Association Between Serum Testosterone and Serum PSA Among Men With and Without Partial Androgen Deficiency.

Serum prostatic specific antigen (PSA) and serum testosterone levels share an undefined relationship with each other, with many conflicting studies showing both positive and negative correlation between them. Our aim was to assess association between serum PSA and serum testosterone in healthy men with normal testosterone levels and men with partial androgen deficiency (PADAM). A cross sectional study was conducted at a teaching hospital setting where serum testosterone and aging male symptom scale (AMS) scores along with PSA were studied in 255 men (> 50 years) with and without PADAM. Mean total testosterone and serum PSA was 9.35 ± 1.33 nmol/L, 1.96 ± 0.76 ng/mL in males with PADAM and 15.30 ± 1.95 nmol/L, 1.85 ± 0.73 ng/mL respectively in males without PADAM. No significant relationship was observed between serum PSA and serum testosterone levels among healthy males irrespective of PADAM in the study population. We suggest, there is no need to adjust PSA values for biopsy decisions according to testosterone levels.

Prevalence of obesity among patients with congenital and acquired heart disease.

Overweight and obesity rates have risen dramatically in the United States, with subsequent detrimental comorbidity risks. The rates for obesity among children with congenital and acquired heart disease have rarely been reported. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children with heart disease and to identify subgroups at increased risk. A total of 795 cases were identified from a chart review of patients presenting to an urban center's Pediatric Cardiology Program between 1 January and 31 December 2006. A body mass index (BMI) at the 85th percentile or higher was defined as overweight, and a BMI at the 95th percentile or higher was defined as obese. Subjects with comorbidities affecting body habitus were excluded from the study. Overall, overweight and obesity rates were similar to national data. No significant differences in overweight or obesity rates were detected between heart disease and non-heart disease groups (P = 0.50). According to multivariate analysis, Hispanic ethnicity and male gender were the only predictors of obesity. This study shows that children with heart disease are not immune to the common predictors of obesity such as gender and ethnicity and that the future care of children with heart disease should include general discussions about the risks for obesity.

Three-dimensional power Doppler imaging in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler imaging in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: Pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI) of the uterine artery and ovary were measured by two-dimensional (2D) Doppler imaging, while vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI), and vascularization flow index (VFI) were measured by 3D power Doppler in 25 patients with PCOS and 25 women with normal menstrual cycles used as a control group. RESULTS: Uterine artery PI and RI were significantly higher (P<0.001) and ovarian PI and RI were significantly lower (P<0.001) in women with PCOS compared with controls. Ovarian VI and VFI were significantly higher in women with PCOS compared with the control group (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: 3D power Doppler indices were higher in women with PCOS than in the control group and were positively correlated with 2D color Doppler indices, and clinical and hormonal parameters. High 3D power Doppler indices may be useful as one of the diagnostic criteria for PCOS.

Free radicals: emerging challenge in environmental health research in childhood and neonatal disorders.

Infants and children may undergo severe oxidative stress due to disease state, pre-existing nutritional status, frequent use of oxygen, and lower levels of antioxidant defenses. Antioxidant defenses, made up of intracellular and extra-cellular components, work synergistically to prevent oxidative damage. Total antioxidant activity (TAA) was analyzed by method of ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP). Patients admitted in Pediatric Dept, RNT Medical College, Udaipur, India were selected for these studies. TAA level in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic-encephalopathy (HIE) stage III and in poor outcome cases was significantly low. Erythrocyte SOD activity level was low in pre-term neonates. TAA level in severely malnourished children at the time of hospital admission was low. This low antioxidant level in severely malnourished children could be multi-factorial viz. low zinc, selenium, vitamin A & C deficiency, recurrent infections, elevated free iron and chronic starvation stage. Delayed recovery of oxidant injury may lead to delayed incomplete recovery at cellular level. In a study of 29 tuberculosis patients TAA level was found to be low in tubercular patients compared with control. TAA level decreased more in CNS tuberculosis compared with other system tuberculosis. In a study of nutritional tremor syndrome TAA, ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol levels were low during pre-tremor phase compared with tremor phase (ATS). Pre-term neonates have incompletely developed antioxidant defenses and are deficient in vitamin E, which is normally derived from maternal circulation at the end of 3rd trimester. Therefore, decreased TAA level in HIE with poor outcome indicates addition of antioxidants in therapeutic strategy. Since rise in TAA in antioxidant supplemented group of severely malnutrition children was higher with good outcome compared with nonsupplemented group it would be prudent to supplement antioxidant during nutritional management. These studies have shown that health benefits can be obtained by children with a reduced risk of disease from supplements of antioxidant nutrients. The amounts of optimal supplements in these disorders, whether pharmacologic or large, are to be determined. Further work is needed to show whether modest increases in nutrient intakes in children with these disorders will delay or prevent the complications and improve the outcome. Therefore, available evidence regarding health benefits to be achieved by supplementing antioxidant nutrients is encouraging. Free radical injury and antioxidant deficiency is more common than what we think. Severely malnourished children and children suffering from chronic infections and diseases are at several fold increased risk of antioxidant deficiency and likely to suffer from free radical injury. Appropriate interventions are required in reducing the risk associated with these observations.

Zinc and copper in preterm neonates: relationship with breast milk.

The study was conducted to assess copper and zinc levels in neonate's serum, mother's serum, neonate's hair and urine and to ascertain association between them. It is of concern whether zinc and copper deficiency is present at birth and maternal blood and breast milk zinc and copper levels have any effect on this. The study sample included 155 neonates with gestational age 26-41 wks and birth weight 0.550-3.800 kg. Mother's serum, breast milk, neonate's serum, hair, urine samples were analysed for zinc and copper by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Gestational age was estimated either singly or by combination of date of last normal menses, fetal ultrasonography, and postnatal measures of physical and neurological development by clinical examination and weight by Secca electronic balance. The neonates were classified into term and preterm, small (SGA) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA). Neonates over 37 wks and 2.5 kg served as controls. To assess the dependency, relationship and effectiveness of quantitative predictive variables on the predictions of values, multiple regression analysis was used. Neonates between 26-30 wks gestational age and < 2.5 kg birth weight had significantly low serum zinc and copper. Breast milk zinc was low in mothers delivering preterm and < 2.5 kg neonates. Urinary copper and zinc levels were high in preterm appropriate for gestational age (Pre AGA) than term neonates. Multiple regression analysis revealed that neonate's serum Cu, serum Zn, hair Cu, hair Zn, urine Cu and urine Zn had contribution variability of 49.8%, 51.8%, 49.2%, 16.6%, 52.2% and 68.9%, respectively. The effect of mother's serum, breast milk, and neonate's serum copper and zinc collectively was significant for serum copper (F = 29.59) and hair zinc (F = 32.03). Preterm and low birth weight infants during subsequent growth and development should be supplemented with zinc and copper when on breast feeding.

Analysis of local electrograms at successful and unsuccessful sites for slow pathway ablation of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia.

Anatomic and electrogram approaches have been described for ablation of slow pathway in patients with atrioventricular nodal tachycardia. The purpose of this study was to identify parameters to predict successful slow pathway ablation using the anatomic approach. Local electrograms at successful and unsuccessful sites were compared in 36 patients undergoing slow pathway ablation using anatomic approach. A total of 208 local electrograms were studied. Fragmented atrial electrogram was seen in 24/36 (67%) of successful and in 46/172 (26%) of unsuccessful sites (p < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values of fragmented atrial electrogram were 67, 73, 34 and 91 percent respectively. A slow pathway potential was noted in three of successful sites. There was no difference in the atrial to ventricular amplitude ratio in these sites. In conclusion, fragmentation of atrial electrogram and presence of possible slow pathway potential are seen more often at successful than at unsuccessful sites. In our opinion, while using an anatomic approach for slow pathway ablation, an analysis of local electrogram may help in identifying the proper site and avoiding unnecessary radiofrequency energy delivery.

Comparative study of the efficacy of metoprolol and verapamil in patients with syncope and positive head-up tilt test response.

Head-up tilt testing is a reliable diagnostic tool for patients with recurrent unexplained syncope. It has also been used to assess the drug efficacy for the treatment of patients with syncope. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of verapamil compared with metoprolol in a randomized crossover design for patients with syncope and a positive tilt test response. Twenty-eight patients with a positive head-up tilt test were randomized to receive either metoprolol or verapamil; the test was repeated after 7 days of therapy. Of the 15 patients initially given metoprolol, 2 (13.3%) did not respond; both were crossed over to verapamil, to which they remained unresponsive. Of the 13 patients who initially received verapamil, 8 (61%) did not respond; after crossing over to metoprolol therapy, 1 remained unresponsive. Overall, 20 of 23 patients receiving metoprolol had negative results on repeat tilt testing, whereas only 5 of 15 patients receiving verapamil had negative results (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that verapamil is considerably less efficacious than metoprolol in managing neurocardiogenic syncope.

Atherosclerosis in transplant heart.

Graft atherosclerosis in the transplant heart is essentially asymptomatic due to denervation of the transplant heart and also is rapidly progressive. After one year it is the major cause of transplant rejection. Histopathologically, graft atherosclerosis differs from the conventional atherosclerosis. Intravascular ultrasound and repeated coronary angiography help in its early diagnosis. Angioplasty and bypass graft surgery are not of much help in treatment. Preventive measures through dietary means to keep triglycerides under control and prophylactic use of calcium channel blocker diltiazem are rewarding. Many patients with graft coronary atherosclerosis end up with retransplant.