Normal Serum Levels of Otolin-1 in Patients with Meniere Disease in Remission

Introduction  Degenerative changes in the otolithic organs have been theorized to be caused by the mechanical obstruction to endolymphatic flow, possibly resulting in endolymphatic hydrops (ELH). Otolin-1 is an otoconial matrix protein that crosses the blood labyrinth barrier and has been found in the serum of healthy and diseased patients. Objective  To measure the serum levels of Otolin-1 in Meniere disease (MD) patients and compared them with the healthy individuals. Methods  This pilot, cross-sectional study was performed at our tertiary care referral center to compare the serum Otolin-1 levels of healthy individuals with those of MD patients. The blood samples were obtained during patients' visit to the vertigo clinic following remission of an acute episode. The data was analyzed using the Stata/SE version 12.0 (StataCorp. College Station, TX, USA). Comparison between the serum Otolin-1 levels in the two groups was performed using the unpaired t -test. A p -value of 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results  The participants were divided into two groups, with 31 MD patients, and 30 age and gender-matched members of the control group. The serum levels of Otolin-1 in MD patients (247.6, ± 44.2 pg/ml) were not found to be significantly different from those of the control group (236.2, ± 43.5 pg/ml) ( p  = 0.31). Conclusion  The current study reveals that the serum levels of Otolin-1 are not significantly different between the patients with MD in the interictal phase and the control group's healthy ones.

Prevalence and Correlates of Vitamin D Deficiency Among Children and Adolescents From a Nationally Representative Survey in India

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and its correlates among apparently healthy children and adolescents.

METHODS

We carried out a secondary analysis of data of Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey 2016-18 to analyze the pre-valence and predictors of VDD among Indian children and adolescents.

RESULTS

The over-all prevalence of VDD in preschool children (1-4 years), school age (5-9 years) children, and adolescents (10-19 years) was 13.7%, 18.2%, and 23.9%, respectively. Age, living in urban area, and winter season were significantly associated with VDD. Vegetarian diet and high-income households were the main risk factors observed in 5-19 years age category. Female sex and less than three hour of physical activity/week were independent risk factors among adolescents.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence and determinants of VDD across different age-groups are reported, and these should be interpreted and addressed to decrease the burden of VDD in India.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among adolescents in India: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

In India, the prevalence of overweight among adolescents is on the rise, setting the stage for an increase in metabolic syndrome (MS). This paper presents the national prevalence of MS in adolescents in India.

METHODS

A nationally representative data of adolescents (10-19 years) from the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey was used. MS was defined based on the NCEP-ATP III criteria for adolescents. Bivariate analysis was used to report socio-demographic differentials in prevalence and to assess interstate variability. Multivariate logistic regression model was constructed to measure the association between socio-demographic characteristics and prevalence of MS. Census data from 2011 was projected to 2017 to calculate burden.

RESULTS

The prevalence of MS was 5.2% among adolescents. 11.9%, 15.4%, 26.0%, 31.9% and 3.7% had central obesity, high blood pressure, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-cholesterol and high fasting glucose, respectively. The prevalence was higher among males (5.7% vs. 4.7%, adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0, 1.6), those residing in urban areas (7.9% vs 4.2%, AOR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.8), and from wealthier households as compared to their counterparts (8.3% vs. 2.4%, AOR: 3.4, 95% CI: 2.1, 5.5). There was wide interstate variability in the prevalence of MS (0.5% - 16.5%). In 2017, 14.2 million adolescents had MS in India.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of MS among adolescents in India is low and clustered in urban areas and richer households. Early prevention interventions promoting a healthy lifestyle, especially in high prevalence areas, are needed to keep MS from becoming a public health issue.

The Effects of a Single Freeze-Thaw Cycle on Concentrations of Nutritional, Noncommunicable Disease, and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Serum Samples

Background  The stability of biological samples is vital for reliable measurements of biomarkers in large-scale survey settings, which may be affected by freeze-thaw procedures. We examined the effect of a single freeze-thaw cycle on 13 nutritional, noncommunicable diseases (NCD), and inflammatory bioanalytes in serum samples.

Method  Blood samples were collected from 70 subjects centrifuged after 30 minutes and aliquoted immediately. After a baseline analysis of the analytes, the samples were stored at − 70°C for 1 month and reanalyzed for all the parameters. Mean percentage differences between baseline (fresh blood) and freeze-thaw concentrations were calculated using paired sample t -tests and evaluated according to total allowable error (TEa) limits (desirable bias).

Results  Freeze-thaw concentrations differed significantly ( p < 0.05) from baseline concentrations for soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) (− 5.49%), vitamin D (− 12.51%), vitamin B12 (− 3.74%), plasma glucose (1.93%), C-reactive protein (CRP) (3.45%), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (7.98%), and cholesterol (9.76%), but they were within respective TEa limits. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (− 0.67%), creatinine (0.94%), albumin (0.87%), total protein (1.00%), ferritin (− 0.58%), and triglycerides (TAG) (2.82%) concentrations remained stable following the freeze-thaw cycle. In conclusion, single freeze-thaw cycle of the biomarkers in serum/plasma samples after storage at − 70°C for 1 month had minimal effect on stability of the studied analytes, and the changes in concentration were within acceptable limit for all analytes.

Effect of temperature and time delay in centrifugation on stability of select biomarkers of nutrition and non-communicable diseases in blood samples

Introduction

Preanalytical conditions are critical for blood sample integrity and poses challenge in surveys involving biochemical measurements. A cross sectional study was conducted to assess the stability of select biomarkers at conditions that mimic field situations in surveys.

Material and methods

Blood from 420 volunteers was exposed to 2 - 8 °C, room temperature (RT), 22 - 30 °C and > 30 °C for 30 min, 6 hours, 12 hours and 24 hours prior to centrifugation. After different exposures, whole blood (N = 35) was used to assess stability of haemoglobin, HbA1c and erythrocyte folate; serum (N = 35) for assessing stability of ferritin, C-reactive protein (CRP), vitamins B12, A and D, zinc, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), tryglicerides, albumin, total protein and creatinine; and plasma (N = 35) was used for glucose. The mean % deviation of the analytes was compared with the total change limit (TCL), computed from analytical and intra-individual imprecision. Values that were within the TCL were deemed to be stable.

Result

Creatinine (mean % deviation 14.6, TCL 5.9), haemoglobin (16.4%, TCL 4.4) and folate (33.6%, TCL 22.6) were unstable after 12 hours at 22-30°C, a temperature at which other analytes were stable. Creatinine was unstable even at RT for 12 hours (mean % deviation: 10.4). Albumin, CRP, glucose, cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, vitamins B12 and A, sTfR and HbA1c were stable at all studied conditions.

Conclusion

All analytes other than creatinine, folate and haemoglobin can be reliably estimated in blood samples exposed to 22-30°C for 12 hours in community-based studies.

Association of trans fatty acids with lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors in an Indian industrial population

Objective

Trans-fat, an invariable component of industrial fat is considered as one of the major dietary factors associated with CVD. Although the use of trans-fat is completely banned in some of the high-income countries where the CVD epidemic is declining, it is widely used in LMIC. We aimed to investigate the association of trans fatty acid in serum with risk markers of CVD in an industrial population in India. Participants were randomly selected from a study conducted in an industrial setting among employees and their family members. Information related to their demographic profile, anthropometric measurements, oil intake were recorded. Fasting samples were collected and stored at − 80 °C for analysis. Their lipid profile and hs CRP were measured and fatty acids analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization detector (FID).

Results

Complete data was available for 176 participants. Among trans fatty acids, mono trans fatty acid was significant predictor of serum triglycerides [Unadjusted β (95% CI) 22.9 (2.6, 43.2); Adjusted β (95% CI) 20.4 (3.5, 37.3)]. None of the other trans fatty acids either individually or in group correlated with any of the biochemical markers studied.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13104-019-4352-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A controlled study of plasma fatty acids in Indian patients with depressive episode

AIM

To study the plasma omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acid levels in patients with depressive episode and in matched healthy controls.

METHOD

Thirty patients with first episode depression and thirty healthy matched control subjects were recruited from a tertiary care hospital setting. We measured plasma omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid levels of the study and the control group.

RESULT

There were no significant differences in plasma omega 3 fatty acid levels between study group and control group. The plasma omega 6 fatty acid levels of study group were significantly less than that of control group.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study is an initial attempt to investigate the link between fatty acids and depression in a clinical setting in India. This comparative study with normal controls did not etiologically link these polyunsaturated fatty acids in this sample of depressive disorder.

Serum Omega-6/Omega-3 Ratio and Risk Markers for Cardiovascular Disease in an Industrial Population of Delhi

High omega-6/omega-3 ratio intake promotes development of many chronic diseases. Secondary prevention studies though have demonstrated a decline in progression of many such diseases after reducing the intake, specific biochemical indices of cardiovascular disease risk markers have not been evaluated. We have evaluated the circulating levels of omega-6/omega-3 ratio and its effect on cardiovascular risk markers in India. Present study was conducted in industrial setting where employees were randomly selected. Data on their demographic characteristics were collected using pre-tested questionnaire. Fasting blood samples were collected from all the participants. Serum was separated and stored at −80°C till the time of analysis. Lipids were estimated using standard kits. Fatty acids in serum were estimated by Gas chromatography. The identified Omega-3 fatty acid included were 18:3 (Alpha-linolenic acid), 20:5 (Eicosapentenoic acid) & 22:6 (Docosahexenoic acid). Among omega-6 included were 18:2 (linoleic acid), 18:3 (gamma-linolenic acid) & 20:4 (Arachidonic acid). Complete data was available for 176 participants (89% males and 11% females) with mean age of 47.23 ± 6.00 years. The bmi of the participants was 24.88 ± 3.43 Kg/m² and waist circumference was 91.50 ± 9.56 cm. The median of omega-6/omega-3 ratio in the study population was 36.69 (range: 6.21 - 183.69). The levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, ldl-cholesterol and cholesterol/hdl ratio and apo B correlated significantly with omega-6/3 ratio. There was no correlation observed with hsCRP and LDL-particle size. A direct relationship of omega-6/omega-3 ratio with dyslipidemia was observed in our study.

Use of dried blood for measurement of trans fatty acids

BACKGROUND

Fatty acid measurements especially trans fatty acid has gained interest in recent times. Among the various available biomarkers, adipose tissue is considered to be the best for the long term dietary intake but the invasive nature of tissue aspiration reduces its utility. Phlebotomy is a much less invasive method of sample collection when a large number of participants are involved in the study and therefore is an alternative, most suitable for large population based studies. In the present study fatty acid (with special emphasis on trans fatty acid) extraction from blood spotted and dried on filter paper was carried out to simplify the sample collection procedure and transportation.

METHODS

Blood samples were collected from 19 healthy volunteers. The blood was spotted (30 spots of 10 microl each) on filter paper, dried at room temperature and stored at 4 degrees C in zip-lock poly bags. For comparison whole blood stored at -70 degrees C was simultaneously analyzed.

RESULTS

A good agreement was seen between trans fatty acid values obtained in dried blood and whole blood as evident from the pearson correlation coefficients ('r' for monounsaturated (trans) 0.70 and for polyunsaturated (trans) 0.692 respectively). The intraclass correlation coefficient for monounsaturated trans was 0.805 and for polyunsarurated trans was 0.776.

CONCLUSION

Dried blood spots can be used for trans fatty acid analysis.

Dynamic physiologic changes in lumbar CSF volume quantitatively measured by three-dimensional fast spin-echo MRI

STUDY DESIGN

Lumbar MRI of normal adults. Image analysis to measure lumbar CSF volumes at rest and during physiologic maneuvers.

OBJECTIVES

1) Validate an MRI technique to measure CSF volumes, 2) use this technique to measure the resting volume of lumbar CSF, 3) measure changes in CSF volume with physiologic maneuvers, and 4) demonstrate the anatomic basis for these volume changes.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Studies using radiograph and radionuclide myelography in dogs and humans in the 1960s-1980s qualitatively showed decreases in spinal CSF volume with physiologic maneuvers. Theories were proposed to explain these changes, but they could not be confirmed because only the contrast-laden CSF was visualized using these techniques.

METHODS

Four adult volunteers had lumbar MRI using a fat-saturated T2-weighted three-dimensional fast spin-echo sequence. Quantitative analysis of images was used to measure lumbar CSF volume; the technique was validated using a water phantom. Lumbar CSF volume was measured 1) at rest, 2) with hyperventilation, 3) with abdominal compression, and 4) with both hyperventilation and abdominal compression.

RESULTS

Resting lumbar CSF volume ranged from 28 to 42 mL. Reversible changes in lumbar CSF volume resulting from physiologic maneuvers are visualized by MR myelography and measured. The volume change (10% reduction in volume with hyperventilation, 28% with compression, and 41% with combined hyperventilation and abdominal compression) is directly visualized to be caused by engorgement of the epidural venous plexus, compressing the thecal sac.

CONCLUSIONS

MRI provides a noninvasive means to measure spinal CSF volume and demonstrates the anatomic basis of physiologic volume changes. This has important implications for spinal anesthesia.

Linoleic acid and coronary heart disease

Low tissue concentrations of the essential fatty acid, linoleic acid, occur in communities with high rates of coronary disease and in patients with angina and myocardial infarction. This relationship is independent of lipids and blood pressure, but in smokers linoleic acid is particularly low because they eat less linoleic acid-containing foods.

Fetal distress during a maternal systemic allergic reaction

Systemic allergic reactions to food ingestion rarely result in life-threatening situations. When these reactions occur during pregnancy, however, the accompanying physiologic changes may result in fetal distress. A case of repetitive late decelerations in the fetal heart rate during a maternal allergic reaction is presented. Prompt and aggressive medical management brought about total resolution of maternal and fetal compromise.

Acute bacterial endocarditis with postpartum aortic valve replacement

A case of acute bacterial endocarditis with aortic valve abscess, aortic insufficiency, and congestive heart failure at 32 weeks' gestation is described. Prompt valve replacement is indicated due to the risks of embolism to the coronary arteries and brain, and to the high mortality of such patients with medical management only. The infant was delivered prematurely to avoid the intraoperative risks to the fetus of cardiac surgery. General rather than regional anesthesia was chosen because venous pooling from a regional block would necessitate preoperative fluid loading and vasopressor therapy, which would be stressful for an already failing heart. In the presence of severe congestive heart failure, the patient underwent cesarean section and delivered a health 2020-g male infant; 36 hours later the aortic valve was successfully replaced with a no. 21 Byork-Shiley prosthesis. The infecting organism was Streptococcus viridans.