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In the present study, the effect of 20 days of dehydration in the presence or absence of losartan (angiotensin II AT1 receptor antagonist) on insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3(IGFBP-3) in plasma of the one-humped camel was studied. Eighteen male camels, 3-4 years of age, were divided into three equal groups: control, dehydrated, and dehydrated-losartan-treated groups. The control camels were given food and water ad libitum. The two dehydrated groups underwent 20 days of water deprivation but were given food ad libitum. The dehydrated-losartan-treated camels were given losartan injection (Merck, USA), intravenously at a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight daily for 20 days. Our results demonstrated a progressive decrease in the circulating levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in the dehydrated and dehydrated-losartan-treated animals across dehydration compared to their basal levels and time-matched control. On day 5 of dehydration, the IGF-1 level in the losartan-treated group showed a decrease of 60 % and the dehydrated group showed 45 % decrease from their baseline levels and time-matched control. On day 10 the decrease in the losartan-treated animals reached 74 % and for the dehydrated was 62 %. On day 20 the decrease in the losartan-treated was 89 % and for the dehydrated reached 80 % from their baseline levels and time-matched control. Dehydration in the presence or absence of losartan caused a decrease in the circulating level of IGFBP-3. The decrement reached 26 % on day 10 and 20 for the treated camels, while the decrease for the dehydrated was 22 % on day 10 of dehydration and reached 29 % on day 20 compared to their baseline levels and time-matched control. In conclusion, dehydration alone, or in presence of Angiotensin II AT1 receptor blocker caused significant decrease in the circulating levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 compared to their basal values and to time-matched controls. Losartan enhanced the effect of dehydration mai

Background: Cardiopulmonary involvement in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) carries a poor prognosis, mainly due to pulmonary hypertension and tight-heart failure. To date, light ventricular (RV) involvement has not been studied in detail. We therefore assessed RV function in patients with SSc and related the findings to the clinical features of the disease. Method: Twenty-six consecutive patients (21 women) with SSc (mean age, 56 15 years [+/- SD]) and 25 healthy, age-matched control subjects (21 women) were studied. Doppler echocardiography including Doppler tissue imaging was used to evaluate cardiac function. Pulmonary function was also studied. Results: Compared with control subjects, RV free wall thickness (5.8 +/- 1.7 mm vs 3.7 +/- 1.1 mm, p < 0.001) and right atrial (RA) systolic area (15.9 +/- 3.7 cm(2) vs 13.0 +/- 2.3 cm(2), P < 0.01) were increased in patients with SSc, while the global early diastolic/atrial component velocity ratio was reduced (1.2 +/- 0.4 vs 1.7 +/- 0.6, p < 0.01). The global isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) [64 23 ms vs 39 +/- 13 ms, p < 0.001] and regional IVRT (83 +/- 40 ins vs 46 +/- 24 ms, p < 0.001) were prolonged in patients vs control subjects, whereas the RV global filling time was reduced (454 +/- 122 ins vs 548 104 ins, p < 0.01). RV systolic function and pulmonary pressures at rest were similar in the two groups, but the pulmonary artery acceleration time was reduced (119 +/- 34 ins vs 141 +/- 29 ins, p < 0.05) in patients compared to control subjects. Left ventricular function did not differ between the two groups. Conclusion: Patients with SSc exhibit altered RV diastolic function together with an increase in RV wall thickness and RA area. These findings appear to be early markers of RV disturbance, probably in response to intermittent pulmonary arterial hypertension.