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Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a constellation of metabolic derangements associated with vascular endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress and is widely regarded as an inflammatory condition, accompanied by an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. The present study tried to investigate the implications of telomerase activity with inflammation and impaired endothelial function in patients with metabolic syndrome. Telomerase activity in circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), TNF-α, IL-6 and ADMA were monitored in 39 patients with MS and 20 age and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Telomerase activity in PBMC, TNF-α, IL-6 and ADMA were all significantly elevated in patients with MS compared to healthy volunteers. PBMC telomerase was negatively correlated with HDL and positively correlated with ADMA, while no association between TNF-α and IL-6 was observed. IL-6 was increasing with increasing systolic pressure both in the patients with MS and in the healthy volunteers, while smoking and diabetes were positively correlated with IL-6 only in the patients' group. In conclusion, in patients with MS characterised by a strong dyslipidemic profile and low diabetes prevalence, significant telomerase activity was detected in circulating PBMC, along with elevated markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. These findings suggest a prolonged activity of inflammatory cells in the studied state of this metabolic disorder that could represent a contributory pathway in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

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The pattern of left ventricular filling was assessed by Doppler echocardiography in 38 adult beta-thalassaemia major patients; 28 with normal (age 25.2 +/- 5.3 years) and 10 with abnormal (age 24.5 +/- 8.8 years) left ventricular systolic function. The findings were compared with those obtained from 38 age and sex matched normal individuals. In patients with normal left ventricular systolic function, peak flow velocity in early diastole was higher than in the controls (94 +/- 16 vs 79 +/- 12 cm.s-1, P < 0.001). The peak flow velocity in late diastole was also greater (60 +/- 18 vs 46 +/- 9 cm.s-1, P < 0.001), but the ratio between the early and late (atrial) peaks was approximately the same in both groups (1.74 +/- 0.72 vs 1.70 +/- 0.30). There was no difference in deceleration time and rate between the two groups (152 +/- 32 vs 151 +/- 21 ms and 504 +/- 93 vs 508 +/- 115 cm.s-2 respectively). None of the patients had atrial predominant left ventricular inflow pattern. In patients with congestive heart failure the peak flow velocity in early diastole was greater than in the controls (96 +/- 10 vs 79 +/- 2 cm.s-1 P < 0.001) while in late diastole it was smaller (39 +/- 6 vs 44 +/- 2 cm.s-1, P < 0.05). The ratio between the early and late peaks was greater in the patients than in the controls (2.5 +/- 0.35 vs 1.8 +/- 0.08, P < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)