Evaluation of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and serum lipid profile in southeastern Nigerian women with pre-eclampsia

To evaluate the serum C-reactive protein [CRP] and lipid profile in women with pre-eclampsia. Materials and Thirty-five women with and 35 women without pre-eclampsia, who were in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, were enrolled in this study. Weight in kilogrammes and height in metres were measured to calculate the mean body mass index [BMI] for each group. The diastolic and systolic blood pressures were measured. Lipid profile tests and serum CRP assay were done for all patients. Total cholesterol, triglycerides [TG] and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C] were determined using enzymatic methods, while low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C] was calculated using Friedewald's formula. The mean values of the BMI were 29.47 +/- 6.90 versus 26.14 +/- 2.92, of the diastolic blood pressure 109.14 +/- 15.41 versus 72.29 +/- 9.42 mm Hg and of the systolic blood pressure 170.57 +/- 19.55 versus 120.86 +/- 17.72 mm Hg for women with and without pre-eclampsia, respectively, and the differences were statistically significant [p = 0.012, p = 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively]. The biochemical analysis also indicated that the women with pre-eclampsia had a significantly higher mean serum CRP [8.57 +/- 2.68 vs. 6.46 +/- 2.46 mg/l, p = 0.001], TG [2.84 +/- 0.45 vs. 1.87 +/- 0.38 mmol/l, p = 0.001] and total cholesterol [5.59 +/- 0.92 vs. 4.63 +/- 0.78 mmol/l, p = 0.001] level but a lower mean HDL-C [1.10 +/- 0.12 vs. 1.26 +/- 0.15 mmol/l, p = 0.001] level than the controls. There was no statistical difference in the mean LDL-C values between the 2 groups [1.58 +/- 0.8 vs. 1.45 +/- 0.78 mmol/l, p > 0.05]. Significant changes in CRP as well as TG, total cholesterol and HDL-C were associated with pre-eclampsia in these Southeastern Nigerian women

Lipid profile of subjects infected with Schistosoma haematobium in South-Western Nigeria

To determine the plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C] and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C] in Schistosoma haematobium- infected subjects and healthy persons. The plasma concentration of lipids and the fractions with the urine microscopy of one hundred [100] subjects who had evidence of Schistosomiasis, selected from 14C, a rural area in Osun State, Nigeria and one hundred [100] healthy controls selected randomly in Osogbo, an urban centre in Osun State, Nigeria were determined. The age of the subjects ranged between 7-13 years with mean +/- SD of 11.00 [ +/- 1.69] years and 10.5 [ +/- 2.01] years for test subjects and controls respectively. The mean plasma concentration of triglyceride, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C] and low density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C] were significantly lower among S. haematobium-infected subjects than in controls irrespective of the age and sex [p<0.01]. Significantly lower plasma lipid levels found in infected subjects lend support to the hypothesis that schistosome eggs probably contribute to alteration of lipid profile through enhancing of LDL-uptake by macrophages

Coffee consumption could affect the activity of some liver enzymes and other biochemical parameters in healthy drinkers

To investigate the effect of coffee consumption on some liver function indices in adult male and female Nigerians. Thirty apparently healthy subjects, consisting of 18 men and 12 women, were made to consume 2 g of coffee daily for a total of 30 days. Activities of aspartate transaminase [AST], alanine transaminase [ALT], alkaline phosphatase [ALP] and plasma concentrations of total and conjugated bilirubin, total protein and albumin were determined using standard methods. Relative to baseline values, coffee consumption raised mean levels of ALT by 4 IU/l [p < 0.001], AST by 2.0 1 U/l [p < 0.001], ALP by 3.0 1 U/l [p < 0.01], total bilirubin by 0.90 mg/dl [p < 0.05] and total protein by 1.1 g/l [p < 0.05]. Gender differences were observed. Significantly higher mean ALP concentration was only seen in male subjects, while mean bilirubin concentration was significantly raised in female volunteers alone. On the other hand, the mean total protein and albumin concentrations in individual male and female groups were not significantly altered [p > 0.05 in each case]. The result obtained from the study suggests that short-term consumption of coffee might have a significant effect on the integrity of the liver function tests studied