American Journal of Medical and Biological Research

Sepsis is a potential clinical condition which is a consequence of infectious disease or a severe inflammatory reaction secondary to infection or injury. Sepsis in Greek means putrefaction or decay, correlating well with the multiple organ failure and severe shock resulting in death of the patient suffering from severe sepsis. Clinical management of sepsis requires prompt laboratory diagnosis and formulation of effective patient management strategies that may include antimicrobial chemotherapy in case of sepsis induced by infectious microbe. Although many laboratory biomarkers are available for the diagnosis of sepsis, only few markers have proven to be beneficial in differentiating infectious disease sepsis and sepsis of non-infectious origin. Of the available markers only few have prognostic value. We in this review discuss the utility of a novel and emerging sepsis marker, the presepsin which has a better diagnostic and prognostic value, and has been effective in predicting the survival of the sepsis patients.

American Journal of Medical and Biological Research. 2014, 2(4), 97-100. DOI: 10.12691/ajmbr-2-4-3
Pub. Date: October 26, 2014

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Some Viral Sero-Markers of Patients with Abnormally Raised Total Bile Acid Receiving Treatments in Herbal/Traditional Homes of Some Rural Communities in Nigeria

by Mathew Folaranmi OLANIYAN

Original Research

Background to the Study: Blind therapeutic management is a common feature of the traditional management of clinical cases that may obscure immunochemical and biochemical abnormalities such as viral infections and abnormally raised total bile acid () which may make treatments unsuccessful. Aim and Objective: This work was designed to determine some viral markers of patients with abnormally raised Total Bile Acid receiving treatments in herbal/traditional homes of some rural communities in Nigeria. Materials and Method: Fifty one (51(25.1%)) of 203 patients aged 21-52 years in Saki-East, Saki-West and ATISBO with abnormally raised total bile acid under going treatment in 15 herbal homes of Saki-East, Saki-West and ATISBO Local Government areas at the Northern part of Oyo state – Nigeria between January and June, 2014 were studied. Thirty two (32(21.3%)) out one hundred and fifty (150) age-matched patients with abnormally raised visiting five (5) orthodox hospitals were also studied within the same period. 139(92.7%) with normal out of 150 apparently healthy individuals aged 20-55 years initially selected were studied as normal control subjects. Immuno assays were carried out on the subjects by Immunoblotting and ELIZA while fasting plasma was estimated in the subjects biochemically. Results: There was a lower incidence of positive 6.3%(2)ant-HIV, 15.6%(5) anti-HCV antibodies and 25%(8) HBsAg in patients receiving treatment in orthodox hospitals with a mean plasma of 16±2.0 µmol/L than patients receiving treatment in Herbal homes 7.8%(4) positive anti-HIV, 17.6%(9) anti-HCV and 31.4%(16) HBsAg obtained in with a mean plasma of 18±3.2 µmol/L. There was also a lower prevalence of positive 3.6%(5) anti-HIV, 4.3%(6) anti-HCV and 7.2%(10) HBsAg with a plasma of 6.5±0.3 µmol/L in the normal control subjects than the results obtained from the patients receiving treatments from both orthodox and traditional/herbal homes.. The immunochemical status of the subjects also revealed evidence of viral co-infections as 2%(1) anti-HIV + anti-HCV in patients receiving treatments in herbal homes, 3.1%(1) anti-HIV + HBsAg in patients receiving treatments in orthodox hospitals with a mean plasma of 16±2.0 µmol/L and 5.9%(3) anti-HIV + HBsAg in patients receiving treatments in herbal homes with a mean plasma of 18±3.2 µmol/L. There was a significantly higher difference in the mean plasma value of TBA and the prevalence of the viral markers including coinfections in the patients receiving treatment in orthodox hospitals and in the patients receiving treatments in herbal homes than the results obtained from the normal control with p< 0.05. There was also a significantly higher prevalence of the viral markers including coinfections in the patients of herbal homes than the resulusts obtained in the patients of orthodox hospitals and the normal control subjects (p<0.05).The frequency of the abnormally raised TBA, of the patients visiting herbal homes, orthodox hospitals and that of the apparently healthy individuals was 51(25.1%)), 32(21.3%) and 11(7.3%) respectively. Conclusion: The incidence of positive HBsAg, anti-HIV, anti-HCV antibodies increases with increase in Total Bile Acids considering the mean concentration of the parameter and the pattern of the viral markers in the subjects and are more prevalent in patients receiving treatments from herbal homes than those attending orthodox hospitals and the control subjects. Evaluation of Viral markers of patients with abnormally raised Total Bile Acid is recommended for effective management of this biochemical abnormality in herbal homes.

American Journal of Medical and Biological Research. 2014, 2(4), 91-96. DOI: 10.12691/ajmbr-2-4-2
Pub. Date: October 04, 2014

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The Set Point of Intact Parathyroid Hormone-Ionized Calcium Curve during the Progression of Secondary Hyperparathyroidism among Patients Undergoing Haemodialysis

by T Sudhakar, Sabitha Kandi, B venugopal, K. Bhagwan Reddy and K. V. Ramana

Original Research

The parathyroid gland secretes parathyroid hormone (PTH) which is a key element in the regulation of serum calcium. The PTH elevates serum calcium activities by regulating its action on the bones, kidneys and small intestine. The set point of PTH secretion defines the sensitivity of the parathyroid glands to calcium concentration. Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is a common complication of end stage renal disease (ESRD). Ionized calcium is physiologically active form of calcium status of the body and is used for accurately monitoring calcium status in renal diseases. The present study states that the ionized calcium is the set point of secondary hyperparathyroidism undergoing haemodialysis and the range of set point lies between 2.3 – 4.8 mg/dl (0.57 – 1.2 mmol/L). The status of iPTH, set point are frequently monitored in subtotal hyperparathyroidectomy where imaging studies are not beneficial (anatomically situated on postero-lateral surface of thyroid gland) to know the appearance of parathyroid gland.

American Journal of Medical and Biological Research. 2014, 2(4), 87-90. DOI: 10.12691/ajmbr-2-4-1
Pub. Date: August 26, 2014

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