Thyroid dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Jordan

To investigate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and autoimmunity in type 2 diabetic patients. The study was conducted at the National Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Genetics, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan, between March 2000 and September 2000. A group of 908 type 2 diabetic patients [T2DM] were recruited in the study and underwent investigations for thyroid functions; free thyroxine [FT4], free tri-iodothyronine [FT3] and thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH]. Six hundred had performed thyroid autoantibodies, thyroid peroxidase antibodies [TPOab] or antimicrosomal antibodies [AMA] and thyroglobulin antibodies [Tgab]. They were compared with 304 non-diabetics, of those 282 had performed thyroid antibodies. Fifty-three [5.9%] of diabetic patients were known to have thyroid disease. As a direct result of screening, new thyroid disease cases were diagnosed in 6.6% of the patients. Thus, the overall prevalence of thyroid disease was found to be 12.5%. The most common was subclinical hypothyroidism [4.1%]. In the control group, the prevalence of thyroid disease was 6.6%. The most common was subclinical hypothyroidism [5%]. There was a significant difference between diabetics and control subjects p=0.0064. Positive TPOab was found in 8.3% of T2DM patients [N=600] versus 10.3% in the control group [N=282] p=0.412. Positivity for both TPOab and Tgab was found to be 2.5% of T2DM versus 6% of the control subjects p=0.0155. This study suggests that diabetic patients should be screened for asymptomatic thyroid dysfunction

Metallothioneim expression in human prostate gland

This study is conducted to detect metallothionein [MT] distribution in the epithelial cells of prostate gland from patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy and adenocarcinoma. Prostatic tissues from patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy and adenocarcinoma were processed for immunocytochemistry using indirect peroxidase antiperoxidase procedure and primary antibody against MT. The samples were collected over a period of 2-3 years and were processed at Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan in the year 2002. All prostatic tissues showed a positive reaction for MT. In benign prostatic hypertrophy, MT was mainly localized in the nuclei of epithelial cells while in the adenocarcinoma; MT was mainly localized in the cytoplasm of the epithelial cells. Metallothionein expression may be affected by the pathological status of the prostate. In addition, these findings could be used in diagnosing and evaluating the prognosis of different pathological conditions of the prostate

Blood lead levels and gamma-glutamyl transferase activity in battery factory workers in Jordan

The aim of this study is to investigate blood lead levels in workers of lead acid battery factories and the relationship between those levels and the activity of y-glutamyl transferase [y-GT]. Samples of blood were collected during the period from July 2001 to August 2001 from 95 workers of the 2 lead-acid battery factories in Amman, Jordan. They were categorized into 2 groups based on the nature of their work: direct [high exposure] and indirect contact [low exposure] groups. Lead concentration in whole venous blood and y-GT activity was measured. Mean blood lead levels were 51.4 +/- 1.8 and 23.9 +/- 3.8 ug/dl for both direct and indirect groups. y-Glutamyl transferase mean activity was found to be 29.2 +/- 2.6 U/L for direct and 23 +/- 5.7 U/L for indirect contact groups. Fifty healthy individuals were selected as controls. Their mean blood lead levels and y-GT mean activity were 12.3 +/- 0.5 ug/dl and 25.6 +/- 1.2 U/L. As results indicated, no significant relation was found between lead blood levels and y-GT activity [p=0.303] or between lead blood levels and duration of exposure in both direct and indirect groups [p=0.61]. However, significant relation was found between lead blood levels and type of work [p value approached zero] and between lead blood levels and duration of exposure in those workers with lead blood levels exceeding 20 ug/dl and employed for more than one year [p value approached zero]. Lead blood levels among workers in lead acid battery factories in Jordan are high. In most cases, they are higher than the limit permitted by the World Health Organization. Therefore, good protection measures should be taken in such factories to avoid the negative impact of high lead blood levels on the health of workers