Subclinical rickets

The study on sub clinical rickets is unique in the sense that it has not been preplanned conducted anywhere especially in Pakistan. The objective of present study was to explore the prevalence, gender and geographical distribution of sub clinical rickets and their related factors among school students. Out of total participants, 189[90%] students were finally included in the study from rural, urban and suburban high schools of Hazara Division, KPK. The age of boys and girls students was 11 years to 16 years. Anthropometrics data along with daily intakes of meal and availability of sun shine was noted on record form. Sub clinical cases were diagnosed with abnormal biochemical findings without physical indications of rickets. Sub clinical rickets was found in 51[27%] students, out of which 15[8%] were boys and 36[19%] girls. Geographically, 26 cases of sub clinical rickets were from rural schools, 16 of urban and 09 found in suburban school. All sub clinical cases had serum level of sunshine vitamin D in between >/= 18nmol/l to

Subclinical nutritional rickets among adolescents in kaghan valley

To determine the occurrence of subclinical rickets and its causing factors among adolescent students of schools in Kaghan Valley, Pakistan. Observation cross-sectional study. Department of Biochemistry and Health Sciences, Hazara University, Mansehra, Ayub Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad, from March to April 2012. Sixty seven students [34 boys and 33 girls] age between 11 - 16 years included in the study from different schools of Kaghan Valley, Pakistan. Characteristic, serum biochemical and nutritional status were measured for all the participants. On the basis of biochemical finding the boys and girls students were divided in to two groups, normal subjects and subclinical rickets [absent symptoms with altered biochemistry]. Twenty six participants, 19 [73%] girls and 07 [27%] boys had biochemical abnormality but no clinical signs and symptoms of rickets. Low vitamin D and high alkaline phosphatase level were observed in 26 [100%], 21 [81%], low calcium in 17 [65%] and low phosphorus 7 [27%] subjects with subclinical rickets. None had high parathormone level above normal range. Nutritional intake of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D was found less than the recommended daily intake in all the participants. Subclinical rickets is common problem among adolescent students especially in girls which is due to low nutritional intakes and avoidance of sunshine due to environmental and traditional impacts

Insulin deficiency among newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics

Any patient above the age of 40 years, coming with the symptoms of diabetes is labelled as type 2 diabetic. If insulin levels are included in the protocol for initial investigations of diabetic patients, they can be differentiated as having insulin deficiency or insulin resistance. They can thus be treated accordingly. This study was conducted to see the prevalence of insulin resistance and insulin deficiency in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics. This study was conducted on 75 newly diagnosed diabetic subjects, and 75 control subjects for comparison. Fasting serum insulin was assayed by ELISA and HOMA-IR index was calculated. The diabetic subjects with fasting hyperglycaemia and serum insulin level below 20 micro IU/ml and HOMA-IR index below 3.5 were grouped as insulin deficient [Group-A], and the diabetic subjects with fasting insulin level above 20 micro IU/ml and HOMA-IR index above 3.5 were grouped as insulin resistant [Group-B]. Twenty-eight percent subjects were found to have insulin level below 20 micro IU/ml while 72% subjects had insulin resistance. When gender was taken into consideration, it was seen that 18.7% males had fasting insulin level of 6.98 +/- 0.737 micro IU/ml and 9.3% females had fasting insulin level of 5.21 +/- 0.885 micro IU/ml while 32% males and 40% females had insulin resistance. The mean age of male subjects with insulin resistance was significantly higher compared to the male subjects with insulin deficiency. Mean weight and body mass index of the male and female subjects having insulin resistance was significantly higher than their respective control groups and also higher than the subjects with insulin deficiency. Pearson coefficient of correlation was calculated for fasting serum insulin level with age and BMI. A significant positive correlation was observed between fasting serum insulin and age of females with insulin resistance. A considerable number of persons who develop diabetes after 40 years of age but are not insulin resistant. Twenty-eight percent subjects have relative insulin deficiency, and 72% subjects have insulin resistance.

Effect of body mass index on serum leptin levels

Background: Leptin is product of ob gene, an adipose tissue derived hormone that plays a key role in the regulation of body fat mass by regulating appetite and metabolism while balancing energy intake and energy expenditure. The objective of the study was to evaluate possible association between serum leptin levels and Body Mass Index [BMI] of gender in adult age group. Methods: Two-hundredseventy subjects aged 20–50 years were randomly selected from general population of Abbottabad. The subjects were grouped on the basis on BMI [89 normal, 92 overweight, and 89 obese]. After complete evaluation, demographic data was recorded and BMI. Non-fasting venous blood samples were drawn to measure serum leptin and serum glucose levels. The data were analysed using SPSS-15 calculating mean, percentage, independent t-test and chi-square test. Correlation and regression curve analysis wer obtained, and p and r values were calculated. Results: Serum leptin levels and differences betwee genders were significant in all body mass indices. For normal BMI group the mean values for leptin were 2.6 +/- 1.5 ?g/ml in men, and 17.3 +/- 10.2 ?g/ml for women. For Group-2 mean leptin levels in men were 9.9 +/- 6.8 ?g/ml and in women were 34.8 +/- 13.6 ?g/ml. For Group-3 BMI comprising obese subject mean values for men were 21.3 +/- 14.2 ?g/ml and for women were 48.21 +/- 21.2 ?g/ml [p<0.001]. Conclusion: A progressive increase in serum leptin concentration was observed with an increase in BMI. Significant difference between leptin concentrations in either gender was found in normal, overweight and obese subjects. Keywords: Serum leptin levels, weight gain, BMI

Vitamin-C protect ethanol induced apoptotic neurodegeneration in postnatal rat brain

To evaluate ethanol effects to induced activation of caspsae-3, and to observe the protective effects of Vitamin C [vit-C] on ethanol-induced apoptotic neurodegeneration in rat cortical area of brain. Administration of a single dose of ethanol in 7-d postnatal [P7] rats triggers activation of caspase-3 and widespread apoptotic neuronal death. Western blot analysis, cells counting and Nissl staining were used to elucidate possible protective effect of vit-C against ethanol-induced apoptotic neurodegeneration in brain. The results showed that ethanol significantly increased caspase-3 expression and neuronal apoptosis. Furthermore, the co-treatment of vit-C along with ethanol showed significantly decreased expression of caspase-3 as compare to control group. Our findings indicate that vit-C can prevent some of the deleterious effect of ethanol on developing rat brain when given after ethanol exposure and can be used as an effective protective agent for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome [FAS]

Determination of serum gonadotropin and testosterone levels in male infertility

To determine the levels and ratios of serum LH, FSH and Testosterone, among men having history of infertility, A non-interventional descriptive study was carried out in the Department of Public Health Laboratories Division, NIH, Islamabad from January 2004 to December 2005. Two hundred fifty infertile men, classified as azoospermic [50], oligozoospermic [75], asthenozoospermic [50] and normozoospermic [75] were studied for serum LH, FSH and Testosterone, in addition to 50 proven fathers. The respective FSH [mlU/ml] LH [mlU/ml] and Testosterone [nmol/L] levels for the groups were 22.924.15, 13.852.33 and 11.860.70 [Azoospermia], 16.823.79, 10.921.22 and 11.88 +/- 1.06 [Oligozoospermia], 3.220.61, 3.921.17 and 16.24 +/- 2.05 [Asthenozoospermia] while in normozoospermic men were 5.530.52, 7.400.60 and 17.29+1.02, The proven fathers group had 7.74 +/- 0.71 mlU/ml LH, 6.75+1.06 mlU/ml FSH and 15.88 +/- 1.15 nmol/ml testosterone, respectively. The LH/FSH and FSH/LH ratios were 0.77 +/- 0.08 and 1.84 +/- 0.22 [Azoospermia], 1.78 +/- 0.41 and 1.47 +/- 0.18 [Oligozoospermia], 1.51 +/- 0.46 and 1.28 +/- 0.28 [Asthenozoospermia] while in normozoospermic and proven fathers were 1.55 +/- 0.16 and 0.85 +/- 0.10,1.67 +/- 0.22 and 0.94 +/- 0.12. Similarly, the LH/T and T/LH ratios were 1.17 +/- 0.28 and 0.86 +/- 2.70 [Azoospermia], 0.92 +/- 0.28 and 1.08 +/- 0.17 [Oligozoospermia], 0.30 +/- 0.10 and 4.14 +/- 10.4 [Asthenozoospermia] and in normozoospermic were 0.42 +/- 0.08 and 2.34 +/- 0.48.The ratios observed for T/FSH and FSH/T were 0.52 +/- 0.17 and 1.93 +/- 5.95 [Azoospermia], 0.71 +/- 0.28 and 1.42 +/- 3.57 [Oligozoospermia], 5.04 +/- 3.38 and 0.20 +/- 0.30 [Asthenozoospermia] and in normozoospermic men were 2.82 +/- 0.90 and 0.35 +/- 1.12, while in proven fathers were 4.09 +/- 0.57and 1.04 +/- 0.53 respectively. Altered/disturbed concentrations of gonadotropins and androgenic hormones and their ratios cause infertility, since all these hormones act synergistically