Association of Uroguanylin, Body Mass Index, and Waist Circumference: Sex Differences and Obesity Implications among a Sample of Iraqi Adults in Baghdad City.

This research investigates the gender-specific associations of uroguanylin levels with various health-related parameters in Iraqi adults. The results revealed significant differences between genders in food style preferences and waist circumference (WC) risk. Notably, uroguanylin exhibited distinct correlations with low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), body mass index (BMI), and WC in females and males, indicating potential gender-specific effects on lipid metabolism, glucose regulation, and adiposity. A total of 140 Iraqi adults (73 females and 67 males) were recruited into the study. Physical activity levels, food style preferences, WC risk, and BMI subgroups, were compared between genders. Additionally, participants' characteristics, including age, height, weight, BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and uroguanylin concentrations, were analyzed. Significant gender differences were observed in food style preferences, with a higher proportion of males preferring fast food, with a greater percentage of females classified as having a high risk, females exhibited lower height and weight compared to males. HbA1c levels were significantly lower in females, whereas high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels were significantly higher in females than in males. Uroguanylin concentrations were also significantly lower in females compared to males. Uroguanylin shows a moderately negative correlation with LDL cholesterol in females but not in males. Furthermore, a strong negative association between uroguanylin and HbA1c in females indicated improved glycemic control with higher uroguanylin levels, whereas an opposite trend was observed in males. No significant association was observed between uroguanylin and BMI in females, a significant positive correlation was found in males. For WC, a weak negative correlation was noted in females, whereas a moderately negative correlation was observed in males. These contrasting correlations imply potential gender-specific effects of uroguanylin on adiposity and body fat distribution.

Oxidative stress in recurrent pregnancy loss women.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate biochemical changes in lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, and vitamin E in recurrent pregnancy loss women, and compare these with healthy pregnant, and non-pregnant women. METHODS: A case control study was conducted from September 2008 to December 2009 at Al-Khadimiya Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq. Ninety-six subjects were included in the study, 32 were patients with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), and 32 pregnant women in their third trimester, and another 32 non-pregnant women were used as controls. Blood samples were collected from each patient at the time of pregnancy loss. Serum from patients and controls was then used to estimate malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and vitamin E levels. RESULTS: There was a significant elevation in patient serum MDA compared with third trimester pregnant women (p=0.002) and non-pregnant women (p=0.0001). Both serum vitamin E and NO levels in RPL patients also showed a highly significant decrease compared with third trimester pregnant, and non-pregnant women. A highly significant difference was found in the MDA/vitamin E ratio between RPL and control groups, while no significance was found between RPL and control groups' NO/vitamin E ratio. CONCLUSION: The decrease in NO production and vitamin E is a result of RPL and not a causative factor, as the RPL was without pathological cause, medication, or fibroid presence, and no significant difference was found between the NO/vitamin E ratio in RPL and controls group.

Serum leptin and insulin hormone level in recurrent pregnancy loss.

OBJECTIVE: To measure serum leptin and insulin levels in women with recurrent pregnancy loss using modified methods of High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), and to examine their influence on recurrent loss at different pregnancy trimesters. METHODS: A case control study was conducted from, 1 September 2008 to 30 December 2009 in the Obstetric and Gynecological Department-Al-Khadimiya Teaching Hospital. HPLC technique with new modified method was used to estimate serum leptin and insulin hormones in samples of women with recurrent pregnancy loss (patients group, n=64) and healthy pregnant women at the end of the third gestational trimester as a control group (n=51). RESULTS: Both serum leptin and insulin levels were high in women with pregnancy loss in their three trimesters. A significant correlation was found between age (r=0.535, p<0.018) and serum total leptin in women with RPL during the first trimester. Also, a highly significant correlation was found between serum total leptin and insulin in women with RPL during the first, second and third trimesters (r=0.894, r=0.931, and r =0.995) respectively. The number of women who lost their pregnancy during the first trimester was higher than those losing during other trimesters. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that recurrent pregnancy loss in women at different trimester is associated with endocrine abnormalities where serum leptin and insulin levels increase in a different way compared with normal healthy pregnant women.

Fasting glucose to leptin ratio as a new diagnostic marker in patients with diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the fasting glucose/leptin ratio as a new simple method for the detection of insulin resistance in Iraqi diabetes mellitus patients, and to examine its usefulness as a new marker for insulin resistance. METHODS: A case control study conducted at the National Diabetes Center, College of Medicine at Al-Mustansiryia University from 1 August 2008 to 30 January 2010. An enzyme spectrophotometric method was used to determine fasting glucose, while HPLC Technique determined leptin and insulin hormones in serum of patients with diabetes mellitus (n=61) and normal healthy subjects as controls (n=63). RESULTS: A positive significant correlation with linear regression equations were found between fasting insulin and fasting leptin hormones, and fasting glucose/insulin and fasting glucose/leptin ratios among the diabetic patient group. While negative, significant correlations were found with linear regression equations between fasting insulin and fasting glucose/insulin ratio, and fasting insulin and fasting glucose/leptin ratio in patients group. Glucopse/leptin ratio had a higher sensitivity compared to glucose/insulin ratio, Quantitative Insulin-Sensitivity Check Index and Homeostasis Model Assessment indexes. CONCLUSION: Overall, the glucose/leptin ratio can be used in addition to glucose/insulin ratio, Quantitative Insulin-Sensitivity Check Index, and Homeostasis Model Assessment to accurately assess insulin resistance in subjects with hyperglycemia.

Serum protein and prolactin as diagnostic markers.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of serum prolactin and total protein as a tumor marker in diagnosing uterine fibroid(s). METHODS: A case control study was carried out from March 2004 to October 2005 at Al-Kharch Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. Thirty-two patients with uterine fibroid(s) and 30 healthy normal women were involved in the study. Blood was collected from uterine fibroid patients before and after surgery. The serum total protein was measured by the Biuret method, and prolactin by the mini VIDAS ELFA technique (enzyme linked fluorescent assay). RESULTS: The serum of patients with uterine fibroids before surgery showed an elevated prolactin level (169.64 +/- 133.11 ng/ml), compared with their prolactin after surgery (19.69+/-9.54 ng/ml), and with the control group (18.93 +/- 5.16 ng/ml). This also increased with increasing fibroid number independently of the site, or the size of the fibroid. Serum total protein was relatively low in the patient group before surgery (5.56+/-9.66 g/dl), and returned to a healthy reference level after they underwent surgery (6.83 +/- 0.9 g/dl), similar to the control group level (7.18+/-0.75 g/dl). CONCLUSION: Serum prolactin and serum total protein can be used as an adjuvant biochemical marker to confirm the diagnosis of uterine fibroids.

Prolactin receptors in uterine leiomyomas.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the location of prolactin receptors in patients with uterine leiomyomas and their host myometrium as well as normal myometrium. METHODS: A case control study was conducted at the College of Medicine Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq during the period from 2004--2006. The samples were collected at Obstetrics and Gynecological Departments of 4 hospitals in Baghdad City (Al-Khadimiya Teaching Hospital, Al-Noor, Al-Kharch, and Al-Saadoon Hospital). Sections from large and small tumors (n=53) with their host myometriums and from normal myometriums (n=40) were stained immunohistochemically for prolactin receptors. RESULTS: Prolactin receptors were positively seen in all cases examined including patient and comparison tissues, in the form of dark brown staining. Staining was heterogenous and varied in intensity from one case to another and sometimes from one area to another in the same section. CONCLUSION: The increase in prolactin receptors in leiomyoma is expected given that the underlying host myometrium is abnormal.