Low HDL Cholesterol, Smoking and IL-13 R130Q Polymorphism are Associated with Myocardial Infarction in Greek Cypriot Males. A Pilot Study

This study was carried out in Greek Cypriot males to identify risk factors that predispose to myocardial infarction (MI). Genetic and lipid risk factors were investigated for the first time in a Greek Cypriot male case-control study.Contrary to other studies, mean low density lipoprotein cholesterol did not differ between cases and controls. High density lipoprotein cholesterol on the other hand, although within normal range in cases and controls, was significantly higher in the control population. In agreement with many other studies, smoking was significantly more prevalent in cases compared with controls. In pooled cases and controls, smokers had a significantly lower HDL-C level compared with non-smokers. The frequency of the IL-13 R130Q homozygotes for the mutation (QQ), as well as the mutant allele were significantly higher in cases compared with controls. The IL-13 R130Q variant, or another locus, linked to it, may increase the risk of MI

Maternally Inherited Diabetes and Deafness (MIDD) – Atypical Clinical Diabetes Features Leading to the Diagnosis

Maternally inherited diabetes and deafness (MIDD) syndrome refers to a rarely diagnosed disorder caused by pathogenic variants in mtDNA. It was first identified in 1992 and, to date, is considered underdiagnosed because of misclassification to type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus. MIDD reflects a multisystem metabolic syndrome commonly resulting in insulin-requiring diabetes and sensorineural deafness but can also lead to a broad range of other manifestations. The spectrum of pathology differs among individuals, likely because of varied degrees of heteroplasmy associated with mtDNA. Heteroplasmy also creates diagnostic difficulties, with a high index of suspicion required to diagnose MIDD in some cases. Here, we review a patient with MIDD who presented with an atypical clinical diabetes picture, additionally documenting his pedigree. To our knowledge, this is the first Cypriot reported with MIDD