Evaluation of Serum Ferritin Concentration in Mild and Severe Pre-Eclamptic Women.

Pre-eclampsia is one of the most important complications of pregnancy. About 16% of maternal death is associated with pre-eclampsia in Bangladesh. It is necessary to diagnose or to predict pre-eclampsia for minimizing maternal morbidity and mortality. This case control study was carried out in the department of Clinical Pathology, in collaboration with department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, from March 2011 to February 2012 which included 20 mild pre-eclamptic and 20 severe pre-eclamptic patients and 30 gestation matched normotensive pregnant women within 28-40 weeks of gestation. Serum iron profile was measured and PBF was done to observe the association of higher concentration of serum ferritin, serum iron, percent saturation of total iron binding capacity, hemoglobin and lower level of total iron binding capacity, increased neutrophil count and decreased platelet count with pre-eclampsia. The mean serum ferritin concentration of mild pre-eclamptic group 99.91±7.84 ng/ml was 5 times and severe pre-eclamptic group 149.59±13.75 ng/ml was 8 times higher than that of control group 18.47±2.03 ng/ml. The mean serum iron level of mild pre-eclamptic group was (114.45±8.72 µg/dl) and in severe pre-eclamptic group was (174.35±13.59 µg/dl) and control group was (72.64±4.72 µg/dl) (p<0.05). The mean TIBC was higher and percent saturation was lower in control group than mild and severe pre-eclamptic group. The mean differences of iron parameters were statistically significant (p<0.05) among the three groups in ANOVA test. Both hemoglobin (gm/dl), total count of WBC and percentage of neutrophil were significantly higher (p<0.05) but platelet count was significantly lower in mild and severe pre-eclamptic group than normal control group. So higher concentration of serum ferritin, serum iron, percent saturation of total iron binding capacity and hemoglobin level increased and total iron binding capacity decreased in mild and severe pre-eclampsia than those of uncomplicated normal pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia is one of the most important complications of pregnancy. About 16% of maternal death is associated with pre-eclampsia in Bangladesh. It is necessary to diagnose or to predict pre-eclampsia for minimizing maternal morbidity and mortality. This case control study was carried out in the department of Clinical Pathology, in collaboration with department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, from March 2011 to February 2012 which included 20 mild pre-eclamptic and 20 severe pre-eclamptic patients and 30 gestation matched normotensive pregnant women within 28-40 weeks of gestation. Serum iron profile was measured and PBF was done to observe the association of higher concentration of serum ferritin, serum iron, percent saturation of total iron binding capacity, hemoglobin and lower level of total iron binding capacity, increased neutrophil count and decreased platelet count with pre-eclampsia. The mean serum ferritin concentration of mild pre-eclamptic group 99.91±7.84 ng/ml was 5 times and severe pre-eclamptic group 149.59±13.75 ng/ml was 8 times higher than that of control group 18.47±2.03 ng/ml. The mean serum iron level of mild pre-eclamptic group was (114.45±8.72 µg/dl) and in severe pre-eclamptic group was (174.35±13.59 µg/dl) and control group was (72.64±4.72 µg/dl) (p<0.05). The mean TIBC was higher and percent saturation was lower in control group than mild and severe pre-eclamptic group. The mean differences of iron parameters were statistically significant (p<0.05) among the three groups in ANOVA test. Both hemoglobin (gm/dl), total count of WBC and percentage of neutrophil were significantly higher (p<0.05) but platelet count was significantly lower in mild and severe pre-eclamptic group than normal control group. So higher concentration of serum ferritin, serum iron, percent saturation of total iron binding capacity and hemoglobin level increased and total iron binding capacity decreased in mild and severe pre-eclampsia than those of uncomplicated normal pregnancy.

Correlation of Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF/CCN2) with Hepatic Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis B.

CTGF/CCN2 plays an important role in the formation and development of hepatic fibrosis. This study determined the correlation between serum CTGF/CCN2 and stages of hepatic fibrosis and explored the clinical value of serum CTGF/CCN2 in the assessment of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B. This cross sectional study was done in department of Clinical Pathology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka from March 2012 to February 2013. Serum CTGF was measured by using of a sandwich immunoassay technique. Forty (40) chronic hepatitis B patients were included in this study. The sensitivity of CTGF/CCN2 was 71.6%, specificity 67.5%. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was 0.652 between serum CTGF/CCN2 and stages of hepatic fibrosis (p<0.001). The area under receiver-operating curve (ROC) was 0.750 for identification of hepatic fibrosis. This present data revealed that serum CTGF/CCN2 in chronic hepatitis B were strongly associated with stages of hepatic fibrosis. CTGF/CCN2 may useful diagnostic tool for assessing the hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B.