Biomarkers for rheumatoid arthritis in textile workers and the role of sex hormones

Rheumatoid arthritis [RA] is a common systemic chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease of unknown origin. There was an evidence of increased rate of RA in textile workers, and was higher among women. Fifty two textile workers [have worked for more than two years] and sixty two control subjects of both sexes were included in the study. The studied biomarkers of RA were rheumatoid factor [RF], specific immunoglobulins [IgM-RF and IgA-RF], anti cyclic citrullinated peptide [anti-CCP], C- reactive protein [CRP] and antinuclear antibodies [ANA], in addition to measurement of the sex hormones [estradiol, testosterone, and prolactin] in the two groups. The most prominent symptom among the examined workers was painful big joints. The percent of textile workers with positive CRP was significantly higher compared to their controls, but there was no significant difference according to the total RF positive test. The levels of ANA, IgA RF and anti-CCP of the workers were significantly higher than their controls. There is no significant difference between the workers and their controls regarding sex hormones

Noninvasive markers in monitoring hepatocellular damage: role of natural antioxidants: nigella sativa, honey and silymarin in treatment of hepatocellular damage

Liver fibrosis induced experimentally by using carbontetrachloride [CC14] as a toxic substance. To evaluate the treatment effects of some natural antioxidants such as Nigella sativa [N. sativa], Honey [H.] and Silymarin [S.] in CC14-induced liver fibrosis in rats, some biochemical markers such as glutathione-S-transferase [alpha-GST], Malonedialdehyde [MDA], Nitric oxide [NO] and matrix metalloproteinase [MMP-2] were determined and compared to the liver functions [ALT and AST] and Hemoglobin [Hb]. 100 rats were divided into 20 normal rats served as control, 20 rats injected 1 mg/kg/day CC14 intrapretonially 3 times a week for 8 weeks, 60 rats divided equally into 3 subgroups subjected to the same injection plus oral administration of 50 mg/kg/ day N. sativa, H. and S. daily for another 4 weeks. alpha-GST, MDA, NO and MMP-2 were estimated by enzyme immunoassay and ALT, AST and Hb were estimated by colorimetric assay. Statistical program SPSS, VI2 was used for data analysis. The results showed a significant increase [P<0.05] in alpha-GST, MDA and NO and high significant increase [P<0.01] in MMP-2 in rats group administered CC14 as compared to normal control. The results matched the role of S. in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis and revealed the role of N.sativa as treatment agent by improvement in ALT and AST, enhance antioxidant capacity by significant decrease [P<0.05] in alpha-GST and NO, improvement in general health by high significant increase [P<0.01] in Hb, enhanced antifibrotic response by high significant decrease [P<0.01] in MMP-2 and decrease in lipid peroxidation by significant decrease [P<0.05] in MDA compared to CC14 group. Although H. showed the least effective ability for treatment of liver fibrosis, it appeared to improve liver functions. The histological results were found to be matched with the biochemical results. This work proved that one of the mechanisms involved in the process of liver fibrogenesis induced by CC14 is the development of oxidative stress and fibrotic response, the determined biochemical markers proved to be good markers for the detection of hepatocellular damage and documented also that N. sativa and H. can be used effectively as tools in the treatment of hepatic injury without any fear of complications

Plasma endothelin-1 levels in patients with cirrhosis and their relationship to the severity of cirrhosis

This study focused on the possible role of endothelin-1 [ET-1] in the pathogenesis of portal hypertension and also its relation with the degree of liver affection. The plasma levels of ET-1 were measured in 10 healthy control subjects and 80 patients with cirrhosis and they were correlated with various clinical and laboratory parameters. There was a significant elevation of ET-1 in all patients with cirrhosis compared with the control group [14.59 +/- 3.57 pg/ml vs. 4.2 +/- 0.34 pg/ml, respectively]. The highest level of ET-1 was obtained in the group of cirrhotic patients with ascites. Plasma ET-1 levels were significantly elevated in cirrhotic patients with bleeding esophageal varices [12.21 +/- 0.45 pg/ml] compared with those without [10.03 +/- 0.37 pg/ml]. Plasma ET-1 level was positively correlated with total and direct bilirubin, ALT, AST, PT and serum creatinine. The plasma level of ET-1 was negatively correlated with albumin and PC. It was concluded that plasma ET-1 is elevated in liver cirrhosis in a disease stage-dependent manner, which may have diagnostic and prognostic values and may be used as a marker for the progression of the disease

Plasma endothelin-1 levels in patients with type II diabetes mellitus with vascular complications

The aim of this study was to evaluate plasma endothelin-1 [ET-1] levels in patients with non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [NIDDM] and its relation to the presence of diabetic vascular complications. The study was conducted on 40 patients with NIDDM with fatty liver and divided into 2 groups. Group 2 [G2] consisted of 20 patients with NIDDM associated with hypertension. Group 3 [G3] consisted of 20 patients with NIDDM with various diabetic vascular complications. Twenty of apparently healthy subjects, age and sex matched, served as a control group [G1]. The results showed that the plasma ET-1 concentration was significantly highly increased in the two patients' groups compared with the control group and was significantly highly increased in group 2 compared with group 3. Plasma ET-1 was positively correlated with the duration of diabetes mellitus, fasting blood glucose, postprandial blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein and serum urea and negatively correlated with high density lipoprotein. It was concluded that ET-1 might represent a new marker of diabetes related vascular damage

Antioxidant status in different stages of type II diabetes mellitus

To determine whether changes in the antioxidants level resented by glutathione peroxidase occur at the clinical onset of diabetes or in later stages of the disease and whether these changes are related to the degree of glycemic control or not. 20 diabetic patients [non insulin dependent diabetics] were included in this study, they were divided into 2 groups, group I consisted of recently diagnosed uncontrolled type II diabetics, and group II consisted of previously diagnosed complicated uncontrolled patients. Both groups were studied for glutathione peroxidase levels before and after glycemic control. Glutathione peroxidase levels were found to be significantly decreased [P < 0.01] in both groups in comparison to the control group and this decrease was more in the complicated group and with increased degree of hyperglycemia in the hyperglycemic patients.Glutathione peroxidase was found to be negatively correlated with blood glucose [P < 0.05], with serum lipid fractions of the blood [total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and VLDL] and also with both duration of diabetes and age of patients [P < 0.01]. Our results suggested that the decrease in the level of antioxidants [glutathione peroxidase] may appear early in type II diabetes mellitus before the development of complications. The increase in the degree of hyperglycemia impairs more the antioxidant defense mechanisms. So early antioxidant administration in diabetes may delay the occurrence of complications and may help in the prevention of their further progression if they are administered after the development of complications