ABSTRACT
Background The impact of vitamin D deficiency on the incidence of various diseases and its relationship with the progression of diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMT2) is still controversial. The present study evaluated the incidence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with DMT2. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital, Sindh, Pakistan from October 2020 to September 2021. A total of 525 patients of DMT2 were recruited. Another 525 patients acted as healthy controls. In patients with DMT2, blood samples were taken in the morning to measure vitamin D levels. All socio-demographic and clinical data were documented in a predefined pro forma. The association between the incidence of DMT2 and hypovitaminosis was explored. Results The mean age of the patients was 50 ± 5.5 years. There were 100 (54.1%) male and 85 (45.9%) female patients. The mean duration of diabetes of the patients was 6.8 ± 2.4 years. The mean serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D level was 22.3 ±10.4 ng/ml. In the case group, the majority of the patients had vitamin D deficiency i.e. 54.1%, while only 25.9% of controls had hypovitaminosis. Vitamin D deficiency was significantly correlated with the occurrence of DMT2 (p<0.0001). Conclusion The current study indicates that patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMT2) more frequently suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Those patients with vitamin D deficiency and DMT2 can benefit from vitamin D replenishment. This may help improve glycemic control in these patients. This study served as a catalyst for future studies where the relationship between hypovitaminosis and insulin resistance can be thoroughly explored.
ABSTRACT
Introduction Breast cancer is a major cause of mortality among females, worldwide. The present study was intended to evaluate the significance in the management of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) in patients with breast cancer. Methodology A cohort study was conducted at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi, Pakistan from June 2020 to May 2021. All diagnosed cases of breast cancer who underwent surgical excision of tumor were eligible to partake. Patients who had metastatic breast cancer or had a recurrence were excluded. The patient's sociodemographic and clinical data were documented in a predefined pro forma. It included information about the age, sex, weight, as well as serum CEA and CA15-3. The CA15-3 and CEA levels for each patient were assessed by taking a 5ml blood sample and sending it to the laboratory for further workup. preoperatively on the second, seventh, and 28th postoperative days. Results A mean ± SD age of 52.6 ± 8.89 years was reported. Family history of breast cancer was positive in one-fourth of the patients. Nodal metastasis was negative in 114 (46.72%) patients. Three-fourth of patients had Stage II-IV with only a minority diagnosed with Stage I. The mean levels for CA15-3 in women with Stage I cancer was significantly lower on the seventh day and 28th postoperative day, compared to preoperative levels (p = 0.05). Similar associations were seen for stages II and III. Higher CEA levels were significantly associated with stage III breast cancer preoperatively (5.88 ng/ml, p = 0.05) compared to postoperative values. Conclusion The current study revealed that preoperative values of serum CEA and CA15-3 significantly reduced postoperatively. Moreover, patients with advanced cancers had significantly higher levels of both tumor markers than those with less advanced diseases. The current study highlighted the importance of regular assessment of serum CEA and CA15-3 in breast cancer patients. Both these biomarkers are substantially elevated in breast cancer patients, preoperatively. Determining the levels of serum CEA and CA15-3 pre- and postoperatively may determine the prognosis and aid in forming the most optimal patient care regime with respect to the stage and subtype of cancer.
