Christian Ejike Onah

Trace Elements Deficiency in Patients with Homozygous Sickle Cell Disease

Aim: The serum trace elements statuses of sickle cell patients attending at General Hospital Owerri, Nigeria were investigated to determine whether or not the serum levels of these elements were normal. Materials and Methods: One hundred confirmed sickle cell patients (HbSS) age 5–30 years were selected. One hundred normal subjects (HbAA) age 5–30 years were used as control. Results: The levels of trace elements were significantly decreased in sickle cell anemia (p<0.05), except copper, when compared with the control. Conclusion: The result suggests, but not conclusively, that supplementation of sickle cell

Disease Severity Scores and Haemogram Parameters in Nigerian Sickle Cell Disease Patients

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with high mortality in Nigeria and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa; there is need to find easily available parameters that could predict disease severity and influence therapy. Objective: To evaluate the haemogram of a population of SCD patients and correlate these with objective scores of disease severity. Methods: Sixty (60) asymptomatic steady state (ASS) SCD patients in our clinic were randomly selected and interviewed with a questionnaire. Their haemogram was done using a 17 parameter, 3-part white cell differential, auto-analyser (KX 21N, Sysmex corporation, Chuo ku, Kobe, Japan) and objective severity scores calculated using a modification of the method proposed by Anyeagbu et al. Statistical analysis of data was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software, version 20 (SPSS Inc., IL, Chicago, USA), with significance assigned to p values less than 0.05. Result: Of the 60 subjects assessed, severity scores were calculated for 49: 11 (22.4%), 31 (63.3%) and 7 (14.3%) met the criteria for mild, moderate and severe disease respectively. The haemogram parameters that were significantly correlated with disease severity were mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and white blood cell count (WBC), p=0.014, and 0.001 respectively. Haemoglobin concentration (Hb) and packed cell volume (PCV) were negatively correlated with disease severity (p=0.001). Conclusion: In addition to already known haemogram parameters that affect SCD severity (such as WBC, Hb concentration, and PCV) MCHC also does same and can be manipulated by drugs and other kinds of therapy to ameliorate severity in patients.

Evaluation of selected trace elements in male type 2 diabetic patients in Nnewi, south eastern Nigeria

Background: There is accumulating evidence that the metabolism of several trace elements is altered in type 2 diabetic patients. Aims: We, therefore, investigated the levels of some of the trace elements in serum of male type 2 diabetic patients with a view to establishing their metabolic status in these subjects. Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty-five male type 2 diabetic subjects and 50 apparently healthy non-diabetic male individuals within the age range of 32 - 70 years were recruited for this study. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), trace elements (zinc, selenium, manganese and chromium), and body mass index (BMI) were determined. Results: The mean levels of Zn, Mn, Se and Cr were significantly lower in serum of type 2 diabetic patients when compared with non-diabetic controls ( P P P > 0.05). This study also observed a significant negative correlation between the serum levels of Trace Elements (Zn, Se, Cr and Mn) and the FPG in diabetic subjects. Conclusion: Consequently, the decrease in levels of trace elements may play a role in pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus considering their roles in glucose metabolism. Therefore, proper dietary control and mineral supplementation is advised.