Serum Fe Levels Research Articles

Circulating and Tissues Concentrations of Selected Trace Elements in Response to Moderate Physical Exercise: Protective Effects of Cucurbita pepo Seeds Oil Extraction

Background: Physical exercise and the subsequent recovery processes have been proposed to affect the essential hemostatic balance of trace elements, either by increasing degradation rates or by enhancing loss from the body. This might disturb the function of vital metabolic organs, such as muscles and liver, leading to unsatisfactory performance. It appears that taking advantage of mineral-rich herbal supplements could replenish the body's mineral sources. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Cucurbita pepo supplementation on exercise-induced dynamics of micronutrients in serum, liver, and skeletal muscle of Wistar rats. Methods: Forty male Wistar rats (aged 4 - 6 weeks old, weighing 130 - 150 g) were randomly divided into four groups of ten rats each: (1) Saline control group (SC), (2) training at 25 m/min group (ST), (3) pumpkin seed oil supplementation group (PC), and (4) pumpkin seed oil supplementation + Training at 25m/min (PT). Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (25 m/min, eliciting approximately 65% VO2Peak) and consumption of pumpkin seed oil (4 ml/kg/day) were conducted for 6 weeks. The ICP-OES technique was used to measure plasma, liver, and skeletal muscle levels of zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), magnesium (Mg), and copper (Cu) approximately 48 to 72 hours after the final session of the training protocol. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and post-hoc Bonferroni tests (P < 0.05). Results: No significant changes in serum Fe (P = 0.728) and Mn (P = 0.52) levels, as well as liver tissue levels of Zn (P = 0.633), Fe (P = 0.512), Mn (P = 0.194), Mg (P = 0.156), and Cu (P = 0.711), were observed among the intervention groups. However, all trace mineral element (TME) concentrations, except for Cu (P = 0.907) in the gastrocnemius tissue, significantly changed among the study groups (P < 0.05). Additionally, the results of the Bonferroni test showed that six weeks of moderate physical activity decreased the serum, liver, and gastrocnemius levels of TMEs, and subsequent supplementation with pumpkin seed oil played a replenishing role in preserving the resources. Conclusions: Pumpkin seed oil supplementation was demonstrated to be an effective ergogenic aid for the up-regulation and replenishment of exercise-induced TME excretion from the liver, gastrocnemius, and body fluids in healthy rats.

A novel cholesterol metabolism-related ferroptosis pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma

BackgroundEmerging studies have reported the contribution of cholesterol to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. However, the specific role and mechanism of cholesterol metabolism on spontaneous and progressive HCC development from the point of view of ferroptosis are still worth exploring. The present study aimed to reveal a novel mechanism of cholesterol metabolism-related ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.MethodsTwo microarray datasets (GSE25097, GSE22058) related to HCC were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Metabolomics analysis was performed by ultra performance liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS/MS). The cholesterol-related proteins were downloaded from HMBD. Ferroptosis-related genes were extracted from FerrDb database. Data sets were separated into two groups. GSE25097 was used to identify ferroptosis-related genes, and GSE22058 was used to verify results. During these processes, chemical–protein interaction (CPI), protein–protein interaction (PPI), the Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were conducted. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to test the associated pathway.ResultsWe identified 8 differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes (HAMP, PTGS2, IL1B, ALOX15B, CDKN2A, RRM2, NQO1 and KIF20A) and 4 differentially expressed cholesterol-related genes (LCAT, CH25H, CEL and CYP7A1). Furthermore, based on the predicted results with STITCH, we identified indomethacin and IL1B as the essential node for cholesterol-mediated ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cell. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed the activities of plasma IL1B in liver cancer patients enrolled have been significantly affected by the level of plasma cholesterol (P < 0.001) and the test result of IL1B is a predictor variable causing the changes of serum Fe levels (P < 0.001).ConclusionsOur findings shed new light on the association between cholesterol metabolism and ferroptosis in HCC, and suggest that IL1B is the necessary node for cholesterol to lead to ferroptosis process in HCC. Also, we identified the potential role of indomethacin in adjuvant therapy of HCC with complications of abnormal cholesterol metabolism.

Serum iron levels in tuberculosis patients and household contacts and its association with natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1 polymorphism and expression.

Iron deficiency can impair immune function, increasing tuberculosis (TB) susceptibility and severity. The research aimed to investigate iron deficiency anemia in TB patients and household contacts and its association with natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1 (NRAMP1) polymorphism and expression. The levels of iron, ferritin, and transferrin were measured in the serum by ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay). NRAMP1 polymorphisms were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. NRAMP1 gene expression was measured by real-time PCR. Interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) checked on household contacts to screen household contacts with positive IGRA as the control. This study involved 35 TB cases and 35 TB contacts. The results showed that the serum Fe levels were found to be lower in the TB case group (median 149.6 μmol/L) than in the positive IGRA household contacts group (median 628.53 μmol/L) with a p-value <0.001. Meanwhile, ferritin levels in TB cases tended to be higher, in contrast to transferrin, which was found to tend to be lower in TB cases than household contacts but did not show a significant difference. This study found no association between the polymorphism of exon 15 D543 and active TB. However, NRAMP1 gene expression was lower in TB cases than in positive IGRA household contacts (p= 0.011). Besides, there was a positive correlation between NRAMP1 gene expression and serum Fe levels (r = 0.367, p= 0.006). TB was associated with decreased NRAMP1 gene expression (OR 0.086 95% CI 0.02-0.366, p= 0.001). Besides, TB was associated with low Fe levels (OR 0.533 95% CI 0.453-0.629, p< 0.001). Comparing the TB case to the household contacts group, decreased serum Fe levels were discovered in the TB case group. This study also shows a correlation of NRAMP1 gene expression to Fe levels in TB patients and household contacts and describes that TB may lead to decreased Fe levels by downregulating NRAMP1 expression.

Comparison of selected levels of serum elements / minerals in obese dogs

Obesity is the most common metabolic disorder defined as excessive adipose tissue accumulation in the body. Elements and minerals are crucial for biological metabolism. There have been limited studies based on the relationship between elements/minerals and obesity in dogs. The study was aimed to evaluate possible alterations of selected serum elements/minerals -copper (Cu), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), boron (B), cobalt (Co) and aluminum (Al)- in obese dogs. The study groups were categorized as obese group (n:20) and controls (n:10) with different breeds and genders due to body condition scoring system cared under similar conditions fed with dry commercial food once daily. Serum elements/minerals in serum were analyzed by using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrophotometer (ICP-OES). Obese dogs had statistically higher serum Fe levels compared with healthy controls. A positive correlation was found between serum levels of Cr-Ni; Cu-Mg; Cu-Se; Mg-Se; Mg-Ca; Mg-P; B-Co; B-Ca; Ni-Co; Co-Ca and Ca-P in obese dogs. It has been accepted that obesity is a pro-inflammatory process priorly initiating in adipose tissue. Higher serum Fe levels in obese dogs might be related with inflammation during the obesity process. Moreover, the strong correlations among other discussed elements/minerals even with no statistical alterations of serum levels in obese dogs should be elucidated with further studies. Elements and minerals might be evaluated as biomarkers for the determination of effects of obesity in dogs.

Determination of Serum Trace Elements and Oxidative Stress in Bitches with Transmissible Venereal Tumor

Background: This study was conducted to compare the changes in oxidative stress levels with some trace elements in blood serum in healthy bitches and bitches with transmissible venereal tumor (TVT). Methods: A total of 40 bitches were used in the study. According to the genital organ examinations, healthy bitches constituted the control group (n=20) and those with venereal tumors constituted the TVT group (n=20). Total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) were determined spectrophotometrically. In addition, some serum trace element levels such as magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se) were measured using an ICP-MS analysis device. Result: The serum Se, Mg and Zn levels were lower in the TVT group compared to the control group (p less than 0.01) and serum Fe and Cu levels were higher in the TVT group than in the control group (p less than 0.01). Serum TOS and OSI levels were higher (p less than 0.001) and serum TAS levels were lower (p less than 0.001) in the TVT group compared to the control group. The study results showed that oxidative stress is high in bitches with TVT, and in parallel with this, changes occur in the amount of certain trace elements that are associated with oxidative stress.

The Relationship between Serum Iron and Thyroid Function in the Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Our primary objective in this study is to determine the relationship between serum iron (Fe3+) and thyroid functions in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Glucose metabolic parameters, trace elements, such as Fe3+, and thyroid functions for 1657 type 2 diabetic patients treated at the Shanghai Pudong Hospital's Department of Endocrinology from 2018 to 2021 were assessed. Variations in free thyroid hormones (FTH) and total thyroid hormones (TTH) were insignificant; however, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were markedly elevated in patients with positive thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and/or positive antithyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) (p<0.05). Additionally, gender disparities affected FTH levels (p<0.05) but not TTH and TSH levels. The female gender was significantly negatively correlated with serum Fe levels (r=-0.381, p<0.05). Serum Fe3+ deficiency also had an effect on FT3 in both genders, FT4 and TT4 in males (p<0.05), but not TSH (p>0.05). The multilinear regression model showed that TT3 (β=0.702), eGFR (β=0.109), Fe3+ (β=0.003), female gender (β=-0.061), and age (β=-0.061) were the major determinants for FT3 change. Moreover, renal function, which was represented as the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), had no effects on Fe3+ and TSH levels but on the levels of FTH and TTH (p<0.05). FT3/FT4 exhibited correlations with Fe3+ (r=0.252) and eGFR (r=0.285). Finally, changes in Fe3+ levels had no significant impact on fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting C-peptide, HbA1c, and glycated albumin levels (p>0.05). In addition to age, gender, and renal functions, serum Fe3+ levels in T2DM patients have a significant relationship with thyroid functions.

Multiple metal exposure and metabolic syndrome in elderly individuals: A case-control study in an active mining district, Northwest China

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide, particularly among elderly individuals. Exposure to various metals has been linked to the development of MetS. However, limited studies have focused attention on the elderly population living in active mining districts. Participants with MetS (N = 292) were matched for age (±2 years old) and sex with a healthy subject (N = 292). We measured the serum levels of 14 metals in older people aged 65–85 years. Conditional logistic regression, restricted cubic spline model, multiple linear regression, and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) were applied to estimate potential associations between multiple metals and the risk of MetS. Serum levels of Sb and Fe were significantly higher than the controls (0.58 μg/L vs 0.46 μg/L, 2167 μg/L vs 2042 μg/L, p < 0.05), while Mg was significantly lower (20035 μg/L vs 20,394 μg/L, p < 0.05). An increased risk of MetS was associated with higher serum Sb levels (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.61 for the highest tertile vs. the lowest tertile, 95% CI = 1.08–2.40, p-trend = 0.018) and serum Fe levels (adjusted OR = 1.55 for the highest tertile, 95% CI = 1.04–2.33, p-trend = 0.032). Higher Mg levels in serum may have potential protective effects on the development of MetS (adjusted OR = 0.61 for the highest tertile, 95% CI = 0.41–0.91, p-trend = 0.013). A joint exposure analysis by the BKMR model revealed that the mixture of 12 metals (except Tl and Cd) was associated with increased risk of MetS. Our results indicated that exposure to Sb and Fe might increase the risk of MetS in an elderly population living in mining-intensive areas. Further work is needed to confirm the protective effect of Mg on MetS.

Differential diagnostic value of serum procalcitonin and iron levels in diarrheic neonatal calves caused by Escherichia coli and rotavirus

The most common enteropathogens causing diarrhea in neonatal calves are Escherichia coli (E. coli) and rotavirus. Procalcitonin (PCT) is a parameter that has recently become widely used to determine whether infectious diseases are caused by bacteria. Iron is an essential nutrient for almost all bacterial species, and serum iron levels are used as an inflammatory biomarker. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the differential diagnosis value of serum iron and procalcitonin levels in E. coli and rotavirus diarrhea. The material of the study consisted of 30 calves 1-15 days old. Three groups were formed: E. coli (n=10), rotavirus (n=10) and control (n=10) groups. Calves in the E. coli group had the highest PCT (P=0.005) and CRP (P=0.003) levels, as well as the lowest Fe (P=0.000) levels. As a result, it was determined that serum Fe levels could be used as an inflammatory marker and PCT levels higher than 50 pg/mL could be used in the differential diagnosis of E. coli diarrhea in calves with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity.

The impact of hemodiafiltration on cognitive function in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Patients with end-stage renal disease are more likely to suffer cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment may lead to long-term severe adverse consequences. To explore the impact of different blood purification therapy on cerebral blood flow and cognitive functions in end-stage renal disease. This prospective study evaluated patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing blood purification from January to March 2021. Matched healthy controls were also included. Participants performed neurocognitive measurements, including a mini-mental state examination, logical memory test-20-minutes delayed, verbal fluency test, digit span test, clock drawing test, and stroop color and word test C. In addition, we tested plasma amyloid-β protein levels, serum Fe and hemoglobin levels in blood samples. Cerebral blood flow was measured using pulsed pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling. We analyzed and compared the correlation between cognitive function, biomarkers, and cerebral blood flow between patients and healthy subjects, as well as between patients with different treatments. A total of 44 patients with end-stage renal disease (mean age, 57.39 years ± 8.63) and 46 healthy controls (mean age, 56.15 years ± 6.40) were recruited. Patients receive hemodialysis three times a week, and 27 of them have been replaced hemodialysis for hemodiafiltration twice a month. The cognitive function of patients was worse than healthy controls (P < 0.05). The patients showed higher plasma concentrations of amyloid-β40, amyloid-β42, Tau, and pTau181 than healthy controls (P < 0.05). The group receiving both hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration had higher cerebral blood flow signal values in the left caudate nucleus (chuster-level P < 0.05, voxel-level P < 0.001). They also exhibited better verbal fluency function than the hemodialysis-only group (P < 0.05). Patients with the end-stage renal disease showed widespread cognitive declines. Cerebral blood flow generally decreased in the cerebral cortex and increased in subcortical regions. The hemodiafiltration may protect verbal function by increasing cerebral blood flow in the left caudate.

Evaluation of blood serum iron concentration as an alternative biomarker for inflammation in dairy cows.

This study aimed to clarify the relationship between acute phase protein (APP) concentrations and serum Fe concentrations to determine whether serum iron (Fe) can be clinically applied as a substitute for APPs in cows. One hundred five Holstein-Friesian breed lactating dairy cows were enrolled in this study. Cows with inflammatory diseases were 16 subclinical, and 15 severe mastitis cows, in addition to 15 mild and 16 severe sole ulcer cows. The plasma haptoglobin (HPT), alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AGP), SAA, serum Fe levels, and other biochemical parameters in the cows were measured. The two-sample t-tests and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to compare the control and inflammatory disease groups. ROC analysis was used to evaluate the ability to diagnose inflammation disease. From the results, the proposed diagnostic cutoff value for plasma SAA and serum Fe concentrations to identify dairy cows with inflammatory diseases based on analyses of ROC curves were set at > 3.65mg/l and < 120.50µg/dl, respectively. Therefore, instead of using expensive inflammatory markers to evaluate the inflammatory state at the first treatment day for inflammatory diseases in cow, it shows the useful for screening with serum Fe concentration that can be measured easily and inexpensively as alternative inflammatory biomarkers.

Investigation of Relationship Between Small Noncoding RNA (sncRNA) Expression Levels and Serum Iron, Copper, and Zinc Levels in Clinical Diagnosed Multiple Sclerosis Patients.

In our study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between microRNA (miRNA) expression levels and serum iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) levels in Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Total RNA was isolated from peripheral venous blood containing ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) of MS patients and controls. Total RNA was labeled with Cy3-CTP fluorescent dye. Hybridization of samples was performed on microarray slides and arrays were scanned. Data argument and bioinformatics analysis were performed. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer method was used to measure serum Fe, Cu, and Zn levels. In our study, in bioinformatics analysis, although differently expressed miRNAs were not detected between 16 MS patients and 16 controls, hsa-miR-744-5p upregulation was detected between 4 MS patients and 4 controls. This may be stem from the patient group consisting of MS patients who have never had an attack for 1year. Serum iron levels were detected significantly higher in the 16 MS patients compared to the 16 controls. This may be stem from the increase in iron accumulation based on inflammation in MS disease. According to the findings in our study, hsa-miR-744-5p upregulation has been determined as an early diagnostic biomarker for the development together of insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus associated with insulin signaling, and Alzheimer's diseases. Therefore, hsa-miR-744-5p is recommended as an important biomarker for the development together of diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer's disease, and MS disease. In addition, increased serum Fe levels may be suggested as an important biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and MS disease.

MCD Diet Rat Model Induces Alterations in Zinc and Iron during NAFLD Progression from Steatosis to Steatohepatitis.

We evaluate the effects of the methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet on serum and hepatic zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) and their relationships with matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their modulators (TIMPs and RECK) as well as hepatic fatty acids using male Wistar rats fed 2-, 4- and 8-week MCD diets. Serum and hepatic Zn decrease after an 8-week MCD diet. Serum Fe increases after an 8-week MCD diet and the same occurs for hepatic Fe. An increase in hepatic MMP activity, associated with a decrease in RECK and TIMPs, is found in the MCD 8-week group. Liver Fe shows a positive correlation versus MMPs and RECK, and an inverse correlation versus TIMPs. A positive correlation is found comparing liver Zn with stearic, vaccenic and arachidonic acids, and an inverse correlation is found with linolenic and docosatetraenoic acids. An opposite trend is found between liver Fe versus these fatty acids. During NAFLD progression from steatosis to steatohepatitis, MCD rats exhibit an increase in Zn and a decrease in Fe levels both in serum and tissue associated with alterations in hepatic MMPs and their inhibitors, and fatty acids. The correlations detected between Zn and Fe versus extracellular matrix modulators and fatty acids support their potential role as therapeutic targets.

Monitoring of cadmium and iron concentrations in healthy and prostate cancer patients in the Middle Euphrates Cancer Center, Najaf, Iraq

Prostate cancer is one of the most dangerous diseases that can cauظse death, although the cause is unknown. Nowadays, trace elements play a variety of roles. Although their roles (e.g. cadmium (Cd) and iron (Fe)) are still unknown, they might be involved in this type of cancer. This study investigates the concentrations of these elements in prostate cancer patient’s serum and then compared with a control group one. This study included a total of 100 samples. The samples were split into two groups: 50 healthy controls and 50 infected males of the same age and family history. Cd and Fe levels in serum were evaluated using an Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) after sample preparation. In prostate cancer patients, Cd and Fe levels were seen to be high. To illustrate, To illustrate, the highest values of the mean of the concentration of iron and cadmium were (1.811 ± 0.779) and (0.092 ± 0.009) for the new case of cancer patients, while the lowest values were (0.689 ± 0.281) and (0.034 ± 0.026)) for health, respectively. The correlation between serum concentrations of these elements and prostate cancer supports the hypothesis that exposure to Cd and Fe enhances the risk of prostate cancer.

Description of Iron Status In Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Stadium 5 with Regular Hemodialization at the Hemodialysis Installation of Dustira Hospital

Introduction: The number of patients with chronic kidney failure in Indonesia continues to increase and is estimated to grow by around 10% every year. Decreased of haemoglobin (Hb) in patients with CKD almost occurs in 80% of cases. Aim: The purpose of this study was to describe the iron status of patients with chronic kidney disease stage 5 undergoing regular hemodialysis. Methods: The study conducted is a descriptive study with a cross-sectional design to describe the iron status of stage 5 CKD patients undergoing regular hemodialysis at the Hemodialysis Installation of the Dustira Cimahi Hospital. Data used are secondary data from the medical records of stage CKD patients. 5 at the Hemodialysis Installation. Univariate analysis is performed by presenting data in terms of frequency and percentage or mean and standard deviation. Result: Patients in this study had a mean age of 46.75 years, a median age of 45 years (range: 18-71 years), and as many as 28 people were in the 37-45 year age group (range: 18-71 years) who underwent regular hemodialysis (35.0 percent ). The majority of CKD stage 5 patients who had regular hemodialysis were female, with as many as 44 out of 80 patients being female (55.0 percent ). In this study, 80 patients with CKD stage 5 were found to have decreased serum iron (66.3%) with a normal value range of 65-165 g/dl, TIBC decreased (43.8%) with a normal value range of 300 -360 g/dl, and transferrin saturation decreased (50%) with a normal range of 20-50%. Based on the serum iron, patients with CKD stage 5 who underwent regular hemodialysis had a mean serum iron of 56.53 g/dl)] and most of them had decreased serum iron, as many as 53 people out of 80 people (66.3%). Conclusion: The percentage of patients with chronic kidney disease stage 5 who underwent regular hemodialysis who experienced iron deficiency was 11.0% and did not have iron deficiency was 89.0%. The mean serum Fe, TIBC and TSAT levels of patients with chronic kidney disease stage 5 undergoing regular hemodialysis were 56.53 g/dL, 277.64, g/dL, and 23.10%, respectively. Keyword: Chronic Kidney Disease; Hemodialysis; Iron Status

Evaluation of Serum Iron and Ferritin Levels as Inflammatory Markers in Calves with Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex

Abstract Iron and ferritin have been used in human medicine for years to reveal the presence of inflammation. However, studies evaluating these parameters, especially in respiratory system diseases, are quite rare in veterinary medicine. We aimed to test the usability of serum Fe and Fe-related parameters [total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), unsaturated iron-binding capacity (UIBC) and transferrin saturation (TS) levels] as inflammatory and diagnostic biomarkers in calves with bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC). To mark inflammation, some selected acute-phase proteins including serum ferritin and transferrin levels were measured because of their close relationship with iron metabolism. The material of this study consisted of 15 calves, aged 1-3 months with BRDC (Group I) and 10 healthy calves aged 1-3 months (Group II) based on the presence of respiratory clinical findings. Serum Fe, TIBC and TS levels were low and ferritin levels were high in Group I (P ≤ 0.001). The BRDC group was separated into two subgroups based on PCR results, namely Virus+ (n=9) and Virus- (n=6). The calves in the Virus+ group had significantly lower levels of Fe (P=0.001) and significantly higher values of ferritin (P=0.002), compared to the healthy group. On the basis of inter-group comparison and ROC analysis, we concluded that Fe (primarily), ferritin, TIBC and TS levels can be used as inflammatory biomarkers and possible diagnostic markers in the BRDC as useful, practical, inexpensive substitutes. As a suggestion, these parameters which are believed to play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease, can be used as potential prognostic biomarkers in studies involving treatment.

Trace element and magnesium in patients with bronchial asthma

Background Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory system. Trace elements play roles in inflammation and may affect bronchial asthma. Aim This study aimed to determine the concentrations of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and magnesium (Mg) in the sera of patients and to evaluate their value in asthma severity and control. Participants and methods This study was carried out on 71 asthmatic adult patients and 20 healthy control participants. Patients were diagnosed with bronchial asthma based on clinical history and the presence of reversible airway obstruction in spirometry. Levels of serum trace elements (Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mg) were determined in all participants. Results The serum levels of Zn and Mg were lower in patients with asthma in comparison with the controls, while the serum levels of Fe and Cu were higher in patients with asthma in comparison with the healthy controls. The P value was significant for Zn (P&lt;0.008) and Fe (P&lt;0.016). There was no difference between serum levels of trace elements in different grades of asthma severity or control. Conclusion Asthmatic patients had abnormal serum trace element levels such as lower serum Zn and higher serum Fe levels than the controls, but without a significant relation to the degree of asthma severity or its level of control.

Effects of Oral Intake of Olive Leaf Extract on Hematological Parameters: A Double-Blinded, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial in Progress

Background:Anemia is one of the major public health problems that affected 2.36 billion individuals worldwide in 2015. Half of all causes of anemia are iron or other nutrient deficiency anemia (WHO, 2015). Currently available treatment options for anemia include iron or other nutrient supplementation, nutritional interventions in the form of food fortification, blood transfusion, and erythropoietic agent infusion. However, conventional treatments are not without adverse effects. In this context, medicinal plants with bioactive components have been receiving considerable attention from researchers as natural hematinic agents complemented with or alternatives to conventional treatment.Olive leaf (Olea europaea L. Oleaceae) extract (OLE) is rich in bioactive compounds and have been reported to have several health benefits (Gorzynik-Debicka et al., 2018). Previously we showed that apigetrin and apigenin, components of OLE, induced erythroid differentiation in K562 cells (Tsolmon et al., 2011 and Isoda et al., 2014). Also, OLE and its phenolic compounds induced erythroid differentiation in hHSCs (Kondo et al., 2021, Samet et al., 2015).Additionally, we have reported that long-term consumption of OLE tea increased RBC count, Hb%, and hematocrit (Ht) in female volunteers aged between 40 - 70 years old (Ferdousi et al., 2019). However, none of the participants were anemic at the baseline. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of oral intake of OLE on hematological parameters in healthy to mildly anemic young adults.Study Design and MethodsA double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study will be conducted in Bangladesh. Total 165 apparently healthy adults with Hb level at least 10g/dl for females (nonpregnant, non-breastfeeding) and 11g/dl for males, and aged between 18 to 59 years will be enrolled from the local community. Major exclusion criteria will include currently pregnant women or breastfeeding mothers, moderate to severe anemia (Hb concentration < 10 g / dL for women and < 11 g / dL for men), any medical condition, such as hematological diseases, malignant tumors, aplastic anemia, uncontrolled hypertension, chronic kidney disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and cardiovascular diseases, and currently taking medicine for diabetes or hypertension and taking regular iron or other supplements, etc.After providing informed written consent, study participants will be randomly assigned to placebo, 250 mg OLE and 500 mg OLE groups. Participants will take OLE or placebo capsules in two divided doses every day for 12 weeks. Hematological parameters, Hb concentration, RBC count, WBC count, Ht, MCV, MCH, MCHC, serum Fe and ferritin levels will be investigated at baseline and after 6 and 12 weeks of intervention. Liver and renal function tests will be conducted for safety assessment. Additionally, lipid profile will be investigated to understand how lipid parameters will be regulated if anemia condition is improved by OLE intervention (Araki et al., 2019). Given that fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of anemia, we will also evaluate the effect of OLE on the score of each item of the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) questionnaire during the intervention.The analysis will be carried out on an intention-to-treat basis involving all the participants who will consume the test samples at least once. We will replace the missing data from dropouts using the baseline observation carried forward method. ANOVA with Bonferroni's post hoc test will be used for normally distributed data; otherwise, the Mann-Whitney U test or Kruskal-Wallis H(K) test will be used. Categorical variables will be compared by the Chi-square or Fisher's exact test. A one-way repeated-measures ANOVA with Bonferroni's post hoc test (Within-group) and ANOVA followed by Bonferroni's post hoc test (between-group) will be performed. Significance is at p < 0.05.This protocol is registered with UMIN-CTR Clinical Trial (UMIN000039023), and has been approved by University of Tsukuba Hospital Clinical Research Ethics Review Committee (R01-292) and the Ethical Review Committee of icddr,b (PR-21017). This study is funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (19K20106) and partly by the Japan Science and Technology Agency-SATREPS (JPMJSA1506). DisclosuresSuidasari: Nutrition Act Co. Ltd.: Current Employment. Yokozawa: Nutrition Act Co. Ltd.: Current Employment. Yamauchi: Nutrition Act Co. Ltd.: Current Employment.

Relationship between lead absorption and iron status and its association with oxidative stress markers in lead-exposed workers

BackgroundThe emission of lead (Pb) occurring during the extraction, processing and industrial applications of this element remains a significant environmental risk factor. The absorbability of lead in humans is strongly associated with the general health status of exposed individuals. Existing mineral deficiencies are considered being a predisposition to an increased Pb uptake. Both, iron deficiency and lead poisoning are the major causative factors responsible for the prevalence of anemia within the vulnerable population, especially in children. Although some of the intervention programs of counteracting lead poisoning by iron supplementation proved to be effective in the Pb-exposed population, the exact mechanisms of this interaction still require further studies. The objective of the presented study was to examine the association of iron level on oxidative stress measures and its effects on the severity of lead toxicity in the exposed population. MethodsThe analyzed population consisted of 270 male workers from the lead-zinc smelter. The studied population was divided into two sub-groups based on the serum iron concentration: low iron level group (L-Fe; Fe < median value) and high iron level group (H-Fe; Fe > median value). Measured traits comprised of blood lead (PbB), serum Fe and zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) levels as well as a blood count and oxidative stress markers. ResultsNo significant correlation between serum iron concentration and PbB in the tested cohort was found. On the contrary, the analysis of ZPP levels (long-term marker related to a hematologic toxic effect of Pb) within the subgroups differing in serum Fe level shown that ZPP was 12.3 % lower (p = 0.043) in subjects classified within the H-Fe group. A positive correlation of serum Fe and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was found (R = 0.1999). The conducted 3-D PCA analysis showed that individuals classified within the H-Fe group were characterized by the co-occurrence of higher Fe levels, lower ZPP, and higher TAC value. ConclusionThese results support the existing evidence providing that maintaining the optimal status of Fe may play a significant role in preventing the lead poisoning and alleviating harmful effects of Pb on the oxidative balance in humans.

Role of iron metabolism in pulmonary tuberculosis: a case control study in Katra

&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background:&lt;/strong&gt; Tuberculosis (TB) disease still carries an appreciable mortality, representing the world’s second leading cause of death from a single infectious agent. In a living organism, iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient, as a co-factor of enzymes and involved in various cellular functions. Fe homeostasis is maintained by various mechanisms is disturbed in diseased. The aim of study was estimating the Fe metabolism in pulmonary tuberculosis patients in relation to sputum bacterial load and inflammation and severity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods:&lt;/strong&gt; This present case control study was conducted in department of medicine CHC Katra, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir from June 2019 to September 2019. A total of 100 adult patients diagnosed with pulmonary TB (PTB) and 74 healthy, age matched individuals were included in the study.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results:&lt;/strong&gt; Out of 100 patients, 65% were males with average age being 43.56±15.63 years. Mean serum protein at 6.32±0.78 g/dl and mean serum albumin at 3.45±0.52 g/dl showed significance. Mean serum Fe (39.68±18.32 ug/dl) and mean hemoglobin level (9.36±1.52) was significantly lower as compared to controls. Serum TIBC, serum ferritin and serum CRP showed higher values among cases. Raised serum ferritin levels corresponded to the raised CRP and TB is seen causing significantly low levels of transferrin.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/strong&gt; CRP and ferritin should be regarded as useful markers of PTB activity and also to the risks associated to it and also while monitoring therapeutic response.&lt;/p&gt;

Patterns and Associations of Essential Trace Elements (Cu, Fe and Zn) in Saudi Adults with Varying Levels of Glycemia.

The homeostasis of trace elements were observed to contribute to certain diabetic outcomes. This cross-sectional study determined the differences and associations between serum levels of copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) in Saudi patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) as well as those with prediabetes. Anthropometrics were measured, and fasting blood samples were collected from 119 patients with T2DM (aged 41–64 years), 95 non-T2DM (aged 27–55 years) and 80 with prediabetes (aged 35–57 years). Circulating trace minerals were determined using an inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometer. Serum levels of Cu and Fe were significantly lower in T2DM than non-T2DM (adjusted p-values < 0.001). There was no difference in the Zn levels of the T2DM and non-T2DM groups. The serum Cu levels were significantly lower in the prediabetes group than the non-T2DM group (p < 0.05). The serum levels of Cu, Fe and Zn were inversely associated with circulating glucose in the T2DM and prediabetes subjects (p-values < 0.001). In conclusion, the differences in circulating trace elements were observed in Saudi subjects with varying glycemic statuses, suggesting an inverse association between T2DM progression and the decreasing serum Cu, Fe and Zn levels. Intervention trials are warranted to determine whether early correction of trace mineral deficiencies is beneficial in populations at higher risk for T2DM.