Comparative study of plasma lipid pattern in schistosomiasis patients and patients with essential hypertension

20 patients with schistosomal hepatic fibrosis, 20 patients with essential hypertension as well as 20 healthy control subjects were investigated. Their plasma lipid pattern including total lipids, total cholesterol, cholesterol ester, high density lipoprotein [HDL] and low density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol, triglycerides and non-esterified fatty acids [NEFA] were determined as well as apo A and apo B. In the schistosomal group, the level of serum total lipids, total and ester cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, apo A and apo B were significantly lower when compared to both controls and hypertensive group. NEFA level was lower while HDL cholesterol was higher than the corresponding hypertensive group values. It could be concluded that the schistosomal group of patients was provided with many factors that diminish the possibility of atherosclerotic changes among them

Caffeine as a modulator of bronchial hyper-reactivity in adult asthmatics

The effect of caffeine [adenosine antagonist] on methacholine bronchial reactivity, pulmonary ventilation, heart rate, and blood pressure was stupied in adult asthmatics to: 1- evaluate the role of adenosine in the pathogenesis of bronchial hyper-reactivity, 2- have idea about the site of action of caffeine as a ventilatory stimulant. 24 asthmatic patients, classified into three comparable groups were studied. Methacholine bronchial reactivity [PD-20-FEV[1]], tidal volume [VT], respiratory rate [R.R],minute ventilation [VE], heart rate [H.R] and mean blood pressure [P] were measured before and two hours after caffeine ingestion [2 mg/kg in the first group, 5 mg/kg in the second, 7 mg/kg in the third]. caffeine in the three doses, has significantly increased the PD-20-FEV[1] in a fashion related to the baseline PD-20-FEV[1] but not related to the induced dronchodilatation. The three doses of caffeine have resulted in significant ventilatiry stimulation, however, the low dose [2 mg/kg] did not has significant effect on RR, HR and P.