Effect of chronic hypoxia and hypercapnea on the nervous system: visual and auditory brainstem evoked potentials in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

We aimed at studying the effect of the pathophysiological changes associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] on the nervous system and its aetiopathogenesis using the pattern shift visual evoked potentials [PSVEPs] and the brainstem auditory evoked potentials [BAEPs]. There are still great controversies between different studies that assessed cranial nerves and central nervous system functions in COPD patients using different neurophysiological techniques. In addition, those who reported abnormalities did not find any correlation between their findings and the pulmonary functions and arterial blood gas measurements. Design and methods: Participants consisted of 35 COPD male patients. Sixteen patients diagnosed as stable at risk or mild COPD and 19 patients diagnosed as stable moderate or severe COPD were included in the study as group I and II respectively. In addition, 20 age- and sex- matched healthy individuals were included in this study as a control group [group III]. We performed pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gas analysis, audiogram, auditory brainstem evoked responses [ABR] and visual evoked potentials [VEP] for all patients and controls. All patients in group I had normal BAEPs. Conversely, all patients in group II had abnormal BAEPs studies. All of them had significantly delayed wave I, III and V absolute latencies. However, 11 [58%] patients had significantly delayed IPLs III-V and I-V. There were significant negative correlations between PaO2 and wave I peak latency [p< 0.05]. There were also significant positive correlations between PaCO2 and wave V peak latency, I-V and III-V interpeak latencies [P< 0.01]. Lastly, there was a significant correlation between the Forced Expiratory Flow [FEF25-75%] and all BAEPs abnormalities. VEP study showed that the P100 was mildly but insignificantly delayed in group II. The function of the eighth nerve and the brainstem were highly abnormal in moderate and severe COPD. We also found that the impairment of the eighth nerve is mostly due to hypoxia and the impairment of the brainstem is mostly due to hypercapnea. Finally, our results have shown that the nervous system function could also be impaired in COPD through other mechanisms rather than hypoxia and hypercapnea

Biochemical markers, a recent trend in the evaluation of the effects of some environmental xenobiotics in experimental animals

This experimental work was conducted to determine whether such biomarkers are actually involved in the process of liver fibrosis and cell damage, hence it can be considered as an important tool to predict early latent liver cell damage. It was found that transforming growth factor beta 1 [TGF-B1] was significantly increased in sera of the exposed and recovery groups compared with the control non-exposed group. It was concluded that TGF-beta 1 was a good biomarker for early liver cell damage together with both AST and ALT enzymes

Biochemical bone specific markers in early rheumatoid arthritis

To assess the potential of biochemical markers of bone turnover in early rheumatoid arthritis to reflect disease processes and to help monitor the course of the disease. serum from twenty five patients with early rheumatoid arthritis [RA] and from ten healthy control subjects were studied with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for bone sialoprotein and osteocalcin. Rheumatoid arthritis patients had significantly increased serum bone sialoprotein [BSP] in comparison with control subjects [P<0.001] whereas no significant difference was found between the two groups in the levels of osteocalin [P>0.05]. Bone sialoprotein as a biochemical marker of bone turnover can be measured to provide an assessment of disease process in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis

Plasma free fatty acid levels in ischemic heart diseases

To evaluate the pattern of plasma free fatty acids [FFA] in ischemic heart diseases, we compared patients who had suffered a myocardial infarction with age matched control subjects free from clinically apparent ischemic heart diseases. We found significant low levels of serum palmitic. stearic. oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids in acute myocardial infarction [AMI] group as compared with healthy control one. Whereas no significant difference was found between chronic myocardial ischemia [CMI] and acute myocardial ischemia [AMI] groups On the other h and, there was significant low levels of palmitic, stearic and oleic acids in CMI group as compared to healthy control one. The positive ecological correlations between national intakes of total fat and saturated fatty acids and cardiovascular mortality found in earlier studies were questionable or absent in our recent study

Plasma Endothelin 1 [ET-1] in Type 2 [non-insulin-dependent] Diabetes Mellitus

To evaluate the level of plasma endothelin-1 in NIDDM with and without hypertension. Plasma ET-1 levels were evaluated [by enzyme immunoassay] in 50 subjects. Thirty patients with NIDDM [15 nor-motensive and 15 hypertensive] and twenty subjects serving as controls [10 hypertensive and 10 healthy normotensive]. Circulating ET-1 levels are significantly higher in normotensive NIDDM [2.41 +/- 0.36 ng/mL] and hypertensive NIDDM [2.63 +/- 0.44 ng/ml] when compared with healthy controls [0.73 +/- 0.14 ng/ml] and hypertensive controls [0.84 +/- 0.13 ng/ml] [P<0.001]. Also there are no significant correlations between plasma ET-1 levels and fasting blood glucose [r = 0.188. P>0.05], mean blood pressure [r = 0.129, P>0.05], duration of diabetes [r = 0.137, P>0.05] and age of subjects [r = 0.099. P>0.05] Significant plasma endothelin-1 elevation in diabetic subjects may relate to diabetic endothelial cell damage and in turn be an important background factor in diabetic vascular complications and endothelin-1 receptor antagonists may have a role in ameliorating this dysfunction

Plasma insulin/glucagon molar ratio in euglycaemic experimental animals: effect of nifedipine

To evaluate the plasma levels of insulin and glucagon as well as insulin/glucagon molar ratio under the effect of calcium-channel blocker [nifedipine] in adult male albino rats. Adult male albino rats were classified into placebo [acute and chronic] and nifedipine-treated [acute and chronic] groups. The drug groups received nifedipine in recommended daily doses by means of intragastric tubes for three months for the chronic group whereas the acute group received nifedipine in a single dose. Insulin and glucagon were assayed by RIA Kits and insulin/glucagon [I/G] ratio was calculated. A decrease in plasma levels of insulin and an increase in plasma levels of glucagon together with decrease in insulin/glucagon molar ratio were recorded in chronic nifedipine group as compared to placebo group. The calcium-channel blockers have a hyperglycaemic effect which is thought to be time dependent and so a great care must be taken into consideration if these drugs are obliged for the chronic use for diabetic and hypertensive patients and plasma glucose level as well as I/G ratio should be monitored regularly in patients receiving calcium-channel blocker-nifedipine

Parathormone, calcitonin and osteocalcin in chronic renal failure with and without schistosomiasis

The present study was conducted on 28 male patients suffering from chronic renal failure aged from 20-40 years, 16 of them were bilharzial and 12 were non bilharzial. Healthy 14 males matching for age were selected as control, 8 of them were bilharzial and 6 were non bilharzial. Serum parathormone, calcitonin and osteocalcin levels were estimated. Serum levels of parathormone and osteocalcin showed significant increase in uremic patients while calcitonin level showed insignificant changes. On the other hand, parathormone, osteocalcin and calcitonin levels in chronic renal failure on top of schistosomal infestation showed insignificant results. It is concluded that the significant increased levels of parathormone and osteocalcin in chronic renal failure can be attributed to disturbance in renal functions due to chronic renal failure

Atrial natriuretic factor [ANF] in type II diabetics: relationship to hypertension and nephropathy

Sixty-three non-insulin dependent diabetic patients, 11 healthy normotensive volunteers and 10 non-diabetic hypertensive men were included in this work. For all members of the study, a morning urine sample was collected without a preservative, centrifuged, and the supernatant was test for macroalbuminuria by albustix and the creatinine was determined by alkaline picrate reaction. Microalbuminuria was also determined by a double antibody 125I radioimmunoassay. Fasting blood sample was also taken from each individual and the serum was separated and the atrial natriuretic factor [peptide] was assayed by a competitive radioimmunoassay. The results revealed a highly significant increase in ANF levels in the whole diabetic group as compared with non-diabetic one and this increase of ANF in diabetics has been explained by the volume expansion associated with hyperglycemia and that raised plasma ANF could contribute to the glomerular hyperfiltration characteristics of early diabetes

Effect of opioids and opioid receptors antagonists on the anterior pituitary hormone secretions in man

The effects of morphine and nafloxone [Opioid receptor antagonist] on secretion of LH, FSH, GH and prolactin hormone were studied in twenty male subjects aged 35-45 years. The results revealed that morphine injection increased FSH, GH and prolactin hormone secretion without a significant effect on LH release, while naloxone injection increased LH and decreased prolactin hormone release without a significant change on FSH and GH release. These data show that both opioids and opioid receptors antagonists exert a rariety of effects on the anterior pituitary secretions in man and this is due to the multiplicity of opiate receptors in pituitary gland cells

Effect of chronic oral zinc administration on serum-prolactin level in chronic renal failure patients

Hyperprolactinaemia and low serum zinc levels are common findings in chronic renal failure patients. In this study, fourteen chronic renal failure men on chronic haemodialysis were given 400 mg zinc sulphate [equivalent to 5 mEq zinc] per day for four months. Serum prolactin and zinc levels were measured before and after oral zinc administration. Statistical analysis of the results revealed a highly significant decrease [P < 0.001] in serum prolactin level after zinc administration [20.01 +/- 1 6 vs 31.74 +/- 2.61 ng/ml]. On the other hand, a highly significant increase [P < 0.001] in serum zinc level was found after zinc administration [16.96 +/- 0.86 vs 10.03 +/- 0.47 mEq/L]. Also, a marked improvement in sexual function was found. So, chronic oral zinc administration may be important in the treatment at hyperprolactinaemia in chronic renal failure men with its sequele as impotence, diminished libido, gynaecomastia and infertility since zinc may play an important role in inhibition of prolactin secretion by pituitary lactotrophes. On conclusion, this study suggests that chronic zinc administration in chronic renal failure patients may be of importance in treatment of hyperprolactinaemia with its sequele of sexual dysfunctoin as diminished libido, impotence. gynaecomastia and infertility

Spinal and interpleural bupivacaine for percutaneous nephrolithotomy

The promising interpleural block [IPB] technique stimulated the comparison of its adjuvant effect to spinal analgesia for percutaneous nephrolithotomy [PCNL] with that of meperidine-diazepam. Twenty five patients receiving spinal analgesia 15 mg 0.5% heavy bupivacaine for PCNL were randomly allocated to receive the adjuvant effect of either meperidine 1 mg/kg IV and diazeparn 10 mg total dose [n = 10] or IPB with 10 ml 0.5% plain bupivacaine [n = 15]. It was found that IPB produced a totally pain free operation and needed less frequent administration in the postoperative period, while meperidine-diazepam produced a pain free in 20% of patients and needed more frequent postoperative meperidine [1 mg/kg IM] administration