Procollagen III peptide and laminin as serum markers of diabetic retinopathy

Sixty two diabetic patients [44 NIDDM and 18 IDDM patients] and twenty control subjects were subjected to estimation of serum fructosamine, serum procollagen III peptide [PIIlP] and serum laminin. Patients were classified according to fundus examination into either those without retinopathy or with background [BGR] or with proliferative [PR] retinopathy. Serum fructosamine was elevated in all diabetics. PIIlP was significantly higher in patients with PR than controls or patients with BGR. Elevation of serum laminin was noticed in all diabetics than controls except in IDDM patients without retinopathy but the difference between patients with and without retinopathy was not significant. Both serum level of laminin and PIIlP were found significantly elevated in NIDDM who received insulin. There was significant correlation between serum PIIlP and laminin with the duration of diabetes and with each other. There was no correlation between either PIIlP and laminin and fructosamine. As a conclusion, estimation of serum PIIP may be of value as a marker of diabetic retinopathy. Serum laminin level does not help to differentiate between diabetic patients with and without retinopathy. Insulin treatment increases the levels of both serum laminin and PIIIP

Comparative study of zinc metabolism in different types of liver cirrhosis

Thirty cases were the subject of the study. They were classified according to liver biopsy and pathological study to pure bilharzial cirrhosis cases, post-hepatitic cirrhotics and mixed cirrhotics [combined billarazial and post-hepatitic]. For all the patients serum enzymes GOT, GPT and alkaline phosphatase level, plasma proteins including albumin and alpha-2 globulin fraction. Zinc level estimation in serum, R.B.C[s], hair, nails, urine and liver tissue was done using atomic absorption spectrophotomeric method. We found that all the cases had low zinc level in serum and all tissues and higher urinary excretion than normal subjects previously studied, and that the severer the hepatic injury, the lower was serum and tissue zinc and the higher was the urinary one. So the highest changes were in cases with post-hepatitic cirrhosis and the least changes in pure bilharzial cases. We concluded that serum and urinary zinc estimation form a simple and reliable method for estimation of liver injury, its extent and recovery-process

Comparative trial of different antimalarial regimens in the treatment of plasmodium falciparum infection with mild cerebral involvement

170 cases of P. Falciparum malaria with mild cerebral involvement was studied. They were given the standard 1500 mg chloroquine orally with 21.7% cure rate. The failures were given the same dose of chloroquine I.M. with 63.63% cure rate. Combination of chloroquine. I.M. or quinine oral with tetracycline 500 mg/6D for 7 days gave the best results of 95% and 75% cure rate respectively. Also hydrocortisone given in large doses for a short period shorten the duration of fever and improve seriously ill patient in a short time with minimal complications

Plasmodium infection and pernicious syndromes

Record of 1420 cases of plasmodium infection-mainly falciparum, but also P. Vivax, P. Malaria and mixed P. Infection [P. Faciparum and vivax] studied in Kuwait and Elthawra hospitals at Sahaa, A.R.Y, during Decmber 1979 to June 1983, have been analysed to establish the prevaence of pernicious syndrome. 1180 cases had P. falciparum, 128 cases P. vivax 66 cases P. Malariae and 46 cases had mixed malarial infection. Pernicious syndrome with single or multiple organ involvement, of which cerebral and hemopoietic complications were the most common [52% and 30% respectively] were seen in 440 cases. While the fewest complications were found in mixed infection [0.98% of cases], the higher one was found in falciparum infection [26.5%]. The early discovery and proper treatment of both simple cases and patients with pernicious symptoms constitute the main chance of recovery from this preventable dise