Antioxidant status in diabetic and non-diabetic senile patients, with cataract or cardiovascular complications

OBJECTIVE: To assess the total antioxidant status in diabetic and non-diabetic senile patients, with cataract or cardiovascular complications, and without complications. METHODS: A comparative study on 186 senile patients and control subjects was carried out from March 2004 to November 2006 on patients from Ziauddin University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. Among them, 33 were diabetic patients without any clinical evidence of chronic diabetic complications, 32 with cardiovascular complications, 30 non-diabetic patients with cardiovascular complications, 30 diabetic patients with cataract, 30 non-diabetic patients with cataract, and 31 apparently normal, age, gender, and weight matched control subjects were investigated. All patients were selected on clinical grounds. RESULTS: Total antioxidant status was significantly decreased (p<0.001) in all diabetic patients with and without complications, and non-diabetic patients with same complications (155 patients) as compared with control subjects (31 subjects). Fasting plasma glucose was increased (p<0.001) in all diabetic patients with and without complications (95 patients), and correlated significantly with glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) and serum fructosamine concentrations. Fasting plasma glucose, HbA1C, and serum fructosamine were not different in diabetic patients with and without complications. Fasting plasma glucose, HbA1C, serum fructosamine, and total serum protein were not different in non-diabetic patients with the same complications, as compared with control subjects. CONCLUSION: Total antioxidant status is decreased in diabetic and non-diabetic senile patients with the same complication as compared with control subjects. Some other factors may be responsible for decrease antioxidant status.     

Retrospective multicenter evaluation of patients diagnosed with mucosal melanoma: a study of Anatolian Society of Medical Oncology

Tumor Biology - Mucosal melanoma (MM) is a rare type of cancer that differs significantly from cutaneous melanoma. In this study, we aimed to evaluate clinical and demographical characteristics,...     

Virulence markers of opportunistic black yeast in Exophiala

The black yeast genus Exophiala is known to cause a wide variety of diseases in severely ill individuals but can also affect immunocompetent individuals. Virulence markers and other physiological parameters were tested in eight clinical and 218 environmental strains, with a specific focus on human‐dominated habitats for the latter. Urease and catalase were consistently present in all samples; four strains expressed proteinase and three strains expressed DNase, whereas none of the strains showed phospholipase, haemolysis, or co‐haemolysis activities. Biofilm formation was identified in 30 (13.8%) of the environmental isolates, particularly in strains from dishwashers, and was noted in only two (25%) of the clinical strains. These results indicate that virulence factors are inconsistently present in the investigated Exophiala species, suggesting opportunism rather than pathogenicity.     

Chemical stability and bioadhesive properties of an ester prodrug of Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol in poly(ethylene oxide) matrices: effect of formulation additives

The objective of the present research was to stabilize a novel hemiglutarate ester prodrug of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in polyethylene oxide (PEO) polymeric matrices produced by hot-melt fabrication, for systemic delivery of THC through the oral transmucosal route. For this purpose, the influence of pH modifiers and antioxidants employed as stabilizing agents in these matrices was investigated. Based on the stability studies, two final formulations were made, and the stability of the active was assessed in these systems. In addition, the bioadhesive properties of PEO matrices were studied as a function of bioadhesive polymer type and concentration, contact time, drug loading and wetting time. Of all of the polymers investigated, bioadhesion was highest with Carbopol((R)) 971p. Bioadhesion increased with bioadhesive polymer concentration and wetting time to a certain level beyond which there was no further contribution. Both the contact time and drug loading influenced the bioadhesion. Severe degradation of the prodrug was observed during storage, even at room temperature (75% at the end of 3 months). Incorporation of the stabilizing agents in the PEO matrices reduced the degradation of the prodrug considerably. Citric acid was the most effective of all of the pH modifiers studied. Among the various antioxidants utilized, degradation was observed least in presence of BHT and ascorbic acid. Only 7.6% and 8.2% of prodrug degraded in these matrices, respectively, as compared to the PEO-only matrices (59.4%) at the end of 3 months at 25 degrees C/60% RH. The prodrug was very stable in both of the final formulations at the end of the 3 months at 40 degrees C/75% RH.     

Deep inguinal infection after percutaneous coronary intervention

A 62-year-old female underwent percutaneous coronary stent implantation of the left anterior descending artery without any complications except for a small haematoma in the right inguinal region where femoral artery puncture was performed. Forty days after discharge, she presented to the emergency department with a deep ulcerative wound in the femoral artery puncture site. The wound-site culture revealed methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. After appropriate antibiotic treatment and wound care, the deep inguinal infection healed with proper epithelisation and without any complications. This case underscores the importance of prevention and management of access site haematoma during percutaneous procedures.     

Chronic carbon monoxide exposure increases electrocardiographic P-wave and QT dispersion

We investigated the association between chronic carbon monoxide (CO) exposure and electrocardiographic maximum/minimum P-wave duration (Pmax/Pmin), P-wave dispersion (Pd), maximum/minimum QT interval (QTmax/QTmin), and QT and corrected QT dispersion (QTd/cQTd), which are known as predictors of atrial fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmias, and sudden death. We obtained electrocardiograms of 48 apparently healthy male indoor barbecue workers (age mean +/- SD; 33.6 +/- 9.4) who were working in various restaurants for at least 3 yr and 51 age-matched healthy men (age mean +/- SD; 35.1 +/- 6.7). Average working time of the indoor barbecue workers in their jobs was 15.6 +/- 7.1 yr. P-wave parameters were analyzable in 39 barbecue workers and 40 control subjects and QT intervals were analyzable in 44 barbecue workers and 47 control subjects. Clinical characteristics of indoor barbecue workers and the control group were comparable in terms of age, sex, body mass index, blood pressure, heart rate, Pmin, and QTmin. However, COHb levels, Pmax, Pd, QTmax, QTd, and cQTd measurements were higher in indoor barbecue workers than in the control group (6.48 +/- 1.43 vs. 2.19 +/- 1.30, p < .001; 106.15 +/- 7.47 vs. 101.50 +/- 6.62, p < .005; 30.51 +/- 7.59 vs. 24.50 +/- 6.77, p < .001; 406.59 +/- 17.64 vs. 390.85 +/- 13.15, P < .001; 48.40 +/- 8.87 vs. 34.89 +/- 5.85, P < .001; 53.64 +/- 9.14 vs. 37.77 +/- 6.71, P < .001, respectively). In Pearson correlation analysis there were significant correlations between COHb level and Pd, QTmax, QTd, and cQTd (r = .315 P < .005; r = .402, P < .001, r = .573, P < .001, r = .615, P < .001, respectively). In conclusion, the present study is the first to assess and find an association between chronic CO exposure and electrocardiographic Pd and QTd/cQTd.