Relation of Serum and Salivary Total Sialic Acid and Total Sialic Acid/Total Protein Ratio with Clinical Parameters of Disease Progression in Preeclampsia.

Sialic acid is a terminal component of carbohydrate chains of glycoproteins and glycolipids. The present study estimated total sialic acid (TSA) and its ratio with total proteins (TP), in serum and saliva of preeclampsia. The study further investigated the association of these parameters with clinical variables of disease progression. 50 preeclampsia patients (32 mild preclampsia and 18 severe preeclampsia cases) and 50 pregnant controls were included in the study. Serum and salivary free sialic acid, protein bound sialic acid and TP were measured spectrophotometrically. Serum and salivary TSA and its ratio with TP were calculated. There was a significant increase in serum TSA and its ratio with TP in preeclampsia compared to the controls. The increase reflected with the severity of the disease. Serum TSA and TSA/TP showed a significant positive correlation with blood pressure, proteinuria and a significant negative correlation with infant birth weight. In saliva, there was no statistical difference between TSA in preeclampsia and controls. Salivary TSA/TP increased significantly in preeclampsia. However the increase was not in accordance to the disease severity. Salivary TSA and TSA/TP were not significantly associated with any of the clinical parameters of disease progression. Significant increase in seum TSA reflects the disturbance in sialyation of serum proteins in preeclampsia, that could not be depicted in the saliva of these patients. Disturbance in serum protein sialyation is further exaggerated with the severity of the disease. Serum TSA and TSA/TP and not the respective salivary parameters, could serve as useful indicators in assessment of clinical progression of the disease.

Increased Oxidatively Modified Forms of Albumin in Association with Decreased Total Antioxidant Activity in Different Types of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy.

Protein oxidation has been demonstrated in preeclampsia, but this finding has not been established in other hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP). The present study comparatively evaluated ischemia modified albumin (IMA) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) in different HDP and investigated their association with total antioxidant activity (AOA) and total thiols. There was a significant increase in AOPP and IMA, a significant decrease in AOA, total thiols and albumin in every HDP compared to controls. Among HDP groups, eclampsia patients showed more significant change in each of the parameter. IMA and AOPP were negatively associated with AOA in every HDP and with total thiols only in eclampsia. The present study supports the hypothesis of oxidative stress, as evidenced by increased protein oxidation, decreased antioxidant status and significant negative association between protein oxidation and AOA in every HDP. The imbalance of prooxidants and antioxidants was further augmented in eclampsia.

High predictive ability of glycated hemoglobin on comparison with oxidative stress markers in assessment of chronic vascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the diagnostic utility of oxidative stress markers along with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c ) in the assessment of chronic vascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: Ischemia modified albumin (IMA), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured in 100 type 2 DM (without complications n = 50, with complications n = 50) and healthy controls (n = 50). Diagnostic potential was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic analysis and their relationships to risk variables were analyzed. RESULTS: MDA, IMA and AOPP were significantly increased in diabetics, both with and without complications. Oxidative stress parameters correlated with fasting blood glucose and HbA1c (independent predictors). Duration of diabetes was an independent predictor for AOPP and MDA. The association of IMA with diabetes duration was lost on multiple regression analysis. Area under the curve, sensitivity and specificity for MDA were 0.795, 84%, 66%; for AOPP, they were 0.762, 82%, 56%; for IMA, they were 0.611, 60%, 52%; and for HbA1c, they were 0.848, 90%, 70%, respectively. CONCLUSION: MDA and AOPP could be considered better than IMA in the evaluation of diabetes progression, but MDA is more useful as a diagnostic indicator to detect vascular complications. HbA1c measurement is of greater value than the oxidative stress markers in the prediction of vascular complications.

IMA and IMAR in serum and saliva of preeclampsia--a preliminary study.

INTRODUCTION: Oxidative stress could play a role in the development of preeclampsia. Ischemia modified albumin (IMA) is a oxidatively modified form of albumin. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the levels of salivary and serum IMA and IMA: albumin ratio (IMAR) in preeclampsia and with its severity and investigate their correlation with the fetal birth weight. METHODS: This case control study was conducted on 50 preeclamptic (32 mild and 18 severe cases) and 50 normal pregnant controls. Blood and saliva were obtained to measure albumin, IMA and IMAR was calculated. RESULTS: serum and salivary IMA and IMAR were significantly increased in preeclampsia. Although the increase in serum was in accordance with the severity, it was not so in the saliva. Yet, salivary IMAR showed significant difference between controls and mild preeclampsia. There was a negative correlation between IMA and albumin in both serum and saliva. A weak negative correlation was seen between the serum IMAR and fetal birth weight (r = -0.293; p < 0.05), but not with salivary IMAR. CONCLUSION: This study is an evidence for involvement of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, which is reflected in serum and saliva. Salivary IMAR could be a better marker for early prediction of preeclampsia.

Spoken language can have its impact on the respiratory passage.

Spoken language, due its chronic impact, could be looked upon as one of the factors for its role, either in prevention or causation of respiratory illnesses. There will be variations in articulatory-aerodynamics and respiratory system dynamics among the spoken languages. Geographic variation of disease patterns and uncertain etiologies of some respiratory illnesses, which occur due to insult to the mucosal barrier or the defense mechanism of the respiratory passage, may be explained by the hypothesis of unhealthy language. Habituation to a particular spoken language could mask the symptoms of phonotrauma. Other respiratory illnesses could initiate from the phonotrauma by spoken language. There exist lacunae in the research of languages. Finding out the healthy language could mean relative freedom from respiratory illnesses. Healthy spoken language could relieve the stress on vocal cords and improve the defense mechanism of the respiratory passage.