ABSTRACT
Background:Insulin resistance (IR) is a metabolic state characterized by a decrease in cellular ability to respond to insulin signaling, which contribute to pathophysiological mechanism in the development of all metabolic complication of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aim of thestudy wasto match categorized values of patient’s biochemical predisposing factors for polycystic ovaries such as insulin with change in follicular sizes as determined by sonography following CLOMID inducement therapy. Methods:This experimental study was carried out in Anambra State, Nigeria from June 2018 to May 2021.Those included in the study were women of child bearing age (18 to 45 years) for both groups. The ultrasound examinations and insulin levels measurements were performed on each subject and data such as follicular sizes, insulin levels before and after treatment were recorded. Obtained data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Results:There were no statistically significant mean differences in the insulin levels (t=1.16, p=0.81) and maximal follicular size (t=0.39, p=0.70) of women with and without polycystic ovary who had successful and failed ovulation before the clomid treatment. Both the insulin level (t=2.85, p<0.01) and follicular size (t=4.88, p<0.01) showed statistically significant mean differences. There was significant difference in insulin (F=7.55, p<0.01), with the control having the lowest insulin concentration. Conclusions: There were statistically significant mean differences in the insulin level and follicular size in women with polycystic ovary after clomid treatment. Therefore, clomiphene citrate inducement triggers increase in serum concentration of insulin.
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Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is an infectious and debilitating disease that affects millions of people each year. Simple, reliable and cost effective biomarkers are vital to fore-stall the morbidity and mortality that is hallmark of the infection especially in resource poor economy.Methods: This comparative study enlisted 140 subjects: 80 had PTB and 60 do not. Blood of 8mls was collected; 3mls in K2-EDTA for FBC testing with XE-2100 Sysmex and ESR by Westergreen method. The remainder was used for serum CRP assay by ELISA. The radiological extent was determined from Chest X ray report and disease severity using modified Bandim TB scoring was extracted from the case note. The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship and diagnostic utility between leucocyte with CRP, ESR, radiological extent of disease and disease severity in PTB.Results: Mean Lymphocyte count was lower while TWBC, Neutrophil and Monocyte counts were higher in subjects compared to control (p<0.05). Median CRP, ESR, NLR, NMR and MLR were higher in subjects compared to control (p<0.05), NLR and MLR showed strong positive significant correlation with ESR, disease severity, and radiological extend of disease. NMR (p= 0.00) had a negative correlation with ESR (p<0.05) and inverse correlation with disease severity and radiological extent.Conclusions: This study found NLR, MLR and NMR as a readily, easily available and inexpensive indices that are as efficient and comparable to known biomarkers in PTB infection, therefore could serve as valuable predictive biomarker in areas of high disease burden with weak economy.
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Background: Malaria is a mosquito-borne public health problem which alters the blood counts, haptoglobin level and serum lactate dehydrogenase (sLDH) activity of the infected individuals. Some of the alterations are associated risk factors in malaria pathology. This study aims at elucidating changes in blood counts, sLDH activity and haptoglobin level in malaria infected subjects seen in a Tertiary Health Institution in Nnewi, as search for associated risk factors in malaria pathology.Methods: This cross sectional study enrolled 270 age matched subjects between 18-65 years. The test group (200) who tested positive to P. falciparium was placed into two groups based on their parasite counts with cut-off of ≥1000 parasites x 109/L. Group one (100) had counts above the cut-off and group two (100) below. The control (70) was aparasitemic. The demographic data were noted and 4mls of blood drawn. 2mls in K3EDTA was for FBC testing using Mythic 22 hematology analyzer, and remaining dispensed into plain tubes was for sLDH assay by kinetic method and haptoglobin by ELISA technique.Results: The HCT, Hb, RBC and Platelet count of test were progressively significantly lowered (p=0.001) compared to control, with an intra-significant difference among the 3 groups (p<0.05), also the parameters were found to have an inverse significant relationship (p=0.001) to the parasite counts. This trend was also seen with haptoglobin while reverse was the case with LDH activity which rather increased significantly (p = 0.000) at opposite direction as parasite density increases.Conclusions: This study show that the degree of intravascular haemolysis is directly influenced by the parasite density, this portends that high endemicity and perennial parasiteamia in the study area could cause chronic anaemia and thrombocytopenia in the population studied.
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Aim:Granulocyte differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a growth factor andbiomarker for many disorders where Ischaemia Reperfusion Injury (IRI) is pathophysiologically relevant. Hence theneed to evaluate GDF-15 as a biomarker inSickle Cell Disease (SCD).Study Design:This is a cross sectional study.Place and Duration of Study: Department of Haematology, Nnamdi University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra state, Nigeria, between January and December 2018.Methods:Ninety subjects were randomly recruitedwith haemoglobin (Hb) phenotypesSS (test),AS and AA (controls); numbering30,28and 32 respectively. Disease severity was determined by calculating an objective score. 5 mls of blood was collectedandused to determine Full Blood Count (FBC),haemoglobin Phenotype andGDF-15 levels(byEnzymeLinked Immunosorbent assay).Data collected was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 20 (SPSS Inc., IL, Chicago, USA). P< 0.05 was considered as significant.Results: GDF-15 level was found to be significantly differentin the different HB phenotypes p= 0.005 and correlated negatively with sickle cell disease severity (r= -0.307, p= 0.098). The difference betweenmedianGDF-15 levels of HBSS subjects with mild and moderate disease was statistically significant at p= 0.01.Conclusion:We hypothesize that GDF-15 maybeapotential therapeutic target for intervention against ischaemia/reperfusion inducedmicro-vascularinjury.Natural GDF-15 mimetics maybe useful in taking advantage of this potential therapeutic target.