Evaluation of the Efficiency of N-terminal Pro-B-type Natriuretic Peptide for Diagnosis of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background: Cardiac diseases are one of the major causes of death worldwide with increasing incidence rate per year, particularly in developing countries such as Sudan owing to urbanization and changing lifestyle. Myocardial infarction is a consequence of the imbalance between the heart blood supply and the required heart cell; this disorder leads to necrosis of myocardium and may cause death. It could be diagnosed by at least two of the following criteria: chest pain, electrocardiography (ECG) elevation, and levels on cardiac biomarkers. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).  Methods: This analytical case–control hospital-based study was conducted on a total of 70 individuals, of which 40 participants were suspected of or diagnosed with AMI, while 30 healthy subjects  were included as a control group. Three ml of venous blood were collected in lithium heparin containers. Troponin I (TnI) as a cardiac biomarker was measured by TOSOH AIA-360, while the NTproBNP level was detected using I-Chroma II. Personal and clinical data were collected directly from each participant using a predesigned questionnaire. Results: A significant increase in the TnI level (mean: 13.13 ± 18.9 ng/ml) and NTproBNP (mean: 5756.5 ± 8378.2 pg/mL) in AMI patients were detected when compared with control mean (0.02 ± 0.00 ng/ml and 57.8 ± 42.32 pg/mL, respectively). Conclusions: NTproBNP gave a high sensitivity (87.5%), specificity (100%), positive predictive value (100%), and negative predictive value (85.7%) in the diagnosis of AMI when compared with another cardiac biomarker such as TnI. Keywords: acute myocardial infarction, NTproBNP, troponin I, Medani Heart Center, Suda

Association of Body Mass Index with Serum Vitamin D and PSA Levels among Sudanese Prostate Cancer Patients

Background: Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men in the United States. Obesity has been consistently associated with lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations. Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the serum vitamin D and PSA levels in Sudanese Obese and Non-Obese prostate cancer (PCa) attending the National Cancer Institute. Patients and Methods: Eighty six prostate cancer patients were included in this study, they were identified by clinical examination, histopathology and prostate-specific antigen (PSA). The mean age of them was 71.78 ± 8.04 years. Serum Vitamin D and PSA were measured by Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunoassay reactions using (Cobase411, serial No: 0868-16, manufactured by Hitachi high technologies corporation, Tokyo-Japan) the Elecsys reagents kit (Roche – Germany) Results: The means of serum vitamin D levels of among  obese was 35.5 ± 15.4 ng/dL and 38.4 ± 16.2 ng/dL  among non-obese group with non-significant differences(P=0.505). No significant association was observed between PSA levels and obese and non-obese (P=0.351). Vitamin D levels non-significantly negative correlated with BMI (r = -0.031, P = 0.778) and PSA (r = -0.062, P = 0.569), but there was insignificantly Positive correlated between PSA and vitamin D level (r = 0.151, P = 0.164). Conclusion: insignificant differences between vitamin D and serum PSA with BMI, Oral supplementation is recommended for individuals with low level of vitamin D. Keywords: Prostate cancer, Body mass index, Vitamin D, PSA, Sudanese

Evaluation of the Efficiency of N-terminal Pro-B-type Natriuretic Peptide for Diagnosis of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background: Cardiac diseases are one of the major causes of death worldwide with increasing incidence rate per year, particularly in developing countries such as Sudan owing to urbanization and changing lifestyle. Myocardial infarction is a consequence of the imbalance between the heart blood supply and the required heart cell; this disorder leads to necrosis of myocardium and may cause death. It could be diagnosed by at least two of the following criteria: chest pain, electrocardiography (ECG) elevation, and levels on cardiac biomarkers. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).  Methods: This analytical case–control hospital-based study was conducted on a total of 70 individuals, of which 40 participants were suspected of or diagnosed with AMI, while 30 healthy subjects  were included as a control group. Three ml of venous blood were collected in lithium heparin containers. Troponin I (TnI) as a cardiac biomarker was measured by TOSOH AIA-360, while the NTproBNP level was detected using I-Chroma II. Personal and clinical data were collected directly from each participant using a predesigned questionnaire. Results: A significant increase in the TnI level (mean: 13.13 ± 18.9 ng/ml) and NTproBNP (mean: 5756.5 ± 8378.2 pg/mL) in AMI patients were detected when compared with control mean (0.02 ± 0.00 ng/ml and 57.8 ± 42.32 pg/mL, respectively). Conclusions: NTproBNP gave a high sensitivity (87.5%), specificity (100%), positive predictive value (100%), and negative predictive value (85.7%) in the diagnosis of AMI when compared with another cardiac biomarker such as TnI. Keywords: acute myocardial infarction, NTproBNP, troponin I, Medani Heart Center, Suda