455G/A polymorphism of the beta-fibrinogen gene is associated with the progression of coronary atherosclerosis in symptomatic men: Proposed role for an acute-phase reaction pattern of fibrinogen

Increased plasma fibrinogen levels have been identified as a risk indicator for myocardial infarction, stroke, and thrombosis. Both environmental and genetic factors make an important contribution to plasma fibrinogen levels in humans. In the present study we evaluated, in patients with serum cholesterol levels between 4 and 8 mmol/L, the...

Effects of a milk product, fermented by Lactobacillus acidophilus and with fructo-oligosaccharides added, on blood lipids in male volunteers

Objective: To investigate in adult male volunteers the effect of a new fermented milk product, fermented by Lactobacillus acidophilus and with fructo-oligosaccharides added, on blood lipids. Design: Randomized placebo-controlled double-blind two-way cross over trial with two treatment periods of three weeks, separated by a wash-out period of one...

Retinoids increase human apo C-III expression at the transcriptional level via the retinoid X receptor: Contribution to the hypertriglyceridemic action of retinoids

Hypertriglyceridemia is a metabolic complication of retinoid therapy. In this study, we analyzed whether retinoids increase the expression of apo C- III, an antagonist of plasma triglyceride catabolism. In men, isotretinoin treatment (80 mg/d; 5 d) resulted in elevated plasma apo C-III, but not apo E concentrations. In human hepatoma HepG2 cells...

No effect of unfractioned or low molecular weight heparin treatment on markers of vascular wall and hemostatic function in incipient diabetic nephropathy

OBJECTIVE - The high risk for cardiovascular disease in IDDM patients with nephropathy may be mediated by abnormal function of the vascular wall. We investigated whether heparin was able to modulate markers of vascular wall and hemostatic function in patients with incipient nephropathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - Thirty-five IDDM patients...

Short-term oestrogen replacement therapy improves insulin resistance, lipids and fibrinolysis in postmenopausal women with NIDDM

Oestrogen replacement therapy is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women. Patients with non-insulin- dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) have an increased cardiovascular risk. However, oestrogen replacement therapy is only reluctantly prescribed for patients with NIDDM. In a double blind randomized...

Effects of gemfibrozil and ciprofibrate on plasma levels of tissue-type plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and fibrinogen in hyperlipidaemic patients

Evaluation of fibrate treatment in humans has focused primarily on its anti-lipidaemic effects. A potentially favourable haemostasis-modulating activity of fibrates has also been recognized but the data are not consistent. We sought to learn more about this variability by examining the effects of gemfibrozil and ciprofibrate on plasma levels of...

Modulation of plasma fibrinogen levels by ticlopidine in healthy volunteers and patients with stable angina pectoris

Elevated plasma fibrinogen levels are associated with an increased risk for cardiac events. Ticlopidine is a drug that inhibits the ADP-induced aggregation of blood platelets and it also has been described that ticlopidine can decrease the plasma fibrinogen level in patients with vascular diseases. The mechanism of this decrease has not yet been...

Influence of a carbohydrate drink on performance of military personnel in NBC protective clothing

Background: The increased threat of nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) weapons underlines the need of protective clothing and gas masks, but this may impair performance. Thus, attention should be focused on the nutritional requirements. Hypothesis: Optimal performance is guaranteed if the supply of water and energy is adequate. Methods: Two...

A prospective, double-blind, split-subject study on local skin reactions after administration of human menopausal gonadotrophin preparations to healthy female volunteers

This study was designed to investigate local reactions after the intracutaneous (i.c.) administration of two human menopausal gonadotrophin preparations. For this purpose, 20 healthy female volunteers received six i.c. injections simultaneously, viz. three different batches of both Humegon (Organon, Oss, The Netherlands) and Pergonal (Serono,...

The effects of 4-aminopyridine on cognitive function in patients with multiple sclerose: A pilot study

4-Aminopyridine (4-AP) has a favorable effect on the disability of certain patients with MS. We investigated the effect of 4-AP on neuropsychological performance in 20 MS patients using a randomized, double-blind, placebo- controlled, crossover design. Although there was a trend for improved performance with 4-AP for two of the tests, we could...

Beta-carotene supplementation in smokers reduces the frequency of nnicronuclei in sputum

beta-carotene has been hypothesised to reduce lung cancer risk. We studied the effect of 14 weeks of beta-carotene supplementation (20 mg d-1) on the frequency of micronuclei in sputum in 114 heavy smokers in a double-blind trial. Micronuclei reflect DNA damage in exfoliated cells and may thus provide a marker early-stage carcinogenesis. Pre...