Biochemical bone specific markers in early rheumatoid arthritis

To assess the potential of biochemical markers of bone turnover in early rheumatoid arthritis to reflect disease processes and to help monitor the course of the disease. serum from twenty five patients with early rheumatoid arthritis [RA] and from ten healthy control subjects were studied with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for bone sialoprotein and osteocalcin. Rheumatoid arthritis patients had significantly increased serum bone sialoprotein [BSP] in comparison with control subjects [P<0.001] whereas no significant difference was found between the two groups in the levels of osteocalin [P>0.05]. Bone sialoprotein as a biochemical marker of bone turnover can be measured to provide an assessment of disease process in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis

Plasma free fatty acid levels in ischemic heart diseases

To evaluate the pattern of plasma free fatty acids [FFA] in ischemic heart diseases, we compared patients who had suffered a myocardial infarction with age matched control subjects free from clinically apparent ischemic heart diseases. We found significant low levels of serum palmitic. stearic. oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids in acute myocardial infarction [AMI] group as compared with healthy control one. Whereas no significant difference was found between chronic myocardial ischemia [CMI] and acute myocardial ischemia [AMI] groups On the other h and, there was significant low levels of palmitic, stearic and oleic acids in CMI group as compared to healthy control one. The positive ecological correlations between national intakes of total fat and saturated fatty acids and cardiovascular mortality found in earlier studies were questionable or absent in our recent study

Plasma Endothelin 1 [ET-1] in Type 2 [non-insulin-dependent] Diabetes Mellitus

To evaluate the level of plasma endothelin-1 in NIDDM with and without hypertension. Plasma ET-1 levels were evaluated [by enzyme immunoassay] in 50 subjects. Thirty patients with NIDDM [15 nor-motensive and 15 hypertensive] and twenty subjects serving as controls [10 hypertensive and 10 healthy normotensive]. Circulating ET-1 levels are significantly higher in normotensive NIDDM [2.41 +/- 0.36 ng/mL] and hypertensive NIDDM [2.63 +/- 0.44 ng/ml] when compared with healthy controls [0.73 +/- 0.14 ng/ml] and hypertensive controls [0.84 +/- 0.13 ng/ml] [P<0.001]. Also there are no significant correlations between plasma ET-1 levels and fasting blood glucose [r = 0.188. P>0.05], mean blood pressure [r = 0.129, P>0.05], duration of diabetes [r = 0.137, P>0.05] and age of subjects [r = 0.099. P>0.05] Significant plasma endothelin-1 elevation in diabetic subjects may relate to diabetic endothelial cell damage and in turn be an important background factor in diabetic vascular complications and endothelin-1 receptor antagonists may have a role in ameliorating this dysfunction

Plasma insulin/glucagon molar ratio in euglycaemic experimental animals: effect of nifedipine

To evaluate the plasma levels of insulin and glucagon as well as insulin/glucagon molar ratio under the effect of calcium-channel blocker [nifedipine] in adult male albino rats. Adult male albino rats were classified into placebo [acute and chronic] and nifedipine-treated [acute and chronic] groups. The drug groups received nifedipine in recommended daily doses by means of intragastric tubes for three months for the chronic group whereas the acute group received nifedipine in a single dose. Insulin and glucagon were assayed by RIA Kits and insulin/glucagon [I/G] ratio was calculated. A decrease in plasma levels of insulin and an increase in plasma levels of glucagon together with decrease in insulin/glucagon molar ratio were recorded in chronic nifedipine group as compared to placebo group. The calcium-channel blockers have a hyperglycaemic effect which is thought to be time dependent and so a great care must be taken into consideration if these drugs are obliged for the chronic use for diabetic and hypertensive patients and plasma glucose level as well as I/G ratio should be monitored regularly in patients receiving calcium-channel blocker-nifedipine