Correlation between leptin hormone levels and bone mineral density in hepatitis C patients with chronic liver disease

There is accumulating evidence that leptin has a pleiotropic role in hematopoiesis, immune response, fibro-genesis, and hepatocarcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between leptin levels and bone mineral density in HCV chronic liver disease patients. A medical history to retrieve information about health status, current medications and history of viral or toxic hepatitis; a physical examinations including height and weight; a fasting blood draw for the determination of liver profile and leptin. BMD values were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry [DEXA] at the L2-L4 lumbar spine and femoral neck. Fasting leptin was highly increased in HCV CLD patients with osteopenia than HCV CLD patients with normal hone mineral density [p<0.05]. Leptin showed a significant negative correlation with bone mineral density [BMD] in HCV CLD patients [r=-0.191, p=0.039] and significant positive correlation with age [r=0.331, p=0.041]. Serum concentrations of leptin is positively correlated in chronic liver disease patients with age and negatively correlated with BMD especially in patients with hepatitis C infection

Nerve tension mobilization versus active exercises in lumbar radiculopathy

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of neural mobilization and spinal extension exercises in decreasing pain, hastening neural excitability and increasing, straight leg, raising range in patients with L5-S1 lumbar radiculopathy. Sixty patients with a history of prolapsed disc were involved in the study. Their age ranged from 30-60 years. They were divided randomly into 3 equally groups. Group "1" received neural mobilization, group "2" received spinal extension exercises, and group "3" received both neural mobilization and spinal extension exercises. Pain perception, range of motion of straight leg raise "SLR" and H-reflexi latency of posterior tibial nerve were used as measuring parameters. Results showed that the patients in group "3" got a greatest effect than those in group "1". The patients in group 2 "spinal extension exercises" got the least effect than those in other groups. It was concluded that the cumulative effect of, neural mobilization and spinal extension exercises, is effective to reduce signs of pain and dysfunction for patients with lumbar radiculopathy

Calcium homeostasis in children with type I diabetes mellitus

This study included 49 diabetic children [age 3-15 years] and 26 sex and age matched healthy control ones. Both diabetic and control children were subjected to history, physical examination and laboratory investigations. In order to elucidate the role of diabetes mellitus on calcium homeostasis, the serum and urinary levels of minerals were measured. Also, the serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, creatinine, fasting blood glucose and postprandial blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone were determined and 24-hour urine was collected for the calculation and determination of the calcium level, phosphorus and creatinine. The findings of this study suggested that hyper calciuria in association with a secondary hyperparathyroidism and a high level of alkaline phosphatase was observed during poor blood glucose control and may be considered as one of the factors leading to reduced bone mass [osteopenia] in diabetes mellitus