Blood Pressure Values in Apparently Healthy Sudanese Population

Introduction: Blood pressure is one of the most often measured clinical parameters, and assessment of blood pressure has a considerable impact on diagnostic decisions. Objectives: To establish blood pressure normal reference values in Sudanese. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2016 to November 2018. Eight hundred eighty-eight healthy adult Sudanese between the ages of 18 and 60 (203 men and 685 women) were randomly selected from the states of Khartoum, Northern, Gezira, Red Sea, and North Darfur. Clinical, anthropometric, and blood pressure measurement data were collected. Results: The mean for all volunteers was 113.93 ± 9.917 mmHg, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and 75.29 ± 6.79 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure (DBP). SBP in men was 118.6 + 7.642 mmHg compared to 112.53 + 9.121 mmHg in women, while DBP in men was 77.51 + 5.984 mmHg compared to 74.63 + 6.844 mmHg in women. Beside the gender variations, blood pressure values also showed geographical variability. There was a positive connection between blood pressures (SBP and DBP), BMI, and age. (P < 0.05) was used for significance. Conclusion: Blood pressure of Sudanese was found to be within the normal international range with gender and geographical variability. It showed positive correlation with age and BMI.

Role of coenzyme Q10 as adjuvant to statins in treatment of atherosclerosis

Tatins, inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A [HMG-CoA] reductase constitute the most powerful class of hypolipidemic drugs currently available .Several large clinical trials have shown that these drugs reduce major cardiovascular events by 20-30%. The objective of the current study is to demonstrate the effect of concomitant use of coenzyme Q10 and Lovastatin in treatment of atherosclerosis as a trial to augment the antiatherogenic effect of Lovastatin and to decrease its undesirable effects. Five groups of adult male rabbits were included, an untreated control group, hypercholesterolemic group,hypercholesterolemic group treated with Lovastatin [2 mg /kg/ day], hypercholesterolemic group treated with Co Q10 [3 mg / kg per day] and hypercholesterolemic group treated with both Lovastatin and Co Q10 for 6 weeks .At the end of experiment, serum level of total cholesterol [TC], low density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], triglycerides [TG], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST] and creatine kinase [CK] were estimated. Histopathological evaluation of tissue sections from liver was also performed. Each of Co Q10, Lovastatin and combination of both produced improvement in serum lipids, Co Q10 decreased the hypercholesterolemia induced elevation of serum transaminases while combination of Co Q10 with Lovastatin augmented the antiatherogenic effect of Lovastatin and decreased both Lovastatin induced increase in serum transaminases and Lovastatin induced increase in serum creatine kinase. In conclusion, Co Q10 administration augment the hypolipidemic and antiatherogenic effects of Lovastatin and improve its important side effects such as myopathy and elevation of serum transaminases

study of avascular necrosis [osteonecrosis] in systemic lupus erythematosus patients and its relation to corticosteroid therapy

Avascular necrosis [AVN] of the femoral head has been reported to be one of the major problems during the course of SLE. In a retrospective study of 30 patients with SLE, four [13.3%] were found to have AVN all had been on corticosteroids. Of these, three [75%] had Raynaud's phenomenon, three [75%] took pulse steroid therapy, and three [75%] had thrombocytopenia. None of the patients abused alcohol or had chronic liver disease. A positive correlation was found between hyperelipidaemia as well as the presence of high titre of anticardiolipin antibodies [both IgMand IgG] and the occurence of AVN. Moreover, statistically significant differences were found between patients with and without AVN as regards the total duration of steroid intake, the total cumulative prednisolone dose or its equivalent as well as the daily dose with significantly higher levels in patients with AVN than in those without. So, it is suggested that corticosteroid therapy play the major role in the development of AVN in SLE patients in addition to lipid and haemostatic abnormalities

role of von-wellbrand's factor; fibronectin and lipid profile as risk factors for vascular damage in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic sclerosis

This study was designed to determine the roles of Von-Willbrand's factor, fibronectin and lipid profile as risk factors in etiopathogensis of vascular lesions in 20 rheumatoid disease patients [RD] diagnosed according to American Rheumatism Association Criteria and 20 Systemic Sclerosis patients [SSc] diagnosed according to the preliminary criteria for SSc. 20 healthy subjects of matched age and sex were included as control group. Variable degrees of vascular lesions were detected: Raynouds phenomenon [RD 30%, SSc 50%] cutaneous telangiectasia and digital ulcers [RD 5%, SSc 40%], peripheral vascular insufficiency via Doppler study [RD 5%, SSc 40%], clinically evident systemic hypertension [SSc 15%], pulmonary vascular disease via Echo-Doppler study [RD 5%, SSc 20%], Coronary heart disease via E.C.G and Echo-Doppler study [20% in RD, 15% in SSc] and clinically evident cerebrovascular strokes [RD 10% SSc 10%]. The mean plasma levels of Von-Willebrand's factor and fibronectin were significantly higher in RD and SSc patients than in controls and the highest levels were observed in patients with vascular manifestations particularly with SSc., suggesting the presence of endothelial dysfunction and were considered as non invasive markers of vascular damage which are more prominant in SSc than in RD. The total serum lipids, Triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, free fatty acids and Apoprotein B-were, significantly increased while HDL-cholesterol and apoprotein A, were significantly decreased, suggesting the presence of atherogenic dyslipidemic pattern in the etiopathogenesis of vascular manifestations in RD and SSc. The higher levels which observed in RD patients with vascular manifestations are most probably due to patients inactivity resulting from articular lesions or due to steroid therapy induced dyslipedemia. Circulating levels of endothelial cell products such as VWF and fibronectin may reflect the role of the immune mechanism in the pathogenesis of RD and SSc vascular disease and assist the clinician in monitoring response to therapy. Furthermore, monitoring of VWF and fibronectin as parameters of endothelial cell injury may help to define the vascular disease in an early and more measuringful fashion

study of physiological variation of serum cholesterol and HDL cholesterol, fractions in healthy Egyptians of different age groups

It has been repeatedly demonstrated that elevated serum cholesterol is a significant risk factor in CVD [cardiovascular disease]. Low density lipoproteins [LDL] carry the majority of the total serum cholesterol and are considered to be the atherogenic, while the high density lipoproteins contribute a modes and relatively fixed portion of cholesterol to the total serum cholesterol pool, and there is strong evidence that HDL are antiatherogenic. In this work evaluation of the blood serum total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol fraction was carried out in healthy Egyptians of different age groups, and the significance of the findings have been discussed

Choroidal Tears, Clinical and campimetric study

18 cases of traumatic choroidal tears have been reported and photographed. Scotometric study proved to be a good line of differentiating choroidal, retinal tears and chorioretenitis patches