Browsing by Author "Popovic, S. (58426757200)"

Objective: To evaluate cardiac autonomic control in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) and thymoma. Materials and methods: The study was performed on 21 patients with MG and thymoma and the same number of matched healthy volunteers. Standard cardiovascular reflex tests according to Ewing and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) at rest was applied. Spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) at rest was assessed using a 20-minute ECG recording (normalized low- and high-frequency bands-LFnu-RRI, HFnu-RRI and LF/HF-RRI) Time-domain analysis of HRV was derived from 24-hour ECG monitoring. Results: Overall autonomic score according to Ewing was significantly increased in patients with MG and thymoma (p < 0.05), mostly due to parasympathetic dysfunction. Time-domain parameters representing the overall and long-term sympathetic activity of HRV did not differ significantly between the two groups (p > 0.05), but there was a significant decrease in measures of the short-term vagal variations in HRV (p < 0.01). HFnu-RRI was lower, while LFnu-RRI and LF/HF-RRI were higher in patients with MG and thymoma in comparison to healthy controls but these differences were not of statistical significance (p > 0.05). BRS at rest was highly significantly reduced in patients group (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Our results showed mainly parasympathetic cardiac impairment in patients with myasthenia gravis and thymoma. Since autonomic dysfunction may lead to cardiac conduction abnormalities and sudden death, the investigation of autonomic nervous system function in these patients may be significant in everyday clinical practice. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Objective: To evaluate cardiac autonomic control in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) and thymoma. Materials and methods: The study was performed on 21 patients with MG and thymoma and the same number of matched healthy volunteers. Standard cardiovascular reflex tests according to Ewing and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) at rest was applied. Spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) at rest was assessed using a 20-minute ECG recording (normalized low- and high-frequency bands-LFnu-RRI, HFnu-RRI and LF/HF-RRI) Time-domain analysis of HRV was derived from 24-hour ECG monitoring. Results: Overall autonomic score according to Ewing was significantly increased in patients with MG and thymoma (p < 0.05), mostly due to parasympathetic dysfunction. Time-domain parameters representing the overall and long-term sympathetic activity of HRV did not differ significantly between the two groups (p > 0.05), but there was a significant decrease in measures of the short-term vagal variations in HRV (p < 0.01). HFnu-RRI was lower, while LFnu-RRI and LF/HF-RRI were higher in patients with MG and thymoma in comparison to healthy controls but these differences were not of statistical significance (p > 0.05). BRS at rest was highly significantly reduced in patients group (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Our results showed mainly parasympathetic cardiac impairment in patients with myasthenia gravis and thymoma. Since autonomic dysfunction may lead to cardiac conduction abnormalities and sudden death, the investigation of autonomic nervous system function in these patients may be significant in everyday clinical practice. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Objectives - To evaluate serum leptin concentration and its relation to metabolic syndrome (MSy) in non-diabetic patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Materials and methods - This study included 34 DM1 patients, and the same number of healthy subjects matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI). Results - DM1 patients had increased BMI and insulin resistance, and increased leptin and insulin concentrations, but the other features of MSy such as diabetes, glucose intolerance and hypertension were not detected in DM1 patients. Serum leptin levels were higher in patients with DM1 than in healthy controls (8.5 ± 6.6 ng/ml vs 3.6 ± 2.9 ng/ml in men, and 13.9 ± 10.0 ng/ml vs 10.9 ± 6.9 ng/ml in women, respectively). In DM1 patients, leptin levels correlated with BMI, fasting insulin and insulin resistance (HOMA) (P < 0.01). Conclusions - The leptin overproduction correlated with insulin resistance in DM1 patients but the significance of this finding remains unclear. © 2009 Blackwell Munksgaard.

Objectives - To evaluate serum leptin concentration and its relation to metabolic syndrome (MSy) in non-diabetic patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Materials and methods - This study included 34 DM1 patients, and the same number of healthy subjects matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI). Results - DM1 patients had increased BMI and insulin resistance, and increased leptin and insulin concentrations, but the other features of MSy such as diabetes, glucose intolerance and hypertension were not detected in DM1 patients. Serum leptin levels were higher in patients with DM1 than in healthy controls (8.5 ± 6.6 ng/ml vs 3.6 ± 2.9 ng/ml in men, and 13.9 ± 10.0 ng/ml vs 10.9 ± 6.9 ng/ml in women, respectively). In DM1 patients, leptin levels correlated with BMI, fasting insulin and insulin resistance (HOMA) (P < 0.01). Conclusions - The leptin overproduction correlated with insulin resistance in DM1 patients but the significance of this finding remains unclear. © 2009 Blackwell Munksgaard.