Hormonal changes as stressful factor in hypertensive emergencies

It was observed that acute hypertensive complications develop stress reaction in the first few hours of presentation. The differential outcome of the various types of hypertensive emergencies may be contributed or exaggerated by different hormonal factors. Some people develop hyperglycemia on exposure to stress and it is not known if it is due to insulin deficiency or excess of other stress hormones our aim was to search for the occurrence hormnonal changes in the different types of hypertensive emergencies. We measured cortisol, insulin, glucose in 3 groups of hypertensive emergencies, stroke, heart failure and encephalopathy, we found significant increase of cortisol level in encephalopathy group, may be clue to more stress in this group. There was also significant correlation between insulin and cortisol levels. High plasma insulin in encephalopathy group may be a leading cause to the pathogenesis of encephalopathy through its vasodilating effect. Low plasma insulin in stroke group encourage the theory of treating the early stroke patients with glucose and insulin

Serum and skin trace elements in some inflammatory dermatosis

This study was done on 91 patients suffering from psoriasis vulgaris [33 patients], acne vulgaris [33 patients] and atopic dermatitis [25 patients] and atopic dermatitis [25 children] and 26 healthy control of matched age and sex [16 adults of both sexes and 10 children]. Zinc, copper, cobalt and selenium were estimated in the serum and skin of patients and controls. Zinc levels were reduced significantly in serum and skin of psoriatic patients and only in skin of acne vulgaris and atopic dermatitis patients as compared with control groups. Selenium levels were reduced significantly in both serum and skin of psoriatic and atopic dermatitis patients and only in serum of acne vulgaris patients when compared with control groups. Copper levels were significantly increased in serum of psoriatic and atopic dermatitis patients as compared to the control groups

Echo-doppler study of left ventricular diastolic function in patients with psoriasis

This work was performed to assess left ventricular [LV] diastolic and systolic performance in 50 psoriatic patients diagnosed clinically and with skin biopsy, as well, as 20 healthy individuals by using electrocardiographic and Doppler-Echocardiographic techniques. All the studied psoriatic subgroups showed subclinical alteration of LV performance both systolic performance in the form of prolonged QTc., reduction of LVEF [Ejection fraction] and% FS and the diastolic performance in the form of significant reduction of M-mode mitral-EF slope: and non-significant decrease in E peak velocity: significant increase in A peak velocity as well as significant decrease of E/A ratio of the transmitral Doppler flow study. The duration of psoriasis has more deleterious effect on the parameters reflecting LV systolic performance while the severity and extent of psoriatic lesion alter more the parameters of LV diastolic performance. The presence or absence of psoriatic arthritis or nail pitting does not affect the changes observed in LV performance. For the first time; pericardial effusion and tricuspid valve prolapse to be observed in psoriatic patients [4% and 6% respectively]. In conclusion cardiac examination is advised in psoriatic patients

comparative study of the effect of griseofulvin and ketoconazole on some liver functions

Sixty six patients suffering from dermatophyte infections of different clinical types were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups, group A received ketoconazole [30 patients]. Clinical. Mycological and liver function tests were performed before therapy and after one month and 2 months treatment. Our results showed that clinical response to treatment was nearly equal in both groups without significant difference [p > 0.05]. no clinical evidence of liver toxicity was observed in either group. All parameters of liver function tests were insignificantly elevated after one month of therapy with either drug. However after 2 months, there was significant elevation of total bilirubin [p < 0.05] and highly significant increase in direct bilirubin [p < 0.001] in both groups. In conclusion, there was no significant difference between the effect of either drug on liver function tests except that alkaline phosphatase showed significant increase [p < 0.05] after 2 months of treatment with griseofulvin compared to ketoconazole