Metabolomics with LC-QTOF-MS Permits the Prediction of Disease Stage in Aortic Abdominal Aneurysm Based on Plasma Metabolic Fingerprint

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a permanent and localized aortic dilation, defined as aortic diameter ≥3 cm. It is an asymptomatic but potentially fatal condition because progressive enlargement of the abdominal aorta is spontaneously evolving towards rupture

Mass-spectrometry-based metabolomics: limitations and recommendations for future progress with particular focus on nutrition research

Mass spectrometry (MS) techniques, because of their sensitivity and selectivity, have become methods of choice to characterize the human metabolome and MS-based metabolomics is increasingly used to characterize the complex metabolic effects of nutrients or foods. However progress is still hampered by many unsolved problems and most notably the lack of well established and standardized methods or procedures, and the difficulties still met in the identification of the metabolites influenced by a given nutritional intervention. The purpose of this paper is to review the main obstacles limiting progress and to make recommendations to overcome them. Propositions are made to improve the mode of collection and preparation of biological samples, the coverage and quality of mass spectrometry analyses, the extraction and exploitation of the raw data, the identification of the metabolites and the biological interpretation of the results

Tracking of overweight and obesity in Greek youth

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and tracking of overweight and obesity in a representative sample of Greek youth and the relation with child and parental factors. Methods: Data were derived from 2 follow-ups of the Greek 1983 National Perinatal Survey by means of a questionnaire completed by parents in 1990 and parents/adolescents in 2001. Parent- and self-reported height and weight measurements were available for 7,219 participants aged 7, and 2,842 participants aged 18. Results: The overall overweight/obesity prevalence was 24.3% at age 7, and 15.1% at age 18. The overweight prevalence increased from childhood to adolescence in boys (16.1 to 19.1%) and decreased in girls (19.2 to 8.0%), while the obesity prevalence showed a decrease in both boys (6.2 to 3.6%) and girls (5.8 to 1.0%). Overall, tracking of weight status was 73.7%. More boys (49.2%) remained overweight/obese than girls (24.7%). At age 7, overweight/ obesity was positively associated with male gender, paternal education, and urban residence. Overweight/obesity also correlated with male gender at age 18, and with parental weight status. Conclusions: The prevalence of overweight among Greek youth is high and showed an increase from childhood to adolescence in boys, and a decrease in girls. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG