The Role of Vitamins A, C and E with Zinc and Copper Elements in the Etiology and Pathogenesis of Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Fibromyalgia is one of the rheumatological disorder syndromes. It is characterized by generalized musculo-skeletal pain, fatigue with nervous system involvement such as memory disturbance, difficulty in concentration and depression. However, its etiology and pathogenesis is still obscured. Besides, its diagnosis has been done according to its clinical feature and by exclusion of other systemic diseases. Some studies found that serum level of vitamins like A, C and E, besides, Zinc and Copper elements would be altered during the affection by this disorder.Aim of study: to demonstrate the role of vitamins A, C and E together with Zinc and Copper in the etiology and pathogenesis of fibromyalgia syndrome. Subjects and methods: this study included forty patients (male and female) with fibromyalgia syndrome. In addition, nineteen  healthy individuals were involved in this study. In both groups, vitamins A, C and E serum level were examined.Besides zinc and copper levels also were measured in the serum of the subjects of both groups involved in this study.Results: the results showed obvious reduction in the level of vitamins A and E with minimal decreament in the level of vitamin C in the serum of fibromyalgia patients. In the contrary, the Copper serum level revealed significant increase in the fibromyalgia patients while Zinc level in the serum of both groups remained almost unaltered.Conclusion: the serum levels of vitamins A, C and E, in addition to the Copper and Zinc could play an important role in the etiology and pathogenesis of fibromyalgia syndrome.Besides, it could be helpful in the laboratory investigation for the diagnosis of this disorder. Keywords: fibromyalgia, vitamin A, C and E, Copper and Zinc

The association between hormonal variation, antioxidant status and oxidative stress in Iraqi women with endometriosis

Background: In the last years, Endometriosis affects up to 10 percent of reproductive aged Iraqi women. Little is known about the etiology of endometriosis in Iraqi women. Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the hormonal changes, antioxidant status, Coenzyme Q10 and oxidative stress in women patients with endometriosis. Patients and methods: 30 endometriotic women mean aged (31.16±5.61 year ) who were undergoing laparoscopy to participate in this study, and (n=30) healthy women volunteers mean aged (31.96±5.42 year) as control group. Results: The results in this study revealed a highly significant increased (P<0.01) in estradiol (E2), uric acid (UA) and oxidative stress (MDA). The results of the Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and vitamins (A, E, β-carotene, C) showed a highly significant decreased (P<0.01) in the sera levels of patients with endometriosis as compared to control. This study showed, there was a significant negative correlation between the levels of Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Follicle Stimulating Hormones (FSH), Testosterone (Test.), E2 and vitamins, whereas a significant positive correlation was observed in UA level with concomitant increase in MDA levels. Conclusions: The results of this study concluded the increase of oxidative stress and the decrease of antioxidant vitamins and CoQ10. Thus increasing the growth and adhesion of endometrial cells in the peritoneal cavity, which will lead to increase the risk factors of endometriosis

Impact of weight loss achieved through gastric sleeve surgery with circulating level of ghrelin hormone in obese Iraqi subjects.

Back ground: The epidemic of obesity is a major health problem in the developed world with a great influence on morbidity and mortality. The aim of study: to evaluate serum ghrelin levels achieved through LSG and on insulin resistance and the serial changes of insulin concentration in obese patients following gastric sleeve. Patients and methods: twenty four patients underwent LSG with 25 controls were selected. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), lipid profile, fasting blood sugar (FBS), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting insulin, QUICKI and ghrelin hormone concentrations were measured for controls and patients prior LSG, then one month and three months post-surgery. Results: A significant decline was noticed in BMI, WC, TC, TG, LDL-cholesterol, fasting insulin, and ghrelin, with significant increase in QUICKI in patients undergone LSG with significant differences in all studied parameters between patients and controls. A negative correlation was noticed between ghrelin and BMI in patients before sleeve gastrectomy. Conclusion: Ghrelin is a hormone closely linked with obesity taking into account the marked loss in appetite in the period after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy

Common variation of the CYP17 gene in Iraqi women with endometriosis disease

Common variants among genes coding for enzymes in sex steroid biosynthetic pathways may influence the risk of endometriosis in Iraqi women patients in the last years. Cytochrome P450c17a1 (CYP17), a gene that codes for a key enzyme (cytochrome P450c17a1) in a rate-limiting step of estrogen biosynthesis has attracted considerable attention as an important gene for endometriosis. To evaluate the relationship between common genetic variations in CYP17 and endometriosis risk and determine the main effects of those variations on the gene expression. A women-based case control study of Iraqi women aged range (23–46), the associations between selected single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CYP17 gene and endometriosis diagnosis in fifty women and thirty disease-free controls were evaluated. The study found a significant association (P ≤ 0.01)between endometriosis and selected SNPs of CYP17 gene, with the homozygous genotype conferring decreased risk. A highly significant difference (P ≤ 0.01) in CYP17 gene expression from women with versus without endometriosis and increased by 1.56-fold in women with endometriosis. These findings suggest that variation in or around CYP17 may be associated with endometriosis development in the Iraqi women