A study of liver functions in metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease known by chronic hyperglycemia which results from defective insulin action and secretion. Metabolic syndrome consists of a constellation of metabolic abnormalities that confer increased risk of diabetes mellitus. The aim of the present study was to find out if there is any liver function impairment in patients with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods: 50 controls, 50 individuals with metabolic syndrome and 50 individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus were selected by purposive sampling technique. Serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, total bilirubin and albumin were estimated in controls and cases. Results: The mean values of serum ALT,AST,ALP, total bilirubin were significantly increased (p<0.001) and serum albumin levels were significantly decreased (p<0.001) in cases compared to controls. Conclusion: Liver functions are impaired in patients with metabolic syndrome and type 2diabetes mellitus when compared to controls

A comparison of BMI and Lipid Profile in patients with metabolic syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease known by chronic hyperglycemia which results from defective insulin action and secretion. Metabolic syndrome consists of a constellation of metabolic abnormalities that confer increased risk of diabetes mellitus. The aim of the present study was to study BMI and lipid profile in patients with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and methods: 50 controls, 50 individuals with metabolic syndrome and 50 individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus were selected by purposive sampling technique. BMI was calculated and serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, VLDL and HDL were estimated in controls and cases. Results: BMI, serum triglycerides, VLDL, cholesterol/HDL ratio were significantly increased (p<0.05) and serum HDL levels were significantly decreased (p<0.05) in metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes compared to controls. Conclusion: Our study concluded that there is significant dyslipidemia in patients with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Differential Association of Selected Adipocytokines, Adiponectin, Leptin, Resistin, Visfatin and Chemerin, with the Pathogenesis and Progression of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in the Asir Region of Saudi Arabia: A Case Control Study

Background: Sedentary lifestyles, urbanization and improvements in socio-economic status have had serious effects on the burden of diabetes across the world. Diabetes is one of the 10 leading causes of death globally, and individuals with diabetes have a 2–3-fold increased risk of all-cause mortality. Adipose tissue is increasingly understood as a highly active endocrine gland that secretes many biologically active substances, including adipocytokines. However, the exact and discrete pathophysiological links between obesity and T2DM are not yet fully elucidated. Methods: In the current study, we present the association of five diverse adipocytokines, adiponectin, leptin, resistin, visfatin and chemerin, with T2DM in 87 patients (46 males and 41 females) with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 85 healthy controls (44 males and 41 females) from the Asir region of Saudi Arabia. The patients were divided into four groups: normal BMI, overweight, obese and severely obese. The baseline biochemical characteristics, including HbA1c and anthropometric lipid indices, such as BMI and waist–hip ratio, were determined by standard procedures, whereas the selected adipokine levels were assayed by ELISA. Results: The results showed significantly decreased levels of adiponectin in the T2DM patients compared to the control group, and the decrease was more pronounced in obese and severely obese T2DM patients. Serum leptin levels were significantly higher in the females compared to the males in the controls as well as all the four groups of T2DM patients. In the male T2DM patients, a progressive increase was observed in the leptin levels as the BMI increased, although these only reached significantly altered levels in the obese and severely obese patients. The serum leptin levels were significantly higher in the severely obese female patients compared to the controls, patients with normal BMI, and overweight patients. The leptin/adiponectin ratio was significantly higher in the obese and severely obese patients compared to the controls, patients with normal BMI, and overweight patients in both genders. The serum resistin levels did not show any significant differences between the males and females in thr controls or in the T2DM groups, irrespective of the BMI status of the T2DM patients. The visfatin levels did not reveal any significant gender-based differences, but significantly higher levels of visfatin were observed in the T2DM patients, irrespective of their level of obesity, although the higher values were observed in the obese and highly obese patients. Similarly, the serum chemerin levels in the controls, as well as in T2DM patients, did not show any significant gender-based differences. However, in the T2DM patients, the chemerin levels showed a progressive increase, with the increase in BMI reaching highly significant levels in the obese and severely obese patients, respectively. Conclusion: In summary, it is concluded that significantly altered concentrations of four adipokines, adiponectin, leptin, visfatin and chemerin, were found in the T2DM patient group compared to the controls, with more pronounced alterations observed in the obese and highly obese patients. Thus, it can be surmised that these four adipokines play a profound role in the onset, progression and associated complications of T2DM. In view of the relatively small sample size in our study, future prospective studies are needed on a large sample size to explore the in-depth relationship between adipokines and T2DM

Comparing students' performance in self-directed and directed self-learning in College of Medicine, University of Bisha

الملخص: أهداف البحث: تزيد استراتيجية التعلم المرتكز على الطالب من احتمالية تخريج أطباء أكفاء ومعتمدين على أنفسهم وقادرين على حل المشكلات. اعتمدت كلية الطب بجامعة بيشة التعلم الموجه ذاتيا ممثلا بالتعلم القائم على حل المشكلات، والتعلم الذاتي الموجه ممثلا بالتعلم القائم على الفريق. طريقة البحث: تم جمع ما مجموعه 502 سؤالا من أسئلة متعددة الخيارات من اختبارات منتصف المقرر والامتحانات النهائية من قبل خبراء المواد ذات الصلة من تسع دورات خلال الفترة من سبتمبر 2020 حتى يونيو 2023 والتي اعتمدت التعلم القائم على حل المشكلات والتعلم القائم على الفريق؛ 247 سؤالا متعدد الأسئلة تتعلق بالتعلم القائم على حل المشكلات و255 سؤالا يتعلق بالتعلم القائم على الفريق. تم استخدام التحليل السيكومتري لتحديد الأسئلة الصعبة والسهلة والأمثل. نقطة ثنائية حيث تشير إلى نقطة ثنائية ضعيفة وهامشية وجيدة وممتازة على التوالي. وأخيرا، تمت محاولة عدد المشتتات الوظيفية بنسبة تزيد عن 5% من المرشحين. النتائج: لا توجد فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية في أداء الطلاب في الاسئلة متعددة الاختيارات المتعلقة بالتعلم المبني على المشكلات (يمثل أداة التعلم الموجه ذاتيا للمجموعات الصغيرة)، والتعلم المبني على الفريق (يمثل أداة التعلم الموجه ذاتيا للمجموعات الكبيرة) فيما يتعلق بمؤشر الصعوبة، ووظائف تشتيت الانتباه. الاستنتاجات: لوحظ أنه لا يوجد فرق في أداء الطلاب سواء تم استخدام التعلم القائم على حل المشكلات أو التعلم القائم على الفريق لتعلم مقررات العلوم الطبية الأساسية. يحتاج التعلم في مجموعات صغيرة مثل التعلم القائم على حل المشكلات إلى موارد أكثر مقارنة بالتعلم في مجموعات كبيرة كما هو الحال في التعلم القائم على الفريق، وبالتالي يمكن لأي كلية أن تقرر استراتيجية التعلم المعتمدة على مواردها وعدد طلابها. Abstract: Background: Student-centered learning strategy increases the likelihood of graduation of competent, self-dependent, and problem-solving physicians. The University of Bisha, College of Medicine (UBCOM) adopted self-directed learning (SDL) represented by problem-based learning (PBL), and directed self-learning (DSL) represented by team-based learning (TBL). Aim: To compare the students’ performance in SDL and DSL among UBCOM students. Methodology: A total of 502 multiple choice questions (MCQs) from the mid-course and final exams were collected by the relevant subject experts from nine courses during the period from September 2020 till June 2023 that adopted PBL and TBL; 247 MCQs related to PBL and 255 related to TBL. Psychometric analysis was used to determine difficult, easy, and optimum questions (≤25%, ≥90%, and 26–89%, respectively). Point biserial as 0.40 which indicate poor, marginal, good, and excellent point biserial, respectively. Finally, the number of functional distractors was attempted by >5% of the candidates. Results: No significant differences were noted for the students’ performance in MCQs related to PBL (representing self-directed, small group learning tool), and TBL (representing directed-self, large group learning tool) regarding difficulty index (DI), point biserial, and distractors functionality. Conclusion: It has been observed that there is no difference in students’ performance whether PBL or TBL is used for learning Basic Medical Science courses. Small group learning such as PBL needs more resources in comparison to large group learning as in TBL, therefore any institute can decide on the adopted learning strategy depending on its resources and the number of students