Thromboxane biosynthesis and platelet function in type II diabetes mellitus

It has been suggested that platelet hyper-reactivity in patients with diabetes mellitus [D.M.] is associated with increased platelet production of thromboxane. We therefore compared the excretion of thromboxane metabolite and platelet function in 30 patients with diabetes mellitus who had normal renal function and 18 healthy controls. The mean [ +/- SD] excretion rate of urinary 11-dehydro-thromboxane B2 was siginifcantly higher than in the controls [p<0.00/]. Aspirin in low doses [50 mg per day for 7 daye] reduced urinary excretion of the metabolite by approximately 80% in four patients. We concluded that in type l/ diabetes that [i], increased 11-dehydtro-thromboxane B2 excretion reflects enhanced biosynthesis of thromboxane A2 by platelets rather than a shift in its metabolic disposition [ii]. This is likely to reflect in Vivo platelet activation. [iii]. Improved metabolic control as well as low doses aspirin therapy may correct these abnormality in platelet function to a variable extent

Role of blood lactic acid in assessing the need for erythrocyte transfusion in healthy preterm infants with anemia of prematurity

The study included 60 healthy preterm infants [26 males and 34 females] with anemia of prematurity during the second week of life. Their gestational age ranged from 28 to 33 weeks. They were selected from the neonatology unit of A1-Hussein University Hospital during the period front June, 1994 to March, 1995. The aim of this work is to evaluate blood lactic acid as an indicator of early tissue hypoxia in identifying the need of blood transfusion to anemic otherwise healthy preterm infants and consequently save unnecessary blood transfusion. The results showed that the infant's body weight at transfusion and the estimated hemoglobin and hematocrit values were significantly increased after blood transfusion. There was a significant decrease in high blood lactate levels after blood transfusion while there was not such a decrease in normal lactate group following red cell transfusion. Moreover, there was a very high significant correlation between high blood lactate group and hematocrit values before and after blood transfusion, while such correlation was not found in nomal lactate group. We can conclude that elevated blood lactate levels is a good indicator to identify the need of anemic otherwise healthy preterm infants to save unnecessary blood transfusion

Study of plasma methionine in chronic hepatic schistosomiasis

Plasma methionin enkephalin [PME] and noradrenalne were estimated in 40 subjects [10 healthy individuals as control [Group I] and 30 Ch. B. hepatic fibrosis patients [Group II]: 10 non-ascitic non-bleeder [Group IIa], 10 ascitic non-bleeders [Group IIb] and 10 non-ascitic bleeders [Group IIc]. A significantly higher [P < 0.01] PME [191.3 +/- 17.7 pg/ml] and non-adrenaIine [1182.30 +/- 327.28 pg/ml] in ch. B. fibrosis patients than the control groups [66.5 +/- 5.87 pg/ml and 228.8 +/- 41.37 pg/ml respectively] was detected. Moreover, the study showed that patients with bleeding varices and or ascitis had a significantly higher PME and noradrenaline. A + ve correlation was found between PME and noradrenaline against portal pressure in the diseased groups [r = 1.748, P < 0.01]: r = 0.809, P < 0.01 respectvely]. Lastly, PME levels were correlated negatively with plasma albumin [r = 0.922, P < 0.001: r = 0.881, P < 0.001 in group IIb and IIc] and positively with plasma nor-adrenaline [r = 0.937, P < 0.001: r = 0.652, P < 0.001 in group IIb and IIc]. In conclusion, the noticed rise in PME and nor-adrenaline in Ch. B fibrosis patients indicate that the liver might play a significant role in the metabolism of PME. Also, the strong correlation between PME and both portal pressure and nor-adrenaline may give a clue to the role played by this peptide in the pathogenesis of portal hypertension either directly through splanchnic vasodilatation and or indirectly through stimulation of sympathetic activity. Moreover, the highest level of PME in ascitic patients may interpret the pathogeneitc role of this peptide in ascitis formation through salt retention, enhancement of sympathetic activity and stimulation of lymphatic leakage from the diseased liver