Cytokine profile of obese asthma phenotype

The incidence of asthma and obesity is increasing worldwide. Understanding the causal directions between asthma and obesity could have important therapeutic implications. However, the mechanism connecting the two is not well defined. This study was undertaken to compare pulmonary function tests [PFTs], C-reactive protein [CRP] and inflammatory cytokines in obesity and asthma in Egyptian adolescents and to investigate whether obese asthmatics have a specific inflammatory phenotype than lean asthmatics. Fifty asthmatic and 30 control subjects were enrolled in the study and divided into 2 sub-groups: obese and non-obese. Serum levels of CRP, leptin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-alpha], interleukin-6 [IL-6], IL-5, body mass index [BMI] and PFTs were done for asthmatics and controls. Serum levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha and leptin in obese individuals whether asthmatic or not showed significant increase compared to lean ones [P < 0.01]. Body mass index [BMI] showed positive linear correlations with serum levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha, leptin and CRP. Serum IL-5 showed significantly higher levels in all asthmatics versus all controls [P < 0.01]. Also serum IL-5 showed non-significant difference between lean and obese asthmatics and it showed significant negative correlations with FEVl/FVC% and PEF. Serum levels oflL-6, TNF-alpha and leptin could be considered surrogate markers for obesity, whereas serum IL-5 is considered a marker of airway inflammation in bronchial asthma. Thus obesity and asthma have been shown to coexist together but systemic and airway inflammation appears to operate independent of each other

relationship between child abuse and later on drug abuse after puberty

This research design was built upon modals of equivalent groups and consisted of two groups: A dependent group consisted of 103 addicted males [age range 18-45 years, not ignorant and fulfilling all diagnostic criteria of DSM-IV for addiction] and a control group consisted of 103 members of the addicted families had no history of psychiatric disorders, free of any substance abuse and had GHQ score less than 4 and had the same educational and social levels. Clinical psychiatric interview, child trauma questionnaire and the general health questionnaire were used. The results indicated that child abuse was much higher in the experimental than the control group, especially its severe form. Physical abuse and addiction were more common in the university graduated group. The main characters of the addicted persons who had abused child were: Ages from 25 to 29 years, heroin addict [40.2%], having intravenous injection [42.7%], 5-9 years duration [32%], smoking [49%], personality disorder, especially antisocial, medical illness, an increase in the psychological suffering and having high score on GHQ