Comparison Of Vitamin B12 Level Among Vegetarian And Non Vegetarian Apparently Healthy Individuals In District Tharparkar

Objective: Subjects adopting a vegetarian diet are liable to vitamin B12 deficiency. The current work was undertaken to investigate vitamin B12 status in apparently healthy vegetarians in Mithi, district Tharparkar, Sindh. Subjects and methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in the department of Biochemistry, BMSI, JPMC Karachi and blood samples were collected from Mithi district Tharparkar, Sindh, during the period of Febuary 2012 to June 2012. One hundred vegetarian (74 males and 26 females) and one hundred non- vegetarians (72 males and 28 females), age ranging from 20-40 years were enrolled for this study. Hemogloblin concentration, means corpuscular volume and serum vitamin B12 levels were measured, using conventional methods. Results: Mean serum vitamin B12 level and mean hemoglobin concentration were significantly lower (p<0.001) while mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was significantly higher (p<0.001) in vegetarian as compared to non-vegetarian. In vegetarian group 51(51%) subjects had vitamin B12 level less than cut off value (200 pg/ml), in this group, 38 out of 74 (51.3%) and 13 out of 26 (50%) were males and females respectively. In non vegetarian group 21(21%) subjects had vitamin B12 deficiency and 09 out of 72 (12.5%) and 12 out of 28(43%) were males and females respectively. Conclusion: Vegetarians seems to be more prone to develop vitamin B12 deficiency so they should take vitamin B12 supplement and/or B-12 fortified products to avoid its deficiency consequence

Total Sialic Acid (TSA) Level as a Tumor Marker in the Diagnosis of Oral Cancer

Objective: To estimate serum Total Sialic Acid (TSA) levels in different grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma and to accessit`s utility as a tumor marker in this cancer.Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in 68 adult subjects equally divided into two groups, healthy individualsand patients with oral squamous cell cancer. Under aseptic precautions venous blood was drawn and serum was separated.Estimationof serum total sialic acid level was done according to Spectrophotometeric method of Plucinsky. Statistical analysis was carriedout by using SPSS 19.Results: Total subjects in the study included were 58.82% males and 41.17% females. Mean age of oral cancer patients was48.05 ± 8.82 years. There was significant male predominance with P<0.05. Oral cancer was most common in Tobacco+ Chaliya+ Areca nut and Gutka+pan groups. Mean serum total sialic acid (TSA) level in control group was 60.2 ± 4.27 mg/dl, whereasit was 99.1 ± 18.30 mg/dl in oral cancer group. It was significantly increased in oral cancer group when compared to controlgroup with P value < 0.01. There was progressive elevation in mean serum TSA level in oral squamous cell carcinoma,Conclusion:Estimation of serum total sialic acid level (TSA) in different grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma showedpositive relation with stage of malignancy, specifically with the tumor burden. It can be used as a diagnostic biomarker in oralsquamous cell cancers