2% men) aged 25-64 years, anthropometric indices, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, lipid profile [triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides] and fasting leptin were measured. Homeostasis

Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) was also calculated.\n\nResults. Leptin concentrations were 2.6 fold higher in women compared with men. Subjects with MetS had significantly higher leptin concentrations. Leptin concentrations increased steadily with an increment in the number of MetS components (p <0.001). Leptin was significantly associated with MetS after adjustment for age, cigarette smoking, medication use, physical activity, HOMA-IR, and LDL-C. The significant association between leptin and MetS persisted after adjustment for

body mass index (OR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.09-1.58 in males and 1.17, 95% CI: 1.01-1.38 in females) and waist Erastin circumference (OR: 1.24 95% CI: 1.01-1.51 in men and 1.22, 95% CI: 1.04-1.43 in women). After dividing subjects into obese and nonobese, leptin concentrations were again significantly higher in subjects with MetS in both groups.\n\nConclusions. We demonstrated that leptin concentrations are significantly associated with International Diabetes Federation (IDF)-defined MetS, independent of overall and central obesity. Our findings point to an independent role for leptin in development of MetS. (C) 2011 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc.”
“BACKGROUND: There is considerable uncertainty as to the significance of a high sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) for achieving a successful pregnancy.\n\nMETHODS: The sperm DFI of 124 patients undergoing selleck inhibitor 192 IVF cycles and of 96 patients undergoing 155 ICSI cycles was determined using the sperm chromatin structure assay on neat sperm.\n\nRESULTS: The rate of continuing pregnancies in ICSI cycles (but not in IVF cycles) showed significant negative correlation (r = 0.184, P = 0.022) with the DFI value. A threshold value of DFI which

showed a significant difference (P = 0.005) in rate of continuing Fedratinib pregnancies between higher and lower DFI levels was found for ICSI cycles to be >= 19%, but no such threshold was found for IVF cycles. However, if the threshold of >= 30% was used for IVF cycles there was a non-significant lowering of the rates of continuing pregnancy and implantation at the higher DFI levels. DFI level had no effect on fertilization rate or on the percentage of embryos having more than 4 cells at Day 3 after fertilization. A high DFI level had a marked significant effect (P = 0.001) on implantation rate in ICSI cycles but not in IVF cycles. A significant positive correlation (r = 0.268, P = 0.001) between DFI and sperm midpiece defects was also noted in the ICSI patients.\n\nCONCLUSIONS: These observations may help to resolve the issues about how, and to what extent, sperm DNA damage impacts upon the success of IVF and ICSI procedures.