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BackgroundOmentin is an adipocytokine that is abundantly expressed in visceral fat tissue. We investigated the association of omentin with the number of metabolic risk factors.FindingThe study population comprised 201 Japanese men who underwent annual health checkups. Plasma omentin levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We divided the subjects into 4 groups according to omentin levels. A reduction of plasma omentin levels significantly correlated with an increase in the mean number of metabolic risk factors such as increased waist circumference, dyslipidemia, high blood pressure and glucose intolerance.ConclusionsCirculating omentin levels negatively correlated with the multiplicity of metabolic risk factors, suggesting that omentin acts as a biomarker of metabolic disorders.

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Dl-sotalol is a specific beta-adrenergic blocking agent that markedly lengthens cardiac action potential duration. To determine whether d-sotalol, with little or no beta-blocking effect, also lengthens repolarization, standard microelectrode studies were used to determine the electrophysiologic properties of dl-sotalol and its stereoisomers in isolated rabbit and canine myocardial fibers. D- and l-sotalol produced concentration-dependent increases in action potential duration to 50% (APD50) and 90% (APD90) repolarization, respectively, and in the effective refractory period without changes in the maximal rate of rise of action potential. In rabbit sinoatrial node, d- and l-sotalol produced concentration-dependent increases in spontaneous sinus cycle length (29 and 35%, respectively) by lengthening the action potential duration (by 58 and 55%) without effect on phase 4 depolarization. At the highest concentration (27.2 micrograms/ml), d- and l-sotalol prolonged APD90 (by 38 and 54%, respectively, in Purkinje fibers and by 32 and 34% in ventricular muscle) and effective refractory period (by 49 and 49% in Purkinje fibers and 29 and 40% in ventricular muscle). The effects of the two isomers were not significantly different. At the middle concentration (2.7 micrograms/ml), d-sotalol, unlike l-sotalol, had no beta-adrenergic blocking effect, but the electrophysiologic effects of dl-, d- and l-sotalol were indistinguishable. The data indicate that d-sotalol is equipotent with l-sotalol in lengthening the action potential duration and effective refractory period in cardiac muscle, an action unrelated to adrenergic antagonism or pharmacokinetic differences between the stereoisomers.