Elevated serum C - reactive protein level in obese pregnant women

Objective: to find out association of serum C - reactive protein [CRP] with obesity as an inflammatory marker in obese pregnant women as compared to non-obese pregnant women

Methods: this comparative observational study was carried out in the Department of Biochemistry, Peoples Medical College for Girls Nawabshah, during the period of January 2010 to December 2010. A total of eighty pregnant women of age range 20 - 40 years in their 3rd trimester were recruited in the study. Of these forty were obese and forty non-obese women. Non-obese pregnant women were grouped as control group. Serum C-reactive protein was measured by ELISA method. Data analysis including independent t-test and correlation analysis was carried out. P value up to 0.05 was considered significant

Results: serum C - reactive protein concentrations were significantly higher [P<0.001] in obese pregnant women as compared to control group [9.1 +/- 0.12 mg /L vs 4.3 +/- 0.16 mg /L], which indicate ongoing low grade systemic inflammation at more advanced level in obese pregnant women

Conclusion: in pregnant women, higher BMI is associated with higher C-reactive protein concentration. These findings highlight a state of low grade systemic inflammation in obese pregnant women. Measures should be taken to control profound weight increase during pregnancy to avoid complications during or after pregnancy

Risk of type II diabetes in viral hepatitis B and C patients

Objective: To find out the prevalence of type II diabetes in viral hepatitis B and C patients of different age groups with and without cirrhosis

Methods: This observational study was carried out in the Department of Biochemistry, Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center Karachi, during the period June 2007 to June 2008. Eighty hepatitis B and C virus infection positive patients with and without cirrhosis were selected for study after confirmation of their diagnosis by ELISA method. Normal subjects were selected as controls for study. Blood glucose was estimated by Hexokinase method, while enzymes assay was done by enzymatic [kinetic] method. Data analysis including paired and correlation analysis were carried out and P value upto 0.05 was considered significant

Results: The number of diabetic patients was high [55%] in age group 40-49 [55%] in age group 40-49. Patients with cirrhosis of hepatitis C were having high risk [40%] than of hepatitis B [23%] of developing diabetes. This trend was also observed in patients of without cirrhosis [27% hepatitis C, 10% hepatitis B]. Increasing fasting blood glucose level associated with increase in hepatic enzymes [AST and ALT] levels was observed. It was an indicator of ongoing liver damage in co-morbid condition of viral hepatitis

Conclusion: In addition to the derangement of liver function, patients of viral hepatitis B and C can be at the risk of development of type II diabetes. Earlier measures are needed for the prevention of the disease at earlier stage of development

Determnation of total globulin in serum by direct method in patients with hepatitis-B and C

To establish a convenient and practicable direct method for estimation of globulin in the serum. The study was carried out in the Department of Biochemistry. Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center Karachi. This was a prospective study performed during the period of January 2008 to June 2008. A single, convenient and stable method has been developed for the direct spectrophotometric analysis of globulin in the serum, which has good conformance to Beer's law and is also reproducible. The analysis is based on Hopkins-Cole reaction, which is a direct method for the estimation of total globulin in the serum. The method is based on the estimation of serum tryptophan levels. There is a direct correlation between total serum globulin and total serum tryptophan levels. Globulin differs markedly from albumin in the proportion of their tryptophan content. The glyoxylic acid condenses with tryptophan residues present in globulin and produces purple colour in the presence of copper in an acidic medium. The intensity of colour produced is directly proportional to the concentration of globulin present. The method has no statistical difference with indirect method, both in normal and diseased subjects. In patients when only globulin estimation is required, it can be done by direct method, which is convenient, fast, simple and is not laborious and saves time by avoiding double test performance

Lipoprotein [a] behaviour in viral hepatitis patients

To correlate liver lipoprotein [a] level with biochemical parameters of viral hepatitis, induced due to most common causes, hepatitis B and C. This was a prospective study performed during the period of January 2008 to June 2008. Patient selection was done by simple random enrollment of adult males and females after confirmation of their diagnosis by ELISA method. Total of 80 patients positive for hepatitis B and C virus infection with and without cirrhosis were enrolled for study. Normal subjects were selected as control for study. Serum lipoprotein [a] was estimated by ELISA method and prothrombin time by one stage method. While enzymes assay was done by enzymatic method. The mean values of lipoprotein [a] were found statistically significantly diminished in all groups, which indicate decreased synthesis by the damaged liver. It showed statistically significant negative correlation with prothrombin time, AST and ALT in all patients groups. The results of our study indicate that there is an apparent decline in lipoprotein [a] level in both patients of with and without cirrhosis irrespective of causative organism, relatively more decline in patients of cirrhosis. The apparent decline and evidence of more decrease in the level of lipoprotein [a] with the increase in the stage of disease and its significant correlation with other biochemical parameters, reflects that the evaluation of lipoprotein [a] serum levels may contribute, among other markers, to a more complete evaluation of liver function in patients of viral hepatitis