Baghdad Journal of Biochemistry and Applied Biological Sciences

Background: Glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and hemoglobinopathies are common among people of Duhok city in northern Iraq.

Objectives: The study was carried out to determine the prevalence of G6PD deficiency among individuals with thalassemia and sickle cell disorder,

Methods: Glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase was estimated in eighty-four (84) persons with hemoglobinopathies to observe its prevalence. A manual procedure was used to estimate the G6PD enzyme activity of fresh samples from the participants using BIOLABO SA, G6PD assay kit (Maizy, France).

Results: G6PD deficit was detected in 15(17.90%) of the case, (10.71%) of SCD, and (7.14%) of beta thalassemia syndromes with a statistically significant association between G6PD enzyme level and clinical diagnosis. No significant correlation between RBC count and RDW was seen between low and G6PD enzyme level individuals with hemoglobinopathies.

Conclusion: The study emphasized the prevalence of G6PD deficit to be higher among individuals with hemoglobinopathy compared to the normal subject from a previous study from the same geographical region.

Background and objective: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a potential gasotransmitter produced by respiratory and vascular smooth muscle cells. Although some studies have examined H2S in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), few have investigated its role in COPD exacerbations and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This study aimed to compare serum H2S levels between COPD patients and healthy controls, examine associations between H2S and COPD severity/exacerbations/PAH, and compare H2S levels between smokers and nonsmokers.

Methods: Serum H2S was measured in 16 patients with stable COPD and 34 with acute exacerbations. COPD severity was classified using GOLD stages. Arterial blood gases, pulmonary arterial pressure by echocardiography, and clinical variables were assessed. Multivariable regression analyzed factors influencing H2S. ROC curves evaluated the diagnostic utility of H2S for exacerbations and PAH.

Results: Serum H2S was lowest in GOLD stage IV patients compared to stages II and III. Levels were significantly lower in acute exacerbations versus stable COPD. COPD patients with PAH had lower H2S than those without. Arterial pH, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC positively associated with H2S, while PaCO2, severity, exacerbations, and PAH negatively influenced H2S. Optimal H2S cutoffs for indicating exacerbations and PAH were <46.7 μmol/L.

Conclusions: Serum H2S may be a useful indicator of exacerbations and PAH in COPD patients.

Background and objective: Diabetes is the most common cause of chronic renal disease globally. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most serious consequences of type 2 diabetes. Melatonin, a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to alleviate DN, deficiency and a functional relationship between melatonin and insulin have been linked to the etiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this research is to assess the relationship between melatonin level and antioxidant enzyme activity (catalase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, paraoxonase 1, and glutathione-s-transferase) in diabetic patients with and without nephropathy.

Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 45 healthy control subjects, 45 diabetic patients without nephropathy, and 45 diabetic patients with nephropathy. Serum samples of participants were used to evaluate antioxidant enzyme activities, melatonin levels, and MDA using specific assays.

Results: The results showed that the concentration of melatonin is not affected in diabetic patients without nephropathy, but decreased significantly in diabetic patients with nephropathy when compared with healthy subjects. Antioxidant enzymes activity in sera of diabetic patients with and without nephropathy were significantly lower than that of healthy subject group. The superoxide dismutase enzyme has a specific exception because its activity is elevated, unlike other antioxidant enzymes.

Conclusions: Melatonin decreased significantly in sera of diabetic patients with nephropathy. Diabetic nephropathy affects antioxidant enzymes activity and lipid peroxidation significantly compared with healthy controls.

Background and objective: This study purposes to designate the profile of 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] by evaluating the vitamin D levels of patients attending the pediatric outpatient clinics at the State Hospital in Şırnak, the second city in Turkey in terms of fertility.

Methods: In the study, 4753 patients hospitalized at Şırnak State Hospital were enrolled, and their vitamin D levels were retrospectively examined. Throughout the research, vitamin D concentrations were assessed based on the patients’ gender, age, and seasonal variations. Serum vitamin D levels were categorized as severe deficiency at <12 ng/ml, mild-moderate deficiency at 12–20 ng/ml, and normal at 20–100 ng/ml.

Results: The study analyzed the data of 2107 males and 2646 females. For boys and girls, the median serum vitamin D levels were 18.23 ng/ml and 22.42 ng/ml respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in vitamin D levels between different age groups in both genders (p<0.01). Vitamin D levels were at their lowest in winter and highest in summer for both genders, and statistically significant variations were observed across the seasons (p<0.01). The median vitamin D level was found to be 25.59 ng/ml in patients aged 0–5 years (n=2,272), 18.16 ng/ml in patients aged 6–12 years (n=1,580), and 13.40 ng/ml in patients aged 13–17 years (n=901).

Conclusions: In this study, patients hospitalized at the Şırnak state hospital had severe vitamin D shortages and insufficiency. Vitamin D low levels are believed to be attributed to vitamin D synthesis’s lack due to inadequate wintertime sunshine, a lack of outside activities for kids in the area, or vitamin D-deficient foods. As a result of these findings, there is an increased need for supportive therapy.

Hyperglycemia and the onset of insulin resistance or deficiency, or both, are the hallmarks of the group of diseases known as diabetes. Ultimately, insulin subcutaneous injection is the most effective treatment for diabetic patients. However, most patients must self-administer insulin at least twice daily for the rest of their lives, as this form of administration is frequently uncomfortable and inconvenient. Infections, insulin precipitation, lipoatrophy, or lipohypertrophy are commonly observed at the injection site. To date, nasal, pulmonary, and oral methods of insulin administration have been explored. Although insulin stimulation is the ideal method for diabetic patients, there are several obstacles to overcome, such as rapid insulin degradation in the stomach and limited oral bioavailability. Various strategies have been approved to improve these parameters, including the use of enzyme inhibitors, mucoadhesive polymeric agents, absorption-enhancing agents, and chemical modifications. Insulin-loaded nanocarriers can bypass numerous physiological limitations. The current review discusses the approach of nanotechnology in nose-to-brain delivery of nanoparticles for diabetes management.