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Total Cortisol Metabolites (total + cortisol_metabolite)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	100%

Selected Abstracts

Glucocorticoids contribute to the heritability of leptin in Scottish adult female twins

CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 1 2004
A. M. Wallace
Summary objective, The precise interactions between glucocorticoids and leptin are complex and poorly understood. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the glucocorticoid/leptin interaction is influenced by shared environmental or genetic factors. design, We investigated the heritability of body mass index (BMI), circulating leptin and urinary glucocorticoid metabolites [tetrahydrocortisol (THF), alloTHF and tetrahydrocortisone (THE)] in 54 monozygotic (MZ) and 39 dizygotic (DZ) female twins. Analysis was performed using a structural equation modelling package Mx, developed by Neale. results, Leptin and BMI showed substantial heritability (68·3% and 71·3%, respectively). Bivariate analysis indicated that the genetic determinants of BMI and leptin are partly shared. Total cortisol metabolites (THF + alloTHF + THE), the (THE + alloTHF)/THE ratio [a marker of 11,-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11HSD) activity] and the alloTHF/THF ratio (marker for 5,-reductase activity) followed an environmental pattern. The heritability of leptin was significantly lowered to 63·8% (P = 0·012) when values were corrected for the influence of total cortisol metabolites but unaffected by markers of 11HSD and 5,-reductase activity. conclusions, We confirm that the genetic influence on both BMI and the circulating leptin concentration is substantial and show that these genetic determinants are highly correlated. These genetic factors, which are more likely to be dominant than additive, can be modestly but significantly modified by urinary total cortisol metabolites implying an adrenal influence. [source]

Short-term growth and adrenal function in children with asthma treated with inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate hydroflouroalkane-134a

PEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 8 2006
O. D. Wolthers
Inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) with the propellant hydrofluroroalkane-134a (HFA) has been designed to be equivalent in terms of safety to chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-formulated metered dose inhalers (MDI). The aim was to assess whether BDP HFA MDI 100 ,g twice daily was equivalent to BDP CFC MDI 100 ,g twice daily in terms of effects on short-term lower leg growth rate (LLGR) and measures of hypothalamic,pituitary,adrenal (HPA) function. The study consisted of a randomized double-blind cross-over trial with three active, a run-in and two wash-out periods each consisting of 2 wk. The place of study was a secondary referral outpatient clinic. The subjects involved were 14 boys and 10 girls with asthma, aged 7,12 yr. They were all administered BDP HFA 100 ,g, BDP CFC 100 ,g and 200 ,g twice daily. The outcome measures included LLGR and 24-h urine-free cortisol (UFC) and total cortisol metabolites (TCM). Mean (SD) LLGR during run-in and BDP HFA 100 ,g, BDP CFC 100 ,g and 200 ,g twice daily periods were 0.43 (0.23), 0.09 (0.29), 0.10 (0.45) and 0.08 (0.27) mm/wk. The one-sided 97.5% confidence interval for the difference in LLGR between BDP HFA 100 ,g and BDP CFC 100 ,g was 0.24, thus, below the predefined criterion of 0.20 mm/week. Inter-period comparisons of active treatments showed no differences between means of LLGR, UFC or TCM. Though non-inferiority between BDP HFA and CFC 100 ,g twice daily in terms of effects on LLGR was not found, equivalence was suggested by comparisons of LLGR during run-in and active treatments and by HPA function measures. [source]