Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research
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The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology and trends in pediatric acute pancreatitis (AP)-associated emergency department (ED) visits in the United States. ⋯ There has been an increasing incidence of AP-associated ED visits in children from 2006 to 2011.
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Observational Study
Associations of fibroblast growth factor 23 and fetuin-A with coronary plaque burden and plaque composition in young adults.
The total burden of subclinical coronary artery disease (CAD) is significant among young adults. Serum fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) and fetuin-A are established predictors of morbidity and mortality because of cardiovascular disease. The objective of the study was to evaluate the relationship between subclinical CAD and serum FGF-23 and fetuin-A concentrations among a population of young adults. ⋯ The presence of subclinical CAD is independently associated with FGF-23 and fetuin-A and could be used as novel risk markers of cardiovascular disease in the asymptomatic young adult population.
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For centuries, clinicians have used palpation to evaluate abdominal organs. After exploring almost all the different methods of interaction between x-rays, ultrasound, and magnetic fields on tissues, recent interest has focused on the evaluation of their mechanical properties. Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) is a recent, established ultrasound-based diagnostic technique that allows physicians to obtain a measure of the elastic properties of an organ. ⋯ Mechanical properties of the kidney, such as stiffness and deformity, depend on various conditions that alter its histology, in particular the amount of fibrosis in the renal parenchyma; urinary pressure and renal blood perfusion may be other important contributing factors. Unfortunately, the ARFI technique applied to native renal pathologies is still limited, and not all studies are comparable because they used different methods. Therefore, the results reported in recent literature encourage further improvement of this method and the drawing up of standardized guidelines of investigation.
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Impaired insulin signaling pathway in the brain in type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD). Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and its receptor agonist are widely used for treatment of T2D. Here we studied whether the effects of exendin-4 (EX-4), a long-lasting GLP-1 receptor agonist, could reduce the risk of AD in T2D. ⋯ These results demonstrate that multiple days with EX-4 appears to prevent the hyperphosphorylation of AD-associated tau protein due to increased insulin signaling pathway in the brain. These findings support the potential use of GLP-1 for the prevention and treatment of AD in individuals with T2D.