Prevalences of and risk factors for biliary stones and gallbladder polyps in a large Chinese population

Objectives

This study aimed to identify the prevalences of and risk factors associated with the development of gallbladder stones and polyps in a large Chinese population.

Methods

Prevalences of and risk factors for biliary stones and gallbladder polyps were retrospectively investigated among subjects who underwent a general check-up at the Health Screening Centres of Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Beijing Charity Hospital between January 2007 and June 2010.

Results

A total of 60 064 people were enrolled in the study. Overall prevalences of biliary stones and gallbladder polyps were 4.2% (n = 2527) and 6.9% (n = 4119), respectively. Risk factors associated with increased odds ratios (ORs) for the development of biliary stones were female gender (OR = 1.51), age ≥50 years (OR = 2.09), history of hypertension (OR = 1.37), thickened gallbladder wall (cholecystitis) (OR = 1.98), fasting blood glucose ≥6.10 mmol/l (OR = 1.27), body mass index ≥25 kg/m² (OR = 1.25), systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg (OR = 1.31) and diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg (OR = 1.44). Factors associated with gallbladder polyps were female gender (OR = 0.66), thickened gallbladder wall (OR = 2.09), negativity for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and positivity for hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) (OR = 2.61), and positivity for both HBsAg and anti-HBc (OR = 3.21).

Conclusions

Prevalences of biliary stones and gallbladder polyps among Chinese people are similar to those reported for other populations. Biliary stones appear to be associated with female gender, age, obesity, blood glucose, blood pressure and cholecystitis. Male gender, hepatitis B virus infection and cholecystitis were strong risk factors for the formation of gallbladder polyps.     

The effect of low-dose ritonavir monotherapy on fasting serum lipid concentrations

OBJECTIVES: Ritonavir (RTV) at doses of 400 mg twice a day (bid) or higher adversely affects serum lipids. However, the effect of RTV 100 mg bid on serum lipids is unknown. We conducted a study to evaluate the effect of RTV 100 mg bid on fasting serum lipid profiles in HIV-negative healthy volunteers. METHODS: Ritonavir 100 mg bid was administered for 14 days to 20 healthy HIV-seronegative adults with normal serum lipids. After a 7-day washout, lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/RTV) 400/100 mg bid was administered for 14 days. Fasting serum lipid parameters were measured twice at baseline, after 14 days of RTV, and after 14 days of LPV/RTV, and comparisons were made at each time-point for levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the total/HDL cholesterol ratio and triglycerides. RESULTS: After 14 days of RTV 100 mg bid, total cholesterol level increased by 10.2% (P<0.001), LDL cholesterol level increased by 16.2% (P<0.001), triglyceride levels increased by 26.5% (P<0.001), HDL cholesterol level decreased by 5.4% (P<0.01) and the total/HDL cholesterol ratio increased by 17.3% (P<0.001). The addition of LPV 400 mg bid to RTV 100 mg bid resulted in no significant further changes in LDL cholesterol or triglyceride level or total/HDL cholesterol ratio, but there were significant increases in both total cholesterol (8.0% increase; P=0.007) and HDL cholesterol levels (6.7% increase; P=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Ritonavir dosed at 100 mg bid significantly increased the concentration of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, total/HDL cholesterol ratio and triglycerides and reduced HDL cholesterol concentration. The addition of LPV 400 mg bid to RTV 100 mg bid further increased both total and HDL cholesterol levels without affecting the total/HDL ratio.     

曾定伦治疗高脂血症经验

曾定伦主任中医师认为高脂血症属虚实夹杂之证,与气血运行密切相关,其病理产物不外乎"痰浊""瘀血""水饮"等,与日常饮食、生活习惯、体质和某些基础疾病(高血压、消化系统疾病、内分泌疾病)密切相关。高脂血症病因主要有:受纳过剩、内伤饮食,缺乏运动,先天禀赋,久病体虚、脏腑功能失调,情志失调。其治疗重点当紧抓三个重点:节食限食、减少食物摄入,调理五脏,增加脂浊的消耗。曾老师认为痰浊瘀血是形成脂膏的关键,是高脂血症发病的病理基础,一则脾失布津,聚湿成痰,形成脂膏,一则水液代谢失常,痰浊堆积,脂膏留滞,再则气机不畅,气滞血瘀,瘀血凝结,形成脂膏。曾老师以"痰瘀"立论治疗高血脂,研制出验方"十味降脂片",对于调整各种类型脂肪代谢异常具有良好功效。     

李应东教授从脾气虚论治高脂血症

李应东教授认为脾胃气虚,脾失健运导致膏脂生成及转运输布异常是高脂血症发病的关键,脾气虚形成的痰浊、血瘀作为病理产物和致病因子贯穿疾病始终,以脾气虚为本,痰浊、血瘀为标,治疗上以益气健脾,化痰祛瘀为主,方选四君子汤、二陈汤及桃红四物汤随症加减治疗。     

The role of lipids in the pathogenesis of glomerulosclerosis in the rat following subtotal nephrectomy

Abstract. Similarities between atherosclerosis and glomerulosclerosis suggest that hyperlipidaemia may contribute to glomerular injury. Dietary supplementation with 4% cholesterol +1% cholic acid was administered to rats 4 weeks after 1 1/3 nephrectomy and continued for 7 weeks. There was a significant increase in serum cholesterol (peak= 11.52 ±1.09 mmol 1^-1 vs. 4.73 ± 0.31 on control diet, < 0.001) and triglyceride concentrations (peak = 2.31 ± 0.27 mmol 1^-1 vs. 1.41 ±0.29, <0.05) and a marked increase in βmigrating lipoproteins. The severity of hypercholester-olaemia was significantly correlated with proteinuria (control diet: r = 0.600, cholesterol diet: r = 0.672, < 0.0001) as was hypertriglyceridaemia (control diet: r = 0.544, cholesterol diet: r = 0.678, <0.0001). The percentage of glomeruli containing lipid deposits was increased from 21% to 60% (<0.05). The kidney total cholesterol content was increased from 29.2 ±0.8 to 47.7 ± 3.3 μmols g^-1 dry weight (<0.0001), with esterified cholesterol increasing from 7.5 ± 0.4% to 14.5 ± 2.1% of total (<0.01). Serum cholesterol concentration was significantly correlated with both glomerular lipid deposition ( r _s= 0.7195, <0.0001) and tissue total cholesterol content ( r _s= 0.6053, <0.001). Lipid vacuolation was prominent in the paramesangium and within mesangial cells. Despite these changes hypertension, uraemia, proteinuria and glomerulosclerosis were not significantly increased on the cholesterol diet. Cholesterol deposition in the glomeruli occurs secondary to hyperlipidaemia in rats following subtotal nephrectomy but over 7 weeks no exacerbation of glomerulosclerosis is detectable.     

Lichen planus and dyslipidaemia: a case–control study

Background  Previous reports have demonstrated an association between psoriasis and dyslipidaemia.
Objectives  As lichen planus (LP) is also a chronic inflammatory disorder, we investigated the association between LP and dyslipidaemia in Israel.
Methods  A case–control study was performed utilizing the database of Clalit Health Services, a large healthcare provider organization in Israel. Patients aged 20–79 years who were diagnosed as having LP were compared with a sample of enrollees without LP regarding the prevalence of dyslipidaemia. Data on other health-related lifestyle factors and comorbidities were collected.
Results  The study included 1477 patients with LP and 2856 controls without LP. The prevalence of dyslipidaemia was significantly higher in patients with LP (42·5% vs. 37·8%, P  =   0·003; odds ratio, OR 1·21, 95% confidence interval, [CI]: 1·06–1·38). A multivariate logistic regression model demonstrated that LP was significantly associated with dyslipidaemia even after controlling for confounders, including age, sex, smoking, hypothyroidism, diabetes, hypertension, socioeconomic status and obesity (multivariate OR 1·34, 95% CI: 1·14–1·57, P  <   0·001).
Conclusions  In the present study, LP was found to be associated with dyslipidaemia.     

Increased human erythrocyte sodium-Iithium countertransport in hyperlipidaemic patients may indicate increased membrane lipid fluidity

Abstract. Erythrocyte sodium-lithium countertransport (SLC) activity, membrane fluidity, plasma trigly-ceride and cholesterol were measured in hyperlipidaemic patients and normal subjects. Fluidity was assessed by the fluorescence anisotropy (inversely related to fluidity) of the probes 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and 1,4-trimethylammonium-3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH). In a second group of patients the maximum velocity (Vmax) and external sodium affinity constant (k_m) of SLC was also measured.
In the first group of patients, SLC activity was increased compared with the controls (0.279 ± 0.019 vs. 0.213 ± 0.013, P = 0.006) as was membrane fluidity in the deep hydrophobic regions (DPH anisotropy 0.211 ± 0.0007 vs. 0.215 ± 0.0011, P = 0.007). There was a strong correlation between SLC and DPH anisotropy (Rs= -0.72, P= < 0.001) which was due to the correlation between Vmax and DPH anisotropy (Rs=-0.90, P= < 0.001).
Increases in Vmax of SLC in hyperlipidaemic patients may be due to differences in lipid organisation in the deep hydrophobic regions of the membrane which may affect the turnover rate of the transporter.     

Endothelin: emerging role in diabetic vascular complications

Since the discovery of endothelin-1 as the most potent endothelial-derived vasoconstrictor/mitogenic peptide a decade ago, considerable evidence has implicated this peptide in various cardiovascular disease states, including diabetes mellitus. Plasma and tissue concentrations of endothelin-1 as well as responses to the peptide are changed in various forms of the disease in humans and animals. Endothelin activity is also altered in atherosclerotic and ischaemic disease, nephropathy, retinopathy, erectile dysfunction, and neuropathy, many of the well-known complications of diabetes. Striking new evidence shows that antagonists of the endothelin system might beneficially affect and potentially overcome some of these complications. Despite this, lack of direct proof of causation makes this peptide's role in the disease uncertain. This review examines the current state of thought on the role of endothelin in diabetes and in the complications of the disease as well as the likely roles of altered metabolic variables in modulating endothelin-1 concentrations and its activity. It is concluded that although alterations in endothelin-1 release and action are clearly associated with the diabetic state, further studies using inhibitors of the endothelin system are warranted to determine its precise role in the complications of the disease. [Diabetologia (1999) 42: 1383–1394]