Diagnostic value of lipids, total antioxidants, and trace metals in benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer

Background: Considerable overlap exists in the value of total prostate specific antigen (tPSA) in both prostate cancer (Pca) and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). Developing an effective biochemical screening test that will complement PSA assay could reduce the associated cost of care and give timely attention to prostate cancer patients even when they are still asymptomatic is therefore desirable. This work was therefore an attempt to evaluate the possible roles of lipids, antioxidants, and trace metals in breaking the diagnostic tie between Pca and BPH.Materials and Methods: Anthropometric characteristics, total prostate specific antigen (tPSA), serum lipids (total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides), Vit. E, total antioxidant status (TAS), and trace metals (Se, Cu, Fe, Zn, and Mn) were determined in 40 patients with histopathological diagnosis of BPH and Pca. Forty age matched control subjects were also recruited from the same community. Informed consent was obtained from all the participants in the study. A P-value < 0.05 was considered significant.Results: There were significant variations in the weight, hip circumference, and body mass index (BMI) across the group but the post hoc test did not show any difference between patients with prostate cancer and BPH. Among the biochemical parameters studied, only the total cholesterol and triglyceride differed significantly between patients with BPH and prostate cancer patients. Cut-offs from ROC for BPH and prostate cancer at 88.9 sensitivity and 66.7% specificity (95% CI) were 88.5 mg and 161 mg/dl for triglycerides and cholesterol respectively. Furthermore there were no significant variations in the mean levels of copper and tPSA, Vit E, and LDL cholesterol among the study subjects and the controls.Conclusion: Prior to prostate biopsy, serum lipid (especially, fasting triglycerides, total cholesterol) could help in early discrimination of patients with BPH from prostate cancer in adjunct to total PSA and other management protocol for diagnosis of prostate cancer. The use of trace metal or antioxidants may have limited advantages. Further studies in this regard will be very desirable to see if this pattern of triglyceride and total cholesterol values in BPH and Pca are sustainable

Plasma C-Reactive Protein and Selected Nutritional Indices in Elective Caesarean Section

Context: Caesarean Section (CS) is a major surgical procedure, often performed when a vaginal delivery is considered unsafe.Objective: This study was carried out to understand the interaction between acute phase proteins and nutritional factors consequent to caesarean section. The knowledge of this interaction is important for successful management of these patients.Methods: Plasma samples from fifty (50) pregnant women booked for elective caesarean section in Ibadan, Nigeria were collected on the day preceding surgery, one day and four days post-surgery to determine the levels of CRP, vitamin C, PCV, Total protein, albumin and globulin (Glb) levels. Results: The mean age of the patients studied was 32.29 + 3.66 years, range; 24 39 years. Significant elevations were observed in the levels of TP, Glb and CRP one day post-surgery (1DPS) compared with baseline (BS) (7.36 + 1.46) vs 6.56±1.30, (4.68 + 1.33) vs 2.70±1.51, (111.43 + 68.89) vs 6.00 ± 13.27 respectively, while albumin reduced significantly (2.68 + 1.08) vs 3.87±0 .63. Similar changes were observed on day 4. There was no significant change in the levels of Vitamin C.Conclusion: One of the positive predictive indicators of good outcome after caesarean delivery is adequate nutrition.Key Words: Elective caesarian section, acute phase proteins, nutritional factor

Plasma Carcinoembyonic Antigen (CEA) levels in Nigerian with breast cancer

Nigerian Quarterly Journal of Hospital Medicine Vol.10(1) 2000: 41-4

Bacteraemia and acute phase proteins in Nigerian women with spontaneous recurrent abortion

C-reactive protein, alpha–2-macroglobulin, transferrin and bacteraemia were studied in women with recurrent abortion and compared with the pregnant women as well as non-pregnant women with no history of abortion (controls). The results showed a significantly reduced level of transferrin but significantly raised levels of alpha-2-macroglobulin and C-reactive protein in the pregnant women with recurrent abortion (P+R) compared with pregnant women without recurrent abortion (P-R) or the controls. Four genera of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Klebsiella species and Clostridium perfringes) were isolated from the blood of women with recurrent abortion while there were 2 genera of bacteria (S. aureus and Strept. Agalactiae) were isolated from the blood of pregnant women without recurrent abortion. This study had shown that inflammation and bacterial infection contribute to spontaneous recurrent abortion. African Journal of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology Vol. 6 (3) 2005: 203-20

Relationship Between Oxidative Stress and Preeclampsia in Nigerian Women

Introduction: Oxidative stress contributes to the pathogenesis of many disease states including preeclampsia. However the degree of change and the precise timing of the tilt from balanced to oxidative stress is not well document in preeclamptic toxaemia of pregnancy in Nigerian women. Thisunderlined the basis of this studyMaterial and Method: 580 nulliparous attendees who consented to the study were enrolled from July 2006 to February 2009. A structured questionnaire was utilized for one aspect of the study while 5ml ofwhole blood sample was obtained at booking and from 29, 25, 21and 25 pregnant women who developed preeclampsia, pregnant women without hypertension, women sampled at post natal visit and non pregnant women of similar age respectively, for determination of total antioxidant status.Results: The incidence of hypertension in the study was 19% while the incidence of preeclampsia was 5%. The study showed progressive consumption total oxidative capacity with progression in pregnancyas evidenced by significant decrease in the mean TAS of the women that delivered with preeclampsia (35% decrease) and without hypertension(19% decrease) compared to TAS level at booking p=0.000, 0.035 respectively.Conclusion: Our study has buttressed the growing body of evidence supporting increased oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.Key Words: Preeclampsia, oxidative stress, total antioxidant statu