Comparison of maternal serum lipoproteins in normal pregnancy and primiparous patients with eclampsia

Objective: To evaluate changes in serum lipoproteins in primiparous women with eclampsia and compare it with pregnant women having normal blood pressure

Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on 65 primiparous eclamptic patients and 21 normotensive pregnant women in the tertiary care hospitals of Peshawar. History of each woman was recorded on a questionnaire. Blood pressure was measured using standard methods. About 5 ml of venous blood was drawn for the analysis of lipoproteins

The data was analyzed using computer software package SPSS version 10. The P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant

Results: Mean age of hypertensive cases was 23.2 +/- 0.52 years while that for controls was 23.9 +/- 1.16 years. Significant differences were found in serum lipoproteins. Women having eclampsia had 28.8%, 29.5%, 31.1%, 32.9% and 65.3% higher, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol [LDLC], triglycerides [TG], total cholesterol [TC]:high density lipoprotein-cholesterol [HDLC] ratio, LDLCiHDLC ratio and TG:HDLC ratio respectively as compared to the control group. The HDLC concentrations, HDLC:VLDLC ratio and apolipoprotein-A1 level were 26.9%, 56.6% and 27.9% respectively, lower in the patient group as compared to the controls

Conclusion: This study suggests that evaluation of lipoprotein concentrations during antenatal period can be helpful in the early detection and prevention of developing eclampsia

Effect of aloe vera whole leaf extract on lipid profile status in high fat diet and low dose streptozotocin induced type 2 diabetic rats

Objective To determine the effect of Aloe vera whole leaf extract on lipid profile in type 2 diabetic rats

Study Design: Randomized control trail

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Physiology Army Medical College, Rawalpindi in collaboration with National Institute of Health [NIH] Islamabad from April 2009 to Oct 2010

Materials and Methods: Type 2 DM was induced in 45 healthy rats by feeding high fat diet for 2 weeks and injecting a low dose [35mg/kg] of streptozotocin intra peritoneally. Type 2 diabetic rats were randomly divided into three groups, each group having 15 rats and were labeled as diabetic group, Aloe vera group and rosiglitazonegroup. The diabetic group was injected normal saline, Aloe vera group was treated with Aloe vera whole leaf extract in dose of 300mg/kg body weight and rosiglitazone group was given 5mg/kg body weight of rosiglitazone I/P for 21 days

Results: A significant reduction resulted in triglycerides [50%], total cholesterol [49%], low density lipoprotein [57%],, very low density lipoprotein [50%], and increase in high density lipoprotein [50%]. The results of present study provide a scientific basis of using Aloe vera whole leaf extract as lipid lowering drug to reduce the complication and mortality associated with DM

Conclusion: The maximum impact was recorded in rosiglitazone group followed by Aloevera group

Depression among patients with type-II diabetes mellitus

This study aimed to determine the frequency of depression among patients with type-II diabetes mellitus in Peshawar at Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, from March to September 2010. Depression was assessed by using Beck Depressive Inventory-II [BDI-II]. Out of 140 patients with type-II diabetes, 85 [61%] were women and 55 [39%] were men. Mean age was 45 +/- 7.45 years. Eighty four [60%] patients presented with severe depression. Depression was higher in females than males and widows. Depression was high in diabetic patients, especially in females and widows. It is of essence that psychiatric attention may be necessary to be incorporated in diabetes care both for prevention and treatment

Abnormal Lipid levels as a risk factor of eclampsia, study conducted in tertiary care Hospitals of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province - Pakistan

To evaluate abnormal lipid metabolism as a risk factor of eclampsia in pregnant women. This cross sectional study was conducted in three tertiary care hospitals of Peshawar. Serum total cholesterol [TC], high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], low density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], very low density lipoprotein cholesterol [VLDL-C], triglyceride [TG], apolipoprotein A1 [APO-A1], APO-B100, lipoprotein-a [Lpa] were measured in 110 women with eclampsia and compared with 90 healthy pregnant women. Mean lipid levels in cases and controls were compared using student's t test. Mean systolic/diastolic blood pressure, TC, TG, VLDL-C and Lpa levels were significantly higher [p < 0.001] in patients compared to control women. Similarly TC: HDL-C, LDL-C: HDL-C and TG: HDL-C ratio in the patients group were significantly higher [p < 0.001] and HDL-C: VLDL-C ratio was significantly lower [p < 0.001] in the patients as compared to control group. Undesirable cholesterol were noted in 35.8% patients, HDL-C in 50.5%, borderline high concentration of LDL-C in 23.6%, high triglycerides levels in 73.2%, undesirable cholesterol ratio in 52.3% and undesirable LDL-C ratio were noted in 82.1% patients of eclampsia. Serum lipids were found significantly higher thus early assessment may be helpful in prevention of complications in the eclampsia patients