Serum reference intervals of micronutrients, vitamins, and interleukins among healthy adults in South-Western Nigeria.

Objectives: Clinical decision making depends mostly on appropriate application of numerical pathology reports from laboratory results, interpreted by comparison with reference intervals. We determined serum reference intervals of micronutrients, vitamins, and detectable interleukins among healthy adults in South-Western Nigeria.

Design And Methods: This prospective study used a priori selection approach in blood-donors.

Serum Interleukin-6 and Weight Loss in Antiretroviral-naïve and Antiretroviral-treated Patients with HIV/AIDS: Relationships and Predictors.

Background: Cachexia is usually associated with elevated serum interleukin-6 (IL.6) as it stimulates the breakdown of muscle proteins and promotes wasting.

Objective: A case-control study to evaluate the relationship between weight loss, facial fat loss, and IL-6 in antiretroviral-naïve and treated participants living with HIV/AIDS.

WITHDRAWN: Serum Levels of Micronutrients, Magnesium, and Mark-ers of Immunity (CD4+) in Antiretroviral-naïve HIV-infected Individuals: Relationships and Predictors.

Unlabelled: Since the authors are not responding to the editor’s requests to fulfil the editorial requirement, therefore, the article has been withdrawn from the journal "Infectious Disorders - Drug Targets" Bentham Science apologizes to the readers of the journal for any inconvenience this may have caused. The Bentham Editorial Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://benthamscience.com/editorial-policies-main.

Serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein as a biomarker for predicting development and progression of knee osteoarthritis.

Purpose: Current modes of diagnosing and monitoring knee osteoarthritis (OA) are based on weight bearing radiographs usually made by the time joint destruction is already established. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a breakdown product of cartilage and its serum levels may be a potential indicator of early destruction in OA. This study aimed to ascertain the usefulness of serum COMP (sCOMP) in diagnosis and monitoring of knee joint OA within the study environment.

Renal Phosphate Handling in Antiretroviral-naive HIV-Infected Patients.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection impairs renal function, thereby affecting renal phosphate metabolism.

Objectives: We prospectively estimated the prevalence of phosphate abnormalities (mild, moderate to life-threatening hypophosphataemia, and hyperphosphataemia) before initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was performed on 170 consecutive newly diagnosed ARTnaive, HIV-infected patients attending our HIV/AIDS clinics over a period of one year.

The Inflammatory Response to Surgery in Sickle Cell Disease Patients Undergoing Cholecystectomy.

Background And Objectives: Patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA) may have elevated inflammatory markers in health, and this may be heightened after open operations. The inflammatory response of patients with SCA after minimally invasive surgeries has not been fully explored.

Patients And Methods: Consecutive patients with SCA and with hemoglobin AA (HbAA) undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis were recruited into the study.