The Libyan journal of medicine
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Aim: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent the major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide including Libya, where they account for 43% of all deaths. Sphingolipids are involved in the pathology of numerous diseases including cardiovascular diseases and are proposed as potential biomarkers of cardiovascular health that could be more effective compared to traditional clinical biomarkers. The aim of this study was to determine the sphingolipid content in the erythrocyte membrane of Libyan migrant and Serbian resident women. ⋯ Besides, in this group of apparently healthy women (n = 28), the sphingolipid content of erythrocytes was inversely related to the Omega-3 index (r =-0.492, p = 0.008) and directly linked to vitamin D status (r = 0.433, p = 0.021) and membrane cholesterol levels (r = 0.474, p = 0.011). Conclusion: The erythrocytes' sphingolipid levels should be measured/assessed as an additional biomarker of CV health, by applying a simple and routine method. Still, further investigation in a larger population-specific context is warranted.
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Workplace bullying is quite prevalent and has been linked to many health complaints. The relationship between workplace bullying and fatigue was documented in previous studies. However, knowledge on how this relationship develops with the interplaying factors of spirituality and gender was not investigated before especially among schoolteachers. ⋯ Gender was found to be an effect modifier for this relationship, mainly among females (OR 2.66, p-value 0.047) but not among males. Anxiety and depression also predicted higher levels of fatigue (OR 5.75, p-value 0.017). Spirituality did not moderate this relationship.
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Early detection of alteration of muscle strength, quantity, and quality, and sarcopenia is useful in non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B (NC-CHB) patients. Studies, which explored the handgrip strength (HGS) are scarce with questionable results, and no previous case-control study explored the presence of sarcopenia. The aim of this study was to assess the muscle strength [i.e.; HGS absolute (HGSA), HGSA/body mass index (BMI)], muscle quantity [i.e.; appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM), ASM/height2, ASM/total body weight (TBW), ASM/BMI], and muscle quality [i.e.; HGSA/total muscle mass (TMM), HGSA/ASM] of NC-CHB patients. ⋯ One NC-CHB participant had a confirmed sarcopenia. To conclude, both controls and NC-CHB patients had similar HGS values. Only one NC-CHB patient had a confirmed sarcopenia.
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Injuries are responsible for a high premature mortality and disability. They are poorly explored in low and middle income-countries. We aimed to estimate the burden of hospitalized injuries in the Monastir governorate (Tunisia) according to the nature of the injury, trends and projections of hospitalizations for injuries up until 2024, and to identify the distribution of this disease burden based on age and sex. ⋯ Injuries had a high prevalence and an important burden in a Tunisian university hospital. Prediction showed increased prevalence for 2024. Preventive measures and a trauma surveillance register should be implemented soon.
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Vascular calcification (VC) is prevalent in uremia patients, lacking effective molecular biomarkers. This study was conducted to explore the role of serum cell division cycle 42 (CDC42) in the diagnosis of uremic VC incidence and progression. We enrolled 104 uremia patients and selected arcus aortae calcification (AAC) as the outcome phenotype. ⋯ Serum CDC42 was positively correlated with 1,25(OH) 2-D and FGF-23. Uremia patients with higher serum CDC42 had a higher probability of VC incidence and progression. Generally, serum CDC42 helped the diagnosis of uremic VC incidence and progression and was an independent risk factor for uremic VC progression.