Endocrine Abstracts

There is increasing interest in insulin resistance as a candidate pathway in the pathogenesis of vascular disease. Part of this interest stems from the rapidly increasing rates of obesity worldwide which fuel insulin resistance particularly in susceptible 'at risk' individuals. Insulin resistance is associated with a plethora of metabolic perturbances (dyslipidaemia, hypertension, abnormal haemostasis, low grade inflammation, altered adipokine levels) and many of these abnorma...

Many prospective blood-based epidemiological studies have investigated various inflammatory markers as potential predictors and/or determinants of coronary heart disease (CHD) in the general population, such as plasma fibrinogen and C-reactive protein. The interpretation of these studies, has, however, generally been complicated by limited sample size, selective publication, and, most importantly, “confounding” by causative risk factors. Further clarification of th...

It is now realized that the vascular endothelium is the key signal transducer for the disturbed vascular biology that drives atherogenesis. Endothelial dysfunction leads to a pro-coagulant, adhesive, proliferative constrictor phenotype. Inflammation, endothial dysfunction and structural arterial wall changes are already linked by the end of the first decade of life. Classical risk factor burden affects nitric oxide dependent endothelial function and novel influences such as me...

An increasing body of evidence suggests that oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of a wide range of cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, atherosclerosis and heart failure. It is a matter for debate whether this increased oxidative stress has a primary causative role in cardiovascular disease pathogenesis or rather is a vascular sequel of disease progression. There is, however, emerging evidence for genetic compone...