RESUMO
Fresh wheat germ [Golden Green] was examined for its possible hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolemicinfluences in human patients with several hep1tic complications. A period of four weeks of dietary regimen containing fresh wheat germ flakes [30g daily] was found to be remarkably beneficial, as indicated by significant reduction of serum glucose and lipid profile in diabetic patients. This was also accompanied by slight decrease in patient body weights. Dietary fresh wheat germ feeding also significantly countered other metabolic alterations as revealed by lowering blood urea, creatinine in all patient groups. Obtained results indicated also that incorporation of fresh wheat germ together with the daily nutritional pattern was not changed the daily food intake by all of examined four human groups. All of elevated liver enzymes [ALT, AST and ALP] in diabetic patients with liver complications were significantly lowered. Serum minerals [Fe, Ca, P, Zn and I], hemoglobin, hematocrit, ferritin and detoxifying enzymes [glutathione, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase and glutathione reductase] were significantly [P< 0.05] increased at the end of supplementation course of fresh wheat germ
RESUMO
RA patients have a decreased life expectancy and ischemic heart disease [IHD] is accused to be the leading contributor to mortality in this disease. IHD is a clinically silent disease and difficult to predict with neither symptoms nor ECG changes. This study aimed to detect myocardial perfusion defects [PDs] by using single photon emission computerized tomography [SPECT] in adult RA patients, with special regards to age, type of medication, disease duration and activity. The study included 31 RA patients diagnosed according to the ACR criteria. Patients neither had cardiac complaints nor ECG changes. All patients were subjected to: thorough medical history and cardiac examination, rheumatological assessment for: function status and disease activity. Lipid profile, CRP and RF were determined. All patients were assessed with SPECT for the presence of PDs; ischemia, scar and/or combinations of such. RA patients were 9 males [29%] and 22 females [71%]. Their age ranged between 34-63 years with a mean of 49.32 +/- 7.71. The disease duration ranged between 1-22 years with a mean of 9.51 +/- 6.6. Based on SPECT evaluation; 14 patients [45.2%] had PDs: 9 patients [29%] had ischemia and 5 patients [16.1%] hah ischemia and scar. The incidence of cardiac involvement in RA patients when compared with non-ischemic RA patients was found to be highly statistically significant [p