Effect of garlic on plasma lipid profile of hyperlipidaemic patients-role of insulin

The aim of this work is to study the effect of garlic on lipid profile and serum insulin in hyperlipidaemic patients. The study was performed on 30 hyperlipidaemic patients and 15 healthy volunteers. Garlic was given in a dose of 600 mg daily over a period of 6 weeks and blood samples were analyzed initially, after 3 weeks and after 6 weeks. Hyperlipidaemic patients were subgrouped according to their age [below or above 45 years] and according to their clinical manifestations. Best responses were obtained from the young group and the coronary artery disease group, where serum triglyceride dropped and serum HDL rose to significant levels. Serum cholesterol and LDL levels did not show significant falls with different clinical presentations. Serum insulin concentration dropped in the young group and the coronary artery disease group. Insulin is known to promote an atherogenic lipid profile. The fall in insulin concentration [though not statistically significant] could be a factor contributing to the hyperlipidaemic effect of garlic therapy. This needs further investigation to clarify, whether or not, insulin could play a role in the hyperlipidaemic effect of garlic therapy

Analysis of 500 cases of missing IUD threads

Five hundred consecutive contraceptors whose IUD threads were neither visible nor palpable at the time of examination were included in this study.Three hundred and seventy women had their IUD in utero [20 were pregnant] and 30 had unnoticed expulsions. One hundred devices were in the peritoneal cavity. Since the IUD was in the uterine cavity in the majority of these cases, most contraceptors whose IUD threads disappear could be managed in the outpatient clinic with relatively simple techniques to locate and remove the device

Immunological role of antifood and antimyocardial antibodies in the pathogenesis, follow-up and prognosis of coronary heart disease

A study of serum antibodies against milk, egg and myocardial antigens was undertaken in 52 patients with myocardial infarction and 20 controls. In patients as in controls, anti-milk and anti-egg antibodies seemed to go hand in had with the amount of these foods consumed. Thus they could be found prior to the infraction and may or may not have played a role in its pathogenesis since there was no increase in frequency of such antibodies in patients who developed infraction than in controls. It was suggested, however, that high titres seemed useful in predicting prognosis, especially as regards death. Also confirmed the presence of antimyocardial antibodies in 44% of cases. Titres rose soon after the myocardial damage, fell during recovery and often disappeared on complete recovery. They were thus considered secondary to the infraction and not the predisposing cause, as well as being useful in follow-up to denote the extent of recovery. There was no difference between the frequency of antibody presence and the occurrence of complications