Blood Glucose Levels in Hypertensive Patients During Treatment with Different Antihyperten-sive Agents

&#60;P&#62;Fasting blood glucose was determined in 27 adults with essential hypertension at four different periods during a 12-month treatment with doxazosin, an alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist, and in another set of 20 adult hypertensive patients, after 3 months treatment with amlodipine, a calcium antagonist. The mean fasting blood glucose levels at various determinations during doxazosin therapy did not show any significant variation from the pre-treatment value. Similarly, mean fasting blood glucose level remained the same after 3 months of amlodipine therapy. The findings, therefore, highlights the safety of doxazosin and amlodipine antihypertensive pharmacotherapies.&#60;/P&#62;</p

Effects of Gongronema latifolium on blood lipids, lipoproteins and glucose values in adult Nigerians

Background: The study evaluates the beneficial effects or otherwise of Gongronema latifolium (utazi) consumption on plasma lipid profile and blood glucose in healthy subjects.Methods: The study was conducted on twenty (20) apparently healthy subjects (10 males and 10 females), within the age range of 20-55years who were randomly recruited from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) staff and medical students in Nnewi Campus. Twenty experimental subjects (10 males and 10 females) were fed with 5g/day of fresh Gongronema latifolium leaves for six weeks. Blood samples were collected at baseline and every week for six weeks and the biochemical parameters analyzed using standard laboratory methods.  Results: There were significant reductions in the levels of plasma glucose (3.85 ± 0.14 vs. 4.92 ± 0.31 mmol/l), cholesterol (3.60 ± 0.43 vs. 4.56 ± 0.67 mmol/l), triglycerides (0.73 ± 0.19 vs. 0.96 ± 0.20 mmol/l), Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C) (1.97 ± 0.48 vs. 2.70 ± 0.67 mmol/l) and LDL-C/High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (1.32 ± 0.44 vs. 2.11 ± 0.72 mmol/l) of the subjects that were fed with Gongronema latifolium leaves for six weeks compared with their baseline values; all P <0.05.Conclusion: The result of this study showed that Gongronema latifolium has hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effect on healthy subjects and might be beneficial for the management of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases.

Relationship between body mass index (BMI) and changes in plasma total and HDL-cholesterol levels during treatment of hypertension in African patients.

Eighty-one adult Nigerians with essential hypertension were randomly allocated to receive doxazosin, hydrochlorothiazide/amloride, or amlodipine. In each group, the patients were further classified as obese and non-obese, and total cholesterol as well as high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was determined before and after the 3-month treatment period. The total cholesterol level was significantly reduced in the non-obese patients, but did not show any significant change in the obese patients after doxazosin therapy, indicating the beneficial effects of doxazosin therapy in non-obese patients. The levels of total cholesterol increased and HDL cholesterol decreased in both the obese and the non-obese patients after hydrochlorothiazide/amloride therapy. Amlodipine treatment did not cause any significant change in the total and HDL cholesterol levels in both the obese and non-obese patients. These findings are worthy of consideration by clinicians and researchers when selecting the most appropriate drug for antihypertensive pharmacotherapy.</p

Examination stress and its effect on ovulation of female undergraduate students

Background: Students are susceptible to academic stress which is higher during examination period. Academic stress has been found to activate the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis resulting in increased cortisol and progesterone levels in circulation. This study sets out to investigate the effects of examination stress on ovulation of 32 apparently healthy female students.Methods: Serum levels of cortisol (µg/dl), glucose (mmol/L) and progesterone (ng/ml) was determined using blood samples collected on day 21 of the menstrual cycle before and after examination.Results: The result showed significant elevation in pre-examination serum cortisol (15.3 ± 5.9µg/dl) but significant reduction in Progesterone (3.5± 1.5ng/ml) when compared with post-examination mean serum concentrations of cortisol (10.5 ± 5.1µg/dl) and progesterone (4.2 ± 2.6ng/ml) (P<0.001 and P<0.001) respectively. There was no significance difference in glucose level before examination (5.4 ± 0.8mmol/L) and after examination (5.3 ± 0.7mmol/L) P=0.282.Conclusions: These findings demonstrated that examination triggers stress, which altered progesterone level in female students.

Evaluation of Zinc and Copper and Immunological Implication in Menstrual Cycle of HIV Infected Females in Nnewi, Nigeria

Zinc and Copper are essential for the immune system and the interaction between reproductive system and immune cells plays important immunoregulatory roles in menstrual cycle of women. It is estimated that nearly 16 million women are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, making up approximately half of all infections. Importantly, the understanding of the burden of HIV/AIDS lies within resource limited areas particularly Sub-Saharan Africa. This was a prospective study designed to evaluate the immunological implication of Zinc and Copper in menstrual cycle of HIV infected females in NAUTH, Nnewi, Nigeria. The study composed of 120 premenopausal females with regular menstrual cycle (between 27-31 days) and aged 15-45 years. 30 were apparently healthy females recruited as Control group while 90 were HIV infected females grouped as HIV stage 1, HIV stage 2 and HIV stage 2 on ART (n=30 respectively). Blood samples were collected at follicular (7th - 13th day) and luteal (21st -23rd day) phases of menstrual cycle after obtaining their informed consent for determination of Zinc, Copper, Interleukin-6, interleukin-4 and TNF? using AAS and ELISA methods. The result showed significantly lower levels of Zn and Cu  with significantly higher levels of IL-6, IL-4 and TNF? in HIV infected females with or without therapy compared to Control at both phases of menstrual cycle (P&lt;0.05). The Zn levels was significantly higher in stage 2 HIV infected females on ART compared to their counterparts not on ART (P&lt;0.05). The significantly lower levels of Zn and Cu with increased levels of cytokines indicate immunosuppression and active inflammatory response in HIV infected females at both phases of menstrual cycle which was improved in the participants who were placed on ART. Keywords: Copper; Zinc; Immunological Implication; HIV; Menstrual cycle; Reproductive age

Cholesterol Concentrations in Diabetic Patients in Nnewi, Nigeria

Peer Reviewe

Vitamin D and associated factors, among pregnant women in southeastern Nigeria

In this prospective study on vitamin D and its associated factors conducted on 256 pregnant women from Anambra state of southeastern Nigeria, Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) occurred in 36 (14.1%). Vitamin D levels were significantly associated with parity, gestational age, social class, place of abode, skin colour, workplace location, and compliance to ANC drugs. Pregnant women with these features are considered to be at risk for vitamin D deficiency. The study however did not show any association between vitamin D and maternal age, social class of the pregnant women, and the season of the year. It is recommended that vitamin D supplementation be considered routinely for women with the risk factors - especially for the grandmultipara, women at term gestational age, women of dark complexion, those with indoor work location, and of urban habitat.Impact statement What is already known on this subject? Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin primarily responsible for calcium and phosphorous homeostasis in the human body. it is derived in the human body both from endogenous sources through cutaneous synthesis following exposure to sunlight, and from endogenous conversion from pre-vitamin D to 25-hdroxycholecalciferol (25 (OH)D. Vitamin D is essential in pregnancy for maternal health, foetal skeletal growth and bone development. Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in pregnancy occurs globally with a prevalence of 4.7% to as high as 80%. What do the results of this study add? This study shows that parity, gestational age, social class, place of domicile, skin colour, workplace location, and compliance to ANC drugs constitutes associated factors to vitamin D levels. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? These findings imply that grandmultiparous pregnant women, women at term gestational age, of dark complexion, with indoor work location, and of urban habitat, by virtue of their relatively lower levels of vitamin D, should be considered for routine vitamin D supplementation

Vitamin D levels and antenatal complications in pregnant Nigerian Igbo women

Background: Serum levels of Vitamin D have been linked to some complications in pregnancy such as diabetes mellitus and premature rupture of membranes (PROM). While some studies suggest inverse relationship between serum Vitamin D levels and poor pregnancy outcomes, others report a J-shaped (curvilinear) or U-shaped relationship. Objective: The objective of the study is to determine the relationship between serum Vitamin D and some selected pregnancy complications among pregnant Nigerian Igbo women. Subjects and Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional study conducted on 256 consecutive consenting antenatal women in Anambra state, Southeastern Nigeria. Maternal blood obtained was assayed for 25 hydroxyvitamin D3 using high-pressure liquid chromatography. A pro forma was used to elicit information with respect to the biosocial characteristics of the subjects. Data obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 23, and the relationship between Vitamin D levels and antenatal complications was determined using Chi-square at P < 0.05 at 95% confidence interval being considered statistically significant. Results: The overall results showed that no participant had hypovitaminosis D. It also showed that there is maximum safe limit for serum Vitamin D beyond which the prevalence of hypertensive disorders/preeclampsia, preterm labor, and PROM rises. However, higher serum Vitamin D appears to be protective against clinical and laboratory-diagnosed malaria and malaria parasitemia. The study showed an inverse relationship between the degree of malaria parasitemia and serum Vitamin D levels. Conclusion: Despite the importance of Vitamin D in both skeletal and extra-skeletal health, there appears to be a safe upper limit. Therefore, Vitamin D supplementation should be reserved for proven cases of hypovitaminosis in pregnancy, especially in our locality where there is abundance of sunshine and low prevalence of hypovitaminosis D