Effect of low-dose oral contraceptives on Lipid profile levels in Sudanese women using oral contraceptive pills

Background: Oral contraceptives provide highly reliable contraceptive protection even though imperfect use is considered, and are widely used worldwide.Objective: This study aimed to assess the effect of low dose combined oral contraceptive pills use on lipid profile levels in Sudanese women, and to find its correlation with age, BMI and duration of using oral contraceptive.Material and Methods: A clinically-based descriptive study was conducted during the period from May to October 2013. Sixty six women using low dose combined oral contraceptive were selected as a test group compared to sixty six apparently healthy non users as a control, attending the family planning center of Omdurman Maternity Hospital in Khartoum state, Sudan. Blood specimens were collected from both groups and serum levels of Total Cholesterol, Triglyceride and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) were estimated and Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) was calculated using Friedewaled equation.Results : Results showed a significant increase in the mean serum levels of Total Cholesterol, Triglyceride and HDL in the test group compared with the control group (p <0.05) and insignificant increase in the mean serum levels of LDL in the test group (P = 0.327). HDL levels decreased with age (P value 0.000) while Cholesterol, Triglyceride and LDL levels were not affected. The study also showed significant increase in Cholesterol, Triglyceride and decrease in HDL with duration of oral contraceptive use (P <0.05).The BMI was significantly higher in users than non-users (P 0.025).Conclusion: Combined oral contraceptive pills adversely affect the lipid profile. This may be due to drug responsiveness, as well as increased BMI. There isa correlation between duration of oral contraceptive use and lipid profile among the studied cases.Key words: Contraceptive pill, Low Doses, Serum lipids, Sudanese Women

Albumin: Creatinine Ratio during long term Diabetes Mellitus in the Assessment of early Nephropathy in Sudanese Population

Background: Diabetic nephropathy is one of the major causes of chronic renal failure. Microalbuminuria (MAU) has been recognized as an independent and reliable predictor for future development of overt proteinuria in diabetic patients.Objectives: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried during the period of January-April 2012, in Omdurman Teaching Hospital, to determine Microalbuminuria creatinine ratio, in long term Diabetic patients.Materials and Methods: Immunoturbidmetric method was used to asses’ microalbuminuria in 50 cases (50%) and 50 controls (50%). Ordinary chemical method (Jaffe reaction) was used for the determination of creatinine for both the groups.Results: Microalbuminuria in Diabetic patients showed an increase when compared with the control group with P value 0.000. Similarly creatinine also showed an increase in diabetic patients.Conclusion: It was concluded and is in further affirmation of the previous studies that microalbuminuria should be used as an early indicator for Diabetic Nephropathy. Further studies with 24 hour urine sample are recommended for assessment of Microalbuminuria in long term Diabetic patients, provided that the patients are on a normal diet with regular treatment for diabetes.Key words: Microalbuminuria, Creatinine, Diabetes mellitus, Nephropathy

Assessment of Nutritional Status in Children from Eastern Sudan

Background: Malnutrition is a very important risk factor leading illness and death in children worldwide.Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status and relevant haematological and biochemical parameters in school children.Materials and Methods: Cross sectional study, was conducted in 120 (70 boys and 50 girls) school going children of 6-7 years of age, for the assessment of their nutritional status. The haemogloblin concentration (Hb%) was measured by equation method, packed cell volume (PCV) was estimated by scale of microhameatocrit reader, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) was calculated. Serum total protein, albumin, iron, total iron binding capacity and transferrin were measured by colorimetric methods. Weight (kg) and height (cm) were measured and body mass index was calculated. Data were analyzed using SPSS version13.0.Results: The mean values for hematological, biochemical and  anthropometrical measurements were much below the normal ranges. The anthropometric percentile measured in the children showed malnutrition cases in 32 (26.7%) and malnutrition and underweight in 73 (60.8%) while the body mass index showed underweight in males in 23 (19.2%) and in females 11 (9.2%).Conclusions: Malnutrition is common in our study population and was seen in 48.3 of children. It was accompanied by anaemia in 60.8 % of children.Key words: Biochemical parameters, Hematological parameters,  Anthropometric measurements, Nutritional status, Anemia

Biochemical Parameters in Relation to Tuberculosis in Sudanese Patients

Background: Malnutrition and wasting are associated with TB and HIV infection. Malnutrition and tuberculosis are both problems of considerable magnitude in most of the underdeveloped regions of the world. Nutritional status is significantly lower in patients with active tuberculosis compared with healthy controls. Both, protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrients deficiencies increase the risk of tuberculosis.Objectives: To investigate the concentration of serum albumin, total protein, glutamate oxalo acetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and zinc in Sudanese tuberculosis patients (TB), attending the Tropical Diseases Teaching Hospital, Khartoum State.Materials and Methods: The study was performed on 60 tuberculosis patients, compared with 40 healthy individual age and sex matched used as control group .The study period was from April to August 2011. Serum albumin, total protein, GOT and GPT levels were determined by using clinical chemistry analyzer while zinc level was analyzed by atomic absorption spectro-photometers.Results: Among TB patients the mean ±SD of plasma albumin, total protein, GOT, GPT and zinc respectively were 3.29±0.91, 7.55±1.59, 21.24±8.33, 9.12±6.34 and 0.47±0.17. The mean ±SD of plasma albumin, total protein, GOT, GPT and zinc for control group respectively were 4.19±0.93, 8.0±0.98, 26.0±9.08, 13.3±8.15, and 0.55±0.14. Statistically significant association was observed in all parameters between the patients and control group (P<0.05).Conclusions: This study concluded that TB patients had significant decreased levels of all parameters; however albumin and GPT were more significant as compared to others.Keywords: Tuberculosis, Total protein, Albumin, Liver enzymes, Zinc

Investigation of Diffuse Hair Fall Case Due to Vitamin D Deficiency: A Case Report and Literature Review

A 45-year-old female from northern Sudan presented a complaint of diffuse hair loss from her scalp for 4 years. The condition started when she was in Saudi Arabia, where she resided for five years with her husband and children. The condition is associated with fatigability and easily falling asleep. The condition is static with no known relieving or aggravating factors. She looks well, not pale, jaundiced or cyanosed, regular pulse, no lymph node enlargement; thyroid is central with normal size and no lower limb edema. Scalp: looks normal, no scales or erosions. Hair: hair is dry with normal texture; loss is diffuse, no apparent patch of alopecia. Axillary and pubic hair is normal. All investigations were within normal values except serum vitamin D that was found to be very low: 9 (average value 30–300). Management plans to correct the deficiency for three months, and then a daily maintenance dose is to be prescribed. The monitoring of vitamin D serum level is to be assessed to avoid hyper vitaminosis. Vitamin D supplement was prescribed as oral tabs of 50,000 IU weekly for three months. Daily maintenance dose of 1000 IU was prescribed. Improvement was noticed starting from the first month, and excellent result was achieved after three months of daily supplementation; daily maintenance dose was then prescribed with an advice of being outdoors to enhance endogenous synthesis. Conclusion: Serum vitamin D level should be assessed in patients with hair loss, especially those at a risk because of being indoors

Assessment of Serum Copper Level Among Sudanese Patients with Vitiligo

Background: Vitiligo is a common skin disease of unknown etiology characterized clinically by depigmented patches, which can be localized or generalized; it usually runs a chronic course with an un predictable outcome and failure of complete cure in many affected individuals. Many communities consider it a contagious disease which leads to a great psychological and social stigma for patients; previous studies showed that copper might be associated with the pathogenesis of vitiligo. The aim of this study was to assess copper level in Sudanese vitiligo patients. Methods: This is a case-control study conducted in dermatology clinics in Khartoum state during the period from November 2018 to February 2019. Blood samples were obtained from 100 participants, 50 from vitiligo patients and 50 from non-vitiligo subjects representing a control  group. Serum copper was measured by mind-ray (automation). Results: A highly significant increase (P-value = 0.000) in the copper level was seen in vitiligo patients compared with the control group. Of the total number of patients, 17 (34%) were females and 33 (66%) were males. According to the duration of the disease, the copper level was significantly increased in patient group with a disease duration of > one year compared to the patient group six months–one year and patient group < 6 months; we found no significance of the family history, 18% of the case group had a family history while 42 (82%) had no family history. Discussion: The relationship between the serum level of copper and vitiligo has been assessed by many studies. Copper is one of the trace elements that was found to be important for tyrosinase enzyme that catalyzes the first steps in melanin synthesis in the skin. Some studies showed that the disease was associated with low serum levels of copper and since vitiligo is a disease that is characterized clinically by white areas of skin with no melanin, these studies seem to be logical. However, in this study, the serum level of copper was found to be high in vitiligo patients which might be justified by the release of copper from the destroyed melanocytes. Another justification might be a defect in the carrier protein for copper. Conclusion: The study found that the serum copper was significantly increased in vitiligo patients compared to the control and it is recommended that serum copper level and copper profile should be assessed routinely in vitiligo patients. Keywords: vitiligo, depigmentation, copper, Sudanes

Evaluation of Serum Gonadotropin and Prolactin Level Among Sudanese Patients with Chronic Renal Failure

Background: Generally, patients on hemodialysis for chronic renal failure also have endocrine defects and sexual function disorders. In this study, we aimed to assess the serum prolactin (PRL), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in patients with chronic renal failure. Methods: This hospital-based case–control study was conducted at Jabal Aulia Teaching Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan. The study was carried out between August 2019 and February 2020. A total of 100 subjects were enrolled – 50 chronic renal failure patients and 50 as controls. The serum hormones were estimated using Tosoh 360. SPSS version 25 was used to analyze the results. Results: The serum PRL, LH, and FSH were significantly increased among chronic renal failure patients than their healthy counterparts (p-value = 0.000). The age of patients was positive correlated with plasma hormones, PRL (r = 0.332, p = 0.001), LH (r = 0.387, p = 0.000), and FSH (r = 0.320, p = 0.001). No correlation was found between the duration of the disease and serum hormones. Conclusion: Patients with chronic renal failure had a highly significant increase of serum PRL, LH, and FSH and also the age of the patients was positively correlated with serum hormones. Keywords: chronic renal failure, prolactin, gonadotropin, hemodialysi

Assessment of Plasma Von Willebrand Factor Antigen in Non-metastatic Prostate Cancerpatients: Across-sectional Study of the Sudanese Population

Backgrounds: VonWillebrand disease (VWD) is reportedly the most common inherited bleeding disorder and can also arise as an acquired syndrome (AVWS). These disorders arise due to defects and/or deficiency of the plasma protein von Willebrand factor (VWF)..High plasma vWF concentrations have been reported in patients with various types of cancer, such as prostatic cancer.Metastasization may be associated with activation of haemostatic processes resulting in increased levels of circulating factor VIII-related antigen (FVIIIRAg) (von Willebrand factor antigen). Objective: To evaluate the status of VWF AginSudanese patients with Prostate Cancer attending RICK Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study carried out in Khartoum state at Khartoum oncology (RICK) hospital, during the period from April to June 2018, 45 samples were collected from patients with non-metastatic CA prostate, their ages ranged between 51 to 82 years. The vWF level was measured using Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data were analyzed by the statistical package for social science (SPSS).   Results: Serology for vWF antigen was done for 45 cases of prostate cancer. According to the age, 2(8%) of patients with age 51-66 had a high concentration of VWF while 24(92%) had normal vWF antigen concentration; of those with age 67-82 years, 4(21%) had high vWF antigen and 15(79%) had normal antigen. Conclusion: The study revealedthat more than 80% of Sudanese patients withnon-metastatic prostate cancer have anormal concentration of VWF. Keywords: vWF, Prostate cancer, Age, ELIS