ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine serum neopterin levels in blood donors of local population and its association with transfusion transmitted infections
Study Design: A cross-sectional observational study
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Physiology, Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College [LNHMC] in collaboration with Basic Medical Sciences Institute [BMSI] and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre [JPMC], Blood Bank, Karachi, Pakistan, from January to June 2015
Methodology: During this period, a total of 174 blood donors were selected through random sampling technique. All participants fulfilling the inclusion criteria involving apparently healthy blood donors of either gender within the age bracket of 18 - 60 years and consenting to participate were selected. The participants were screened for transfusion transmitted infections as per WHO recommendations through the standard procedures used for screening at the JPMC blood bank. The demographic profile, anthropometric measurements and vitals were recorded for every participant. Serum neopterin was measured using ELISA kits. Data was analysed on SPSS version 21. ANOVA and chi-square tests were applied as tests of significance at a p-value of <0.05
Results: The neopterin content in the sera of disease negative blood donors was 6.23 +/- 2.19 nmol/l as compared to disease positive blood donors, in whom the neopterin level was increased to 15.10 +/- 4.93 nmol/l [p =0.001]
Conclusion: The neopterin assay has the potential to detect a number of transfusion transmissible viral diseases; which may, or may not be revealed by the usually employed battery of routine tests. We conclude that the risk of transfusion transmitted pathogens in our population can be reduced significantly, using neopterin assay as a routine in blood banks
Subject(s)
Adult , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Biomarkers , Blood Donors , Cross-Sectional Studies , PakistanABSTRACT
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways, which is associated with excessive airway narrowing in response to stimuli that have little or no effect on healthy subjects. Airway hyper-responsiveness with a short duration of asthma is coupled with airway inflammation which may or may not be associated with lung impairment
Objectives: To study correlation of asthma duration with total anti oxidant capacity and lung function parameters
Design: Cross sectional study
Period: June 2013 to Dec 2013
Setting: Baqai Medical University and Hospital
Methodology: A total of 92 known and diagnosed cases of asthma meeting the inclusion criteria were recruited in the study. The subjects included both male and female with age ranging from 16-70 years. Portable handheld electronic Spirometer was used for performing spirometry. FRAP assay was done to measure TAC according to the method of Benzie and Strai
Results: The mean age of patients [n-92] was 34.88 +/- 12.14 SD. The mean duration of asthma was 11.57 +/- 11.30 SD years. Mean value of TAC was found to be 11.46 +/- 4.34SD. Mean FEVI was 1.90 +/- 0.82SD, mean FVC was 2.17 +/- 0.88 SD, mean PEFR was 247.8 +/- 122.7 SD and mean FEV[1]/FVC was 86.21 +/- 16.58 SD. Paired sample t - test was applied to compare the spirometric values which were found highly significant. Pearson correlation was applied and showed negative but insignificant correlation of asthma duration with patients' FEV[1], FEV[1]/FVC and PEFR as well as insignificant correlation with other spirometric parameters and TAC
Conclusion: Our study showed that duration of asthma has no significant correlation with lung function parameters and antioxidant capacity