Comparative analysis of serum trace element levels in women with invasive cervical cancer in Lagos, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Trace elements although present in minute quantities in human blood, they play a vital role in many biochemical enzymatic reactions and have been examined critically as a potential key factor in various human diseases including cancers. This study was aimed to determine the association between serum levels of trace elements and invasive cancer of the cervix. METHODS: This was an analytical cross-sectional study carried out among women seen at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). Fifty histologically diagnosed patients with squamous cells carcinoma of the cervix, who had not had any treatment and 100 cancer-free volunteers were recruited. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect relevant data following which venous blood sample was obtained from each participant. Serum zinc, copper and selenium concentrations were then measured. The associations of serum trace elements and invasive cervical cancer were tested using the independent sample t-test. All significances were reported at P<0.05. RESULTS: There were significantly low serum levels of zinc and selenium in cervical cancer patients with no significant difference seen in the serum level of copper among cervical cancer patients compared to their cancer-free control counterparts. CONCLUSION: These alterations in trace elements levels may be important in the pathogenesis of cervical cancers; however, future robust prospective studies are needed to determine if routine provision of these supplements will result in improved cervical cancer treatment outcomes in Nigerian women.

Maternal serum interleukin 6 levels and fetomaternal outcomes in women with preterm premature rupture of membranes in Lagos, South-western Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: This study was done to assess the relationship between maternal serum IL-6 levels and fetomaternal outcome following PPROM. METHODOLOGY: This was a prospective cohort study comprising 45 cases of PPROM and 45 controls of similar age, parity, and gestational age. Five milliliters of maternal serum was collected after obtaining informed consent. They were followed up till delivery and records of the delivery and neonatal outcomes were obtained. Serum IL-6 levels were determined by standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]. PPROM patients were categorized into two groups using a threshold of 14 pg/ml. Chi-square (χ2) test was used to compare categorical outcomes. p values of < 0.05 were taken as significant. RESULTS: The mean serum IL-6 level for the women with PPROM was (20.2 ± 11.0 pg/ml), which was significantly greater than for the control subjects (13.9 ± 5.8 pg/ml, p < 0.001). Fetomaternal outcomes were all worse in those with IL-6 ≥ 14 pg/ml. Nevertheless, only the difference in early neonatal deaths was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Measurement of maternal serum IL-6 can help to indicate hostile intrauterine environments to the fetus as well as identify patients who may benefit from pregnancy prolongation or intervention.