Abstract.Background: Stress is an extremely adaptive phenomenon in human beings and cortisol is a known stress hormone. Examination has been described as a naturalistic stressor capable of affecting human health. Objectives: To estimate the relationship between serum cortisol, adrenaline, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and lipid profile during examination stress. Methods: Two hundred and eight (208) apparently-healthy undergraduate students (aged, 24 ± 6 years) were involved in the study. Exactly 5 mls of venous blood was collected from each subject 1-3 hours before a major examination. A second assessment was done on the same students 3-4 weeks before any examination (control samples). Cortisol and adrenaline were assayed using ELISA techniques, FBG was assayed using enzymatic method while lipid parameters were assayed using standard enzymatic-spectrophotometric methods. Results: There was statistically significant increase in serum cortisol, adrenaline, Total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels in students under examination stress compared to the non examination period (p=0.001, 0.013, 0.0001, 0.0001 and 0.0001, respectively). FBG showed no significant increase. There was also significant positive correlation (r=0.297, p=0.032) between serum cortisol and TC/HDL ratio (cardiac risk factor) before examination stress but not during the stress period. Conclusions: Significant positive correlation was observed between cortisol and TC/HDL ratio before examination stress.

Depletion of cellular antioxidants can result from free radical formation due to normal endogenous reactions and the ingestion of exogenous substances and environmental factors. The levels of reactive oxygen species-(ROS-) scavenging enzymes such as SOD and glutathione peroxidase have been shown to be significantly altered in malignant cells and in primary cancer tissues. The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant status of patients with prostate disorders in South-East Nigeria to ascertain the possible role of depletion of antioxidants in prostatic degeneration. 104 subjects made up of 40 PCa patients, 32 with BPH, and 32 controls participated in this study. The levels of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, vitamin C, and vitamin E were estimated using standard procedures. The results show that both the BPH and PCa patients had a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in GPX, SOD, vitamin C, and vitamin E levels compared to the control subjects. However, there was also a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in SOD and vitamin C levels in PCa patients when compared with the BPH group. This indicates that patients with BPH and prostate cancer have decreased antioxidant status and may benefit from micronutrient supplementation.

Background:Changes in lipid metabolism have been shown to occur during pregnancy, to ensure a continuous supply of nutrients to the growing fetus, despite intermittent maternal food intake. Abnormal lipid metabolism has also been linked to atherosclerosis.Objective:To investigate the effect of pregnancy on the lipid profile and possible predisposition of pregnant Nigerian women to atherosclerosis.Settings and Design:Serum lipid and lipoprotein levels of 60 apparently healthy pregnant women aged between 25 and 45 years, attending the antenatal clinic of the U.N.T.H, Enugu and 60 apparently healthy non-pregnant, age-matched females (controls) were estimated. The test samples were collected from each subject at each of the trimesters.Materials and Methods:Total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglyceride (TG) were analyzed using enzymatic/spectrophotometric methods while low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) were calculated using Friedewald's formula.Statistical analysis used:The data obtained were analyzed with Students’ t-test and Pearson's Product Moment Correlation, using graph pad prism software program and results expressed as mean ± SD. The level of significance was determined at 95% confidence level.Results and Conclusion:The serum lipid levels were significantly higher (P<0.05) in all the trimesters of the pregnant women than in the controls. There was a steady increase in the serum lipid levels with increasing gestational age. A significant positive correlation (P<0.05) was observed between the lipid fractions and the different trimesters of pregnancy. TC/HDL was decreased significantly (P<0.05) in pregnant women, with increasing gestational age. Cardiac risk factor, however, decreased with gestational age, signifying possible protection from atherosclerosis. A comparison of two age groups of pregnant women (25-34 years and 35-45 years) showed no significant differences (P>0.05) in all the lipid fractions studied, suggesting no possible age-related effect on lipid metabolism in the women in their first trimester. Even with significant increase in plasma lipid during pregnancy, normal pregnancy in Nigerian women does not appear to increase the risk.

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Plasma lipids have been known to be altered by the within-month variations in the female hormonal system. The female hormonal system also controls the menstrual cycle in the pre-menopausal women. This study is, therefore, aimed at finding the possible effects of menopause on plasma lipids and lipoprote ins, as shown by the lipid profile. The lipid profiles of 200 post-menopausal women and 100 pre-meno pausal control women were estimated. The results obtained show a statistically significant increase (P less than 0.05) in the total cholesterol level of early menopausal subjects (6.05 plus/minus 1.03mmol/L) and slightly higher values in late menopausal subjects (6.80 plus/minus 0.81mmol/L), when compared with the control subjects (4.6 plus/minus 0.62mmol/L). Triglycerides (TG) showed slight but significant increase (P less than 0.05) in the early menopausal subjects (1.40 plus/minus 0.80 mmol/L) and higher levels in late menopausal subjects(1.96 plus/minus 0.45 mmol/L) in comparison with the control subjects (1.02 plus/minus 0.44 mmol/L). High density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were however reduced significantly (P less than 0.05) in early menopausal subjects (1.20 plus/minus 0.27 mmol/L) and even lower in late menopausal subjects (1.17 plus/minus 0.28 mmol/L) when compared to the controls; while Low density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels were significantly increased (P less than 0.05) in early menopausal subjects (4.21 plus/minus 0.81 and 0.63 plus/minus 0.37 mmol/L), and higher in late menopausal subjects (4.70 plus/minus 0.55 and 0.81 plus/minus 0.41 mmol/L) when compared with the control subjects. The findings suggest the probability that menopausal syndrome can lead to hyperlipidaemia, dyslipidaemia and possibly predispose women to coronary artery disease.