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Perilipin-1 surrounds lipid droplets in both adipocytes and in atheroma plaque foam cells and controls access of lipases to the lipid core. In hemodialysis (HD) patients, dyslipidemia, malnutrition, inflammation and atherosclerosis are common. Thirty-six HD patients and 28 healthy volunteers were enrolled into the study. Ten HD patients suffered from coronary heart disease (CHD). Perilipin-1, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), body mass index, albumin, geriatric nutritional risk index, normalized protein catabolic rate, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured. Perilipin-1 did not differ between HD patients and healthy volunteers. IL-6 and TNF-α were higher in HD patients. The evaluated nutritional markers and the markers of inflammation did not differ between HD patients with high perilipin-1 levels and HD patients with low perilipin-1 levels. Regarding the lipid profile, only HDL-C differed between HD patients with high perilipin-1 levels and HD patients with low perilipin-1 levels, and it was higher in the first subgroup. Perilipin-1 was significantly higher in HD patients without CHD. Perilipin-1 is detectable in the serum of HD patients and it is associated with increased HDL-C and decreased incidence of CHD.

Perilipin-1 surrounds lipid droplets in both adipocytes and in atheroma plaque foam cells and controls access of lipases to the lipid core. In hemodialysis (HD) patients, dyslipidemia, malnutrition, inflammation and atherosclerosis are common. Thirty-six HD patients and 28 healthy volunteers were enrolled into the study. Ten HD patients suffered from coronary heart disease (CHD). Perilipin-1, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), body mass index, albumin, geriatric nutritional risk index, normalized protein catabolic rate, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured. Perilipin-1 did not differ between HD patients and healthy volunteers. IL-6 and TNF-α were higher in HD patients. The evaluated nutritional markers and the markers of inflammation did not differ between HD patients with high perilipin-1 levels and HD patients with low perilipin-1 levels. Regarding the lipid profile, only HDL-C differed between HD patients with high perilipin-1 levels and HD patients with low perilipin-1 levels, and it was higher in the first subgroup. Perilipin-1 was significantly higher in HD patients without CHD. Perilipin-1 is detectable in the serum of HD patients and it is associated with increased HDL-C and decreased incidence of CHD.

Serotonin receptors are present in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, and serotonin affects bone metabolism. The association of plasma serotonin with markers of bone formation and bone resorption in hemodialysis patients was evaluated.Twenty-four hemodialysis patients (11 diabetics) and 22 healthy volunteers were enrolled into the study. Serotonin was assessed in platelet-free plasma, whereas the markers of osteoblastic activity N-terminal midfragment osteocalcin and total procollagen type-1 aminoterminal propeptide as well as the marker of osteoclastic activity beta-isomerized C-terminal cross-linked peptide of collagen type I were measured in serum. Serum intact parathyroid hormone was also assessed.Serotonin did not significantly differ between hemodialysis patients and healthy volunteers. All evaluated markers of bone metabolism and intact parathyroid hormone were much higher in hemodialysis patients. Serotonin was significantly correlated with all evaluated markers of bone metabolism in hemodialysis patients. Serotonin was reversely related to the patients' age. Serotonin, osteocalcin, procollagen type-1 aminoterminal propeptide, and beta-isomerized C-terminal cross-linked peptide of collagen type I were much lower in diabetic hemodialysis patients.Serotonin may increase both bone formation and bone resorption in hemodialysis patients. The reverse relation of serotonin to patients' age as well as its lower levels in diabetic hemodialysis patients indicate that low plasma serotonin may contribute to the higher incidence of low-turnover bone disease that characterizes old and diabetic hemodialysis patients.

actions. 2 We assessed acylated ghrelin (A-Ghr) in 20 healthy volunteers (57.00±8.62 years) and 68 HD patients (61.24±12.51 years, 22 diabetics). Samples were drawn before 2 years, and at the end of this period 22 HD patients suffered from coronary heart disease (CHD). Plasma A-Ghr was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (SPI Bio, Montigny, France). White blood cell count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), and albumin were also assessed. A-Ghr did not differ between HD patients and healthy volunteers (106.40±27.53 versus 120.50±45.04 pg/ml, P ¼ 0.424, Mann–Whitney unpaired test). A-Ghr was lower in HD patients suffering from CHD (95.00±22.04 versus 111.85±28.42 pg/ml, P ¼ 0.023) and was positively correlated with WBC (Spearman’s r ¼ 0.426, Po0.001), CRP (r ¼ 0.261, P ¼ 0.023), that is, with inflammation, and age (r ¼ 0.323, P ¼ 0.007). A-Ghr was negatively correlated with the marker of nutrition albumin (r ¼� 0.368, P ¼ 0.002). Thus, similar to total ghrelin, A-Ghr is also lower in HD patients with cardiovascular disease. This could be simply an epiphenomenon, as in the case of cachexia that accompanies inflammation, A-Ghr increases to counteract weight-loss mechanisms, and it is well known that inflammation also induces atherosclerosis. 2,3 Alternatively, higher A-Ghr could offer protection from atherosclerosis through its direct action on the endothelium or indirectly by attenuating inflammation. 2,4 The second case, if proved true, is promising for pharmaceutical intervention in the near future.