Elevated levels of serum sialic acid and C-reactive protein: markers of systemic inflammation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a systemic chronic inflammatory disease with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary manifestations involving lungs causing airways dysfunction. C-reactive protein (C-RP) is a positive acute phase reactant and albumin a negative phase reactant during inflammation in COPD patients. Sialic acid (SA) prevalent in mucus rich tissues is gaining importance as biochemical marker in inflammatory immune response. Purpose of present study was to measure serum C-reactive protein (C-RP), total sialic acid and albumin levels in COPD patients and establish there association in COPD and compare with healthy controls.Methods: Seventy five clinically confirmed COPD patients, both male and female between the age group of 38-70 years were selected for the study and age/ sex matched healthy volunteers as controls were selected for comparison. Serum samples were analyzed for C-RP (mg/dl) by nephalometry and TSA (mmol/L) by periodate resorcinol method and albumin by dye binding method by spectrophotometer.Results: The mean value of serum C-RP in cases was 3.26±2.0 (mg/dl) and in controls 0.57±0.34 (mg/dl) with p<0.001. TSA in cases was 3.53±1.41 (mmol/L) compared to controls 1.81±0.53 (mmol/L), p<0.001. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between C-RP and TSA (r=0.755, p<0.001). The mean value of Albumin in cases decreased (2.54±0.87) as compared to control (4.07±0.66) (p<0.001) showed negative correlation with C-RP (r= -0.418, p<0.01) and TSA (r= -0.728, p<0.001). There was a significant decrease in BMI among cases 19.95±3.17 compared to control 21.17±1.78 p<0.001.Conclusions: C- reactive protein in association with TSA has increased in COPD as a marker of systemic inflammation. Albumin and BMI decreased as a result of nutritional depletion. Patients with low BMI and low serum albumin level have greater risk of having exacerbation, acute respiratory failure than patients with normal BMI.

Role of glycated hemoglobin (HBA1c) as a dual marker to predict glycemic status and dyslipidemia in type II diabetes mellitus

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is an endocrinological disease associated with hyperglycemia characterized by both insulin resistance and defective insulin secretion. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a routinely used marker for long-term glycemic control. This study is aimed at investigating the relationship between glycemic control and serum lipid profile and to evaluate the role of glycated haemoglobin as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in patients with type-2 diabetes and to evaluate the diagnostic value of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in predicting diabetic dyslipidemia as a marker of circulating lipids. The aim of the present study was to estimate glycated hemoglobin and lipid profile in patients with type 2 DM and compare it with controls (healthy subjects). The association of glycated hemoglobin with lipid profile evaluated.Methods: This study was conducted in 150 subjects, out of whom 75 were type 2 diabetes mellitus patients (cases) and 75 were non diabetic healthy subjects (controls).The sera were analyzed for HbA1c, fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL).Results: A significantly increased level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is observed in cases compared to control. HbA1c showed direct and significant correlations with cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL and inverse correlation with HDL in cases when compared to controls. Our study also revealed a significant positive correlation between lipid profile and glycated hemoglobin.Conclusions: These findings clearly suggest that HbA1c can provide valuable supplementary information about the extent of circulating lipids besides its primary role in monitoring long-term glycemic control. Further studies are warranted to reinforce the potential of HbA1c as a biomarker for screening of high-risk diabetic patients

Elevated levels of serum sialic acid and C-reactive protein: markers of systemic inflammation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a systemic chronic inflammatory disease with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary manifestations involving lungs causing airways dysfunction. C-reactive protein (C-RP) is a positive acute phase reactant and albumin a negative phase reactant during inflammation in COPD patients. Sialic acid (SA) prevalent in mucus rich tissues is gaining importance as biochemical marker in inflammatory immune response. Purpose of present study was to measure serum C-reactive protein (C-RP), total sialic acid and albumin levels in COPD patients and establish there association in COPD and compare with healthy controls.Methods: Seventy five clinically confirmed COPD patients, both male and female between the age group of 38-70 years were selected for the study and age/ sex matched healthy volunteers as controls were selected for comparison. Serum samples were analyzed for C-RP (mg/dl) by nephalometry and TSA (mmol/L) by periodate resorcinol method and albumin by dye binding method by spectrophotometer.Results: The mean value of serum C-RP in cases was 3.26±2.0 (mg/dl) and in controls 0.57±0.34 (mg/dl) with p&lt;0.001. TSA in cases was 3.53±1.41 (mmol/L) compared to controls 1.81±0.53 (mmol/L), p&lt;0.001. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between C-RP and TSA (r=0.755, p&lt;0.001). The mean value of Albumin in cases decreased (2.54±0.87) as compared to control (4.07±0.66) (p&lt;0.001) showed negative correlation with C-RP (r= -0.418, p&lt;0.01) and TSA (r= -0.728, p&lt;0.001). There was a significant decrease in BMI among cases 19.95±3.17 compared to control 21.17±1.78 p&lt;0.001.Conclusions: C- reactive protein in association with TSA has increased in COPD as a marker of systemic inflammation. Albumin and BMI decreased as a result of nutritional depletion. Patients with low BMI and low serum albumin level have greater risk of having exacerbation, acute respiratory failure than patients with normal BMI.

Role of glycated hemoglobin (HBA1c) as a dual marker to predict glycemic status and dyslipidemia in type II diabetes mellitus

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is an endocrinological disease associated with hyperglycemia characterized by both insulin resistance and defective insulin secretion. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a routinely used marker for long-term glycemic control. This study is aimed at investigating the relationship between glycemic control and serum lipid profile and to evaluate the role of glycated haemoglobin as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in patients with type-2 diabetes and to evaluate the diagnostic value of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in predicting diabetic dyslipidemia as a marker of circulating lipids. The aim of the present study was to estimate glycated hemoglobin and lipid profile in patients with type 2 DM and compare it with controls (healthy subjects). The association of glycated hemoglobin with lipid profile evaluated.Methods: This study was conducted in 150 subjects, out of whom 75 were type 2 diabetes mellitus patients (cases) and 75 were non diabetic healthy subjects (controls).The sera were analyzed for HbA1c, fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL).Results: A significantly increased level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is observed in cases compared to control. HbA1c showed direct and significant correlations with cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL and inverse correlation with HDL in cases when compared to controls. Our study also revealed a significant positive correlation between lipid profile and glycated hemoglobin.Conclusions: These findings clearly suggest that HbA1c can provide valuable supplementary information about the extent of circulating lipids besides its primary role in monitoring long-term glycemic control. Further studies are warranted to reinforce the potential of HbA1c as a biomarker for screening of high-risk diabetic patients

Congenital Humeroradial Synostosis: A Case Report

We present here a unique case of humeroradial synostosis. These anomalies are due to longitudinal failure of differentiation. Approximately 150 cases of humeroradial synostosis have been reported worldwide, the majority of which are familial in nature or associated with syndromes. The case presented here involves an infant aged 11⁄2 months, born with bilateral humeroradial synostosis without familial or syndromic association. To the best of our knowledge, no such case has been reported in Asia

Adopting incentive mechanisms for large-scale participation in mobile crowdsensing: from literature review to a conceptual framework

Mobile crowdsensing is a burgeoning concept that allows smart cities to leverage the sensing power and ubiquitous nature of mobile devices in order to capture and map phenomena of common interest. At the core of any successful mobile crowdsensing application is active user participation, without which the system is of no value in sensing the phenomenon of interest. A major challenge militating against widespread use and adoption of mobile crowdsensing applications is the issue of how to identify the most appropriate incentive mechanism for adequately and efficiently motivating participants. This paper reviews literature on incentive mechanisms for mobile crowdsensing and proposes the concept of SPECTRUM as a guide for inferring the most appropriate type of incentive suited to any given crowdsensing task. Furthermore, the paper highlights research challenges and areas where additional studies related to the different factors outlined in the concept of SPECTRUM are needed to improve citizen participation in mobile crowdsensing. It is envisaged that the broad range of factors covered in SPECTRUM will enable smart cities to efficiently engage citizens in large-scale crowdsensing initiatives. More importantly, the paper is expected to trigger empirical investigations into how various factors as outlined in SPECTRUM can influence the type of incentive mechanism that is considered most appropriate for any given mobile crowdsensing initiative