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Objective: To determine association of Serum Uric Acid levels (SUA) in subjects suffering Systemic Blood Pressure and to determine its association with systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Study Design: Cross Sectional Study. Setting: Department of Faculty of Medicine and Allied Medical Sciences, Isra University, Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan. Period: January 2018 to September 2019. Material & Methods: 150 diagnosed cases of systemic hypertension and 150 controls were selected though non-probability purposive sampling according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. 2 ml venous blood was taken, centrifuged and sera were used for uric acid. Data was saved in a pre-structured Performa. Statistical software (SPSS v 21.0, IBM, Incorporation, USA) of data variables was analyzed at 95% CI (P = 0.05). Results: Serum uric acid in controls was 2.93±0.72 compared to cases 4.25±1.44 mg/dl (P=0.0001). Hyperuricemia was observed in 58 (38.6%) cases compared to 23 (15.3%) controls. Uric acid shows strong positive association with Systolic BP (r= 0.52*, p=0.0001) and Diastolic BP (r= 0.46**, p=0.0001). Conclusion: We found hyperuricemia in 58 (38.6%) of systemic hypertension cases. Systolic and Diastolic Blood pressure show positive association with uric acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): Causality of occurrence of metformin-associated lactic acidosis (MALA) is a clinical problem. Currently, there is no drug available to prevent MALA. The present study was conducted to evaluate the protective effect of Berberine (BBR) against MALA in induced diabetic rat model. Materials and Methods: A sample of 75 healthy male Wistar rats was randomly selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. 75 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into a control and 4 experimental groups. Streptozotocin (STZ) in citrate buffer (pH 4.5) at a dose of 45 mg/kg was injected for induction of diabetes mellitus and rats achieving fasting blood glucose >250 mg/dl were included. Blood samples were collected 18 hr after the last dose of metformin and berberine. Ethical approval was taken before the study was conducted. Staistix 10.0 (USA) software was used for data analysis. Results: Berberine decreased MALA. Metformin, metformin + BBR 50 mg/kg bwt, and metformin + BBR 100 mg/kg bwt showed serum lactate as 1.87±0.4 mmol/lL, 1.62 ± 0.44 mmol/l and 1.47± 0.45 mmol/l, respectively (P=0.0001). Insulin resistance and liver enzymes were improved in BBR treated rats. Conclusion: The present study reports berberine protects against MALA in streptozocin-induced diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and malondialdehyde (MDA), uric acid and serum bilirubin in healthy adult smokers. Study Design: Case control study. Place and Duration: Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Hospital. Hyderabad, Sindh from December 2013 - July 2014. Subjects and Methods: 77 smokers and 50 healthy controls were selected through non-probability purposive sampling. Blood glucose, lipids, MDA, antioxidant enzymes (SOD & GPX), serum bilirubin and uric acid (UA) were measured. Data was analyzed on Statistic software 8.1 by student's t test and Chi square test. The significant p-value was taken at ≤ 0.05. Results: Anti-oxidant enzymes (SOD & GPX), blood lipids, lipid per oxidant marker; the MDA, bilirubin and UA showed statistically significant differences between smokers and controls (p<0.001). Total blood lipids and lipid sub fractions were elevated in smokers. MDA in smokers was 3.17±0.91 μmol/ml compared to 1.15±0.61 μmol/ml (p=0.001) in controls. Smokers showed reduced SOD, GPX, serum bilirubin and UA, was significant (p=0.0001) in comparison to controls. Conclusion: Cigarette smoke is a significant source of oxidative stress. Smoking increases malondialdehyde and reduces superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, uric acid and bilirubin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate serum cobalamin with special reference to dyslipidemia in type 2 Diabetic subjects. Study Design: Observational study Place and Duration: Department of Medicine, Isra University Hyderabad, Sindh from January 2014 to July 2014. Methodology: A sample of 107 type 2 diabetic subjects was selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Cobalamin was measured on Roche Cobas e411 chemistry analyzer and blood lipoproteins by standard laboratory methods. Data was analyzed by SPSS 21.0 (IBM, Incorporation, USA) using student t and Chi square tests for continuous and categorical variables respectively. P-value of ≤ 0.05 was taken significant. Results: Cobalamin deficiency was noted in 51 (47.6%) of diabetics and cobalamin deficiency was associated with dyslipidemia. Mean ± SD of cobalamin in normal and reduced cobalamin groups were noted as 355±29.5 and 183±17.5 pg/ml respectively (p=0.0001). Triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDLc, LDLc and VLDLc differed significantly in the normal and reduced cobalamin subjects (p<0.001). Lipoprotein sub fractions showed a negative correlation with serum cobalamin (p≤0.02). Conclusion: Cobalamin deficiency is common in type 2 diabetics and is associated with dyslipidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate Vitamin D in Pulmonary tuberculosis and normal healthy adults. STUDY DESIGN: Case control study. PLACE AND DURATION: Department of Medicine, Isra University Hospital Hyderabad, from January 2013-June 2014. SUBJECTS & METHODS: A sample of 209 diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis patients was selected through non-probability purposive sampling according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. After taking informed written consent from the participants, Vitamin D was measured by ARCHITECT I 1000 system for estimation of 25-OH-D3. . The data was recorded on a pre-structured proforma, and analyzed on SPSS version 21.0. The significant p-value was taken at ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: The mean ±S.D serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in cases and controls were 27.1±9.7 and 36.8±8.1 (ngdl-1) respectively (p=0.0001). The 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels as low as 6 ng/dl were observed in pulmonary tuberculosis subjects. The normal, insufficiency and deficiency of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were observed in 37(33%), 16 (14.2%) and 59 (52.6%) in cases respectively compared to controls as 57 (58.7%), 21(21.6%) and 19 (19.5%) respectively. CONCLUSION: Patients with pulmonary tuberculosis are significantly Vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D supplements may be prescribed, however further studies are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The present study aims to evaluate the serum cobalamin in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infected patients. Study Design: Case control study. Place and Duration: Department of Medicine, Isra University Hospital Hyderabad from March 2013-April 2014. Methodology: A sample of 109 subjects including Helicobacter pylori positive subjects and controls were selected according to study criteria. Centrifugation of blood was performed at 4000 rpm for 10 minutes and sera were stored at -20°C. Blood sera were used for H. pylori serological testing. Blood counting was performed on hematoanalyzer. Cobas e411 analyzer was used for detection of cobalamin. 64 kD H. pylori antigens was detected by ELISA. The data was entered into SPSS version 21.0. (IBM, Incorporation, USA) A 2-tailed p-value of ≤0.05 was considered significant for statistical analysis. Results: Of total 109, 54.1% (n=59) were H. pylori seropositive cases and others were controls i.e. 45.9% (n=50). Cases and controls showed cobalamin levels of 290±49.3 vs. 351±32.9 pg/ml respectively (p=0.0001). Red blood cell indices were found to show statistically significant difference between cases and controls (p=0.001). Conclusion: Serum cobalamin deficiency was noted in both Helicobacter pylori positive and controls, however deficiency was more pronounced in Helicobacter pylori positive subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the current trends of drug resistance patterns of Acinetobacter baumannii infection in blood transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients., Study Design: This study was a cross sectional study, conducted at the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro/Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan from October 2014 to January 2016., Subjects and Methods: Of 921 blood samples, A. baumannii strains were isolated from 100 blood samples. Blood samples were processed for the isolation, identification, and drugs sensitivity as per the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. A. baumannii strains were identified by microbiological methods and Gram's staining. API 20 E kit (Biomeriuex, USA) was also used for identification. Data were analyzed on Statisti × 8.1 (USA)., Results: Mean ± standard deviation age was 11.5 ± 2.8 years. Nearly 70% were male and 30% were female ( P = 0.0001). Of 921 blood transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients, 100 (10.8%) patients showed growth of A. baumannii . Drug resistance was observed against the ceftazidime, cefixime, cefepime, imipenem, meropenem, amikacin, minocycline, tigecycline, and tazocin except for the colistin., Conclusion: The present study reports drug-resistant A. baumannii in blood transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients. National multicenter studies are recommended to estimate the size of the problem., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is a chronic granulomatous disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis . The present study determined the serum human enolase-2 (ENO-2), high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and serum cholesterol levels as biological marker of disease activity and treatment response in smear-positive drug-naïve PTB., Materials and Methods: This case-control study was done in the Department of Medicine, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro/Hyderabad, Sindh, from January 2015 to April 2016. Thirty-five sputum smear-positive drug-naïve PTB patients and thirty controls were studied. MTB culture and drug sensitivity were performed at the Diagnostic and Research Laboratory of LUMHS. Serum ENO-2, hs-CRP, and serum cholesterol were estimated at baseline, 3 rd and 6 th month of antituberculosis (TB) therapy., Results: Serum ENO-2 and hs-CRP were found raised in PTB compared to controls and showed decrease of 13% and 21.55%, 19.6% and 31.5% at 3 rd and 6 th month, respectively ( P = 0.0001). Serum ENO-2 revealed positive correlation with hs-CRP ( r = 0.734, P = 0.0001), and serum cholesterol revealed negative correlation with ENO-2 and hs-CRP ( r = -0.509, P = 0.0001) and ( r = -0.566, P = 0.0001), respectively., Conclusion: The present study reports the baseline ENO-2 and hs-CRP were raised, and serum cholesterol was low in smear-positive PTB patients and the ENO-2 and hs-CRP were reduced by anti-TB drug therapy., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.