17 research outputs found

    Cellular Inflammatory Markers and Castelli Risk Indices in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

    Get PDF
    Background: The clinical importance of early identification of potential predictors of cardiovascular events in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) cannot be overemphasized. This study aimed to determine the plasma levels of Castelli risk indices (CRI) and selected cellular inflammatory markers in women with GDM.Methods: A total of 40 pregnant women, consisting of 11 women with GDM and 29 women without GDM, were randomly enrolled into this case-control study using the convenient sampling method. Venous blood samples were taken. The plasma lipid profiles were determined using the spectrophotometric methods. White blood cell differential was counted using a microscope. Plasma levels of CRI-I, CRI-II, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and monocyte lymphocyte ratio (MLR) were calculated using the appropriate formula. Student’s t-test, Mann Whitney U, Chi-square, and Spearman’s rho correlations were used for statistical analysis. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The CRI-I [6.58(6.06–7.60) vs 3.42(2.83–3.89)], CRI-II [4.59(4.17–5.28 vs 1.82(1.36–2.16)) and NLR (3.72±0.52 vs 2.63±0.61) were significantly higher in women with GDM. Likewise, the mean age (34.18±3.49), gestational weight (92.82±11.23), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (98.45±6.24), total cholesterol (TC) (310.92(290.81–360.78)), triglyceride (TG) (232.86(221.28–256.00), LDL-C (214.85(206.24–239.80), and neutrophil count (76.36±2.58) were significantly higher in women with GDM (p<0.05). In contrast, HDL-C (45.56(44.90–51.34), lymphocytes (20.82±2.14), and monocytes counts (2.73±1.10) were significantly lower in women with GDM. However, there was no difference in the MLR between the two groups.Conclusion: The CRI-I, CRI-II, and NLR are significantly elevated in women with GDM. Dyslipidemia and systemic inflammation are associated with GDM, which are forerunners of cardiovascular diseases

    Thyroid function in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients with or without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection before commencement of MDR-TB drug regimen.

    Get PDF
    Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are known to cause abnormal thyroid function. There is little information on whether HIV infection aggravates alteration of thyroid function in patients with MDRTB. Objectives: This study was carried out to determine if HIV co-infection alters serum levels of thyroid hormones (T3, T4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in patients with MDR-TB patients and to find out the frequency of subclinical thyroid dysfunction before the commencement of MDR-TB therapy. Methods: This observational and cross-sectional study involved all the newly admitted patients in MDR-TB Referral Centre, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria between July 2010 and December 2014. Serum levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4) and free triiodothyronine (fT3) were determined using ELISA. Results: Enrolled were 115 patients with MDR-TB, out of which 22 (19.13%) had MDR-TB/HIV co-infection. Sick euthyroid syndrome (SES), subclinical hypothyroidism and subclinical hyperthyroidism were observed in 5 (4.35%), 9 (7.83%) and 2 (1.74%) patients respectively. The median level of TSH was insignificantly higher while the median levels of T3 and T4 were insignificantly lower in patients with MDR-TB/HIV co-infection compared with patients with MDRT-TB only. Conclusion: It could be concluded from this study that patients with MDR-TB/HIV co-infection have a similar thyroid function as patients having MDR-TB without HIV infection before commencement of MDR-TB drug regimen. Also, there is a possibility of subclinical thyroid dysfunction in patients with MDR-TB/HIV co-infection even, before the commencement of MDR-TB therapy

    FAT DEPOSITION IN THE NUCHAL REGION IS ASSOCIATED WITH INSULIN RESISTANCE AND LOW METABOLIC CLEARANCE RATE OF GLUCOSE IN ADULT MALES

    No full text
    Background: The role of classical proxies for obesity such as the body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) in the development of insulin resistance (IR) is well reported. However, there is the dearth of information on the association between subcutaneous fat deposition in the nuchal region and the development of IR.Objective: This study determined the interplay between thickness of cervical fat fold (CFF) and development of IR.Methods: Fifty adult males with CFF and 50 males without CFF were enrolled into this study. Standard Oral Glucose Tolerance Testing (OGTT) was performed and fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2 hours post prandial glucose (2hrPPG), lipids, fasting insulin (FI), 2 hours postprandial insulin (2hrPPI) levels were determined. Thereafter, indices of IR and estimated metabolic clearance rate of glucose (eMCR) were calculated using standard formula.Results: Levels of FI, 2hrPPI and the median values of indices of IR were significantly higher while median values of indices of insulin sensitivity and eMCR were significantly lower in CFF compared with the controls. Predicting the diagnostic property of CFF for insulin sensitivity with reference to Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI) cut-off values, the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUROC) was 0.695 (P-value = 0.043) and a CFF cut-off value of 12.5 cm had 75% sensitivity and 55.3% specificity.Conclusion: Adult males with CFF have IR and low eMCR and are thus, prone to developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Also, CFF thickness appears to be a good anthropometric index of insulin resistance

    Vitamin D Levels in Different Severity Groups of Schizophrenia

    No full text
    BackgroundVitamin D deficiency (VDD) continues to be associated with schizophrenia, but there is the dearth of information on the relationship between the severity of schizophrenia and plasma levels of vitamin D. This study, therefore, determined the plasma levels of vitamin D in different severity groups of schizophrenia.Materials and methodsPlasma level of vitamin D was determined in 60 patients with schizophrenia and 30 apparently healthy individuals who served as controls. Patients with schizophrenia were classified into mildly ill, moderately ill, markedly ill, and severely ill groups using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).ResultsThe mean level of vitamin D was significantly lower in patients with schizophrenia compared with the controls. Similarly, there was a significant association between VDD and schizophrenia. The mean plasma levels of vitamin D were not significantly different when the mildly, moderately, markedly, and severely ill groups were compared with one another and there was no significant correlation between vitamin D level and PANSS scores. Furthermore, patients on atypical antipsychotics had an insignificantly lower level of vitamin D compared with the patients on typical antipsychotics.ConclusionIt could be concluded from this study that patients with schizophrenia have low plasma vitamin D level which does not appear to be associated with the severity of schizophrenia and type of antipsychotics. Therefore, regular screening for vitamin D status of patients with schizophrenia is suggested in order to allow for the institution of appropriate clinical intervention when necessary
    corecore