Oxidant/antioxidant status in children with bronchial asthma

Antioxidant-oxidant imbalances are thought to contribute to oxidative stress in bronchial asthma. The aim of this study was to examine serum malondialdehyde as a biomarker of oxidative stress in asthma in relation to dietary and metal scavengers antioxidants. In this study, serum levels of beta-carotene, vitamin A, alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid addition to serum albumin, transferrin, ceruloplasmin and malondialdehyde were investigated in 49 asthmatic children during an acute exacerbation and remission. 24 healthy children served as controls. Malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher at asthma attack compared to remission [P=<0.001]. Ascorbic acid, albumin and transferrin were significantly lower in asthmatics at remission compared to controls [P=<0.001] with no significant differences in their levels during acute exacerbation and remission periods. No differences were observed in the serum levels of beta-carotene, vitamin. A, alpha-tocopherol or ceruloplasmin between the groups. Although the mechanisms underlying the association between asthma and oxidant/antioxidant system are unclear, according to our findings, increased oxidant stress as reflected by malondialdehyde level and decreased ascorbic acid, albumin and transferrin antioxidant protection may contribute to the pathogenesis of asthma

Serum selenium lipids abnormalities in cirrhotic patients with and without ischemic heart disease

Although the cirrhotic patients are less prone to develop ischemic heart disease [IHD], this study was done to investigate why some and rare cirrhotic patients develop this cardiac disease. Forty male cirrhotic patients of Child's B and C grading were selected twenty of them had only liver cirrhosis [group I] and the other twenty had also IHD [group II]. Liver function tests, serum lipid parameters and serum selenium were done for all subjects. ECG, echo - Doppler study and serum enzymes as CPK and LDH were done additional for patients of group II.Contrary to control, the cirrhotic patients showed highly significant reduction in serum selenium and HDL levels [P<0.01]. They also showed highly significant increases in total lipid, total cholesterol, LDL and triglyceride levels in the serum [P<0.01]. Contrary to the results of group I, serum results of group II showed significant reduction in selenium level, highly significant reduction in HDL and highly Significant increases in total lipids, total cholesterol, LDL and triglyceride levels.In both groups, serum selenium reduction was significant directly correlated with serum albumin level and was highly significant directly correlated with HDL level. However, it was highly significant inversely correlated with serum levels of total lipids, total cholesterol, LDL and triglyceride.It can be concluded that the cirrhotic patients had highly significant reduction in serum selenium and cardioprotective lipoprotein [HDL] levels. Also, they developed highly significant increases in the levels of atherogenesis-induced parameters as total lipids, total cholesterol, LDL and triglyceride. Thus, the highly significant hyperlipidaemia and atherogenesis in patients of group II may be attributed to more significant reduction in their serum selenium

Plasma levels of leptin in patients with chronic heart failure

Chronic heart failure [CHF] is a syndrome characterized by energy dysregulation. In this study, plasma levels of leptin, a protein hormone secreted by adipocytcs and involved in energy regulation, were determined in fourty patients with CHF divided into two equal groups; mild CHF patients, with New York Heart Association [NYHA] functional class 2, and severe CHF patients with NYHA functional class 3 or 4. Left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] as determined by echocardiography was < 45% in all patients. The study included also 20 healthy subjects matched for age, gender and body mass index, as controls. Plasma leptin levels were determined by radioimmunoassay. showed significant elevation in plasma leptin levels in patients with severe CHF [8.3 +/- 0.5 ng/nil] compared to controls [5.2 +/- 0.4 ng/ ml, p < 0.001] and mild CHF patients [6.8 +/- 0.6 ng / ml, p< 0.05], with a significant difference between mild CHF patients and controls [p < 0.05]. Signifcant negative [r = 0.362, p < 0.05] and positive [r = + 0.376, p < 0.05] correlations were noticed between plasma leptin levels and each of LVEF and NYHA functional class respectively. we found that patients with CHF were hyperleptinenic with significant correlation between plasma leptin levels and severity of the disease. Further studies arc recommended to clarify the significance of these findings, and we wonder whether leptin could be a marker and / or mediator of energy dysregulation in CHF patients