Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0023890 (cirrhosis)
 42,195 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In man, the assay of insulin receptors is performed on circulating monocytes or erythrocytes. In physiology, insulin binding decreases with age; it is lower in women during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle or during administration of oestrogen-progestogen oral contraceptives; it exhibits diurnal variation; it increases after physical training; it depends on the diet, being inversely correlated with its carbohydrate content; finally, rapid variations in binding affinity are observed after glucose ingestion or after breakfast. In pathology, obese people are resistant to the effects of insulin and they have decreased numbers of receptors on blood cells; short-term fasting induces an increase in the binding affinity, while a long term hypocaloric diet leads to an increase in receptor numbers. Similarly non-insulin-dependent, maturity onset diabetics, even without overweight, have low numbers of binding sites, which are increased by diet or after treatment by sulfonylureas. In the syndrome of insulin resistance and acanthosis nigricans, there is a decrease in hormone binding, which is either primary (Type A) or is secondary to the effects of circulating antibodies to the insulin receptor (Type B). In acromegaly, insulinomas, liver cirrhosis and acute viral diseases the binding of insulin is decreased. On the contrary, variable results have been reported in cases of lipoatrophic diabetes, leprechaunism, uremia and glucocorticoid administration. Finally, an increase in insulin receptors has been observed in anorexia nervosa and in insulino-penic diabetes.
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PMID:[The insulin receptors of the blood cells and their study in disease states in man (author's transl)]. 734 Jun 95

Congenital generalized lipodystrophy (CGL, Berardinelli-Seip syndrome) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder with a clinical presentation of paucity of adipose tissue, muscular hypertrophy, organomegaly, and insulin-resistant diabetes. A 4-month-old Taiwanese female infant had hepatosplenomegaly and low body weight gain despite a voracious appetite. Hypermetabolism, hyperhidrosis, loss of subcutaneous fat, muscular hypertrophy, acanthosis nigricans, hypertrichosis, and marked hypertriglyceridemia were also noted. Liver histology revealed fatty change and portal-to-portal bridging fibrosis. Clinical features, serum biochemistry, and liver histology were compatible with the diagnosis of CGL. She was given a special diet characterized by calorie restriction and partial substitution of long-chain triglycerides with medium-chain triglycerides. The serum triglyceride concentration subsequently decreased. This present case suggests that extensive fatty infiltration and subsequent cirrhosis of the liver may be the earliest complication of CGL.
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PMID:Congenital generalized lipodystrophy in a 4-month-old infant. 1169 79

Obesity has emerged as a significant new health problem in the pediatric population. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is an entity in the spectrum of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) ranges from fat in the liver -- simple steatosis, NASH/ steatohepatitis -- fat with inflammation and/or fibrosis to advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis when fat may no longer be present. NASH is associated with obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance (IR), and hypertriglyceridemia. While majority of individuals with risk factors like obesity and IR have steatosis only a minority develop steatohepatitis, possible mechanisms have been discussed. Clinical experience with pediatric NASH is limited. Children generally present in the prepubertal age group, have a male predominance with a higher incidence in children of Hispanic origin. Body mass index (BMI) of 25-29.9 is considered to be overweight and that > or =30 obese. Acanthosis nigricans as a marker of IR should be looked for. As NASH is a diagnosis of exclusion, other causes of chronic liver disease must be excluded. Increased echogenicity in the liver is noted on ultrasound. Liver biopsy is considered the gold standard in establishing the diagnosis. Histopathological lesions thought to be necessary for diagnosis of NASH include steatosis (macrovesicular > microvesicular), mixed mild lobular inflammation and hepatocyte ballooning. A system of grading depending on degree of steatosis and/or inflammation and staging depending on the extent of fibrosis has also been proposed. Although there is no consensus for the treatment for NASH, effort needs to be made to prevent development of fibrosis, which results in cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Slow, consistent weight loss has been shown to be effective in childhood NAFLD, based on improvement of serum aminotransferases or liver sonogram. A low glycemic index diet has been shown to be more effective than a low fat diet in lowering BMI. Family based behavioral intervention may also enhance success with diet. Several pharmacological agents have been used including ursodeoxycholic acid, vitamin E, betaine, n-acetyl cysteine, and insulin sensitizing agents like metformin, rosiglitazone, and pioglitazone. Transplantation for overt NASH is rare, accounting for < 1% of liver transplantations in the USA. The disease can recur after liver transplantation. A strong association exists between the presence of steatosis in a donor liver and poor graft function. As a result, cadaveric donor livers with macrovesicular steatosis >40% are not used routinely. Prognosis in NASH is dependent not only on severity and number of risk factors but also on the degree of histological damage. Clinical trials are needed to identify an effective treatment that halts the progression of NAFLD to NASH in both pretransplantation and post-transplantation patients.
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PMID:Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in children. 1559 36

Primary lipodystrophies represent a heterogeneous group of very rare diseases with a prevalence of less than 1 case for 100.000, inherited or acquired, caracterized by a loss of body fat either generalized or localized (lipoatrophy). In some forms, lipoatrophy is associated with a selective hypertrophy of other fat depots. Clinical signs of insulin resistance are often present: acanthosis nigricans, signs of hyperandrogenism. All lipodystrophies are associated with dysmetabolic alterations with insulin resistance, altered glucose tolerance or diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia leading to a risk of acute pancreatitis. Chronic complications are those resulting from diabetes involving the retina, kidney and nerves, cardiovascular complications and steatotic liver lesions that could result in cirrhosis. Genetic forms of generalized lipodystrophy (or Berardinelli-Seip syndrome) result, in most cases, from recessive mutations in one of two genes: either BSCL2 coding seipin or BSCL1 coding AGPAT2, an acyl-transferase involved in triglyceride synthesis. Acquired generalized lipodystrophy (Lawrence syndrome) is of unknown origin but is sometimes associated with signs of autoimmunity. Partial lipodystrophies can be familial with dominant transmission. Heterozygous mutations have been identified in the LMNA gene encoding nuclear lamin A/C belonging to the nuclear lamina, or in PPARG encoding the adipogenic transcription factor PPARgamma. Some less typical lipodystrophies, associated with signs of premature aging, have been linked to mutations in LMNA or in the ZMPSTE24 gene encoding the protease responsible for the maturation of prelamin A into lamin A. Acquired partial lipodystrophy (Barraquer-Simons syndrome) is characterized by cephalothoracic fat loss. Its aetiology is unknown but mutations in LMNB2, encoding the lamina protein lamin B2, could represent susceptibility factors. Highly active antiretroviral treatments for HIV infection are currently the most frequent cause of acquired secondary lipodystrophic syndromes. The genetic diagnosis is performed in specialized laboratories and, in the most severe forms, antenatal diagnosis could be proposed. Treatment of diabetes, dyslipidemia and complications involves the classical intervention strategies. Insulino-sensitizing drugs are useful. Therapeutic trials with recombinant human leptin in patients with very low leptin levels reported good results with respect to the metabolic and liver alterations. The prognosis is linked to the precocity and severity of the diabetic, cardiovascular and liver complications.
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PMID:[Primary lipodystrophies]. 1732 32

Congenital generalized lipodystrophy (CGL) is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by the loss of body fat. The global prevalence of CGL is one in 10 million, and there are four subtypes. The case is presented of a 18-year-old woman from rural area of the north coast of Peru (Piura) with limited access to health services. She was diagnosed with phenotypic CGL at age 7 months. At age 12 years, she was diagnosed with diabetes and had altered liver function tests. She underwent a liver biopsy, which revealed advanced portal fibrosis. The patient stopped attending evaluations for 3 years; subsequently, she was referred to Dos De Mayo Hospital in Lima. Physical examination revealed typical triangular facies, acanthosis nigricans, and hirsutism; little subcutaneous tissue; proximal muscle weakness with stiffness in joints; and clitorimegaly. As of this writing, the patient is waiting to initiate outpatient therapy with a leptin analog. She has physical characteristics of CGL type 2 and a natural progression of the disease that presents cirrhosis caused by nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. She lives in a region of high CGL type 2 prevalence, which, without treatment, has a poor prognosis. Liver failure is the main cause of death. There are barriers for this group of patients to access the best treatment and one purpose of this report is to attract the attention of health institutions to help us treat these patients.
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PMID:Congenital Generalized Lipodystrophy Type 2 in a Patient From a High-Prevalence Area. 2926 52