PURPOSE: Evaluate the effect of the marine lipid fraction of the New Zealand green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus) PCSO-524™ (Lyprinol(®)/Omega XL(®)), rich in omega-3 fatty acids, on airway inflammation and the bronchoconstrictor response to eucapnic voluntary hyperpnea (EVH) in asthmatics. METHODS: Twenty asthmatic subjects, with documented HIB, participated in a placebo ...

This pilot study aims to provide effect size confidence intervals, clinical trial and intervention feasibility data, and procedural materials for a full-scale randomized controlled trial that will determine the efficacy of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) as adjunct therapy to standard care for adults with uncontrolled asthma. The DASH ...

BACKGROUND: There is epidemiological evidence that Mediterranean diet exposure is associated with lower asthma prevalence in children. We aimed to summarize the available data and to know whether the Mediterranean setting modifies this association. METHODS: The literature search, up to May 2012, was on epidemiological studies in the general population ...

Rationale: The relationship between airway inflammation and obesity in severe asthma is poorly understood. Objectives: We sought to determine the relationship between sputum mediator profiles, the distribution of eosinophilic inflammation and obesity in severe asthmatics. Methods: Clinical parameters and 8 mediators in sputum were assessed in 131 severe asthmatic subjects ...

The world is in the midst of an unprecedented obesity epidemic.1 In fact, among adults in the United States, recent studies find only a minority of adults are now in the "normal" weight category.2 With this epidemic has come the realization that obesity is a major risk factor for asthma, ...

SUMMARY AT A GLANCE: This cross-sectional study investigated diet, inflammation, lung function and asthma symptoms in Australians asthmatics and healthy controls. Participants with severe persistent asthma showed a different dietary intake pattern compared with healthy controls, which was associated with lower lung function and increased airway inflammation. Asthmatics also had ...

BACKGROUND: Clinical and epidemiological studies show a close association between obesity and the risk of asthma development. The underlying cause-effect relationship between metabolism, innate and adaptive immunity, and inflammation remains to be elucidated. METHODS: We developed an animal model to study the interaction between metabolic abnormalities and experimentally induced asthma. ...

The SNP rs1260326 (P446L) and rs1799884 ( - 30G>A) for the glucokinase regulatory protein (GCKR) and glucokinase (GCK) genes, respectively, have been associated with opposing effects on TAG and glucose concentrations. However, their genetic modulation by diet (dietary patterns or foods) remains to be investigated. We studied 945 high-cardiovascular risk subjects aged ...

The incidence and severity of allergic asthma have increased over the last century, particularly in the United States and other developed countries. This time frame was characterized by marked environmental changes, including enhanced hygiene, decreased pathogen exposure, increased exposure to inhaled pollutants, and changes in diet. Although iron is well-known ...

Socioeconomic disparities in diet quality are well established. This study tested the hypothesis that such disparities are mediated, in part, by diet cost. The Seattle Obesity Study (S.O.S) was a cross-sectional study based on a representative sample of 1266 adults of King County, WA, conducted in 2008-09. Demographic and socioeconomic ...

The by-product of sugar refinery-waste molasses was explored as alternative to glucose-based medium of Chlorella protothecoides in this study. Enzymatic hydrolysis is required for waste molasses suitable for algal growth. Waste molasses hydrolysate was confirmed as a sole source of full nutrients to totally replace glucose-based medium in support of ...

Three subprimals from beef carcasses, Average (mean=340.6kg) and Heavy weight (mean=461.6kg), were cut using Innovative versus Conventional cutting styles. Longer (P<0.05) processing times were required for the Heavy compared to Average and Innovative compared to Conventional. Total saleable yields were lower for the Innovative compared to Conventional for the top ...

Statins reduce coronary heart disease (CHD) morbidity and mortality over a wide range of patients. The Justification for the Use of Statins in Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin (JUPITER) in subjects with elevated C-reactive protein, without vascular disease and below average low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) showed a 50% reduction ...

OBJECTIVE: To examine diet costs in relation to dietary quality and socio-economic position, and to investigate underlying reasons for differences in diet costs. DESIGN: Dietary intake was assessed by a 4 d food diary and evaluated using the 2005 Healthy Eating Index (HEI). National consumer food prices collected by Statistics ...

Objective:To analyze whether two dietary weight loss interventions-the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) program and a low-fat diet program- would be cost-effective in Australia, and to assess their potential to reduce the disease burden related to excess body weight.Design:We constructed a multi-state life-table-based Markov model in which the distribution ...

Hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases that has been managed mostly with 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) that suppress de novo cholesterol synthesis in the liver. Statins also have beneficial pleiotropic effects on the atherosclerotic process that are independent of their ability to lower lipid ...

Ezetimibe is a potent inhibitor of cholesterol absorption that has been approved for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Statin, 3-hydroxy-3 methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor, is an inhibitor of cholesterol synthesis. Statin is the first-choice drug to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol for patients with hypercholesterolemia, due to its strong effect ...

Ezetimibe (EZE), a selective inhibitor of intestinal cholesterol absorption, is mostly used in combination with statins across various patient populations. Besides its low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering, EZE exerts different effects on several other variables. In an earlier review, we discussed the effects of EZE on lipid parameters other than ...

Atherosclerosis is an inflammation-based complex vascular disorder which causes coronary artery disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease. Its pathophysiological process consists of endothelial dysfunction, monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells, lipid and inflammatory cell accumulation in the vascular wall, and migration and proliferation of smooth muscle cells. Both hyperlipidemia and inflammation ...

Background Socio-economic disparities in nutrition are well documented. This study tested the hypothesis that socio-economic differences in nutrient intakes can be accounted for, in part, by diet cost. Methods A representative sample of 1295 adults in King County (WA) was surveyed in 2008-2009, and usual dietary intakes were assessed based ...

Costs to broiler producers associated with subclinical (mild) necrotic enteritis (SNE) were estimated using published information on impacts on body weight and feed conversion rate (FCR) associated with SNE and costs and revenues associated with broiler production. Estimates were expressed in U.S. dollars from the perspective of poultry producers. SNE ...

Targeting elevations in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) remains the cornerstone of cardiovascular prevention. However, this fraction does not adequately capture elevated triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs; e.g. intermediate-density lipoprotein, very low density lipoprotein) in certain patients with metabolic syndrome or diabetic dyslipidaemia. Many such individuals have residual cardiovascular risk that might be ...

Statin therapy is widely used in treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is well established that statin therapy is not associated with significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) or significant decrease in triglyceride level. Importantly, emerging evidence has suggested that low HDL-c and high triglyceride are strong ...

Ezetimibe is a relatively new drug that inhibits the absorption of dietary cholesterol in the small intestine. It is a low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering medication that acts directly on the intestine by inhibiting Niemann-Pick C1 Like1 (NPC1L1). Recently, results of the ARBITER 6-HALTS trial (Arterial Biology for the Investigation ...

The 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) are a class of drug used to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. However, in recent years, statins have been shown to possess a pleiotropic effect beyond its cholesterol lowering ability, including attenuating the effect of ischaemia reperfusion injury. This review considers the biomolecular processes ...

Statins reduce cardiovascular events and cardiovascular and total mortality in persons at risk for and with coronary disease, but there remains a significant residual event rate, particularly in those with the atherogenic lipid phenotype that is characterized by a low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and increase in non-HDL cholesterol. Large ...

This paper contains detailed results of a sub-population of the prospective randomized RADAR (Rosuvastatin and Atorvastatin in different Dosages And Reverse cholesterol transport) study. Statin treatment results in substantially decreased incidence of cardiovascular events but the exact pathophysiological mechanism of their beneficial effect is yet unclear. We aimed to examine ...

There is interindividual variation in lipid-lowering response to statins. The objective of this study was to investigate whether common variation in genes involved in lipid and statin metabolism modify the effect of statins on serum total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentration in coronary artery disease (CAD) ...

To assess cardiovascular risk distribution, distribution of individual low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol target and distance of LDL cholesterol from the target in a representative sample of the Italian population. Cross-sectional, population-based study of a representative sample of the Italian adult population, comprising 5458 individuals (from 40 to 79 years of age, ...

Atherogenic dyslipidemia is emerging as a target of lipid-modifying therapy. However, an optimal pharmacologic approach has not yet been established. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and tolerability of the typical doses of fenofibrate and niacin. After an eight-week dietary run-in, 201 patients who had triglyceride ...

Age, gender, and race are factors that influence atherosclerotic coronary heart disease (CHD) risk and may conceivably affect the efficacy of lipid-altering drugs. Post hoc analysis of two multicenter, 6-week, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group trials assessed age (<65 and ≥65years), gender, and race (white, black, and other) effects on atorvastatin plus ...

Pro-protein-convertase-subtilisin-kexin-9 (PCSK9) enhances the degradation of the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) that plays a major role in cholesterol homeostasis. Recent advances have revealed a large number of genetic variants of PCSK9 that may modulate plasma cholesterol levels either positively or negatively, therefore influencing the risk of atherosclerosis. Recognition of these ...

The aim of this study was to determine whether the addition of ezetimibe to ongoing statin therapy in patients with atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome would favorably affect levels of inflammatory markers and adipokines. Individuals with the metabolic syndrome exhibit higher levels of inflammatory biomarkers and adipokines, which have been implicated ...

Elevated concentrations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol are associated with increased risk of coronary atherosclerosis, and morbidity and mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD). Lowering of LDL cholesterol leads to a reduction in cardiovascular morbidity and all-cause mortality in individuals at risk for cardiovascular events and patients with established CHD. ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Statins, by inhibiting 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, decrease the synthesis not only of cholesterol but also of nonsteroidal mevalonate derivatives. While the first effect translates into plasma cholesterol reductions, the second is related to nonlipid-lowering (pleiotropic) properties. Purpose of this review is to assess the correlation between differences ...

OPINION STATEMENT: The treatment of lipid abnormalities generally has focused on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction based on extensive clinical trials and the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. Unfortunately, it has become increasingly clear that a significant percentage of patients continue to have cardiovascular events despite ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Mipomersen is a second-generation antisense oligonucleotide developed to inhibit the synthesis of apolipoprotein B-100 in the liver. In this review we will summarize the results of recent preclinical and clinical studies addressing safety and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c) lowering efficacy of this new compound. RECENT FINDINGS: In phase ...

Mammalian sterol and lipid metabolism depends on a large number of highly evolved biochemical and histological processes responsible for the absorption, distribution and steady-state anabolic/catabolic handling of these substances. Lipoproteins are complex polymolecular assemblies comprising phospholipids, cholesterol and cholesterol esters, triglycerides and a variety of apolipoproteins. The primary function of ...

Cholesteryl ester rich apolipoprotein B100 (apoB100) lipoproteins accumulate in Bruch's membrane before the development of age-related macular degeneration. It is not known if these lipoproteins come from the circulation or local ocular tissue. Emerging, but incomplete evidence suggests that the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) can secrete lipoproteins. The purpose of ...

Hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress can heavily contribute to the initiation and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Currently, there is no established treatment for this disease. Recently, several studies have shown that ezetimibe (EZ), a lipid-lowering drug, attenuates liver steatosis in an experimental NAFLD model. This study ...

HDL-cholesterol concentrations are inversely associated with occurrence of cardiovascular events. We addressed, using the JUPITER trial cohort, whether this association remains when LDL-cholesterol concentrations are reduced to the very low ranges with high-dose statin treatment. Participants in the randomised placebo-controlled JUPITER trial were adults without diabetes or previous cardiovascular disease, ...

PURPOSE: The efficacy and safety of phytosterols for the management of dyslipidemia are reviewed. SUMMARY: Phytosterols have been evaluated in over 40 clinical trials. The incorporation of 2 g of phytosterols daily into margarine, mayonnaise, orange juice, olive oil, low-fat milk, yogurt, and tablets is associated with significant reductions in ...

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in United States. The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III recommends new lower cholesterol levels, particularly for patients at moderate and high risk for coronary disease. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is primarily the target of hypolipidemic ...

Randomized trials have suggested that the beneficial effects of statins could extend to mechanisms beyond cholesterol reduction. Investigations have shown that statins are associated with reduced plasma markers of inflammation, reduced T-cell and monocyte activation, and reduced blood clotting. These effects could be explained by the inhibition of L-mevalonic acid ...

Hypercholesterolemia holds a key role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis and is a causative factor of coronary artery disease. Current guidelines for cholesterol treatment target low-density cholesterol (LDL-C) as the primary goal of therapy. Despite advances in the pharmacotherapy of atherosclerosis, the most successful agents used to treat ...

Beyond lowering lipid levels, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) have been shown to possess antioxidant properties, which may explain some of their beneficial effects in reducing atherosclerosis. We sought to determine whether circulating oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) levels differ between subjects with isolated hypercholesterolemia and combined hyperlipidemia, as ...

Preclinical and epidemiologic studies suggest a protective effect of statins on Alzheimer disease (AD). Experimental evidence indicates that some statins can cross the blood-brain barrier, alter brain cholesterol metabolism, and may ultimately decrease the production of amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptide. Despite these promising leads, clinical trials have yielded inconsistent results regarding ...

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, commonly known as statins, are the medical treatment of choice for hypercholesterolemia. In addition to achieving a therapeutic decrease in serum cholesterol levels, statin therapy appears to promote pleiotropic effects that are independent of changes in serum cholesterol. These cholesterol lowering and pleiotropic effects ...

The predominance of small dense low-density lipoproteins (sdLDLs) has been associated with increased cardiovascular risk. The effect of ezetimibe on LDL subfraction distribution has not been fully elucidated. This study assessed by gradient gel electrophoresis the effects of ezetimibe alone, simvastatin alone, and their combination on sdLDL subfraction distribution. A ...

Ezetimibe, a selective inhibitor of intestinal cholesterol absorption, rapidly became one of the most widely drugs in the US following its approval by the FDA in 2002. Due to its capacity to significantly lower LDL-C with few side effects, ezetimibe has been very useful in enabling patients who were statin ...