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Rationale: Association between different components of metabolic syndrome and the rate of age-related telomere shortening was reported repeatedly, although some findings are inconsistent across studies, suggesting the need for further research on the topic. In the present study, we examined relationships between different components of metabolic syndrome (MetS); glucose tolerance reflected in 2-h post-load plasma glucose (2hPG) levels and age on the leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in Ukraine population. Methods: The study was conducted on the 115 adult individuals residing in the Kyiv region (Ukraine). Among them, 79 were diagnosed with MetS according to the International Diabetes Federation definition. LTL were determined by a qPCR-based method. Multivariate logistic regression (MLR) and artificial neural networks (ANN) modeling were used for the analysis of the results. ROC-analysis was also performed to compare the predictively values of this models. Results: MetS was associated with a high (OR = 3.0 CI 1.3-6.7; p = 0.01) risk of having shorter telomeres that remained significant after adjusting for age, gender and 2hPG levels. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels and other MetS components did not affect the magnitude of the relationship and did not reveal the independent influence of these factors. The level of 2hPG in turn, demonstrated a significant relationship (OR = 1.3 CI 1.0-1.6 per 1 mmol/l; p = 0.04) with LTL regardless of the presence of MetS. The non-linearity of the interactions between age, gender and 2hPG level was revealed by neural network modeling (AUC = 0.76 CI 0.68-0.84). Conclusion: Our study found that impaired glucose tolerance, but not FPG levels, affected the association between LTL and MetS, which may be also indicative for pathophysiological differences in these hyperglycemia categories. 2hPG levels can provide an opportunity for a more accurate diagnostics of MetS and for evaluating the rate of aging in patients with MetS. Further research, however, is needed to verify this assumption.

Shatylo, Valerii B., Tetiana V. Serebrovska, Anna V. Gavalko, Egor Egorov, and Oleg V. Korkushko. Acute hypoxic test in patients with prediabetes. High Alt Med Biol. 17:101-107, 2016.-Prediabetes is a state of impaired carbohydrate metabolism when not all of the symptoms required to label a person as diabetic are present, but blood glucose is higher than in healthy subjects. Recent evidence suggests that intermittent hypoxia training (IHT) might provide a cost-effective strategy for improving metabolic functioning. One of the most important aspects of the successful IHT application is individualized approach to hypoxic dose and regimen prescription. To establish the relationships between indices of carbohydrate metabolism and individual resistance to hypoxia, the acute hypoxic test (AHT, breathing gas mixture with 12% O2 during 20 minutes) was performed in 33 healthy volunteers (mean age, 63.0, range, 44-76; fasting plasma glucose (FPG) less than 5.6 mmol/L and 2 hours postoral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) glycemia less than 7.8 mmol/L) and 30 patients with impaired glucose metabolism (mean age, 65.5, range, 44-75; FPG from 5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L and 2 hours post-OGTT glycemia from 7.8 to 11 mmol/L). Negative correlation was found between the SaO2 level at 20th minute AHT and FPG (r = -0.83; p < 0.01) and insulin (r = -0.27; p < 0.05), as well as 2 hours post-OGTT glucose and insulin levels (r = -0.75 and -0.40, respectively). Longer recovery time and less effective functioning of respiratory and cardiovascular systems were also registered in patients with prediabetes showing that their cardiovascular resilience is impaired compared to normoglycemic controls. These patterns of relationship must be considered when assigning the individual modes of IHT.

The efficacy and safety of intermittent hypoxia training (IHT) were investigated in healthy, 60- to 74-yr-old men. Fourteen men (Gr 1) who routinely exercised daily for 20 to 30 min were compared with 21 (Gr 2) who avoided exercise. Their submaximal work-load power values before the IHT training were 94 +/- 3.7 and 66 +/- 3.1, respectively. Before and after 10 days of IHT, the ventilatory response to sustained hypoxia (SH; 12% O(2) for 10 min), work capacity (bicycle ergometer), and forearm cutaneous perfusion (laser Doppler) were determined. During SH, no negative electrocardiogram (ECG) changes were observed in either group, and the ventilatory response to SH was unaltered by IHT. In Gr 1, IHT (normobaric rebreathing for 5 min, final Sa(O(2)) = 85% to 86%, followed by 5 min normoxia, 4/day) produced no changes in hemodynamic indixes and work capacity. In Gr 2, IHT decreased blood pressure (BP) by 7.9 +/- 3.1 mmHg (p < 0.05) and increased submaximal work by 11.3% (p < 0.05) and anaerobic threshold by 12.7% (p < 0.05). The increase in HR and BP caused by a 55 W-work load was reduced by 5% and 6.5%, respectively (p < 0.05). Cutaneous perfusion increased by 0.06 +/- 0.04 mL/min/100 g in Gr 1 and by 0.11 +/- 0.04 mL/min/100 g in Gr 2 (p < 0.05). Hyperemia recovery time increased significantly by 15.3 +/- 4.6 sec in Gr 1 and by 25.2 +/- 11.2 sec in Gr 2. Thus, healthy senior men well tolerate IHT as performed in this investigation. In untrained, healthy senior men, IHT had greater positive effects on hemodynamics, microvascular endothelial function, and work capacity.

We have studied the hormonal and vegetative responses to reactions of exercise in 60 healthy subjects (10 young and 50 old) and in 70 patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) aged 60-74 years. Plasma levels of cortisol, ACTH, met-enkephalins, leu-enkephalins and beta-endorphins were measured by using radioimmunological methods. The state of autonomic control was determined according to spectral analysis of cardiac rhythm. Compared to the young healthy subjects, the older healthy group had an earlier activation of the ACTH-cortisol system and a more pronounced increase in the sympathetic nervous system during sub-maximal exercise. This could be the reflection of a decreased resistance to stress in older age. The elderly IHD patients showed two types of hormonal reactions to exercise: a rise in the cortisol level and a fall in the met-enkephalins (Group 1), or a fall in the cortisol concentration combined with a rise of met-enkephalins (Group 2). In Group I patients a lower exercise capacity and a less economical reaction of the hemodynamics to a workload of 25 watts was found. An excessive activation of the ACTH-cortisol system and a reduced level of blood met-enkephalins in the elderly IHD patients during exercise are thought to be the unfavourable factors promoting a decrease in tolerance to physical load and an impairment of adaptive capacities of the cardiovascular system.