Prevalence of hypovitaminosis D, and its association with hypoadiponectinemia and hyperfollistatinemia, in Saudi women with naïve polycystic ovary syndrome

Aims: The association between vitamin D and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an active area of growing research. However, data in Saudi Arabia are scarce. This study aimed to define serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels among Saudi women with naïve PCOS, and to investigate the associations of their 25(OH)D status with their serum adiponectin and follistatin levels, along with indices of insulin resistance and hormonal deteriorations. Methods: In this case-control observational study, 63 women with PCOS and 65 age-and body mass index (BMI)-matched control women were assessed. PCOS was diagnosed based on the revised criteria of Rotterdam. Fasting serum levels of 25(OH)D, adiponectin, follistatin, insulin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), total testosterone (TT), androgen (Δ4-androstenedione), estradiol, progesterone, along with fasting plasma glucose (FPG), homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index and lipid profile were measured in both groups. Results: The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D (serum 25(OH)D <30 ng/ml) was higher in PCOS group than control group (77.8% vs. 12.3%). Serum adiponectin and FSH concentrations were significantly lower, while serum follistatin, LH, TT, Δ4-androstenedione and insulin levels, as well as FPG and HOMA-IR were significantly higher in PCOS group than control group. In addition, 25(OH)D levels of PCOS women were significantly correlated positively with adiponectin and FSH levels, but negatively with follistatin, HOMA-IR, FPG, LH, testosterone, and Δ4-androstenedione levels. Conclusion: Hypovitaminosis D, coexisted and correlated with hypoadiponectinemia and hyperfollistatinemia, is being an alarming risk factor in Saudi women with PCOS. Further investigational and explanatory studies in large size samples are warranted to realize these findings and to improve both diagnostic and treatment tools in Saudi women with PCOS

Influence of fetal growth on current body structure and metabolic function

The main purpose of this thesis was to examine the inter-relationship between body structure and metabolic function, and in particular, how fetal growth marked b birth weight may influence this relationship in such a way as to predispose the individual to greater risk of disease in later life.  The central hypothesis that underlies the work reported in this thesis is that the pattern of growth in early life, marked by birth weight, results in structural and functional changes that are evident in adult life, thereby predisposing the individual to an increased risk of obesity, T2DM and CVD. Adults born wit a lower birth weight appear to be shorter, lighter and have lower lean and muscle mass and grater fat mass in particular in the central region of the body when compared to adults with higher birth weight.  There were differences in body dimensions (both vertically and horizontally) associated with birth weight. The lower birth weight group had shorter leg length and taller trunk and non-limb length when compared to higher birth weight group at the same height. The differences in body composition associated with birth weight could not be simple explained by the observed differences in body dimensions between groups.  In addition, adult with a lower birth weight have lower energy metabolism in both the fasted and fed state.  These differences in energy metabolism were independent of body size and composition (lean mass).  This implies that metabolic function in itself might be programmed, an effect greater than that simply explained by differences in size and composition.  This less prudent metabolic phenotype associated with differences in birth weight may predispose to more obvious features such as adiposity and central fat which, in turn, may increase the risk of developing T2DM and CVD.</p

Vitamin D Is a Good Marker for Disease Activity of Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease

Aim. This study was conducted to find out the optimal vitamin D cutoff point in predicting activity of RA disease. Materials and Methods. One hundred and two rheumatoid arthritis Saudi patients of both genders were recruited in this study. Vitamin D as 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH)D] was measured and serum level less than 20 ng/mL defined as deficient patient. Disease activity was measured based on the disease activity score index of a 28-joint count (DAS28) using serum erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the optimal vitamin D cutoff points for identifying disease activity. Results. It has been observed that vitamin D levels were lower (P < 0.05) in patients with high disease activity. A significant inverse correlation between serum 25(OH)D levels and DAS28 (r = −0.277, P = 0.014) was shown. ROC curves results showed that vitamin D less than 12.3 ng/mL predicted high disease activity, and vitamin D more than 17.9 ng/mL predicted low disease activity, with good sensitivity and accuracy results regarding vitamin D. Conclusion. Study results concluded that vitamin D is a good predictor of RA disease activity in Saudi patients

Vitamin D Is a Good Marker for Disease Activity of Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease

Aim. This study was conducted to find out the optimal vitamin D cutoff point in predicting activity of RA disease. Materials and Methods. One hundred and two rheumatoid arthritis Saudi patients of both genders were recruited in this study. Vitamin D as 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH)D] was measured and serum level less than 20 ng/mL defined as deficient patient. Disease activity was measured based on the disease activity score index of a 28-joint count (DAS28) using serum erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the optimal vitamin D cutoff points for identifying disease activity. Results. It has been observed that vitamin D levels were lower (P &lt; 0.05) in patients with high disease activity. A significant inverse correlation between serum 25(OH)D levels and DAS28 (r = −0.277, P = 0.014) was shown. ROC curves results showed that vitamin D less than 12.3 ng/mL predicted high disease activity, and vitamin D more than 17.9 ng/mL predicted low disease activity, with good sensitivity and accuracy results regarding vitamin D. Conclusion. Study results concluded that vitamin D is a good predictor of RA disease activity in Saudi patients

Fetal programming of body composition: relation between birth weight and body composition measured with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and anthropometric methods in older Englishmen

Background: Reduced fetal growth is associated with differences in body composition in adult life that may predispose to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Most published data are based on simple anthropometric measures, which incompletely describe body composition.Objective: The objective was to assess body composition and fat distribution by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).Design: This was a case-control study of 64–72-y-old white men (n = 32) with a low (x: 2.76 kg) or high (x: 4.23 kg) birth weight.Results: Compared with the high-birth-weight group, after adjustment for weight and height, the low-birth-weight group had a higher percentage body fat (29.31% compared with 25.33%; P = 0.029) and fat mass (P = 0.039) but a lower fat-free soft tissue (56.32 compared with 59.22 kg; P = 0.024), muscle mass (27.25 compared with 29.22 kg; P = 0.022), and muscle-to-fat ratio. Low birth weight was also associated with a higher trunk-to-limb fat ratio after control for total fat mass (1.42 compared with 1.16; P = 0.005) or percentage body fat (P = 0.041). The same body mass index predicted a greater percentage body fat (P = 0.019) in the low- than in the high-birth-weight group, and the same ratio of trunk-to-limb skinfold thickness (or waist-to-hip ratio) predicted a higher trunk-to-limb fat ratio (P &lt; 0.01).Conclusion: Lifelong differences in adult body composition and fat distribution between the low- and high-birth-weight groups are consistent with programming in early life. The use of BMI to predict percentage body fat and the use of the trunk-to-limb skinfold thickness ratio (and waist-to-hip ratio) to predict the trunk-to-limb fat ratio measured by DXA can be misleading when low- and high-birth-weight groups are compared

Association of the body mass index with the overall stability index in young adult Saudi males

أهداف البحث: ركزت الدراسات على البدانة الناجمة عن عدم استقرار الإتزان لدى كبار السن، في حين لم تتم دراستها لدى الشباب. تهدف هذه الدراسة لتحديد تأثير البدانة على استقرار الإتزان الحركي عند الذكور من الشباب السعوديين. طرق البحث: أجريت دراسة مقطعية على ٧٠٤ من الشباب الذكور تتراوح أعمارهم بين ١٨ و ٣٥ عاما من جامعة أم القرى٬ مكة المكرمة٬ المملكة العربية السعودية. تم تقييم الإتزان الناجم عن البدانة باستخدام جهاز نظام الإتزان ”بايودكس“ ذي القرص المتحرك، وتم حساب مؤشر الثبات الكلي كدلالة على مقدار الإتزان الحركي كما اُعتُبِر المشاركون ذووا مؤشر كتلة الجسم أعلى من ٣٠ كغم/م٢ بدناء. النتائج: كان متوسط أعمار ومؤشر كتلة الجسم للمشاركين ٢٠ عاما و ٢٥٫٦ كغم/م٢، على التوالي. وكان متوسط مؤشر الثبات الكلي لكامل العينة ٠٫٩ وقيمته تزداد بشكل ملحوظ كلما زاد مؤشر كتلة الجسم. كما كان الارتباط المعدل بين مؤشر الثبات الكلي ومؤشر كتلة الجسم ٠٫٤٨٧. وبينت نتائج الانحدار اللوجستي أن كل زيادة وحدة في مؤشر كتلة الجسم٬ يرافقها زيادة متوقعة ٠٫١١٥ وحدة في قيمة مؤشر الثبات الكلي. وأظهر منحنى تشغيل الجهاز أن القيمة المثلى لنقاط الفصل للوزن ومؤشر كتلة الجسم للحصول على أفضل قيم مؤشر الثبات الكلي عند ١٨٫٨ كغم/م٢ و ٥٤٫٥ كغم، على التوالي٬ مع قيم حساسية ونوعية عالية. بالإضافة٬ فإن مؤشر كتلة الجسم يؤثر بنسبة ٢٣٪ تقريبا من التباين الكلي على الإتزان. الاستنتاجات: للبدانة تأثير واضح على الإتزان الحركي لدى الشباب الذكور في الدراسة. ينبغي تشجيع برامج خفض الوزن للأشخاص البدناء لتحسين مؤشر كتلة الجسم والوزن٬ التي يمكن أن تحافظ على استقرار الإتزان

Substrate-energy metabolism and metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease in relation to fetal growth and adult body composition

The effect of fetal programming on intermediary metabolism is uncertain. Therefore, we examined whether fetal programming affects oxidative and nonoxidative macronutrient metabolism and the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in adult life. Healthy older men, aged 64-72 years, with either a lower birth weight (LBW, or=75th %ile; n = 13) had measurements of 1) net oxidative metabolism using indirect calorimetry before and for 6 h after a mixed meal (3,720 kJ) and 2) postprandial oxidation of exogenous [13C]palmitic acid. Body composition was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. After adjustment for current weight and height, the LBW group had a lower resting energy expenditure (REE) in the preprandial (4.01 vs. 4.54 kJ/min, P = 0.015) and postprandial state (4.60 vs. 5.20 kJ/min, P = 0.004), and less fat-free mass than the HBW group. The BW category was a significant, independent, and better predictor of REE than weight plus height. There were no significant differences between groups in net oxidative and nonoxidative macronutrient (protein, fat, carbohydrate) metabolism (or of exogenous [13C]palmitate) or in the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome, which was present almost twice as commonly in the LBW than in the HBW group. The study suggests that fetal programming affects both pre- and postprandial EE in older life by mechanisms that are at least partly related to the mass of the fat-free body. BW was found to be a significant predictor of REE that was independent of adult weight plus heigh