Short term prognostec value of interleukin-10

A role for inflammation has become well established over the past decade or more in theories describing the atherosclerotic disease process. From a pathological viewpoint, all stages, of the atherosclerotic plaque might be considered to be an inflammatory response to injury. Indeed patients with acute coronary syndromes demonstrate elevated levels of systemic markers of inflammation. Yet little is known about the role of anti-inflammatory cytokines in this setting. The aim of this work was to study the serum level of interleukin-10, which is produced by various inflammatory cells and identified as a cytokine synthesis inhibitory factor, in patients of unstable angins using stable angina patients as a control group and its prognostic value during in hospital stay. This study included 60 patients who were admitted for the assessment of angina chest pain. They were classified into 2 groups. Of the 60 patients, 30 had unstable angina [Group I] and 30 had chronic stable angina [Group II]. Samples from those patients were taken under aspirin cover at the time of admission and another ones were collected in the first 48 hours after admission to assess serum interleukin-10 level. According to the serum level of IL- 10, patients of group I [Unstable angina] was arranged into two equal subgroups. Each subgroup includes 15 patients. Group [IA] included patients with low serum IL-b and Group [IB] included patients with high serum IL- 10. We have compared the two subgroups regarding cardiovascular events during in hospital stay and regarding baseline characteristics. Also coronary angiography was carried out and analyzed. We found that, no significant differences between the two groups regarding baseline characteristics. Interleukin-10 was significantly lower in patients of group I compared with patients with group II [t = 8.6, p < 0.05]. Also, Interleukin- 10 was significantly negatively correlated with different types of lesions [P = 0.0004]. IL- 10 was not significantly correlated with the morphology of the lesions in group I [P = 0.065]. Angiographic findings were similar in the two groups except for the number of vessels affected which was significantly higher in the unstable group [P = 0.01]. IL-b was not significantly correlated with type or morphology of the lesions in patients of group II. During hospital stay, there was more poor prognosis among patients of group IA compared to those in group IB

Hyperhomocysteinemia at 16[th] week gestation and subsequent preeclampsia

This study was done on 197 pregnant women. Fasting plasma total homocysteine [tHcys] was measured in each woman at 16[th] week of pregnancy. They were divided into 2 groups according to development of preeclampsia. Women who did not develop preeclampsia [n= 179] comprised control group. Women who developed preeclampsia [n=18] comprised the study group. Fasting plasma tHcys at 16[th] week gestation was significantly higher in preeclampsia group compared to control group [P<0.05]. Also the number of cases with tHcys >/= 90[th] percentile of controls [>/= 5.37 ng/dl] was significantly higher in preeclampsia group compared to control group. It could be concluded that hyperhomocysteinemia at 16[th] week gestation may be an indirect risk factor for placental vasculopathy predating preeclampsia

Fetal evaluation in post-term pregnancy using vibroacoustic stimulation and amniotic fluid index versus modified biophysical profile [a comparative study]

The appropriate management of post-term pregnancy is controversial. Several methods of fetal surveillance are used to differentiate compromised from non-compromised fetuses. The study compares the modified fetal biophysical profile [FBP] with vibro-acoustic stimulation [VAS] and amniotic fluid index [AFI] in post-term pregnancy. Sixty cases of uncomplicated singleton post-term pregnancies [> 41 w] are enrolled in the study. The cases are randomly allocated into one of 2 groups for biweekly fetal surveillance. Group [I]: Comprises 30 cases for whom VAS/AFI are performed. Group [II]: Comprises 30 cases for whom modified FBP is performed. The specificity, positive predictive value and overall accuracy of VAS/AFI in predicting abnormal neo-natal outcome is higher than that of the FBP. Fetal BP is associated with higher incidence of false abnormal results and subsequent induction of labour. These abnormal results are attributable to BPP score 6, a poor predictor of perinatal outcome. This study indicates that VAS/AFI test in a better predictor of the development of intrapartum fetal distress in post-term pregnancy

Unilateral versus bilateral laparoscopic ovarian electrocautery in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome: a prospective hormonal and clinical study

The aim of this work was to assess the efficacy of unilateral and bilateral laparoscopic ovarian electrocautery in correcting the endocrine abnormalities and inducing ovulation in infertile patients with clomiphene citrate resistant PCOS. Fifty patients were included in this study. They were randomly allocated to either unilateral [25 cases] or bilateral [25 cases] laparoscopic ovarian electrocautery. Serum LH FSH and testosterone [T] levels were estimated in the early follicular phase before and after the operation. The cases were followed postoperatively for 6 months to detect, the occurrence of ovulation and pregnancy. A highly significant postoperative fall of serum LH and LH/FSH ratio [P<0.0001] was detected following either unilateral or bilateral ovarian electrocautery. Also serum FSH increased significantly [P<0.05] and serum T decreased significantly [P<0.05]. Ovulation occurred in 72% of the patients following unilateral ovarian electrocautery and in 76% following bilateral ovarian electrocautery. It was found that neither the preoperative LH, FSH nor T level could be used to predict the occurrence of postoperative response. Unilateral ovarian electrncautery resulted in bilateral ovarian activity in all responders. Pregnancy occurred in 48% of the patients of unilateral ovarian electrocautery and in 56% of the patients of bilateral ovarian electrocautery. The less traumatizing technique of unilateral laparcscopic ovarian electrocautery resulted in endocrine and clinical effects nearly similar to that produced by bilateral ovarian elctrocautery with no statistically significant difference. It has the advantage of preserving one side of the pelvis away from possible postoperative adhesions

Maternal and umbilical cord plasma renin activity in pregnancy induced hypertension

Plasma renin activity [PRA] was determined by radioimmunoassay in maternal and cord blood of 20 women with pregnancy-induced hypertension [PIH] and in 20 normal pregnant controls. The mean maternal PRA among the group of PIH was significantly lower than that of normal pregnancy [P < 0.01]. There were significant negative relationship between maternal PRA and each of the systolic blood pressure [r = - 0.59, P < 0.05] diastolic blood pressure [r = - 0.5, P < 0.05] oedema of lower limbs [r = -0.46. P < 0.05] and proteinuria [r = - 0.61, P < 0.01]. The mean fetal PRA among PIH group was also lower than that of normal pregnancy but with no statistically significant difference [P > 0.05]. There was no significant relationship [r = 0.47, P < 0.05J between maternal and fetal PRA. No significant conelation was found between fetal PRA and any of the other parameters. PRA level is signifcantly depressed in PIH. Apparently this is the result of PIH and PRA is not involved in the pathogenesis of PIH. The trigger of PIH seems to be fetal rather than maternal in origin