Clinical and metabolic evaluation of patients with history of renal calculi in Qazvin, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Nephrolithiasis is a common clinical disorder with significant health and economic burden. We conducted this study to evaluate clinical and metabolic parameters in adult patients with history of renal calculi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 213 patients with history of nephrolithiasis participated in this study. Evaluation included the measurement of serum calcium, uric acid, parathormone, renal function tests, urinalysis, and urinary tests for cystinuria. Also, parameters such as volume, creatinine, calcium, uric acid, citrate, and oxalate levels were measured on 24-h urine. All patients underwent urinary tract system sonography. RESULTS: Of total patients, 52% were males and 48% females. The mean age was 45.16 ± 13.16 years. Also, 51.2% of subjects had positive family history of nephrolithiasis. The mean body mass index was (26.8 ± 4.2) kg/m(2). The mean 24-h urine biochemical profiles were volume (1,748 ± 860 ml), Ca (183 ± 115), uric acid (544 ± 220), citrate (490 ± 351), and oxalate (17.1 ± 15.3) mg/day; urine calcium to creatinine ratio (0.15 ± 0.10) mg/mg, and urine calcium to weight ratio (2.4 ± 1.7) mg/kg. While there were weak positive correlations between the body mass index and urinary calcium (r = 0.101, P < 0.001) and uric acid (r = 0.200, P < 0.001), a weak negative correlation with urine pH (r = -0.104, P < 0.001) was found. CONCLUSIONS: Urine calcium, uric acid, and oxalate excretion were low in our patients while urine citrate was relatively high. Higher BMI maybe a risk factor for nephrolithiasis.

Effect of rosmarinic acid on sertoli cells apoptosis and serum antioxidant levels in rats after exposure to electromagnetic fields.

Rosmarinic acid belongs to the group of polyphenols; it has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities and help to prevent cell damage caused by free radicals. The objective was to study the effect of Rosmarinic acid on sertolli cells apoptosis and serum antioxidant levels in rats after they were exposed to electromagnetic fields. Male Wistar rats (n=40) were allocated into three groups: control group (n=10) that received 5 cc normal saline (0.9% NaCl) daily by gavage method, Rosmarinic acid group that received 5mg/rat (gavage) (n=10), electromagnetic fields (EMF) group that had exposure with 50 hz (n=20) which was subdivided to two groups of 10; EMF group and treatment group. Treatment group received 5mg/rat (gavage) Rosmarinic acid daily for 6 weeks, respectively. However, the control group just received an equal volume of distilled water daily (gavage). On the 42nd day of research, 5 cc blood was collected to measure testosterone hormones, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), levels from whole group's analysis. Level of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and sertoli cells apoptosis significantly decreased in the group that received 5mg/rat of Rosmarinic acid (P<0.05) in comparison with experimental groups. Level of testosterone, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), significantly increased in groups that received Rosmarinic acid (P<0.05). Since in our study 5mg/rat of Rosmarinic acid showed significantly preventive effect on cell damages especial sertoli cells apoptosis that caused with EMF, it seems that using Rosmarinic acid as food additive can be effective for supporting people living under EMF environmental pollution.