Systemic lupus erythematosus, female of fertile age changes in reproductive hormones estrogen and prolactin levels

Systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] is an important autoimmune disease and occurs when the body is mistakenly attacked by its own immune system. Prolactin acts as a cytokine and plays an important role in human immune response including autoimmune diseases. SLE is an immune complex mediated disease and is more common during pregnancy. Research is designed to analyze the level of serum prolactin in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus and compared with estrogen in female of fertile age. Observational Study was carried out in the Department of Biochemistry, BMSI, in collaboration of ward-6 JPMC Karachi. Thirty five diagnosed cases of SLE and in addition 35 normal healthy controls from general population were included in the study. Serum levels of prolactin, estrogen, RA factor and ESR were estimated and correlated. The data was analyzed by using SPSS version 17. The student t-test and chi-square test was used the p-value <0.05 consider significant. The results showed that patients suffering from SLE have highly significant [p<0.001] serum level of reproductive hormones prolactin and estrogen, in addition, significant changes in ESR indicate the infection when compared with control. Further, prolactin was negatively correlated with estrogen as well as with menarche while BMI have positively correlation with estrogen regardless of prolactin and menarche. Enhanced serum prolactin and estrogen changes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE], may be used as a prognostic tool for autoimmune diseases

Lipoprotein [a] behaviour in viral hepatitis patients

To correlate liver lipoprotein [a] level with biochemical parameters of viral hepatitis, induced due to most common causes, hepatitis B and C. This was a prospective study performed during the period of January 2008 to June 2008. Patient selection was done by simple random enrollment of adult males and females after confirmation of their diagnosis by ELISA method. Total of 80 patients positive for hepatitis B and C virus infection with and without cirrhosis were enrolled for study. Normal subjects were selected as control for study. Serum lipoprotein [a] was estimated by ELISA method and prothrombin time by one stage method. While enzymes assay was done by enzymatic method. The mean values of lipoprotein [a] were found statistically significantly diminished in all groups, which indicate decreased synthesis by the damaged liver. It showed statistically significant negative correlation with prothrombin time, AST and ALT in all patients groups. The results of our study indicate that there is an apparent decline in lipoprotein [a] level in both patients of with and without cirrhosis irrespective of causative organism, relatively more decline in patients of cirrhosis. The apparent decline and evidence of more decrease in the level of lipoprotein [a] with the increase in the stage of disease and its significant correlation with other biochemical parameters, reflects that the evaluation of lipoprotein [a] serum levels may contribute, among other markers, to a more complete evaluation of liver function in patients of viral hepatitis

Heart failure patients are prone to develop magnesium deficiency as a result of diuretic/digoxin therapy

To evaluate serum magnesium level in chronic heart failure [CIIF] patients receiving diuretic and digoxin therapy. Study Design: A case-control study. The study was conducted at the Basic Medical Sciences Institute [BMSI]. Jinnah ostgraduate Medical Centre [JPMC], Karachi with collaboration ofNational Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases [NICVD], Karachi from April to December 2003. Serum magnesium levels were evaluated in 65 subjects including 45 patients of heart failure admitted in the NICVD, Karachi. Twenty subjects were healthy, age and gender matched controls [group l]. Patients were divided into two groups [groups-II and III] according to treatment with diuretics or combination of diuretic and digoxin. Other electrolytes including sodium, potassium, chloride and calcium were also evaluated. Student't' test at ranging p-values of [<0.05. <0.01, <0.001] were used to determine the statistical significance. The cardiac failure patients showed lower [1.72 +/- 0.07 mg/dl] level of serum magnesium when compared with normal [0.53 +/- 0.19 mg/dl] control subjects and even more significantly lowered [1.65 +/- 0.09 mg/dl] in patients who were receiving diuretics and digoxin as compared to patients [1.80 +/- 0.10 mgidl] who were on diuretics only [p<0.001]. Patients with chronic heart failure were characteristically prone to develop magnesium deficiency along with other electrolytes [potassium. calcium, and chloride] due to administration of diuretics and digoxin

Evaluation of serum leptin levels during normal pregnancy and in pre-eclampsia

The present study was designed to compare the serum leptin levels in normal pregnancies with those pregnancies which are complicated by pre-eclampsia and to investigate the possibility of leptin being a marker of severity of pre-eclampsia. This was a comparative cross-sectional study, conducted at the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetric, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre [JPMC], Karachi. For this purpose 45 primigravidas with normal pregnancy and 45 primigravidas with pre-eclamptic pregnancy were selected who were in their third trimester All the subjects were of the same maternal age, gestational age, height and weight. Serum leptin levels were determined by immunoenzymometric assay. The study included 90 patients, divided into two groups. The serum leptin levels were found to be elevated in pre-eclamptic group as compared to normal pregnancy. When comparison was made on the basis of severity of pre-eclampsia, the serum leptin levels were found to be increased in severe group as compared to mild group. From this study it was concluded that the levels of serum leptin were higher in pre-eclamptic group when compared to controls during the third trimester of pregnancy indicating the possible role of leptin in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. Also the elevated level of leptin may help in the prediction of the disease and may serve as a marker of severity of pre-eclampsia

Gender difference in hemoglobin/hematocrit levels among patients with various degrees of chronic renal insufficiency

To observe the gender difference in hemoglobin/hematocrit levels among patients with various degrees of chronic renal insufficiency. A cross-sectional analytical study. Department of Physiology, BMSI, JPMC, Karachi, in collaboration with Department of Nephrology, JPMC, Karachi. The study included 150 subjects, distributed into five groups of 30 subjects each. First group [control] comprising of normal subjects [Cr.Cl >90 ml/min] and remaining four groups [group II [CrCl 60-90 ml/min], group III [CrCl 30-59 ml/min, group IV [CrCl 15-29 ml/min] and group IV [CrCl <15 ml/min]], comprising of patients with increasing severity of the renal insufficiency. Half of the subjects in each group were males. Their hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were analyzed and were statistically compared. As compared to control group, there was a 6.85%, 11.46%, 29.09% and 49.93% decrease in hemoglobin levels in case of males versus 5.15%, 9.24%, 24.24% and 49.0% decrease in case of females when subjects o -group II, III, iv and V were taken into consideration. Similarly, there was 8.45%, 18.13%, 29.47% and 54.0% decrease in hematocrit levels in case of males versus 4.71%, 11.31%, 22.58% and 50.98% decrease in case of females, in the same order. There is a slight gender difference in hemoglobin and hematocrit levels among patients with various degrees of chronic renal insufficiency

Assessment of homocysteine levels in preeclampsia

Assessment of Homocysteine levels in preeclampsia. A cross-sectional analytical study. Department of Physiology, BMSI, JPMC, Karachi in collaboration with Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, JPMC, Karachi from March 2005 to November 2005. Study included 90 subjects distributed into three groups of 30 subjects each. 30 were apparently health subjects. 30 mild pre-eclamptic and 30 severely prerec lamptic. Clinical details were collected. Fasting blood samples were drawn by adopting aseptic methods and serum was analyzed for Homocysteine levels by !Mx Analyzer method. Among 90 screened subjects Homocysteine in 30 normal subjects was 6.61 mmol/L. 30 mild preeclamptic subjects showing 12.65 mmol/L was highly significant as compared to normal. However; 30 severe preeclamptic subjects shows mean Homocysteine level 14.44 mmol/L as compared to normal. The difference in both groups weir statistically highly significant as compared to normal subjects. Concluded that serum homocysteine levels were strongly associated with preeclampsia, which suggests that elevated circulating homocysteine may be involved in pathogenesis of uteroplacental vascular disease associated with preeclampsia, which may he a risk marker in pregnant women

Carbonated beverages induced hypercalciuria in young males

To assess the short-term effects of carbonated beverages on urinary calcium exertion in normal young males. Department of Biochemistry, Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from July 2003 to June 2004. Twenty-five normal male subjects of 20-40 years age and habitual users of carbonated beverages were selected for the study. Their fasting and post-beverage urine samples were collected and analyzed for calcium excretion levels. Significant increase in urinary calcium levels was observed in subjects consuming both caffeinated [P<0.001] and non-caffeinated [P<0.01] beverages. The excess calciuria is confined to males who are habitual consumers of both caffeinated and non-caffeinated beverages. It is suggested that habitual use of beverages must be discouraged in order to prevent bone resorption and hence, an early osteoporosis