Apolipoprotein as an indicator of coronary artery disease risk in normolipidemic subjects after myocardial infarction

The study investigated whether apolipoprotein [apo] A-I and B could better identify patients than lipid lipoproteins in a male population with recent acute myocardial infarction which could differentiate normolipidemic subjects with an increased risk of myocardial infarction. Serum lipids, HDL-C, LDL-C and apo A-I and B were determined in 34 hyperlipidemic and 31 normolipidemic survivors of myocardial infarction and compared with matched control. A significant decreased level of HDL-C and apo A-I [P<0.01,P<0.05] and an increased level of LDL-C and apo B [P<0.001,P<0.05] was found in all the patients. The data supports the view that apo A-I and B as well as its ratio [X2 values 11.11,18.84 and 28.51 respectively, P<0.001] were better indicators of lipid derangement in normolipidemic survivors of myocardial infarction than the levels of LDL-C and HDL-C. Our findings also suggests that determination of apo A-I and B and its ratio are better predictors of coronary artery disease even in patients with normal plasma lipid level

Iron binding capacity and transferrin saturation in pregnancy

To find changes in the iron status in relation to total iron binding capacity and% saturation of transferrin in pregnant women. Design: Comparative study of haemoglobin, serum iron, serum iron binding capacity [TIBC] and saturation of transferrin in 1st, llnd and lllrd trimester of pregnancy with age matched non-pregnant women. Setting: Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi. Subjects: Ninety pregnant women, at various stages of pregnancy, all having haemoglobin values below 12 g%, were selected. Result: Values of Hb were found to be significantly lower as compared to the control in all the trimesters of pregnancy. Serum iron and% saturation of iron showed a significant decrease; while total iron binding capacity and unsaturated iron binding capacity showed a significant [P<0.001] increase in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy as comapred to matched control. Total serum iron binding capacity and% iron saturation of transferrin are more sensitive indices of iron stores of an iron deficient pregnant mother at an earlier date, thus preventing anaemia