Weight maintenance with a MUFA-rich diet improves HOMA-ir and fasting proinsulin levels in insulin-resistant subjects. Ingestion of a virgin olive oil-based breakfast decreased postprandial glucose and insulin concentrations, and increased HDL-C and GLP-1 concentrations as compared with CHO-rich diet.

We undertook a prospective pilot study to determine whether arthroscopic surgery through the central compartment of the hip was effective in the management of a snapping iliopsoas tendon. Seven patients were assessed pre-operatively and at three, six, 12 and 24 months after operation. This included the assessment of pain on a visual analogue scale (VAS) and function using the modified Harris hip score. All the patients had resolution of snapping post-operatively and this persisted at follow-up at two years. The mean VAS score for pain fell from 7.7 (6 to 10) pre-operatively to 4.3 (0 to 10) by three months (p = 0.051), and to 3.6 (1 to 8) (p = 0.015), 2.4 (0 to 8) (p = 0.011) and 2.4 (0 to 8) (p = 0.011) by six, 12 and 24 months, respectively. The mean modified Harris hip score increased from 56.1 (13.2 to 84.7) pre-operatively to 88.4 (57.2 to 100) at one year (p = 0.018) and to 87.9 (49.5 to 100) at two years (p = 0.02). There were no complications and no weakness occurred in the musculature around the hip. Our findings suggest that this treatment is effective and would support the undertaking of a larger study comparing this procedure with other methods of treatment.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover study, 15 stable mild hyperglycemic patients without treatment and with features of metabolic syndrome were treated with cerivastatin (0.4 mg/day) or placebo for 3 months. The insulin sensitivity index during the euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp (EHC; 5.4 mmol/l; 80 mU ⅐ m ؊2 ⅐ min ؊1 ) was increased by cerivastatin treatment (66.39 ؎ 3.9 nmol ⅐ lean body , 0.91 ؎ 0.01; P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). During statin treatment, the first-phase insulin response increased from 2.07 ؎ 0.28 to 2.82 ؎ 0.38 pmol ⅐ l ؊1 ⅐ pmol ؊1 (P < 0.05). The second phase of insulin responses examined by C-peptide and insulin levels averaged during the hyperglycemic clamp (20 mmol/l) was unchanged. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that 0.4 mg cerivastatin therapy improves first-phase insulin secretion and increases insulin-mediated glucose uptake and respiratory quotient in the early state of obese type 2 diabetes. Diabetes 51:2596 -2603, 2002 T ype 2 diabetes represents the final stage of a progressive syndrome characterized by targettissue resistance to insulin that cannot be overcome by ␤-cell hypersecretion (1). In the initial period, some subjects accumulate a constellation of major risk factors such as central (intra-abdominal) obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL cholesterol, raised blood pressure, and insulin resistance associated with proinflammatory states (2). In this state, patients receive primary care from their physicians with a recommendation for lifestyle changes (3). However, most people do not adequately maintain weight loss after participating in weightcontrol programs (4), and some subjects develop late micro-and macrovascular complications of diabetes. Approaches to reduce coronary heart disease have been focused on statins therapy (5,6). Several pleiotropic effects of statins could represent a potential means for controlling multifactorial atherosclerosis observed in diabetes. A post hoc analysis in the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study database provided evidence for the protective treatment effect of Pravastatin on the development of diabetes (7). However, whether statin treatment is beneficial in glucose metabolism of diabetes still remains to be seen. Suppression with high doses of statins on VLDL production of patients with type 2 diabetic hypertriglyceridemia could effect the release of fatty acids (FAs) from the liver (8). It is now recognized that plasma FA concentrations have profound effects on insulin action and glucose metabolism (9,10). Finally, cholesterol is a key component in the regulation of signal transduction through membrane lipid-ordered microdomains and in the regulation of gene expression through cholesterol-activated transcription factors (11). Intracellular cholesterol might serve as a link between fat cell size, glucose metabolism, and adipocyte metabolic activity (12). Sterol regulatory element-binding protein is implicated as a major mediator of insulin action (13). The major aim of the present study w...

Although current research findings suggest that postural control or static balance is impaired in subjects with low back pain, few studies have specifically addressed the effect of low back pain on static balance in elite athletes. Forty-four athletes belonging to Chilean national teams took part in this study; 20 had low back pain and the remaining 24 were healthy controls. Displacement of the centre of pressure was analyzed by computerized platform posturography, using a standardized protocol; subjects were required to stand upright on both feet, with eyes first open then closed. The results showed that, athletes with low back pain used significantly more energy (p< 0.0182) and had a greater displacement of the centre of pressure (p< 0.005) with open eyes to control posture than healthy athletes. It may be concluded that static balance is impaired in elite athletes with low back pain and that analysis of two-footed stance provides a sensitive assessment of static balance in athletes.

The impact of an endurance race on pulmonary pro-oxidative formation and lipoperoxidation was evaluated using exhaled breath condensate (EBC). 3 groups of 12, 12 and 17 healthy recreational runners of both sexes ran 10, 21.1 and 42.2 km, respectively. EBC samples were obtained before the run and at 20 and 80 min post run. Concentrations of H2O2, NO2  - , malondialdehyde and pH were determined. The 10 km group showed no post-run variations for H2O2 and NO2  -  concentrations. The 21.1 km group showed significant increments for NO2  - , and H2O2 concentrations in 20 min and 80 min samples. The 42.2 km group, showed increased NO2  -  concentration in 20 min and 80 min samples, while H2O2 concentration increased only in the 20 min sample. In the 10 and 42.2 km groups neither malondialdehyde concentration nor pH showed differences. The 42.2 km group exhibited ΔH2O2 and ΔNO2  -  medians higher than the 10 km group. ΔpH median decreased in 21.1 and 42.2 km groups, exhibiting values significantly lower than the 10 km group. ΔH2O2 y ΔNO2  -  correlated directly with race time, while ΔpH, correlated inversely. In conclusion, intense prolonged exercise favors the increase in pulmonary pro-oxidative levels, with no modifications on lipoperoxidation. Running time relates to the magnitude of acute post exercise pro-oxidative formation.