The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with a pro-inflammatory milieu that may partially account for its association with an increased cardiovascular risk. We aimed to (1) evaluate the serum concentrations of twelve cytokines and growth factors (epidermal growth factor (EGF), interferon-g (IFN-g), IL-1a/-1b/-2/-4/-6/-8/-10, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), TNF-a and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)) in 303 individuals with or without the MetS; and (2) explore their relationship with the presence of the MetS. Patients with the MetS had significantly higher serum concentrations of IFN-g, EGF, IL-1a/-1b/-2/-4/-6/-8/-10, MCP-1 and TNF-a, whilst serum VEGF concentrations were markedly lower compared with the control group (e.g. 38·55 v. 82·18 pg/ml; P, 0·05). Amongst these parameters, IFN-g and IL-1a emerged as the most significant independent predictors of the MetS. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that patients with the MetS had an altered blood cytokine and growth factor profile that may partially account for its adverse clinical outcomes. Further prospective studies in larger multi-centre settings are required to unravel the role and association of the emerging biomarkers with the MetS and their implication in therapeutic intervention.
Background:Adiponectin is an adipose tissue-derived protein with anti-inflammatory properties. Statins are a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs, widely used for treatment of cardiovascular diseases.Objectives:In the current study, we aimed to assess the effects of simvastatin on serum levels of adiponectin in patients with dyslipidemia, recruited from Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran.Materials and Methods:A total of 102 patients with dyslipidemia were treated with simvastatin or placebo during a double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled trial. The adiponectin levels were measured before and after each treatment period. Seventy seven participants completed the study.Results:There was a significant reduction in serum total cholesterol (approxmately 21%), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) (approxmately 28%), and triglycerides (approxmately 11%), after four weeks of treatment with simvastatin (P < 0.001).Conclusions:No significant change in serum adiponectin concentrations was observed after treatment with simvastatin. This may be because of the relatively short duration of treatment and longer treatment duration may be necessary to investigation in future studies.
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