Iranian Journal of

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Background: Atherosclerotic complications are one the most common causes of death in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Epidemiological data indicate that the consumption of omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids (O3FA) leads to a reduction in cardiovascular disorders. The metabolic effect of this substance in patients with type 2 diabetes is still a matter of debate, however. The aim of this study was to assess the metabolic effect of O3FA in Iranian diabetic patients.
Methods: 50 diabetic patients (20 men and 30 women mean age 49±7.3 years) were randomly allocated to either the intervention (diet + fish oil containing O3FA) or the control group (diet alone). The lipid and glucose levels, blood pressure, and weight of each patient were measured at the beginning of the study. The duration of the study was 3 months. The aforementioned parameters were re-assessed at the end of the study.
Results: O3FA consumption was associated with a significant reduction in serum triglyceride levels (p<0.001). Reductions in weight, fasting blood sugar, and glycosylated haemoglobin were noted in the intervention group but were not statistically significant. No changes occurred in total cholesterol, HDL, and LDL levels. The dosage of oral hypoglycaemic agents was unchanged in both groups throughout the study.
Conclusion: O3FA may be recommended for the management of hypertriglyceridaemia.

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Background: The non-enzymatic glycosylation (NEG) of proteins in diabetes damages both the structure and function of these proteins. In vivo and in vitro studies have shown that NEG of proteins and advanced glycosylation end-products (AGE) contribute to the pathogenesis of both macrovascular, such as atherosclerosis, and microvascular complications, such as retinopathy and nephropathy, in diabetes.
Methods: We studied the electrophoretic mobility, fluorescence at isoelectric pH, and time-dependent AGE formation of glycosylated albumin. For the first time, we have used isoelectric focusing to study serum glycosylated albumin in diabetic patients and healthy controls. Results: After 10 weeks incubation with glucose, the electrophoretic mobility of glycosylated albumin increased 21.3% compared with normal albumin. The isoelectric pH of albumin decreased from 4.6 on day 1 to 4.1 on day 7. The increase in electrophoretic mobility was accompanied by the drop in pH during the first week of incubation. These changes correlated well with those observed by fluorescence. The glucose content of the albumin samples decreased during the first week of incubation, but gradually increased thereafter. Fluorescence readings agreed with these observations. Using isoelectric focusing, there was a significant difference between the serum albumin of diabetic and normal individuals (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Increased electrophoretic mobility during the first week with a simultaneous decline in isoelectric pH shows that AGE formation begins after the first week. The reduction in glucose concentration during the first week and its subsequent increase during the second week may be attributed to the formation and hydrolysis of AGE. This method may be used to determine the stability or progress of diabetes.

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Background: Risk factors of cardiovascular disorders have been the subject of several studies. Recently, simultaneous high waist circumference (WC) and high serum triglyceride (Tg) has been proposed as a simple screening measure to predict non-traditional risk factors. This study has looked at the risk factors of cardiovascular disorders present in subjects with this phenotype.
Methods: Non diabetic females of age 18-65 years who had been enrolled in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) were recruited. Based on fasting Tg and WC, subjects fell into four categories: TgHWH ( Tg>160 mg/dl, WC>80 cm), TgHWL (Tg>160 mg/dl,WC<80 cm), TgLWH(Tg<160 mg/dl,WC>80 cm) and TgLWL (Tg<160 mg/dl,WC<80 cm). Cardiovascular risk factors including lipid profiles and anthropometric variables were compared between the categories. The prevalence of hypertension, LDL-C>130 mg/dl, total cholesterol>220 mg/dl and HDL- C<45 mg/dl were also determined in each category.
Results: 5630 subjects were studied. TgLWL and TgHWH constituted to 27.5 % and 31.9 % of subjects, respectively. Mean age of subjects dropping in TgLWL, TgLWH, TgHWL and TgHWH groups was 28±10, 39±12, 36+12 and 46±11, respectively and TgHWH subjects were significantly older than other groups (p<.001). Systolic and diastolic blood pressures, body mass index and WC were significantly higher in TgHWH. Significantly higher levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-C and significantly lower level of HDL-C were found in the TgHWH group. The prevalence of subjects with four or more risk factors was 61.4% in TgHWH versus 1% in TgLWL group.
Conclusion: Parallel high waist circumference and high serum triglycerides (TgHWH) can find use as a simple screening measure to predict other risk factors of cardiovascular disorders.

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Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic diseases. The prevalence of diabetes, which is around 4.5 - 6% in Iran, reaches as high as 14.2% in population of age 30 years and over in Yazd. Microalbuminuria is diagnosable before development of nephropathy and could be detected at an early stage when effective therapy can still be carried out. In this stage near normalization of blood glucose, strict blood pressure control and administration of ACE inhibitors can prevent nephropathic complications.
This study was aimed to determine the correlation among microalbuminuria, age, duration of diabetes, body mass Index, serum triglyceride, serum cholesterol and blood pressure in type 2 diabetic inhabitants of Yazd diabetes research center.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out during November 2002-July 2003 to investigate the correlation between microalbuminuria and assumed risk factors. Two hundred and eighty eight type 2 diabetic patients (141 males and 147 females) were selected through consecutive sampling. Results: Overall prevalence of microalbuminuria was 14.2%. Chi-square analysis revealed the association between microalbuminuria and high diastolic blood pressure (P-value=0.003) and duration of diabetes (P-value = 0.001). No statistically significant correlation was found between microalbuminuria and body mass index, serum triglyceride, serum cholesterol and systolic blood pressure.
Conclusion: Determination of urine albumin/creatinin ratio is an easy method for screening microalbuminuria which is recommended for all diabetics especially those with hypertension and a long term history of diabetes.

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Background: Aloe vera is a herbal plant being used as an anti-inflammatory agent, burning recovery as well as immune system boosting agent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Aloe vera on blood glucose , lipids and lipoproteins in streptozotocin-induced diabetic male rats.
Methods: This study was carried out on 56 male rats, weighing 150-200 gr. Animals are divided into 7 groups (one control and six test groups). Diabetes were induced in test groups via streptozocin (65mg/ kg-IP). After a week, blood samples analyses for FBS. All diabetic groups, except the control one, were taken 100,200,300,400 mg/kg Aloe vera extract and 5mg/kg glibenclamid by gavages for a period of 4 weeks, respectively. After this period fasting blood samples were collected from all groups.
Results:The results showed that the FBS decreased in groups that received 400mg/kg and glibenclamid (respectively,162/62±23.12and193.37±26.51). In addition, 3-6 groups showed decrease TG and Cholesterol level in comparison with those of control groups. In all groups which received Aloe vera and glibenclamid, LDL level were significantly decreased in comparison with control groups but HDL level had no change.
Conclusion: The results of this research indicate that Aloe vera aqueous extract lead to decreased Blood glucose, Cholesterol, LDL and TG levels. Further studies is suggested for exact mechanism of Aloe vera in diabetic rats.

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Background: Although hypertriglyceridemic waist (HW) phenotype has received much attention over recent years for its association with other metabolic abnormalities, it remains unknown whether its effects are mediated through changes in plasma concentrations of inflammatory markers. We aimed to evaluate the association between hypertriglyceridemic waist (HW) phenotype and markers of systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction among women.

Methods: Anthropometric and biochemical measurements were assessed in a cross-sectional study of 507 Iranian women aged 40-60 years. HW phenotype was defined as serum triacylglycerol concentration ≥150 mg/dl and concurrent waist circumference ≥89.

Results: The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemic waist (HW) phenotype was 32.2% (95% CI: 28.7, 35.7) among women. Individuals with HW phenotype had higher anthropometric measures, were older and less physically active. After control for potential confounding variables, women in different categories of WC had significantly different levels of CRP (WC main effect: P=0.001), TNF-α (P=0.01), IL-6 (P=0.001), E-selectin (P=0.007), sICAM-1 (P=0.01) and sVCAM-1 (P=0.02, 2-factor ANOVA for all). When the models were further adjusted for BMI, the difference in sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 ceased to be significant. Significant differences in CRP (TG main effect: P=0.01), TNF-α (P=0.008), SAA (P=0.03), IL-6 (P=0.01), E-selectin (P=0.02) and sICAM-1 (P=0.01, 2-factor ANOVA for all) were found between categories of TG concentration after control for confounders. Most of these differences remained significant even after additional adjustments for BMI, except for E-selectin. There was a significant interaction between WC and TG concentration with regard to CRP, IL-6, SAA, and E-selectin.

Conclusion: This study provides evidence showing a positive association between HW phenotype and markers of systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction.

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Background: Diabetes is associated with hormonal and biochemical changes, and with the production of free radicals and oxidative stress, it plays an important role in the occurrence of many metabolic injuries. Garlic plant and kombucha mushroom play a major role in the prevention and treatment of complications caused by oxidative stress due to their antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties.
Methods: 40 male Wistar rats, divided into five groups of eight, including: control (diabetic and receiving citrate buffer), Negative control group (diabetic, with 55 mg/kg of streptozotocin intraperitoneally), experimental group 1 (diabetic and receiving 50 mg/kg garlic extract), experimental group 2 (diabetic and receiving 50 mg/kg kombucha mushroom) and experimental group 3 (diabetic and receiving 50 mg/kg kombucha mushroom and 50 mg/kg of garlic extract) were divided. After two months passed after the mice became diabetic, the extracts were injected subcutaneously for two weeks. After that, the rats were anesthetized with ketamine and xylisine, and blood was taken directly from the heart.
Results: The Negative control group had higher glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol and LDL and lower insulin and HDL than the control group. The treatment groups of garlic, kombucha and garlic + kombucha caused a significant decrease in glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL levels and a significant increase in HDL and insulin compared to the Negative control group (p < 0.05). The highest therapeutic effect was shown by the garlic + kombuja group.
Conclusion: The combined extract of kombucha and garlic has favorable effects on sugar control and reducing cholesterol and Triglyceride.