European journal of clinical investigation
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Hormonal status influences haemostatic factors including fibrinogen, factor VII and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1), and concentrations differ among men, premenopausal and postmenopausal women. This study examines how phases of the menstrual cycle influence variability of fibrinogen, factor VII and PAI-1. ⋯ The variability in haemostatic factors in premenopausal women is no greater than for postmenopausal women or men. Consequently, premenopausal women can be included in studies investigating haemostatic factor responses without controlling for stage of menstrual cycle.
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Eur. J. Clin. Invest. · Jan 2014
Mean platelet volume predicts outcome in patients with asymptomatic carotid artery disease.
Platelets play a pivotal role in atherothrombosis and are potentially involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We investigated whether mean platelet volume (MPV) predicts clinical outcome and progression of atherosclerosis in patients with asymptomatic carotid artery disease. ⋯ Mean platelet volume was independently and significantly associated with adverse cardiovascular outcome in patients with asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis.
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Eur. J. Clin. Invest. · Jan 2014
Serum uric acid level is associated with the development of microalbuminuria in Korean men.
Elevated serum uric acid (UA) could be a risk factor for hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. In addition, elevated serum UA may be associated with impaired renal function. However, it is unclear whether elevated serum UA is a cause of microalbuminuria or not. Therefore, we performed a prospective cohort study of the temporal relationship between baseline elevated serum UA and the development of microalbuminuria in Korean men. ⋯ Elevated serum UA level was independent risk factor for the development of microalbuminuria during a 5-year follow-up in Korean men.
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Eur. J. Clin. Invest. · Dec 2013
ReviewFamilial mediterranean fever: a fascinating model of inherited autoinflammatory disorder.
Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a rare inherited autosomal recessive autoinflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent and self-limited episodes of fever and painful serositis, lasting 1-3 days. FMF occurs almost exclusively among ethnic groups of the Mediterranean basin, although cases have also been found in Japan and Korean populations. Diagnosis is based on clinical features, response to colchicine and genetic analysis. Novel drugs are emerging, allowing better management of colchicine-resistant/colchicine-intolerant patients. This review aims to attract the attention of the readers on differential diagnosis and management of patients with FMF. ⋯ The prognosis of FMF is normal if AA amyloidosis is prevented. Colchicine remains the first-line therapy to treat pain and prevent amyloidosis. A follow-up should include clinical evaluation, therapeutic adjustments, measurement of serum amyloid A and proteinuria.
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Eur. J. Clin. Invest. · Dec 2013
Comparative Study Observational StudyImpact of hypertension and renin-angiotensin system inhibitors in aortic stenosis.
Experimental studies revealed that renin-angiotensin system (RAS) could play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of aortic stenosis (AS). The objectives of this study were to examine (i) the impact of hypertension on AS progression and clinical events and (ii) the effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs). ⋯ Hypertension is associated with significantly faster stenosis progression and higher incidence of clinical events in patients with AS. ARBs but not ACEs were found to abolish the increased risk of mortality associated with hypertension.