Winfried März

..There was no association between the presence of RA-specific autoantibodies and the MHC2TA -168 GG genotype. In this cohort of Austrian patients, no association between the MHC2TA polymorphism and RA was found...

..Further investigation is now necessary in order to determine the relative significance of cholesterol lowering and of ancillary effects on the net clinical benefit of statin treatment...

..The genetic polymorphism of apolipoprotein (apo) E is a strong endogenous determinant of sterol homeostasis. We therefore examined the relationship of CRP to the apoE polymorphism...

..The PlA1/A2 polymorphism of platelet glycoprotein IIIa (GPIIIa) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. We studied this polymorphism in a homogenous, extensively phenotyped cohort using the candidate gene approach...

..We examined whether alterations of LDL metabolism not reflected by LDL-C were associated with low-grade inflammation, vascular injury, and CAD...

..A G(-30)A polymorphism in the beta-cell-specific promoter of glucokinase (GK-30PM) has been implicated in reduced pancreatic beta-cell function. Its impact on CAD has not been examined...

....

..Homoarginine is an amino acid which may play a role in nitric oxide and energy metabolism. Low homoarginine concentrations have previously been linked to increased mortality, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown...

..The aim of our study was to prospectively examine the efficacy of low-dose atorvastatin on cholestasis as well as cardiovascular risk markers such as dyslipidemia and vascular function in patients with PBC...

..Whether low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations are an independent risk factor for mortality in these patients is, however, unclear...

..Homoarginine is an amino acid derivative that may increase nitric oxide availability and enhance endothelial function. The effect of the level of homoarginine on cardiovascular outcome and mortality is unknown...

..73 m(2). Whether low 25(OH)D levels in these patients are associated with higher mortality is unclear. This issue was addressed in the present work...

..Experimental studies suggest that aldosterone induces hypercalciuria and might contribute to hyperparathyroidism...

..Asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, has been linked to cardiovascular risk. The clinical role of its structural isomer symmetrical dimethylarginine (SDMA) remains largely unclear...

..We aimed to investigate whether homoarginine levels are also associated with fatal strokes and a history of nonfatal cerebrovascular disease...

..In view of the reciprocal interaction between aldosterone and PTH and the potentially ensuing CV damage, studies are urgently needed to evaluate diagnostic and therapeutic strategies addressing the interaction between the two hormones...

..Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) was highly associated with LAP in women and men. Our study validates an inexpensive and simple risk profiling that may allow identifying postmenopausal women at high cardiovascular risk...

....

..It should, however, be noted that justification for the prevention and treatment of vitamin D deficiency comes from evidence based benefits of vitamin D supplementation on musculoskeletal health...

..The aim of the current study is to investigate the association of arginine bioavailability ratios with markers of endothelial function and cardiovascular mortality in patients referred to coronary angiography...

..We hypothesized that level of kidney function might modify the association between plasma aldosterone level and CVD mortality...

..Free fatty acids (FFAs) exert several harmful effects on the myocardium and may therefore contribute to SCD. We examined whether fasting FFA predict SCD in patients who had undergone coronary angiography...

..Asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA) is increased in conditions associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis. We investigated the use of ADMA to predict total and cardiovascular mortality in patients scheduled for coronary angiography...

..The aim of the present case-control study was to investigate the role of this polymorphism for retinal artery occlusion (RAO)...

..Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) seems to be a predictor for coronary artery disease (CAD). The objective of this study was to elucidate the relationship between GGT and total as well as cardiovascular mortality...

..None of the GNB3 polymorphisms was associated with CAD, MI, diabetes, hypertension, blood pressure, body weight or body mass index. We conclude that a major contribution of GNB3 gene variants to CAD or MI risk is unlikely...

..5-2.7], P < 0.001) after multivariate adjustment. CONCLUSIONS The inverse association between dopamine and C-peptide highlights the need to evaluate whether dopamine could be effective for modulating endocrine pancreatic function...

..In current clinical practice, the overall risks and costs of vitamin D supplementation should be weighed against the potential adverse consequences of untreated vitamin D deficiency...

..This study in a large cohort of patients sought to evaluate the association between plasma renin concentration (PRC) and cardiovascular mortality after long-term follow-up of almost 10 years...

....

..CONCLUSION: Atorvastatin does not improve cholestasis in PBC patients with an incomplete biochemical response to UDCA but effectively reduces serum cholesterol levels...

..We aimed to evaluate whether total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) are associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in a cohort of postmenopausal women...

..Vitamin D has been shown to influence cardiac contractility and myocardial calcium homeostasis...

..In conclusion, present data of LURIC do not support the hypothesis that common variants of the CX3CR1 gene are associated with the presence of CAD or MI...

..In our opinion, the current knowledge of the beneficial effects of vitamin D on myocardial and overall health strongly argue for vitamin D supplementation in all vitamin D-deficient patients with or at high risk for myocardial diseases...

..Antihypertensive and tissue-protective properties of vitamin D metabolites are increasingly attributed to the inhibition of renin synthesis by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] in the kidney...

..We conclude that a common haplotype of the angiotensinogen gene is linked to angiotensinogen levels but has no major impact on blood pressure, hypertension, or cardiovascular risk...

..The adipokine resistin, which is thought to serve as a link between obesity and insulin resistance, was recently shown to exert proatherosclerotic features...

..Several drugs may affect the diagnosis of brain death by depressing the electroencephalographic signal. Serum levels of these drugs must be below their respective therapeutic ranges...

..We aimed to elucidate whether PTH levels are associated with mortality and fatal cardiovascular events in patients referred for coronary angiography...

..With the present analysis, we aimed at evaluating prospectively whether plasma aldosterone correlates with all-cause and CV disease (CVD) mortality in a large cohort of patients...

..Experimental studies show a complex interplay of vitamin D and androgen metabolism suggesting that a deficiency of both hormones may be associated with a particularly adverse clinical outcome...

..This study compared the efficacy and tolerability of morning and evening administration of the extended-release formulation of fluvastatin (fluvastatin XL)...

..It is not likely that the changes in lipoprotein metabolism brought about by the two preparations will alter the risk of future cardiovascular disease in a clinically relevant fashion...

..Accumulating evidence suggests that androgen deficiency is associated with cardiovascular disease. We aimed at evaluating whether total testosterone (TT) and free testosterone (FT) are associated with specific cardiovascular events...

....

..The objective of the study was to examine the effects of fluvastatin plus ezetimibe on lipoprotein subfractions in patients with type 2 diabetes and/or coronary heart disease...

..Our results suggest that chronic H. pylori infection reduces plasma levels of HDL cholesterol and that eradication improves the lipoprotein pattern...

..In this review, we present an overview of the metabolism and role of FFAs as a cardiovascular risk factor and discuss the potential of FFAs in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases...

..Additionally, levels of ADMA in comparable patient groups of different studies vary widely, even when similar methods have been used...

..For a given baseline value, greater risk reduction results from a larger reduction in LDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol measurement is thus essential before and on treatment...

..While 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors effectively decrease LDL cholesterol, it remains controversial whether these agents also lower dense LDL, which are considered particularly atherogenic...

..In the present study we investigated the possibility that rosuvastatin directly affected CRP expression in stimulated human hepatocytes...

..Asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA) was found to be increased in conditions associated with atherosclerosis and metabolic disorders. We investigated ADMA in obese juveniles with pre-atherosclerotic symptoms and in normal weight juveniles...

..003) and LDL apoB (r=0.239, P=0.05). In addition to the lipid-lowering effects of HMGRI, the reduction of AGE-CML observed in our study may entail an improvement of the cardiovascular prognosis in patients with chronic hyperglycemia...

..We examined the relationship between IgG antibodies specific for food components, low grade inflammation and early atherosclerotic lesions in obese and normal weight juveniles...

..Although these actions are not primary targets of the compounds discussed here, it is interesting that drugs inducing the LDL-R usually also lower TG and, in the case of HMGRI, increase HDL-C...

..Furthermore, based on recent experiences of our own with very early stages of atherosclerosis, possible new ways to make use of these parameters toward improved early detection, prevention and treatment of this disease are indicated...

....

..These assays were accurate in that the relative difference between actually measured and expected concentration never exceeded 12%. Utilization of these assays will render the diagnosis of brain death more reliable...

..We conclude that the SLC6A4 promoter polymorphism is not a major determinant of smoking behavior in Caucasian...

..We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate whether a relationship between the average effect of statins on LDL-C and CRP exists...

..This review summarizes the current knowledge of the various functions of PBEF/visfatin towards involvements in pathophysiology of several diseases...