مجله غدد درون ریز و متابولیسم ایران
سال بیست و سوم شماره 4 (پیاپی 118، مهر و آبان 1400)

Adipokines play essential roles in the human body, including regulating the inflammatory process, the immune system's activity, the vascular system, and reproductive function, and performing glucose homeostasis. Adipokine levels change during pregnancy and postpartum, and these hormones play an important role in fetal growth and development. This study aimed to compare maternal leptin and omentin-1 serum levels in vaginal and cesarean deliveries and their relationship with anthropometric indices.

This descriptive-analytical study was performed in 2020 on 90 women (45 patients with vaginal delivery and 45 patients with elective cesarean delivery) admitted to the Mahdieh Hospital in Tehran, who were selected conveniently. Intravenous blood samples were taken in the first 24 hours after delivery to measure maternal leptin and omentin-1 serum levels.

The mean age was 25.8±4.6 and 29.5±4.5 in women with vaginal delivery and elective cesarean delivery, respectively. The results showed that maternal leptin and omentin-1 serum levels were higher in vaginal delivery than in cesarean delivery, although the difference was significant only in leptin serum levels (p<0.001). Also, no significant relationship was observed between fetal sex and anthropometric indices with maternal leptin and omentin-1 serum levels (p>0.5).

Leptin serum levels were significantly higher in the first 24 hours after vaginal delivery than after cesarean delivery Vaginal delivery can be recommended as the preferred method due to its critical role in metabolic and anti-inflammatory activities and reproductive function regulation.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Exercise is a therapeutic strategy to improve vascular function and reduce patient mortality. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of eight weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on serum levels of VCAM-1 and E-selectins in women with PCOS.

Thirty females with PCOS aged between 18 and 40 years were randomly categorized into an HIIT group and a control group. The HIIT program was administered three sessions a week for eight weeks. Serum levels of VCAM-1 and E-selectins were measured before and after the intervention after an overnight fast of 10 h. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 23).

After the intervention, a significant difference was observed in serum E-selectin levels in the HIIT group (p=0.037) compared to the control group (P>0.05). However, no significant changes were observed in serum VCAM-1 levels in the HIIT group after the intervention (P≥0.05).

The findings demonstrated that eight weeks of HIIT could improve endothelial function in women with PCOS.

High prevalence of liver disorders has been observed in postmenopausal women. This study aims at determining the effects of long-term, low-dose nitrate administration on serum levels of liver enzymes, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in ovariectomized rats. 

 Female Wistar rats were divided into three groups (n=10/group): control, ovariectomized, and ovariectomi zed+nitrate. The ovariectomized model (ovariectomy) was induced in 6-month-old female rats using the two-dorsolateral skin incision method. The control and ovariectomized rats received drinking water, and the ovariectomized+nitrate rats received sodium nitrate (100 mg/L in drinking water) for nine months. Body weight, food intake, and water consumption were measured in all the groups at the start (month 0, the beginning of sodium nitrate administration) and end of the study (month 9, the end of sodium nitrate administration). Serum levels of AST, ALP, and ALT were measured every month.

 Nitrate administration decreased body weight in the ovariectomized group at the end of the study (6.9%, P = 0.004) but did not affect water consumption and food intake. At the end of the study, the ovariectomized rats had increased serum levels of AST (21.1%, P<0.001), ALP (22.8%, P=0.004), and ALT (31.3%, P<0.001). Nitrate administration decreased serum levels of ALT (9.4%, P=0.029), AST (6.7%, P=0.012), and ALP (13.1%, P=0.001) over the period of the study. 

 Long-term, low-dose nitrate administration improved liver function in the ovariectomized rats.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) causes hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and dyslipidemia, which are all risk factors for atherosclerosis. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) has been recognized as an indicator of atherosclerosis due to its role in vessel inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on serum levels of Lp-PLA2 and lipid profile in rats with T2D.

Fifteen male Wistar rats (8-10 weeks, 220±20 grams) were randomized into three groups of healthy control (n=5), diabetic (n=5), and diabetic with HIIT (n=5). T2D was induced through intraperitoneal injection of Nicotine Amid and STZ. The training group performed eight weeks of HIIT consisting of high (80-90% Vo2max) and low (40-50% Vo2max) intensity two-minute intervals. Serum levels of Lp-PLA2 and lipid profile were assessed 48 hours after the last training session.

Lp-PLA2 (32%, P=0.025), triglycerides (47%, P<0.001), cholesterol (45%, P<0.001), insulin (72%, P<0.001), low density lipoprotein (LDL) (76%, P<0.001), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) (47%, P<0.001), glucose (56%, P=0.029), and insulin resistance (100%, P=0.002) were all significantly lower in the training group than in the diabetic group. However, increased serum levels of high density lipoprotein in the training group was not meaningful (P=0.138). Moreover, Lp-PLA2 was highly correlated with LDL, VLDL, total cholesterol, and triglycerides.

HIIT can attenuate the negative effects of T2D on the onset and progression of pathways involved in atherosclerosis by reducing serum levels of Lp-PLA2 and improving lipid profile.

Thyroid dysfunction can impair fat and glucose metabolism, blood pressure, and body weight. On the other hand, metabolic syndrome (MetS) can be associated with an increased risk of hypothyroidism. Due to the high prevalence of both disorders and the possibility of synergistic metabolic detrimental consequences in combination, this review study aimed to investigate the reciprocal association between thyroid function and MetS.

Articles in PubMed and Web of Science written in English were searched from 1991 to 2021 using search terms hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroid hormones, thyroxine, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and metabolic syndrome in titles and abstracts.

Hypothyroidism and even changes in thyroid hormones within the normal range are associated with disorders of various metabolic risk factors; however, the risk of developing MetS in people with both euthyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism remains a controversial issue. Hyperthyroidism may be associated only with insulin resistance and impaired blood sugar levels (dysglycemia). Although the effect of various metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes on thyroid function has been observed, the results are contradictory regarding the prevalence and incidence of thyroid dysfunction in patients with MetS and healthy individuals.

The association between MetS, thyroid function, and thyroid hormones is reciprocal and complex and may be affected by age, gender, insulin resistance, smoking, iodine intake, and inflammatory markers.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common complications occurring during pregnancy. This disorder is associated with adverse outcomes for mothers and their infants. Air pollution is one of the environmental stimuli that may predispose pregnant women to GDM. This systematic review examined studies on the relationship between air pollution and GDM incidence.

In this systematic review, the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, as well as Persian databases of SID, Irandoc, and Magiran, were searched for related English and Persian articles using appropriate keywords until September 11, 2021. Out of 36175 related articles in the initial search, 31 eligible studies were evaluated. The quality of the articles was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.

The review included 29 cohort studies, a case-control study, and a cross-sectional study. The quality assessment results showed that of the 31 studies selected, 29 (93.5%) were high quality studies, and only two (6.5%) were moderate quality studies. PM2.5 pollutants followed by NO2 pollutants were the most examined in the studies.

The results showed a direct relationship between air pollutants and GDM. The systematic review of the studies revealed that inflammation, oxidative stress, β-cell dysfunction, neurological, hormonal imbalance, intestinal microbiota imbalance, and insulin resistance may be involved in the association between air pollution and GDM.