ABSTRACT
Type 2 diabetes mellitus [DM] is one of the major global health challenges of the 21st century. Owing to their diversified metabolic characteristics and functions, various metals such as zinc [Zn], copper [Cu], chromium [Cr], manganese [Mn], iron [Fe], and magnesium [Mg] are considered to be essential for human health. Deficiency of some essential trace elements may lead to the development of DM. The present study aimed to evaluate the contents of Zn, Cu, Cr, Mn, and Mg in the scalp hair samples of patients with type 2 DM from Jeddah [Saudi Arabia]. The hair samples were collected from 55 patients with DM aged 45-65 years. Also, 55 age-matched nondiabetic healthy subjects were selected from the same city for a comparative analysis. Zn, Cr, Mn, and Mg levels in hair were found to be significantly lower [P < 0.05] in the group of patients with type 2 DM than in nondiabetic subjects. However, the Cu level in hair was significantly higher [P < 0.05] in patients with type 2 DM than in nondiabetic subjects. The results revealed that hair Cu concentrations in patients with DM were positively related to body mass index [BMI], whereas Zn, Cr, Mn, and Mg concentrations were inversely related to BMI. Finally, the concentrations of these trace elements in the scalp hair and serum samples of patients with DM were compared
ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to investigate the association of serum and urine magnesium [Mg] levels of the patients living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with type 2 diabetes mellitus [T2 DM] without complications. The effect of Mg deficiency on the prevalence of DM and its related complications has received great attention. Serum and urine Mg, fasting serum glucose [FSG], glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c], and urine creatinine [Creat] levels were determined in 68 diabetic subjects and 62 age-matched nondiabetic subjects [controls] using auto-analyzer and atomic absorption spectrometer. Body mass indices [BMI] of the subjects were also determined. The serum Mg levels in the patients with T2 DM were significantly lower than that in controls. BMI and the levels of FSG, HbA1c, and urine Mg were significantly higher and urine Creat level lower in diabetic subjects compared with nondiabetic subjects. Significantly lower serum Mg and significantly higher urinary Mg levels were observed in diabetic subjects with poor glycemic control [HbA1c >7%] compared with the nondiabetic population. The present correlation study revealed a highly significant correlation between FSG and HbA1c [r = 0.846, P = 0.000]. Aging and increasing duration of DM alter the metabolism of Mg by decreasing its serum concentration and increasing its urinary excretion. This study also showed a significant negative association between serum Mg and FSG [r = -0.408, P = 0.039 and HbA1c [r = -0.478, P = 0.043]. Also, a significant negative association was observed between serum Mg and age of both patients with T2 DM [r = -0.787, P = 0.044] and controls [r = -0.798, P = 0.041]. Again, a significant negative correlation [r = -0.452, P = 0.018] was observed between serum Mg and urine Mg levels of the diabetic population of the study. DM and poor glycemic control alter the metabolism of Mg by increasing its urinary excretion and lowering its serum levels. Its clinical implications were discussed in this study
ABSTRACT
Diabetes mellitus [DM] is of major and increasing global public health importance. People with diabetes are at increased risk of premature disability and death associated with vascular, renal, retinal, and neuropathic complications. Direct association of trace elements in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes has been observed in many research studies. An alteration in the metabolism of these minerals has been demon- strated in diabetes. The aim of the present study was to investigate zinc [Zn], copper [Cu], chromium [Cr], manganese [Mn] and magnesium [Mg] levels in the serum of patients with type 2 diabetes and age-matched healthy subjects and also to assess the association between these elements and glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c]. The study population consisted of 55 type 2 diabetic patients and 55 age-matched non-diabetic healthy subjects within the age range of 45-65 years. In this study, we found significantly higher Cu levels [P < 0.001], lower Zn levels [P < 0.05], and also lower Cr, Mn, Mg levels [P < 0.05] in patients with DM in comparison with healthy subjects. Statistical analysis showed a positive correlation between serum levels of Cu and Zn in the group of healthy subjects [r = 0.97, P < 0.0001]. In contrast, we found a negative correlation between these metals [r = -0.59, P < 0.0001] in patients with DM. We also found significant higher levels of HbA1c [P< 0.001] in the DM group than in the healthy group. Positive correlations between levels of HbA1c and Cu [r= 0.71, P < 0.001] as well as Cr [r = 0.54, P < 0.0001] and negative correlations between levels of HbA1c and Zn [r = -0.65, P < 0.001] and also Mg [r = -.52, P < 0.001] in the DM group were obtained. Patients with DM had altered metabolism of Zn, Cu, Cr, Mn, and Mg, and this may be related to increased values of glycated hemoglobin. We concluded that imbalance in the levels of studied metals may play an important role in the pathogenesis of DM
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Trace Elements , Glycated Hemoglobin , Zinc/blood , Copper/blood , Chromium/blood , Manganese/blood , Magnesium/bloodABSTRACT
Narghile, one of the names for water pipe, is an instrument for tobacco smoking that has become a trend among the youth in Saudi Arabia. The mistaken opinion that smoking narghile is not as dangerous as smoking cigarettes makes the youngsters and their parents take it lightly and contributes to the expansion of its use. The link between tobacco smoke and cancer has long been established. Smokers are ten times at greater risk of developing lung cancer than that of non-smokers. Narghile smoking has become fashionable worldwide. Its tobacco pastes generally contains 30-70% tobacco. Tobacco contains minute amounts of radiotoxic elements which are inhaled via smoking. Radim-226 is a significant source ofradon-222, an inert radioactive gas, which enters buildings through soil, construction materials or water supply. When tobacco smoke is present, the radioactivity attached to airborne smoke particles and the radioactivity concentration in the room, increases very much compared to a smoke-free room. It remains suspended and available until inhaled as 'secondhand'smoke by anyone in the room. Thus, smoking indoors greatly increases lung cancer risks to all inhabitants. To investigate whether the narghile tobacco itself is a potential source of indoor radon, the level of radon and thoron from radioactive decay were measured in fifteen different brand narghile tobacco paste samples using CR-39 solid state nuclear track detectors [SSNTDs]. The results showed that the [222]Rn and [220] Rn concentrations in these samples ranged from 129 to 273 Bqm[-3] and 55 to 142 Bqm[-3] respectively
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Radon/adverse effects , Lung Neoplasms/etiology , Nicotiana/adverse effects , Social Control, Formal , Tobacco Smoke Pollution , RadioactivityABSTRACT
Diabetes mellitus [DM] is a chronic metabolic disorder affecting carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism. A number of studies have reported an association between DM and alterations in the metabolism of several trace minerals. In this study, serum zinc [Zn], chromium [Cr], manganese[Mn], magnesium [Mg], and lead [Pb] were estimated in 55 diabetic patients attending the clinic of King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah [Saudi Arabia], and the results were compared with those of apparently healthy, nondiabetic volunteers of comparable age and social status. The serum glucose level of diabetic subjects [10.21 +/- 3.56 mmol L-1] was significantly [p < 0.05] higher than the value obtained for the nondiabetic subjects [4.23 +/- 0.15 mmol L-1]. The mean serum levels of Zn [96.25 +/- 24.32 microg/dl], Cr [4.13 +/- 0.52 microg/dl], Mn [3.37 +/- 0.38 microg/dl], and Mg [17.76 +/- 0.96 microg/dl] were significantly [p < 0.05] lowered in diabetic subjects. The mean serum Pb level of diabetic patients was [17.38 +/- 5.06 microg/dl] and significantly higher [p < 0.05] than that of control subjects. In the present study, the age of the diabetic patients did not show any significant correlation with serum glucose [r = 0.124]. The serum levels of glucose were found negatively correlated with serum levels of Zn, Cr, Mn, and Mg of diabetic subjects. A positive relationship was observed between concentrations of serum glucose and Pb [r = 0.438, p < 0.01]. The low serum levels of Zn, Cr, Mn, and Mg in diabetic patients compared to that of control subjects may be due to the poor glycemic control
ABSTRACT
Radon and cigarette smoking have synergistic, multiplicative effect on lung cancer rates. Smokers and nonsmoking residents of smoking households are at increased risk for lung cancer even when radon levels are relatively low. People who inhale tobacco smoke are exposed to higher concentrations of radioactivity. Ever since studies on the relation of smoking to cancer-particularly the lung cancer-has been established, there had been a great interest in studies concerned with the monitoring of the alpha radioactivity in tobacco. Radium-226[226Ra] is a significant source of radon-222 [[222]Rn], which enters buildings through soil, construction materials, or water supply. When cigarette smoke is present, the radon daughters attach to smoke particles. Thus, the alpha radiation dose to a smoker's lungs from the natural radon daughters is increased because of smoking. To investigate whether the cigarette tobacco itself is a potential source of indoor radon, the levels of radon and thoron from radioactive decay were measured in tobacco samples of 15 different brands using CR-39 solid state nuclear track detectors [SSNTDs]. The results showed that the [222]Rn [and [220]Rn concentrations in cigarette tobacco samples ranged from 97 to 204 Bqm[-3] and 38 to 104 Bqm[-3], respectively. The radon concentrations emerged from all investigated samples were significantly higher than the background level. The annual equivalent doses from use of these tobaccos were determined. The measurement of the average indoor radon concentrations in 30 caf rooms was, significantly, higher than 30 smoke-free residential houses. The result refers to the dual [chemical and radioactive] effect of smoking as a risk factor for lung cancer