Serum creatinine phosphokinase: A potential prognostic marker in assessing clinical severity with organophosphorus poisoning

INTRODUCTION

Organophosphorus compound (OPC) poisoning undoubtedly being a major concern in cultivation sites of the developing world, including Bangladesh. Two potential biomarkers, for example, serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), are widely used in OPC poisoning severity indicators in patients. In this study, we sought to correlate the severity score of acute OPC poisoning with CPK or LDH level and subsequently explore their prognostic value.

METHODS

This study was performed on a total of 70 patients with OPC poisoning admitted to the inpatient care unit at a territory-based hospital in Bangladesh. Sociodemographics and poison types were recorded, and severity was assessed according to Peradeniya Organophosphorus Poisoning (POP) scale. Serum CPK and LDH levels were measured and recorded.

RESULTS

A total of seventy OPC patients were included with male to female ratio of 1.33:1, respectively, with a mean age of 28.7 ± 12.8 years. Chlorpyrifos and methylparathion were the most commonly utilized OP compounds, accounting for 42.9% and 28.6%, respectively. Among the OPC patients, the majority were married homemakers from rural areas. According to POP score, 55.7% and 37.1% of patients were categorized as mild and moderate, whereas very few were found to be severe. The mean serum CPK and LDH of OPC-patients at admission time were 235.6 ± 79.8 IU/L and 348.3 ± 154.1 IU/L, respectively. Serum CPK, atropine dose and hospital stay strongly correlated with clinical severity.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that the serum CPK level strongly correlates with the degree of OPC poisoning and can be used as a predictor of the clinical intervention approaches.

RLLB/Alb ratio: a promising noninvasive diagnostic marker in assessing esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients

BACKGROUND

Endoscopy has long been widely used to screen for esophageal varices (EV) in cirrhotic patients. Recurrent endoscopy is a significant burden for the healthcare system of the endoscopic unit as well as uncomfortable and high costs for patients. This study intended to prognosticate Right Liver Lobe Diameter/Serum Albumin Ratio (RLLD/Alb) as a non-invasive approach in the early diagnosis of EV among chronic liver disease (CLD) Bangladeshi patients enrolled in a specific hospital.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

A total of 150 admitted patients with CLD were included in the study. Patients were subjected through a comprehensive biochemical checkup and upper digestive endoscopic or ultrasonographic inspection. The correlation was evaluated between the RLLD/Alb ratio and esophageal varices grades.

RESULTS

The upper digestive endoscopy demonstration among 150 patients resulted in no EV in 18%, while 24% of patients was identified as EV grade I, 20% as grade II, 20% as grade III, and 18% patients as grade IV. The mean value of the RLLD/Alb ratio was 4.89 ± 1.49 (range from 2.30 to 8.45). The RLLD/Alb ratio diagnosed the EV employing the cut-off value of 4.01 with 85.3% sensitivity and 68.8% specificity. Furthermore, it was positively correlated with the grading of EV, when this ratio increased the grading of EV increases and vice versa (r = 0.630, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The RLLD/Alb ratio is a non-invasive parameter giving exact guidance relevant to the ascertainment of the existence of EV and their grading in chronic liver disease patients.

Poor glycemic control enhances the disease activity in the RA patients with undiagnosed diabetes—a cross-sectional clinical study

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disorder, characterized by systemic inflammation and swollen joints, establishes itself as a critical threat. A pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α is a well-known driver of RA pathogenesis and at the same time predisposes to insulin resistance through signal impediment which ultimately paves the way for type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, in patients with RA, T2DM remains significantly undiagnosed or undertreated, apparently which increases the risk of developing cardio-metabolic comorbidities. This study aimed to evaluate the glycemic status among RA patients and its association with disease activity.

Result

One hundred fifty inpatients RA cases according to ACR/EULAR standards were included in the cross-sectional study who have an average age of 45.4±12.15 years and a median and interquartile period of RA of 2.25 years and 0.48–6 years, respectively. We discovered that 36% of people had T2DM, 26% were prediabetic, and 38% were non-diabetic. Age was shown to be significantly correlated with DM frequency in RA patients (p=0.007). There were 28 patients with elevated disease activity (19%) and 60 patients with low disease activity (40%) in this study. No substantial associations were found in the presence of DM with gender, anti-CCP, RF, disease duration, or DAS28.

Conclusion

RA patients are more likely to experience diabetes, and resultantly a high index of notion must be kept. Clinician should be aware about the affliction of undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetes in RA patients. Furthermore, keeping an eye on glycemic control in RA patients could prevent metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidities in those susceptible patients.