ABSTRACT
The objective to evaluate the factor of apoptotic signal [FAS] and B-cell leukemia lymphoma [BCL-2] oncoprotein as markers of apoptosis in children with chronic hepatitis C . The study included 100 children with chronic hepatitis C, divided into three groups. Group I [control, n =20] HCVantibodies and RNA-PCR negative, Group II; [n=60] HCVantibodies positive and HCV- RNA positive without liver cirrhosis and Group III; [n=20] HCVantibodies positive and HCV-RNA positive with liver cirrhosis
Blood samples were subjected to: Complete blood count, liver function tests, alpha fetoprotein assay by ELISA method, FAS [CD95] antigen, and intracellular BCL-2 oncoprotein on lymphocytes by flow cytometry
The Results showed that FAS was significantly higher in group II and group III as compared to group I [P=0.0 for both]. FAS was significantly higher in group III than group II [P=0.021]. Positive correlation between FAS and ALT, AST, and AFP was found [r =0.39, 0.47 and 0.39, respectively, P = 0.0 for all]. Combining groups II and III, negative correlations between FAS and platelets and albumin [r= -0.52 and -0.46, respectively, P = 0.0 for both]. BCL-2 was significantly higher in group II and group III as compared to group I [P=0.001 and 0.0, respectively]. BCL-2 was higher in group III than group II [P= 0.0]. BCL-2 was positively correlated to ALT, AST, and AFP [r= 0.29, 0.39 and 0.41, respectively, P= 0.0 for all]. BCL-2 was negatively correlated to platelets and albumin in the combined diseased group [r= -0.53 and -0.41 respectively and P= 0.0 for both]. A positive correlation was found between FAS and BCL-2 in the diseased group [r=0.321 and p=0.007]
In Conclusion: FAS and BCL-2 as an apoptotic markers play an important role in the pathogenesis and further outcome of chronic liver diseases
ABSTRACT
Background: Tuberculosis [TB] is a serious infectious disease especially among patient with low immunity as chronic liver disease and long term treatment should be started early
Purpose: Rapid, reliable, simple and cost effective method for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex [MTBC] would be highly desirable. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a FASTPlaque TB [Biotec, Laboratories Ltd., Ipswich, UK] for the diagnosis of TB
Methods: We evaluated the clinical utility of this new assay by analyzing respiratory specimens of 100 suspect TB patients, using FAST Plaque TB kit and the performance was compared the results and time of detection, sensitivity, specificity and contamination rates with, smear microscopy, and Lowenstein-Jensen [L-J] culture method
Results: Of the total 100 TB "Suspect" patients, [63%] were male, aged from 11-67 years, most of them in age group [25-34 years] [35%], 50 were smear positive and 50 were smear negative, comparison of phage assay with AFB smear, Out of the 50 smear positive cases, 37 were phage positive and 13 were phage negative; 4 of which were identified as Mycobacteria Other Than Tuberculosis [MOTT]. Amongst the 50 smear negative samples, 4 samples were positive by phage assay. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the phage assay with respect to AFB smear positivity were 82%, 100 %, 100% and 83.6 % respectively. In comparison of the results of culture positivity with phage assay, it was noted that of a total of 61 culture positive samples, 41 were phage positive and 20 were phage negative of which 8 were identified as MOTT. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of phage assay with respect to growth on L-J media were 77.4%, 100%, 100% and 76.5 % respectively
Conclusions: We believe that this new low cost assay may have wide spread applicability, especially in developing countries, due to its manual format and rapid reporting of results