ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To check the amount of cellular damage caused by serial transfusions of blood in thalassemia patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan between August 2012 and December 2012. A total of 43 thalassemia patients underwent at least 10 blood transfusions. Comprehensive biochemical analysis of blood was performed to record the levels of creatinine, urea, uric acid, albumin, liver function tests, malondialdehyde (MDA), and ferritin. Results: Serum creatinine (0.732±0.23mg/dl) and uric acid (6.7±0.94mg/dl, p less than 0.05) were significantly higher in patient groups as compared with the control. Ferritin levels were significantly higher in patients as compared with the control (3103.9±1747.4, p less than 0.05). Hemoglobin levels were observed in controls 14±1.3g/dl and in patients 7.1±1.03g/dl. No clear relationship exists between age and hematological parameters of thalassemic patients. Serum ferritin level is positively related with serum alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase and MDA (p less than 0.05). Conclusion: Serum MDA and serum ferritin of patients (r=0.593, p less than 0.05) reflects that both are crucial parameters estimating the cellular damage in patients suffering from thalassemia.
Subject(s)
Creatinine/blood , Ferritins/blood , Iron Overload/complications , Kidney/metabolism , Oxidative Stress , Thalassemia/complications , Thalassemia/therapy , Urea/blood , Adolescent , Adult , Antioxidants/metabolism , Biomarkers/blood , Cross-Sectional Studies , Humans , Liver Function Tests , Malondialdehyde/blood , Pakistan , Serum Albumin/metabolism , Thalassemia/blood , Transfusion Reaction , Universities , Uric Acid/bloodABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Previous investigations provide evidence of an association of hypogonadism with type 2 diabetes in men, and low testosterone levels have been regarded a risk factor for the disease. Since a strong genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes has been demonstrated, here we investigate a possible tendency towards hypogonadism in young male offspring of diabetic parents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study compares 32 male offspring of diabetic parents with 31 male offspring of nondiabetic parents matched by age. The subjects comprised boys (9-17 years) and young adults (19-25 years). Anthropomorphic measurements were made in all subjects. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for glucose and serum concentrations of testosterone (T), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), luteinizing hormone (LH), insulin and leptin were measured by ELISA. Free testosterone (FT) was calculated using T and SHBG levels. RESULTS: Serum T, FT and bioavailable T (BAT) levels in offspring of diabetic parents were significantly lower than those of offspring of nondiabetic parents across all age groups. Mean serum LH levels were also lower in offspring of diabetic parents compared to the controls. Although LH levels in young adults with diabetic parents, tended to be lower than those of age-matched controls but the difference was not statistically significant. Serum insulin and leptin, and insulin resistance measured by HOMA-IR were significantly raised in older offspring of diabetic parents but were within the normal range. CONCLUSION: Whereas hypogonadism was the only indicator of a possible predisposition to metabolic dysfunction in peripubertal children of diabetic parents, a significant change in other metabolic markers becomes apparent at a more advanced age.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications , Eunuchism/complications , Adolescent , Adult , Blood Glucose/analysis , Body Mass Index , Body Weight , Child , Cross-Sectional Studies , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/blood , Eunuchism/blood , Family , Fasting , Humans , Insulin/blood , Insulin Resistance , Leptin/blood , Luteinizing Hormone/blood , Male , Prospective Studies , Risk Factors , Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin/analysis , Testosterone/blood , Young AdultABSTRACT
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that leads to memory problems. It has been associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus at both the molecular and biochemical level. Pancreatic cells have molecular similarities to the brain at the transcriptomic and proteomic levels. Several genes have been reported to be responsible for both AD and diabetes. Currently, no proper treatment is available but various therapeutic approaches are utilized worldwide for the management of these disorders and may be nanoparticles and herbal treatment of Bacopa monnieri will make promise for the treatment of AD in future. The formation of amyloids in neurons and the formation of amylin in pancreatic cells are potential links between these two disorders, which can be silent killers.
