Effects of angiotensin II receptor antagonist on endothelial vasomotor function and urinary albumin excretion in type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria

published_or_final_versio

Correlation between serum C-reactive protein level and endothelial function in patients with type2 diabetes mellitus

published_or_final_versio

Ultrasonographic measurement of subarachnoid space in normal infants and children

This study was undertaken to evaluate the sonographic measurement of subarachnoid spaces in normal children and its relationship with age and to define a normal range in a Chinese population and to differentiate normal variant findings from pathologic dilatation. The subarachnoid spaces in 278 normal term neonates, infants, and children were studied with real-time ultrasound using a 7.5-MHz vector transducer. The craniocortical width, sinocortical width, and interhemispheric width were measured in the coronal plane at the level of the foramen of Monro, on either side of the hemispheres. Correlation of sonographic measurements with age was made. The mean widths were plotted against age. A correlation with age was found in all three spaces, with an increasing trend with age until 28 weeks of gestation. Thereafter, a decreasing trend was noted. The normal upper limit of subarachnoid spaces for children is proposed to be the values on the ninety-fifth percentile of the regression curve. Correlation of measurement with age must be considered to decide whether an increase in subarachnoid space is pathologic or not. © 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Effects of angiotensin II receptor antagonist on endothelial vasomotor function and urinary albumin excretion in type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria

Background. Microalbuminuria is associated with dysfunction of the vascular endothelium in patients with diabetes mellitus. The objective of the present study was to determine whether treatment with losartan at a dose sufficient to lower urinary albumin excretion was accompanied by an improvement in endothelial function in type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria. Methods. Endothelial function was measured in 80 type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria and 68 non-diabetic controls using high-resolution vascular ultrasound. The diabetic patients were randomised to receive either losartan 50 mg daily or placebo in a 6-month double-blind study. Urinary albumin excretion and endothelial function were assessed at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Results. Both endothelium-dependent (p < 0.01) and -independent vasodilation (p < 0.01) were significantly impaired in diabetic patients with or without history of hypertension compared to the non-diabetic controls. At baseline, the losartan- and placebo-treated groups were comparable in their clinical characteristics. Blood pressure did not change significantly in either group throughout the study. Urinary mean albumin excretion rate (MAER) decreased in the losartan-treated group (p < 0.01) whereas an increase was observed in the placebo group (p < 0.05). At 6 months, the losartan-treated group had significantly lower MAER than the placebo-treated group [54.5 (58.3) vs 78.5 (100.5) μg/min, p < 0.05; median (interquartile range)]. No significant differences were found in endothelium-dependent or -independent vasodilation. Conclusions. Type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria have impaired endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilation. Treatment with low-dose losartan is sufficient to reduce microalbuminuria in these patients without alteration in endothelial function and systemic blood pressure. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Phospholipid transfer protein activity and endothelial dysfunction in type 2 diabetes

link_to_subscribed_fulltex