Comparison of iron stores in healthy individuals and patients with ischemic heart disease

Excess body iron has been linked to atherosclerosis owing to its pro-oxidative properties. However, inconsistent results have emerged from the epidemiological studies linking iron status and the risk of cardiovascular diseases [CVD]. Objective of the present study is to compare iron stores of healthy individuals and patients with ischaemic heart disease [IHD]. A total of 137 subjects were included in the study, 90 patients of IHD and 47 healthy subjects with no history of IHD as controls. We compared body iron stores of patients and controls. Serum ferritin, serum transferrin receptor [sTfR] and sTfR/ferritin ratio were used as measures of body iron stores. Our results revealed that mean serum ferritin concentration of cases was significantly higher than controls. Moreover, mean sTfR and sTfR/ferritin ratio of controls was significantly higher than the patients. We conclude from our results that IHD patients have higher iron stores than healthy subjects suggesting a possible association between high iron stores and the risk of IHD

Intra-caste consanguineous marriages major factor in spread of thalassemia in our society

Background: thalassemia's, a group of inherited hemoglobin disorders, constitute a major international health problem

Objects: the current study examined the relative risk of thalassemia posed by consanguineous marriages in thalassemia families

Material and Methods: the study was based on qualitative data collected through interviews and questionnaire based surveys from 262 families suffering from thalassemia including couples and their children

Results: out of the 262 couples, majority [72%] were first cousins. These 262 families had a total of 1046 children, 582 males and 464 females. Out of these, 303 boys and 293 girls were healthy whereas 279 boys and 171 girls were thalassemia. Caste system was the major factor affecting Consanguinity and inbreeding and Raj put caste was the most prominent caste [21%] of the 22 Castes studied

Conclusion: intra-caste marriages represent one of the major factors in the consanguineous spread of Thalassemia's in our society

Plasma osteopontin as an indicator of metastasis in patients with prostate cancer

Objective: To evaluate plasma osteopontin [OPN] levels in prostate cancer [PCa] patients for determining its association with disease stage

Material and Methods: The study was conducted at University of Health Sciences Lahore [UHS]. 60 diagnosed patients of prostate cancer were included in this study and comparison was made with 30 healthy males as controls. OPN was measured using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] technique

Results: OPN levels were significantly elevated in PCa patients with metastasis against the patients without metastasis

Conclusion: The current study provides useful local data suggesting an association between elevated plasma OPN and bone metastasis in patients with PCa