Erythrocyte indices, microminerals and ratios, antioxidants and lipids in Centrum Materna diet-supplemented Omani mothers.

Venous (maternal) and cord blood (neonatal) samples of Omani women who had a daily supplement of Centrum Materna multivitamin and multimineral tablet throughout pregnancy were investigated at late preterm (n=37) and at term (n=37) delivery for erythrocyte indices, micromineral, antioxidant, and lipid values. Hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HCT), mean cell volume (MCV), red cell distribution width (RDW), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), ceruloplasmin, erythrocyte Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu-Zn SOD), cholesterol, apolipoprotein (apo) A-I and apo B were measured by appropriate analytical systems. Cu/zinc and Cu/ceruloplasmin ratios were calculated. The erythrocyte indices were normal in neonatal blood but showed borderline anemia in maternal blood of both groups. There were significantly decreased values of Cu (P=0.012), Zn (P=0.001), apo A-I (P=0.029), and Cu/ceruloplasmin ratio (P=0.032) in late preterm compared to term mothers. Significantly decreased values of Cu (P=0.003), ceruloplasmin (P<0.0001), apo A-I (P=0.024), and Cu/Zn ratio (P=007) were observed in late preterm relative to term neonates. Late preterm mothers were significantly younger (P=0.027) than term mothers. Maternal age correlated positively with apo A-I (r=0.424, P=0.012) and negatively with Cu/Zn ratio (r=-0.353, P=0.040). The findings suggest that with daily dietary Centrum Materna supplementation throughout pregnancy, hematological indices were maintained within normal in mothers and neonates, but the levels of microminerals and micromineral ratios were subnormal in late preterm mothers and their neonates.

Serum micronutrient and micromineral concentrations and ratios in healthy Omani subjects.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to establish reference ranges of serum concentrations of copper, zinc, retinol, alpha-tocopherol, copper:caeruloplasmin and copper:zinc ratios in a group of healthy Omani men and women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Assay techniques employed were atomic absorption spectrophotometry (copper and zinc), reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography with isocratic elution (retinol and alpha-tocopherol), immunonephelometry (caeruloplasmin) and spectrophotometry (albumin and cholesterol). RESULTS: The mean +/- SD (microM) obtained for copper, zinc, retinol, and alpha-tocopherol were 15.9 +/- 3.0, 14.2 +/- 2.0, 1.45 +/- 0.39 and 16.9 +/- 4.4, respectively. The mean +/- SD for copper:zinc and copper:caeruloplasmin ratios were 1.15 +/- 0.30 micromol/mmol and 6.99 +/- 0.84 micromol/g, respectively. Significantly higher (p < 0.0001) copper and caeruloplasmin concentrations, copper:zinc and copper:caeruloplasmin ratios and lower zinc, retinol, alpha-tocopherol, cholesterol concentrations and alpha-tocopherol:cholesterol ratio were present in women compared to men. Age appeared to be associated with copper and retinol concentrations, and copper:caeruloplasmin ratios in women; in men, the association was mostly moderate with caeruloplasmin, alpha-tocopherol, cholesterol concentrations and alpha-tocopherol:cholesterol ratios. Smokers had decreased albumin (p = 0.002), zinc (p = 0.023) concentrations, and copper:caeruloplasmin ratios (p = 0.002), increased alpha-tocopherol concentrations (p = 0.016) and alpha-tocopherol:cholesterol ratios (p = 0.021) compared with non-smokers. Deficiency incidence was < or =5% for all investigated parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Reference ranges of micronutrient concentrations and micromineral ratios were established for Omani subjects. The mean values of several micronutrients were lower than those reported for other populations and some showed gender effects.

Reference ranges of copper and zinc and the prevalence of their deficiencies in an Arab population aged 15-80 years.

Serum concentrations of copper and zinc were measured by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 560 Kuwaitis aged from 15 to 80 yr who were in apparent good health to establish reference ranges and determine the prevalence of the deficiency of the trace metals. Zinc/copper ratios were derived by calculation. Because the mean +/- SD (microM) for copper in females (24.9 +/- 7) was significantly higher (p<0.0001) than in males (21.0 +/- 5.8) and vice versa for zinc (17.0 +/- 3.5 [males] vs 15.5 +/- 3.4 [females]) and zinc/copper ratios (0.87 +/- 0.28 [males] vs 0.67 +/- 0.27 [females]), gender-specific reference ranges were established in addition to reference ranges for the total population. The reference range for zinc was closer to those reported for other populations than was copper. Body mass index (BMI) and copper values were lower and the zinc/copper ratio was higher in the young (15-24 yr) compared to the older subjects. Copper concentrations were positively associated with BMI values (r=0.302, p<0.0001). Smokers had significantly lower (p=0.011) BMI than nonsmokers. The prevalence of copper and zinc deficiency, 0.36% and 0.53%, respectively, was low. Generally, the values for serum copper and zinc obtained for the Kuwaiti population studied suggest adequate dietary intake of the trace metals.

Serum copper levels and not zinc are positively associated with serum leptin concentrations in the healthy adult population.

Leptin, the obesity gene protein product, is a hormone with multiple physiological functions in the human. However, there are few reports in the literature on its role in trace element metabolism in the normal population. Therefore, we investigated the association among serum leptin, zinc, copper, and zinc/copper ratio in 570 healthy men and women aged 15 yr and older. Serum leptin assay was done with a commercial enzymelinked immunosorbent assay kit; serum zinc and copper levels were measured by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Serum leptin was found to be positively associated with age (r=0.254, p<0.001), sex (r=0.406, p<0.001), body mass index (BMI) (r=0.553, p<0.001), and serum copper (r=0.419, p<0.001), but negatively associated with the zinc/copper ratio (r=-0.423, p<0.001). There was no significant association between serum leptin and zinc (r= -0.131, p>0.05). When the confounding effects of age, sex, and BMI were removed, serum leptin was still positively associated with serum copper (r=0.197, p=0.02) and the serum zinc/copper ratio (r=-0.182, p=0.03). These results suggest that copper and not zinc has an effect on serum leptin levels.

Vitamin d status and anthropometric indices of an omani study population.

OBJECTIVES: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations reflect vitamin D status, with deficiency implicated as causative of many diseases. This study assessed vitamin D status and anthropometric indices in a sample of healthy Omanis. METHODS: Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured by high performance liquid chromatography in 206 healthy Omanis, aged 18-55 years (mean age: men 31.1, women 26.8) in Muscat, Oman. Of this number, 95% indicated that they had never taken vitamin D supplements. Findings were compared with published values for populations domiciled in more northerly latitudes. Classical procedures were used to determine global obesity (body mass index [BMI]), and central obesity determined by waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio. RESULTS: Women, as compared to men, had markedly lower concentrations of 25(OH)D. Applying the cut-off point of serum 25(OH)D levels at 50 nmol/L, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the study population was 87.5%; this was higher than the rates reported for the British, and European-, Hispanic-, and African-Americans. At a BMI cut-point of ≥30 kg/m(2), the prevalence of obesity was 14.6%; this was lower than the rates reported for European-, Hispanic-, and African-Americans. Levels of 25(OH) D increased relative to age and obesity. WHR was the main predictor of 25(OH)D levels. CONCLUSION: The striking vitamin D deficiency seen in the study population, relative to more northerly populations, may be linked to sun avoidance, inadequate dietary vitamin D, and virtual non-intake of supplemental vitamin D. Age and male-gender determined the status of vitamin D and of obesity.

Nitric oxide and antioxidant enzymes in venous and cord blood of late preterm and term omani mothers.

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the role of oxidative stress in parturition in Omani mothers following growing reports that late preterm neonates were at greater risk than term neonates of perinatal death. METHODS: Venous blood samples were collected during labour, and cord (neonatal) blood samples were taken after childbirth in late preterm and term from women at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman. Plasma nitric oxide (NO) concentrations, erythrocyte catalase (CAT). Erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were measured using spectrophotometric methods. RESULTS: When compared with term mothers, late preterm mothers had markedly higher NO concentrations (µmol/L) 17.1 ± 3.3 versus 11.0 ± 5.5 (P <0.0001), and lower GPx values (U/g Hb) 94.1 ± 12.9 versus 110.4 ± 12.3 (P <0.0001). Late preterm mothers were significantly younger (P = 0.027) than term mothers and had neonates that weighed significantly less (P <0.0001) than term neonates. GPx activity was significantly reduced (P = 0.001) in late preterm neonates as compared to term neonates. CAT showed no change in activity in any comparison. CONCLUSION: Distinctly higher values of NO and lower GPx activity were found in late preterm mothers relative to term mothers; also, lower GPx in late preterm neonates relative to term neonates suggested a pro-oxidant-antioxidant imbalance due to the greater oxidative burden in late preterm parturition.

Serum concentrations of micronutrient antioxidants in an adult Arab population.

Serum concentrations of retinol, alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene and lycopene were measured by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (r-P HPLC) in 260 randomly selected healthy adult Kuwaitis (159 men and 101 women) aged 18-63 years (mean 33.3 years) to established reference ranges of the micronutrient antioxidants. Total cholesterol concentrations were assayed by an enzymatic method to determine alpha-tocopherol: cholesterol ratios. The mean +/- SEM (micromol/L) for retinol, alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene and lycopene were 1.76+/-0.02, 20.0+/-0.5, 0.52+/-0.03, 0.95+/-0.05, respectively. Compared to other populations, these data showed, on the whole, ordinary concentrations of beta-carotene, comparatively low concentrations of retinol and alpha-tocopherol and high concentrations of lycopene. Retinol concentrations were similar for both sexes, whereas alpha-tocopherol concentration was significantly (P < 0.0001) lower and the carotenoid levels (beta-carotene and lycopene) significantly higher (P < 0.0001) in women. Of the micronutrient antioxidants, alpha-tocopherol was most correlated with cholesterol (r = 0.492, P < 0.0001). beta-Carotene and lycopene were highly correlated with each other (r =0.744, P< 0.0001). Age was positively associated with beta-carotene (r = 0.214, P = 0.001) and lycopene (r = 239, P< 0.0001). Our data enabled us to establish a gender non-specific reference range for retinol and gender-specific reference ranges for alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene and lycopene.

Serum microminerals and the indices of lipid metabolism in an apparently healthy population.

Serum copper and zinc concentrations were measured in 560 apparently healthy Kuwaitis (238 males and 322 females) aged 15-80 years to assess micromineral effect on the indices of lipid metabolism. Following the recommended guidelines of the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) and the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel (NCEPEP), the incidence of dyslipidemia was assessed from enzymatic assay data of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations. Males had significantly lower TC (P=0.029) and HDL-C (P<0.0001) levels than females, while TG were significantly (P=0.023) lower in females. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, elevated LDL-C, and low HDL-C levels were 35, 30, 22, and 13%, respectively. Copper did not correlate with zinc (r = -0.067, P = 0.135) but was positively associated with TC (r=0.196, P<0.0001), LDL-C (r=0.134, P = 0.003), TG (r = 0.092, P=0.039), and age (r=0.281, P<0.0001). It is concluded that unlike in animal studies, copper excess in humans is associated with hyperlipidemia and therefore will predispose to atherosclerosis.

Activities of erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes in cancer patients.

We measured the activities of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) before therapy in 97 patients with cancer in various sites (gastrointestinal tract (GIT) (n=40), breast (n=30), and others (n=27)), and in 60 matched controls to assess antioxidant enzyme protection. Hemolysate hemoglobin (Hb) was measured spectrophotometrically. The activity of SOD (U/g Hb) was significantly lower in all sites (when all the cancer sites were considered as a group), GIT, breast, and other sites compared to the controls (P<0.0001, P<0.0001, P<0.0001 and P<0.0001, respectively). The activity of GPX (U/g Hb) was significantly decreased in all sites, GIT, and breast cancer sites than in the controls (P=0.024, P=0.033, and P=0.043, respectively). Age showed a weak negative correlation with enzyme activities in controls and patients. There was no significant association between SOD and GPX activities in either the controls or the patients. These results suggest that there may be a greater antioxidant burden for SOD than GPX in cancer, and that a weak association exists between the activities of the two enzymes in antioxidant protection.