Purines and oxypurines in myocardial ischemia

To evaluate the plasma levels of purine nucleosides and oxypurines in the presence of other risk factors as additional markers for the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia and severity of myocardial infarction. A case control study was conducted on 101 patients with ischemic heart disease [stable angina, n=19: unstable angina, n=29: acute myocardial infarction [AMI]; n=53 patients] admitted to the Cardiology Unit at Al-Kadhimyia Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq from January to November 2007 in addition to 31 healthy controls. Blood samples were aspirated from those with AMI within the first 12 hours of onset of chest pain. Plasma adenosine [ADO], inosine [INO], hypoxanthine [HYP], and xanthine [XAN] were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The mean plasma ADO, INO, HYP, and XAN levels were raised in unstable angina over the control values. More increase in all nucleosides and oxypurines was reported in the plasma of patients with AMI as compared to the controls and those of stable angina. The INO [p = 0.01] and HYP [p = 0.001] values were increased significantly in diabetic men with AMI and at age of Conclusion: The levels of purines and their catabolites could be used as additional indices for prior or current ischemia. Pretreatment with such nucleosides, or their oxypurine derivatives, is suggested to improve the regional ventricular function after coronary artery occlusion

Effects of trace elements on albumin and lipoprotein glycation in diabetic retinopathy

To test the effect of some trace elements, on protein and lipoprotein glycosylation and their impact on the severity of diabetic retinopathy. A case control study was conducted in 42 diabetic patients [14 without retinopathy [DC]; 14 with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy [NPDR]; 14 with proliferative diabetic retinopathy [PDR]] at Ebin Al-Haitham Specialized Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq for Ocular Diseases from February to December 2008. In addition to 20 age and gender matched healthy controls [NC]. The glycation of albumin, alpha-, pre beta-, and beta-lipoproteins was measured by agarose gel electrophoresis. Serum levels of cadmium [Cd], selenium [Se], chromium [Cr], zinc [Zn], and copper [Cu] were analyzed by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometer. There was significant elevation in the mean serum glycated beta-lipoprotein in DC [p<0.05] and a near significant increase [p=0.06] in the means of both glycated albumin and pre beta-lipoproteins among the PDR and NPDR groups. Moreover, a significant reductions in serum means of Cd [p<0.05] and Zn/Cu ratios [p<0.001] were recorded in all diabetic retinopaths as compared to DC. The Cd level rises with the increase in duration of diabetes [p<0.001] and hyperglycemia [p<0.025] whereas, the serum Cr values decreases with the progression of diabetes [p<0.025]. Both glycation and oxidative processes are involved in the development of diabetic retinopathy, and changes in the concentration of Cd, Se, Cr, Zn, and Cu have some impact on the disease progression