Endothelin 1 - level in preeclampsia and correlation with renal dysfunction

Endothelin is the most potent naturally occurring vasoconstrictor yet discovered. This study was done on 80 pregnant women divided into 3 groups: Control group containing 20 women with normal pregnancies, the 2nd and 3rd groups, each group composed of 30 non-laboring patients with preeclampsia at 27 and 37 weeks of gestation, respectively. The endothelin-1 concentration was measured by radioimmunoassay in blood from women with normal pregnancy and preeclampsia at 27 weeks and 37 weeks of gestation. Endothelin-1 level was elevated in preeclamptic women at 27 weeks and 37 weeks when compared with normal pregnant women [P <0.01]. There was a significant correlation between endothelin, urea, creatinine, and uric acid [P <0.01] in preeclamptic women in both groups of 27 and 37 weeks of gestation

Some exocrine and endocrine pancreatic functions in diabetes mellitus

Serum lipase, amylase trypsinogen, insulin, glucagon, fasting and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose were studied in 40 male diabetic patients and 20 controls. The diabetic patients were classified into 2 groups [each group contains 20 patients]: Group A, type I diabetics and group B, type II diabetics. The results were statistically analyzed. In type I, serum amylase was 22.6 +/- 4.7, serum lipase 65.7 +/- 15.2, serum trypsinogen 55.7 +/- 13.3, glucagon 32.1 +/- 9.97, insulin 6.4 +/- 2.4 for fasting blood glucose and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose 310 +/- 19. In type II serum amylase was 26.8 +/- 4.3, lipase 62.2 +/- 16.5, trypsinogen 54.6 +/- 12.4, glucagon 29.6 +/- 3.8, insulin 9.7 +/- 3.7, fasting blood glucose 190 +/- 14.1 and 210 +/- 12 for 2-hour postprandial blood glucose. There is no correlation between different parameters in type I, while there is correlation between serum lipase and insulin as well as serum trypsinogen and glucagon in type II

Metabolic effects of fructose as a natural sweetener in the physiologic meals of ambulatory obese patients with type II diabetes

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects, if any, of long term fructose incorporated in the physiologic diabetic diet as a sweetener or glycemic control in obese patients with type II diabetes, secondly, the effects of such dietary manipulation on the serum lipoprotein composition, particularly apoprotein and fructose metabolic products, over 12 weeks

B2 microglobulin: a useful marker of disease activity in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy [IDC]

30 patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy [IDC], 25 males and 5 females aged 55 +/- 3 years were investigated consequently between January 1993 and October 1994. The positive control group consisted of 15 patients with invasively diagnosed 2 or 3 vessel coronary artery disease who had a comparable degree of concomitant heart failure [i.e. ischemic cardiomyopathy]. 15, age and sex matched healthy donors and 14 patients with coronary artery disease and normal left ventricular function composed the negative control group. T-cell markers [IL2 and CD4] and renal function tests were measured with B2-microglobulin. It was concluded that, B2 microglobulin level in IDC resulted from its enhanced synthesis by T-lymphocytes as well as from its diminished clearance through kidneys. Thus, B2 microglobulin may serve as useful marker of disease activity, reflecting different aspects in the multi factorial pathogenesis of IDC