Changes in some biochemical parameters of kidney functions of Plasmodium berghei infected rats administered with some doses of artemether

This study aimed at determining changes in urine concentrations of sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) of Plasmodium berghei infected rats during a week of intramuscular administration of artemether (12.5 to 50.0 mg/kg/day) and one week thereafter. Their concentrations and that of creatinine and urea in the plasma were also determined at the end of the study. The observed changes were related to the effects of artemether on the kidneys of the rats. The urine levels of the two electrolytes decreased significantly during treatment (P<0.05). One week post-treatment with 12.5 mg/kg of artemether, the urine concentrations of the electrolytes increased to values that were not significantly different from that of day 0. At 25 and 50 mg/kg, their urine concentrations still remained significantly lower than day 0 values (P<0.05). Plasma concentrations of the electrolytes one week post-treatment increased, but they were only significant at 25 mg/kg for K+. A significant increase in the plasma level of creatinine was observed at all the doses of the drug at one week post-treatment. A dose-dependent degeneration of the renal tissue of all the experimental rats was also observed. We concluded that high doses of artemether caused progressive degeneration of the renal tissue of P. berghei infected rats.Key words: Artemether, electrolytes in urine, plasma creatinine concentration, Plasmodium berghei

Effects of artemether on the plasma and urine concentrations of some electrolytes in rats

This study was carried out to determine the changes in the urine levels of sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), and calcium (Ca2+) of rats during a week of intramuscular administration of artemether (12.5 to 50.0 mg/kg/day), another one week thereafter and their concentrations in the plasma at the end of the study. At 12.5 and 25.0 mg/kg of artemether, urine Na+ concentration was significantly increased throughout the study (p < 0.05), except on Day 7 (at 12.5 mg/kg) and Day 11 (at 25.0 mg/kg), when it was not significantly different from the control. At 12.5 mg/kg of the drug, urine K+ concentration was significantly increased throughout the study (p < 0.05). Artemether caused no significant changes in urine Ca2+ concentration in the control rats as well as those that received 12.5 and 25.0 mg/kg of artemether. Progressive and significant reductions in the urine concentrations of all the electrolytes at 50.0 mg/kg of artemether were observed. Their concentrations in the plasma were also significantly reduced at this dose of the drug. A dose-dependent degeneration of the renal tissue of all the experimental rats was also observed. We concluded that high doses of artemether caused progressive degeneration of the renal tissue of rats, inability of the damaged kidneys to concentrate urine, which manifested as excessive water loss and electrolyte depletion.Key words: Artemether, electrolytes in plasma, urine concentrations, rats

Relationship between apolipoprotein(a) size polymorphism and coronary heart disease in overweight subjects

BACKGROUND: Overweight is associated with an increased cardiovascular risk which is only partially explained by conventional risk factors. The objective of this study was to evaluate lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] plasma levels and apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] phenotypes in relation to coronary heart disease (CHD) in overweight subjects. METHODS: A total of 275 overweight (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m(2)) subjects, of which 155 had experienced a CHD event, 337 normal weight subjects with prior CHD and 103 CHD-free normal weight subjects were enrolled in the study. Lp(a) levels were determined by an ELISA technique and apo(a) isoforms were detected by a high-resolution immunoblotting method. RESULTS: Lp(a) levels were similar in the three study groups. Overweight subjects with CHD had Lp(a) concentrations significantly higher than those without [median (interquartile range): 20 (5–50.3) versus 12.6 (2.6–38.6) mg/dl, P < 0.05]. Furthermore, overweight subjects with CHD showed a higher prevalence of low molecular weight apo(a) isoforms than those without (55.5% versus 40.8%, P < 0.05) and with respect to the control group (55.5% versus 39.8%, P < 0.05). Stepwise regression analysis showed that apo(a) phenotypes, but not Lp(a) levels, entered the model as significant independent predictors of CHD in overweight subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that small-sized apo(a) isoforms are associated with CHD in overweight subjects. The characterization of apo(a) phenotypes might serve as a reliable biomarker to better assess the overall CHD risk of each subject with elevated BMI, leading to more intensive treatment of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors

Surgical management of Diabetic foot ulcers: A Tanzanian university teaching hospital experience

\ud \ud Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) pose a therapeutic challenge to surgeons, especially in developing countries where health care resources are limited and the vast majority of patients present to health facilities late with advanced foot ulcers. A prospective descriptive study was done at Bugando Medical Centre from February 2008 to January 2010 to describe our experience in the surgical management of DFUs in our local environment and compare with what is known in the literature. Of the total 4238 diabetic patients seen at BMC during the period under study, 136 (3.2%) patients had DFUs. Males outnumbered females by the ratio of 1.2:1. Their mean age was 54.32 years (ranged 21-72years). Thirty-eight (27.9%) patients were newly diagnosed diabetic patients. The majority of patients (95.5%) had type 2 diabetes mellitus. The mean duration of diabetes was 8.2 years while the duration of DFUs was 18.34 weeks. Fourteen (10.3%) patients had previous history of foot ulcers and six (4.4%) patients had previous amputations. The forefoot was commonly affected in 60.3% of cases. Neuropathic ulcers were the most common type of DFUs in 57.4% of cases. Wagner's stage 4 and 5 ulcers were the most prevalent at 29.4% and 23.5% respectively. The majority of patients (72.1%) were treated surgically. Lower limb amputation was the most common surgical procedure performed in 56.7% of cases. The complication rate was (33.5%) and surgical site infection was the most common complication (18.8%). Bacterial profile revealed polymicrobial pattern and Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent microorganism isolated. All the microorganisms isolated showed high resistance to commonly used antibiotics except for Meropenem and imipenem, which were 100% sensitive each respectively. The mean hospital stay was 36.24 ± 12.62 days (ranged 18-128 days). Mortality rate was 13.2%. Diabetic foot ulceration constitutes a major source of morbidity and mortality among patients with diabetes mellitus at Bugando Medical Centre and is the leading cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputation. A multidisciplinary team approach targeting at good glycaemic control, education on foot care and appropriate footware, control of infection and early surgical intervention is required in order to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with DFUs. Due to polymicrobial infection and antibiotic resistance, surgical intervention must be concerned

Update: Diagnosis, pathogenesis and management of gestational diabetes melitus

No Abstract. Annals of Ibadan Postgraduate Medicine Vol. 1 (1) 2003: pp. 46-5

Effect of Concentrate Feed Restriction with ad libitum Forage Feeding on Performance and Carcass Yield of Growing Rabbits

Effect of concentrate feed restriction with ad libitum forage (Tridax procumbens) feeding on performance, carcass yield and relative organ weights were investigated in weaner rabbits in a humid tropical environment of Nigeria. Thirty-six growing rabbits of mixed breed (Chinchilla x Dutch x California White) and sexes with an average weight of 600 g were assigned to three feeding regime in a completely randomized design. The study lasted 8 weeks. The three feeding regime were: (A) ad libitum concentrate feeding + ad libitum forage feeding (control), (B) skip-aday concentrate feeding per week + ad libitum forage feeding and (C) skip-2-days concentrate feeding per week + ad libitum forage feeding. The forage used was air-dried Tridax procumbens. Drinking water was supplied free-choice throughout the duration of the experiment. Each treatment group was replicated six times with two rabbits housed in the same cage serving as replicate. Weight gain (Total and Average daily), final body weight, feed intake (Total and Average daily) and feed: gain ratio of rabbits were not significantly (P&gt;0.05) different among the treatment groups. Although feed intake was not different among the three treatments, however concentrate intake (Total and average daily), forage intake (total and average daily) as well as percentage concentrate and forage in daily feed intake were significantly (P&lt;0.05) influenced by treatments. Total concentrate intake was significantly higher with rabbits in treatment A (ad libitum feeding) compared with rabbits in treatment B, which was also significantly (P&lt;0.05) higher than the intake of rabbits in treatment C. Rabbits fed ad libitum consumed 10.75 and 25.94% more concentrates than rabbits fed skip-a-day and skip-two-days per week concentrate. Daily concentrate intake reduced from 33.35 g in treatment A to 29.76 g and 24.69 g in treatment B and C respectively. The daily forage intake however increased with severity of concentrate restriction, the trend being C &gt; B &gt; A. The Concentrate percentage of daily feed intake reduced with increased severity of concentrate restriction while that of forage increased with concentrate restriction from 56.15% in ad libitum concentrate fed group to the highest amount of 68.45% in rabbits on skip-two-days of concentrate feeding per week. Dressing percentage and retail cuts were not significantly (P&gt;0.05) affected by feeding regime. Similarly the internal organs (livers, kidneys, lungs and hearts) were not affected by the treatments (P&gt;0.05). The results obtained from this study showed that rabbits could be subjected to two days skipping of concentrate feed per week with ad libitum forage feeding without compromising performance and carcass quality characteristic.Keywords: Feeding regime, skip-a-day, skip-two-days, forage, rabbits and performance

Cardiovascular Response Of Diabetic And Non-Diabetic Nigerian Subjects To a Single Bout Of Bicycle Ergometry

This study assessed the cardiovascular responses of diabetic and non-diabetic subjects to a single bout of bicycle ergometry. Ten male volunteer diabetics and ten male non-diabetic healthy subjects constituted the study and control groups respectively. The subjects exercised for ten minutes on a bicycle ergometer. Heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured pre-and post-exercise. Descriptive statistics of mean, standard deviation, and inferential statistics of t-test were calculated. The results of this study showed no significant difference in the age, weight and pre-exercise heart rate of the 2 groups (p > 0.05). Resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly higher for the diabetics than non-diabetic subjects (

Effect of acetate infusion on energy expenditure and substrate oxidation rates in non-diabetic and diabetic subjects.

Sodium acetate was infused intravenously at 2.5 mmoles/min for 60 min into 6 normal subjects and 6 non-insulin dependent diabetic patients. In control experiments the same subjects received equimolar sodium bicarbonate infusions. Plasma non-esterified fatty acid and blood glycerol levels fell during acetate infusion in both groups, suggesting impairment of lipolysis. The respiratory quotient fell on acetate infusion as expected, although total energy expenditure was unaffected. If acetate oxidation was assumed to be 90 per cent of the infusion rate, then it accounted for about 40 per cent of total oxygen consumption; fat oxidation was reduced, whilst carbohydrate oxidation was unchanged. These results suggest that resting energy expenditure is maintained during acetate infusion since acetate replaces fat as an oxidative fuel, without affecting glucose oxidation. The reduction in fat oxidation appears to be due to reduced fat mobilization from adipose tissue. The metabolic effects of acetate infusion are similar in normal and in non-insulin dependent diabetic subjects

Prenatal ultrasonic diagnosis of conjoint twins

Background: A primipara with multiple pregnancy who booked for antenatal care at 21 weeks presented with vaginal bleeding and pedal oedema at the 27th week. She had had five previous ultrasound scans that gave conflicting results.Materials and Methods: The patient was therefore sent for a confirmatory scan, which was performed using a linear 3.5 MHz transducer of a dynamic imaging dedicated, concept MC ultrasound scan machine.Results: A diagnosis of conjoint twins was made. The twin was joined from the mandible to the abdomen. Although they cried at birth, they died afew minutes after. The pregnancy was terminated by caesarian section at the patient’s request. The patient did well postpartum and was discharged on the 5th postoperative day. Records confirm that this is the firstcase seen in this hospital, which has been in existence for 18 years. Conclusion: To diagnose conjoint twins by ultrasound, one needs the expertise and careful scanning techniques, as the diagnosis may be easily missed, especially if the union is extensive