Pulmonary function tests in posthepatitic cirrhosis

Pulmonary function tests were studied in II patients with documented posthepatitic cirrhosis by liver biopsy as well as 20 matched healthy subjects. all the patients and the control subjects were non-smokers and their chest were clinically and radiologically free. The pulmonary function tests included Flow - Volume Loop [F/V Loop] before and after sulbutamol inhalation [bronchodilator] and diffusion studies. Front the F/V Loop the following measurements were calculated: forced vital capacity [FVC], farced expiratory volume first second [FEVI], FEVI / FVC, Peak Expiratory Flow [PEF], Peak Inspiratory Flow [PIF] and Flow at 25 - 75% of vital capacity [F 25 - 75]. The diffusion studies included Pulmonary Diffusion Capacity for Carbon monoxide [DLco], Alveolar Volume [VA] and Diffusion Coefficient [Kco: DLco/Va]. The results of this study showed a mild significant obstructive ventilatory pattern at the level of both small and large airways and a significant diffusion defet among posthepatitic patients

Prevalence of maternal versus paternal family history of diabetes among Egyptian type II diabetics

In this study, details about the family history of diabetes were availbe from total of 2187 non insulin dependent diabetic patients attendending the Diabetes Clinic of Cairo University Hospitals, from whom 1065 patients [752 females and 313 males] have positive family history for diabetes either in the mother's or father's family, further classification of the relatives affected was done into 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th degree relatives. It is considered only the patients whom had a definite side of inheritance [paternal or maternal]. The results showed that 48.6% of the patients at least have one diabetic relative, it also showed that the mother's family members were implicated with diabetes in significantly more than the father's family members, which was mainly influenced by the mother's history of diabetes whatever the sex of the patient. Thus it is concluded from this study the importance of the family history for diabetes especially among the maternal than the paternal family members as regarding the inheritance of NIDDM among Egyptians

glucometabolic effects of oral vitamin E in non-insulin dependent diabetes

This study included 20 patients with NIDDM selected from the Diabetes clinic, Cairo University Hospitals, all of them were under diet control and oral hypoglycemic drugs, for which estimation of fasting blood glucose and serum insulin levels, postprandial blood glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin levels were done before and after 6 weeks of oral intake of vitamin E in a dose of 600 mg/day in three divided doses. The results showed statistically significant improvement in the blood glucose, serum insulin and glycosylated haemoglobin levels after the intake of vit. E, thus oral supplements of vit. E to NIDDM patients may be of value in improving glucose metabolism

Effect of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors on blood glucose and plasma insulin levels in non-insulin dependent diabetes

Eleven Egyptian female hypertensive non-insulin dependent diabetics were subjected to study the short term effect of angiotensin convening enzyme [ACE] inhibitor, captopril in a dose of 12.5 mg twice daily, on blood glucose and plasma insulin levels. All patients were maintained on their own oral hypoglycaemia drugs during the three days period of the study with no change in their diet or physical activities. Estimation of fasting, 1/2 an hour, one hour and two hours blood glucose and plasma insulin levels were done before and after the study period. Our results showed significantly lower mean blood of glucose levels and glycaemic response after ACE inhibitor [captopril] [P < 0.0001 and 0.03 respectively], while the plasma insulin levels and the insulin response were non-significantly higher after adding ACE inhibitor [captopril]. In conclusion, the use of ACE inhibitor [captopril] in our study was associated with significantly hypoglycaemic response and non significant higher insulin response thus adding to the beneficial effects of the usage of ACE inhibitors in diabetics