17 research outputs found
Cellular Inflammatory Markers and Castelli Risk Indices in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
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.
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
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
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
Serum levels of copeptin, CRP and cortisol in SCA subjects in VOC based on length of Hospital stay.
<p>Serum levels of copeptin, CRP and cortisol in SCA subjects in VOC based on length of Hospital stay.</p
Serum levels of copeptin, cortisol and CRP in patients with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) in steady state, VOC and controls.
a<p>Significant (P<0.05) when compared with the control group.</p>b<p>Significant (P<0.05) when compared with the steady state SCA group.</p
Area under the curve (AUROC) for Copeptin, CRP and Cortisol in the SCA subjects (both steady and VOC).
<p>Area under the curve (AUROC) for Copeptin, CRP and Cortisol in the SCA subjects (both steady and VOC).</p
Scatter plots for CRP, copeptin and cortisol in control subjects.
<p>Scatter plots for CRP, copeptin and cortisol in control subjects.</p