Plasma fibronectin concentration in obese/overweight pregnant women: a possible risk factor for preeclampsia.

Plasma fibronectin (FN) levels in obese/overweight and non-obese pregnant women were evaluated as a possible risk factor for preeclampsia. A total of one hundred and sixty three pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at University of Calabar Teaching Hospital participated in the study and sixty non-pregnant women served as control. About 77 (47.

Osteocalcin and specific markers of bone resorption in sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell disease commonly causes avascular necrosis of bone. Plain radiographs are not useful if obtained early in the disease. Radionuclide scans do not appear to increase the sensitivity of the diagnosis.

Biochemical markers, extracellular components in liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.

Liver fibrosis and cirrhosis are common sequelae to diverse liver injuries in the tropics or Nigeria. The development of hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis is due to increased synthesis, deposition, and possibly reduced degradation of hepatic extracellular matrix components, especially collagens, such as interstitial type I and III, basement membrane type IV, microfibrillar type VI, and pericellular type V, non-collagenous proteins, such as laminin, fibronectin, undulin, etc., and various types of proteoglycans, such as hyaluronan, etc.

Osteocalcin and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase in sickle cell haemoglobinopathies.

Osteocalcin or bone gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (gla) protein and Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (b-AP) total protein levels were evaluated as indicators of bone turnover in twenty patients with sickle cell haemoglobinopathies and in twenty normal healthy individuals. The serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase total protein level was measured by immunoradiometric (IRMA) method. The concentrations of serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase total protein were higher in the study group than in the control group [P < 0.

Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase protein, total alkaline phosphatase activity and lactate dehydrogenase in sera of patients with sickle cell disease.

Serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase protein (bAP) was evaluated as indicator of bone turnover by immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) in twenty patients with sickle cell disease and in twenty healthy control subjects. Serum bAP was also compared with serum total alkaline phosphatase activity and serum lactate dehydrogenase in the same group. The concentrations of serum bAP and serum lactate dehydrogenase were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (p < 0.