Antioxidant Vitamins Status of Hypertensive Subjects in Sokoto, Nigeria

There is increased evidence that hypertension is associated with increased levels of oxidative stress markers. The current work aimed to estimate blood pressure, vitamins A, C, and E levels in 54 hypertensives attending the outpatient clinic of the  Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria and the results compared with those of apparently healthy nonhypertensive volunteers of comparable age and social status. Blood pressure and Serum levels of vitamins A, C, and E were 161.3±23.0/104±14.0mmHg, 25.8±6.6 μg/dL, 0.40 ± 0.2 mg/dL, 0.40 ± 0.1 mg/dL and 123.1 ± 12.3/82.9 ± 9.2 mmHg, 40.3 ± 6.3 μg/dL, 0.7 ± 0.2 mg/dL and 1.0 ± 0.4 mg/dL in hypertensives and non-hypertensive subjects respectively. There was significantly (P<0.05) increased levels of blood pressure and significantly (P<0.05) decreased levels of antioxidant vitamins in hypertensives. Most (80%) of the hypertensives have deficient serum levels of the vitamins. The results suggest that the hypertensives in the study area have low serum levels of antioxidant vitamins, an indication that the hypertensives are predisposed to increased oxidative onslaught.Keywords: Hypertension, blood pressure, serum vitamins A, C, and E

Lipid Peroxidation and lipid Profile in Hypertensive Patients in Sokoto, Nigeria

Hypertension and dyslipidaemia are associated with oxidative stress and are major causes of cardiovascular disease amounting to 30% of global death rate. In the current work, malondialdehyde and lipid profile were estimated in sixty hypertensive patients attending outpatient clinic of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria and the results compared with those of apparently healthy non-hypertensive volunteers of comparable age and social status. Serum levels of MDA, TC, TG, LDL-C, VLDL-C and AIX in hypertensive subjects were 122.80±14.66, 6.99 ± 0.59, 2.49 ± 0.23, 3.68 ± 0.63, 1.14 ± 0.23 and 2.02 ± 0.65 mmol/l respectively while in non hypertensive subjects the results were 60.14 ± 11.20, 5.31 ± 0.89, 1.79 ± 0.65, 0.71 ± 0.52, 0.83 ± 0.32 and 0.21 ± 0.19 mmol/l respectively. There were significantly (P< 0.05) higher levels in hypertensives. The serum HDL-C was significantly (p<0.05) lower in hypertensives (2.29 ± 0.41 mmol/l) than in non-hypertensives ( 3.89 ±0.76 mmol/l ) subjects respectively. There were higher incidences (71%) of lipid peroxidation and dyslipidaemia in the hypertensives. The results suggest that hypertensives in the study area have high serum levels of MDA and lipid profile, an indication that the hypertensives are predisposed to increased oxidative onslaught.Keywords: Hypertensive, malondialdehyde, dyslipidaemia, lipid profile

Serum Antioxidant Vitamins Levels in Children with Sickle Cell Anaemia in Sokoto, North Western Nigeria

Sickle cell anaemia is associated with elevated oxidative stress via increase generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and decline in antioxidant defences. Increased oxidative stress is thought to play a role in the development of sickle cell anaemic complications. In the current study, vitamins A, C, and E levels were estimated in 35 sickle cell anaemics attending the Paediatric medical clinic of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria and the results compared with those of apparently healthy non-sickle cell anaemic volunteers of comparable age and social status. Serum levels of vitamin A, C, and E were 31.06 ± 2.97 μg/dl, 0.27 ± 0.05 mg/dl, 0.20 ± 0.01 mg/dl and 69.51 ± 4.54 μg/dl, 0.77 ± 0.10 mg/dl and 0.49 ± 0.02 mg/dl in sickle cell anaemics and non- sickle cell anaemic subjects respectively. There was significantly (P<0.05) decreased levels of antioxidant vitamins in sickle cell anaemic subjects. Age and gender did not have significant (P>0.05) difference. The results suggest that sickle cell anaemics in the study area have low serum levels of antioxidant vitamins, an indication that the sickle cell anaemics are predisposed to increased oxidative onslaught.Keywords: Sickle cell anaemia, serum vitamins A, C, and E

Antioxidant Vitamins and Trace Elements Status of Diabetics in Sokoto, Nigeria

Diabetes mellitus is associated with elevated oxidative stress via increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and decline in antioxidant defences. Increased oxidative stress is thought to play a role in the development of diabetic complications. In the current study, vitamins A, C, and E, chromium, manganese and zinc levels were estimated in 54 diabetics attending the outpatient clinic of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria and the results compared with those of apparently healthy non-diabetic volunteers of comparable age and social status. Serum levels of vitamin A,C, and E were 23.0 ± 6.5 ìg/dl, 15.1 ± 8.3 ìmol/l, 7.3 ± 4.0 ìmol/l and 51.7 ± 14.1 ìg/dl, 42.1 ± 20.3 ìmol/l and 30.5 ± 8.4 ìmol/l in diabetics and non - diabetic subjects respectively. There was significantly (P< 0.05) decreased levels of antioxidant vitamins in diabetics. The serum levels of Cr (2.6 ± 1.2mg/l), Mn (8.2 ± 2.8mg/l) and Zn(9.4 ± 6.9mg/l) were significantly (P< 0.05) low in diabetics. Most (82%) of the diabetics have deficient serum levels of the vitamins and minerals. The results suggest that diabetics in the study area have low serum levels of antioxidant vitamins and trace elements, an indication that the diabetics are predisposed to increased oxidative onslaught

The Inter-Mammary Sticky Roll: A Novel Technique for Securing a Doppler Ultrasonic Probe to the Precordium for Venous Air Embolism Detection.

Venous air embolism is a devastating and potentially life-threatening complication that can occur during neurosurgical procedures. We report the development and use of the "inter-mammary sticky roll," a technique to reliably secure a precordial Doppler ultrasonic probe to the chest wall during neurosurgical cases that require lateral decubitus positioning. We have found that this noninvasive technique is safe, and effectively facilitates a constant Doppler signal with no additional risk to the patient

Effect of Supplementation with a Locally Prepared Nutriceutical on Renal Function Profile in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by increased levels of marker of oxidative stress which play a role in the development of diabetes complications. Antioxidants are thought to be beneficial in curtailing the lipid peroxidation. In the current work, antioxidant- rich nutriceutic was formulated from onions, garlic, lemon, palm oil and crayfish (in ratio 6:6:2:1:5 respectively), which are known sources of vitamins A, C and E and Cu, Cr, Mn and Zn. The nutriceutic was administered to alloxan-induced diabetic rats for 3 weeks and the effect of the supplementation on renal function profile was studied. The results shows that supplementation significantly (P&lt;0.05) reduced blood glucose, urea, creatinine and potassium. It also not significantly (P&gt;0.05) reduced serum sodium and bicarbonate. The findings suggest that supplementation with naturally occurring antioxidant nutriceutic may reduce the risk of oxidative stress and complications associated with diabetes mellitus and might be beneficial in the routine treatment of diabetes mellitus patients.Keywords: Diabetes, nutriceutic, glucose, and renal function profileNigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Science (2011), 19 (2): 197- 20

Markers of Diabetic Nephropathy in Diabetic Patients in Gusau, Zamfara State, Nigeria

Diabetic nephropathy is the kidney disease that occurs as a result of diabetes. Cardiovascular and renal complications share common risk factors such as blood pressure, blood lipids, and glycemic control. The markers of diabetics nephropathy in diabetic patients, serum glucose, creatinine clearance, urinary albumin and blood pressure in 40 diabetic (9 type I and 31 type II diabetics) patients attending Federal Medical Centre, Gusau, were determined. Sixteen (16) age- matched volunteers served as control. In type I diabetes mellitus; serum glucose level, creatinine clearance, and microalbuminuria were significantly different (P&lt; 0.05) between the subjects and control. In type II diabetes mellitus, serum glucose level, systolic pressure and age were significantly different (P&lt; 0.05) between the subjects and control. Therefore, serum glucose level, creatinine Clearance and microalbuminuria could be the markers of nephropathy in type I diabetics while serum glucose level, systolic pressure and higher age could be for type II diabetics. Other markers of risk for diabetic nephropathy are needed for optimal clinical management. The implication of this result for improving the quality of life of diabetics is discussed

Effect of Copper, Manganese and Zinc With Antioxidant Vitamins on Pulse Rate and Lipid Profile of Salt-Loaded Albino Rats

Hypertension and dyslipidemia are associated with oxidative stress and are major causes of cardiovascular diseases amounting to 30% of global death rate. The effect of antioxidants supplementation on pulse rate and lipid profile in salt-loaded albino rats were investigated using a randomized control study with 30 albino rats divided into 5 experimental groups of 6 rats each. Groups 1 and 2 were normal untreated and salt-induced untreated respectively. Groups 3-5 were treated with Vitamins (A, C and E) with Cu, Mn and Zn respectively. Hypertension and dyslipidemia were induced using Salt-loading method (8% NaCl) for a period of five (5) weeks where Group 1 received normal rat feed and Groups 2-5 received salt-loaded diet. The heart rate of the rats was measured before and after the salt loading and dyslipidaemia was assessed at the end of the experiment. The results indicated that salt loading induced significant increase (

Investigating the Effects of Customer Complaints and Feedback Management on Customer Satisfaction in Select Banks in Anambra State, Nigeria

This work examined the effect of customer compliant and feedback management on customer satisfaction in the Nigerian banking sector. In this study, turnaround time of banks to resolve complaints, banks response to customer complaints (responsiveness), employee courtesy, communication of service failures and handling process and service recovery were employed as the explanatory variable while customer satisfaction was employed as the dependent variable. In line with this, five hypotheses were formulated for the study. Relevant conceptual, theoretical and empirical literatures were reviewed in order to identify the knowledge gap. The study is anchored on equity theory. The study adopted survey research design. Primary data were used in the study. A total of 400 customers of five selected banks in Anambra Central Senatorial District were sampled for the study. Questionnaire was employed as the instrument of data collection. The data generated were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. Turnaround time of banks to resolve customer complaint, banks response to customer complaints (responsiveness), communication of service failures and handling process and service recovery were found to have significant effect on customer satisfaction, while employee courtesy was found to have an insignificant effect on customer satisfaction in selected sampled banks in Anambra Central Senatorial District. The study concludes that complaints and feedback management has significant effect in customer satisfaction in banks in Anambra Central Senatorial District. The study recommends that banks should reduce their turnaround time to resolve compliant, ensure service recovery and retrain their employees on effective and quality service delivery to customers. Keywords: Customer satisfaction, Equity theory, Customer complaint, Feedback, Service recovery and Communication