Correlation of serum neopterin level with complement c3, c4 in assessment of systemic lupus erythematosus activity

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] has a recurrent disease activity throughout the natural course of the disease. Assessment of this activity is often complex and time consuming. To date no measures have been created specifically for SLE. Studying serum neopterin and comparing it with other established parameters C3, C4 may add benefit for SLE follow up

Aim: The aim of our study is to evaluate the level of serum neopterin in patient with systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] as a marker of disease activity and its correlation with other parameters of disease activity

Patients and methods: Seventy five subjects; 60 patients with [SLE]; 30 of them are active and another 30 with no activity and 15 healthy subjects as a control group

Results: Serum neopterin was higher in the active group than the inactive group and a significant difference between the patients with SLE group than controls group was also reported. Our results shows that the mean value of serum neopterin in whole SLE patients [21.9 ng/ml] and the serum neopterin in the active and inactive groups was 33.9 ng/ml and 3.45 ng/ml respectively which were highly significant than the mean value of the control group [P<0.001]. Also the differences between the three groups was highly significant [P<0.001]

Conclusion: As increased serum neopterin levels were found in patients with SLE and were correlated with certain clinical and laboratory immunoinflammatory parameters then estimation of serum neopterin levels seems beneficial in the assessment of disease activity and evaluation of the efficacy of various treatment regimens used

Thyroid activity in obese versus lean male patients with type 2 diabetes

Many patients with type 2 diabetes are obese with or without metabolic syndrome. The thyroid activity in those patients is not well studied. The study was performed to evaluate thyroid activity in obese versus lean male patients with type 2 diabetes. the study was conducted on 80 men clinically euthyroid patients with type 2 diabetes, 40 of them were obese [group I]; the other 40 patients were lean [group II]. The control of the study included 40 men healthy subjects, 20 of them were obese [group III] and the other 20 subjects were lean [group IV]. All subjects were males to avoid effects of sex hormones on thyroid function. The study was performed at Al-Azhar University Hospitals on Internal Medicine Department and Diabetic out patient clinic from January to August 2006. Patients as well as control were clinically euthyroid not suffered from other diseases that well known to affect thyroid function. Patients and controls were subjected to history and clinical examinations, measurements of BMI, blood sugar, HbAlc, lipid profile and thyroid function testes including free T3 [FT3], free T4 [FT4] and TSH. serum levels of TSH were significantly higher in type 2 diabetic patients either obese [p<0.01] or not [p<0.01] when compared to controls and in obese vs. lean diabetic patients [p<0.01]. On the other hand serum levels freeT3 and freeT4 were significantly lower in type 2 diabetic patients either obese [p<0.01] or not [p<0.01] when compared to controls and in obese vs. lean diabetic patients [p<0.01]. Serum levels of FT3 was significantly decrease in obese subjects either diabetic or not above 55 years than those below 55 years [p<0.01] for both. Serum levels of HDL-cholesterol were significantly lower, while serum levels of triglycerides were significantly higher in-group I in comparison to groups II and III [p<0.01] for both. On the other hand no significant changes were found in serum levels of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol between these groups. BMI correlated positively with triglycerides [r=0.520], with LDL-cholesterol [r=0.620] and with TSH [r=0.510]. BMI Inversely correlated with HDL-cholesterol [r=-0.610], with FT3 [r=-0.620] and with FT4 [r=-0.510], but not correlated with total cholesterol and HbAlc. All mean values of serum TSH, FT3 and FT4 are still within the normal reference range. However, subclinical hypothyroidism [high TSH with normal FT3 and FT4] was found in 12 subjects out of 120 [10%]. Two patients [1.7%] in-group III, 4 patients [3.3%] in-group II and 6 patients [5%] in-group I. type 2 diabetes specially in obese patients are associated with disturbances in thyroid functions within what is considered the normal range, but subclinical hypothyroidism was found in some cases especially if both diabetes and obesity are associated

Plasma adhesion molecules levels in patients with chronic heart failure

This study was done on 30 male patients suffering from chronic heart failure. Fifteen patients have previous history of ischemic heart. Their ages ranged from 45 to 55 years and 15 patients with past history of rheumatic heart, their ages ranged from 45 to 55 years. Another 10 normal healthy volunteers were taken as control with ages ranged from 45 to 55 years. Plasma VCAM-1, ICAM-1 and TM were measured. Serum C-reactive protein [CRP] and erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR] were also measured in both patients and controls. There were significant increases in all parameters if compared with those of normal individuals. This indicated that plasma adhesion molecules were increased in patients with chronic heart failure of different causes

Effects of cigarette smoking and its cessation on body weight and plasma leptin levels in old male

To determine whether the weight reducing effect of cigarette smoking is mediated by leptin, fasting leptin levels in 22 male smokers [mean age 62 +/- 1 year] and 22 non-smoker males [mean age 64 +/- 1 year] with an age average of 60-65 years for both groups were measured. Mean body mass indices were 27.61 +/- 0.7 and 27.6 +/- 0.07 kg/m2, respectively. Mean leptin levels were 8.4 +/- 1.3 and 5.2 +/- 0.6 ng/ml, respectively. Smokers had a significantly higher leptin levels than nonsmokers. Fasting leptin levels and BMI were re-measured in 13 smokers who successfully gave up smoking for 6 months. Although body weight and BMI significantly increased after six months of smoking cessation, the mean leptin level did not decline significantly. These findings suggested that cigarette smoking directly elevates circulating plasma leptin concentration and this increase may be one of the mechanisms for lowering body weight of smokers in comparison with nonsmokers. However, the effect of cigarette smoking on body weight does not appear to be directly due to the changes in leptin level as evidenced by an insignificant difference between leptin levels in smokers and ex-smokers. Other factors such as hormones involved in body weight regulation and influencing the weight gain after cessation of cigarette smoking should be investigated