Visfatin and its relationship with the severity of coronary artery disease in Pakistani population

To determine plasma visfatin in patients with and without coronary artery disease and to correlate it with the coronary vessels blockage by using anagiography. Comparative Cross Sectional Study. This study was conducted at the Department of Biochemistry, Ziauddin University and Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi from June 2009 to November 2010. The study includes 80 subjects [mean age 48.8 +/- 6.15; 40-55 years age range] who underwent coronary angiography for suspected coronary artery disease. Plasma visfatin levels were determined by using ELISA. Out of these 80 study subjects, 30 [37.5%] had single vessel CAD, 12 [15%] had two vessels CAD, 24 [30%] had three vessels CAD and 14 [17.5%] had non significant disease. Serum Visfatin levels were higher in three vessel disease [5.82 +/- 0.58] when compared with non significant [4.55 +/- 1.10] single vessel disease [4.86 +/- 0.93] and two vessels disease [5.53 +/- 0.79] respectively but these values were statistically nonsignificant in all four study groups. Serum Visfatin levels were high in all three study groups when compared with non significant disease group and positive correlation of serum visfatin with the extent of the coronary artery disease was observed

Pattern of prostatic carcinoma metastases in bones detected by bone scans using technitium[99m] methyl diphosphate [TC[99M] MDP] imaging technique

To determine the pattern of bone secondaries in prostatic carcinoma patients using Technitium 99m Methyl Diphosphate [TC99m MDP] imaging technique. Retrospective study. Ziauddin Hospital, Karachi from 1998 to 2004. The study included 135 subjects, which were divided into four groups according to age. Patients with biopsy proven prostate carcinoma under went total body bone scan in different positions, five anterior and five posterior views, skull, chest, pelvis, knee and foot for the evaluation of metastases at the time of diagnosis. Bone scans were interpreted by the nuclear medicine consultant as negative or positive for skeletal metastases, or as intermediate. 135 subjects were analyzed. They were divided into four groups according to age. Group A comprised of 25 subjects of age 30 to 39 years. Out of them 18 were positive for bone secondaries. Group B comprised of 30 subjects from 40 to 49 years. Out of them 21 were positive for bone secondaries. Third group i.e. C comprised of 50 to 59 years of age. Out of 49 subjects 36 were positive for bone secondaries. Group D was from 60 years and above in which 31 subjects were analyzed. Out of them 23 were positive for bone secondaries. The most common site involved was dorsal vertebrae in which 44 [32%] secondaries were isolated. Shoulder joint 38 [28%] and sacroiliac joint 29 [21%] were the second and third most commonly affected areas respectively. Other sites involved were skull, sacrum, lumber vertebrae, ileum, mandible, femur, sternum, cervical vertebrae, iliac crest, scapula, hip joint, tibia and pelvis. This study focuses on pattern of prostate carcinoma metastases to various bony sites. Metastases are common in age group 50 to 59 years and above 60 years while the most common site involved is dorsal vertebrae followed by shoulder joint and sacroiliac joint