1) BMI, WHR increased significantly with the severity of lipid disorder. (2) Nearly two thirds of Chinese diabetic patients have lipid disorder, which is the strong risk factor of macrovascular diseases and aggravates insulin resistance. (3) There was severe insulin resistance in patients with hypertriglyceridemia or with hypertriglyceridemia plus other lipid disorder.

Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; etiology ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence

Alcohol Drinking ; China ; epidemiology ; Exercise ; Fatty Liver ; epidemiology ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; complications ; Obesity ; complications ; Prevalence

Animals ; Diet ; adverse effects ; Hyperlipidemias ; blood ; etiology ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Physical Conditioning, Animal

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) gene variation and diabetic dyslipidemia among Chinese.

METHODSUsing PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis and gene sequencing, we studied the influence of a common MTP gene polymorphism in the promoter region on the apoB-containing lipoproteins in 44 Chinese type 2 diabetic subjects and 32 non-diabetic volunteers.

RESULTSA common functional G/T polymorphism in 493 bp upstream from the transcriptional start point was detected among native Chinese. There were 41 carriers (53.9%) of the MTP-493 G/G genotype, 28 (36.8%) of the MTP-493 G/T genotype and 7 (9.3%) of the MTP-493 T/T genotype. The allele frequency of MTP-493 T in the diabetic group was 0.30. The MTP-493 T/T diabetic group had significantly higher TG (P < 0.05), VLDL-CH (P < 0.05) and smaller LDL particle size (P < 0.001) than the MTP-493 common genotype group.

CONCLUSIONGenetic variation in the MTP promoter is likely to be highly involved in the production of dyslipidemia in type 2 diabetic subjects.

Carrier Proteins ; genetics ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; etiology ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Promoter Regions, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of (-)doxazosin(DOX), (+)DOX and (+/-)DOX on serum lipid levels and the mortality rates of the rabbits fed by an atherogenic diet.

METHODSMale white New Zealand rabbits were fed by an atherogenic diet for 4 weeks. 8 rabbits whose serum TC <10 mmol/L were confirmed as normal diet group and were fed normally. 40 rabbits whose serum TC >10 mmol/L were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=10): atherogenic diet group, atherogenic diet with (-)DOX group, atherogenic diet with (+)DOX group and atherogenic diet with (+/-)DOX group, which were intraperitoneally injected with (-)DOX, (+)DOX and (+/-)DOX for 9 weeks respectively. Normal and atherogenic diet group were intraperitoneally injected with double distilled water. After 9 weeks administration of (+/-)doxazosin and its enantiomers, effects of the three agents on serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were observed.

RESULTSThe mortality rate of the rabbits fed by an atherogenic diet for 13 weeks was 40%, and it was much higher than that of the rabbits fed by a normal diet (10%). The mortality rates in the rabbits treated with (-)DOX and (+/-)DOX were lower than that in the rabbits fed by a normal diet (10%). Serum LDL-C level of the rabbits was increased markedly after 4 weeks of atherogenic diet, and it was further increased significantly (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01) during the continued 9 weeks of atherogenic diet. However, serum LDL-C levels were not further increased significantly (P > 0.05) during the continued 9 weeks of atherogenic diet in the rabbits treated with (-)DOX, (+)DOX and (+/-)DOX, respectively.

CONCLUSION(-)DOX and (+/-)DOX increase the survival rate and improve LDL-C disorder mildly in the rabbits fed by an atherogenic diet. The improvements in LDL-C induced by (-)DOX and (+/-)DOX, however, might not be the reason for exploration about the increased survival rate in the rabbits fed by an atherogenic diet.

Animals ; Cholesterol, Dietary ; administration & dosage ; Diet, Atherogenic ; Doxazosin ; pharmacology ; Hyperlipidemias ; blood ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Rabbits ; Stereoisomerism

Interleukin-8 is CXC chemokine that is initially discovered using chemotaxis and the activation of neutrophils and induces the migration and proliferation of smooth muscle cells. Interleukin-8 is a potent angiogenic factor that may play a role in atherosclerosis. To establish the temporal correlation between IL-8 expression and plaque development, we examined the expression during atherosclerosis of hyperlipemia rabbits using immunohistochemistry, ELISA, in situ hybridization. By location of immunohistochemistry, the expression of IL-8 protein increased obviously in intima of hyperlipemia rabbits at 8 and 12 week. Quantitative analysis of the expression of IL-8 Immunohistochemistry indicated that positive area of AS model was 4.48 times and 8.76 times that of control group at 8 and 12 week. The valuation of IOD of AS model was 4.16 times and 4.36 times that of control group at 8 and 12 week. By specific ELISA, the ratio of the IL-8 protein to total protein of AS model was 1.84 times and 2.06 times that of control group at 8 and 12 week. By location of in situ hybridization, positive location was strong in intima of hyperlipemia rabbits at 8 week. We observed the dynamic alteration of interleukin-8 protein and gene expression in atherosclerotic lesions of hyperlipemia rabbits with establishing model. Interleukin-8 protein and gene expression was up-regulation in the development of fatty streaks in hyperlipemia rabbit.
Animals ; Aorta ; metabolism ; Atherosclerosis ; etiology ; metabolism ; Hyperlipidemias ; complications ; Interleukin-8 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rabbits

Important roles for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in physiology and pathophysiology have been increasingly recognized. Under normal conditions, ROS serve as signaling molecules in the regulation of cellular functions. However, enhanced ROS production as a result of the activation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase contributes significantly to the pathogeneses of vascular diseases. Although it has become evident that increased ROS is associated with erectile dysfunction (ED), the sources of ROS in the penis remain largely unknown. In recent years, emergent evidence suggests the possible role of NADPH oxidase in inducing ED. In this review, we examine the relationship between ROS and ED in different disease models and discuss the current evidence basis for NADPH oxidase-derived ROS in ED.
Aging ; Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Erectile Dysfunction ; enzymology ; etiology ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Male ; NADPH Oxidases ; physiology ; Reactive Oxygen Species

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of coronary artery spasm in the etiology of chest pain lacking significant coronary stenosis and to identify the clinical risk factors related to coronary artery spasm.

METHODSTwo hundred and seventy five patients with chest pain, but without significant coronary artery stenosis underwent the intracoronary acetylcholine test. Coronary artery spasm was diagnosed while coronary artery stenosis increased to 90% and was accompanied by the usual chest pain with or without ischemic changes on electrocardiogram. Logistic regression was employed to investigate the relationships between coronary artery spasm and sex, age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, hyperlipidemia and results of electrocardiographic treadmill stress test. Left ventricular ejection fraction and end diastolic pressure were compared between spasm group and non-spasm group.

RESULTSCoronary artery spasm was detected in 103 out of 271 patients, a rate of 38%. Logistic regression analysis showed that smoking and hyperlipidemia increased the relative risk of coronary artery spasm 4.2 times and 2.3 times, respectively. There was a significantly negative relationship between diabetes mellitus and coronary artery spasm. Furthermore, there was no significant difference of left ventricular ejection fraction and end diastolic pressure between spasm group and non-spasm group.

CONCLUSIONSCoronary artery spasm was one of the important etiological factors for patients with chest pain but no coronary artery stenosis. Smoking and hyperlipidemia were the main clinical risk factors for coronary artery spasm.

Acetylcholine ; pharmacology ; Adult ; Aged ; Coronary Vasospasm ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; adverse effects