ABSTRACT
Prostate carcinoma is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy and the second leading cause of death as a result of cancer in men in the US and other parts of the world. There are conflicting reports on the serum levels of testosterone and 17ß-estradiol (E2) in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer. This study was designed to evaluate the serum concentrations of these hormones in patients with these disorders. Serum levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), total testosterone and estradiol were determined in 228 subjects comprising of 116 subjects with BPH, 62 subjects with prostate cancer (CaP) and 50 age-matched apparently healthy controls, using ELISA methods. PSA levels were significantly elevated (p < 0.05) in BPH subjects than controls, while there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in testosterone and estradiol levels of these subjects. PSA and estradiol levels were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in CaP subjects than in controls, while there was no observed significant difference (p > 0.05) in testosterone levels. CaP subjects had significantly raised PSA, testosterone, and estradiol levels than BPH subjects. The mean molar ratio of testosterone: E2 was lowest among CaP patients (134:1) and highest among controls (166:1). Significant positive correlation between PSA and 17ß-estradiol was observed in prostate disorders (BPH and CaP patients: r = 0.347; p = 0.000). Significant negative correlations between testosterone and PSA were also observed among BPH patients (r = -0.221, p = 0.049) and control subjects (r = -0.490, p = 0.000). No significant correlation existed between testosterone and PSA in CaP patients (r = 0.051, p = 0.693). Correlations between age and estradiol in both BPH and CaP were not significant (p > 0.05). This study has shown that, there was a significant increase in serum estradiol in CaP subjects, while the testosterone levels in both BPH and CaP subjects were not different from those of controls.
ABSTRACT
Plasma fibronectin (FN) levels in obese/overweight and non-obese pregnant women were evaluated as a possible risk factor for preeclampsia. A total of one hundred and sixty three pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at University of Calabar Teaching Hospital participated in the study and sixty non-pregnant women served as control. About 77 (47.24%) of the pregnant women were followed up for any subsequent development of preeclampsia during the pregnancy. Fibronectin levels in plasma were measured by ELISA assay and serum total protein, urea and creatinine were determined spectrophotometrically. The mean plasma FN concentration of non-obese pregnant women in first trimester was lower than those of the non-pregnant women by 24%, but however, increased to the non-pregnant level in second and third trimesters. Obese/overweight pregnant women had significantly (P < 0.05) higher values than non-obese pregnant women in second and third trimesters. FN in obese/overweight pregnant women correlated positively with mean arterial blood pressure (MAP: r = 0.414, P = 0.04). About 28.57% of the pregnant women with FN above cut off point of 330 µg/ml at 18-24 weeks of gestation developed preeclampsia. This value increased to 40.0% when only the obese/overweight women were considered. On analysis of both fibronectin >330 µg/ml and MAP > 90, the predictive value increased to 66.7%. We therefore conclude that elevated FN may be regarded as a risk factor of preeclampsia especially among the obese women.
