Serum CysC level may be considered a predictor of HRS and mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites.

Peripheral neuropathy is a common disabling complication in patients with diabetes and this complication is related to the duration of the disease process. Nerve conduction study is widely used for the assessment of diabetic polyneuropathy not only to evaluate the degree of abnormality but also to document serial changes in the clinical course of the disease. This study was designed to characterize motor nerve conduction abnormalities in subjects having relatively shorter and longer duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus and also to assess whether time related variable like duration of diabetes has any influence on motor nerve function of the subjects. Forty-four type 2 diabetic subjects were included in two groups:- Group B consisted of 23 diabetic subjects having duration of diabetes for 5-10 years (shorter duration) and Group C consisted of 21 diabetic subjects having duration of diabetes for 10-15 years (longer duration). Twenty-five age and BMI matched healthy subjects without family history of diabetes were included as Group A (non-diabetic) subjects. Motor nerve conduction velocities, action potential amplitudes and latencies of ulnar and peroneal nerves were measured by standard Nerve Conduction Velocity- Electromyography (NCV-EMG) equipment. Motor conduction parameters like ulnar compound muscle action potential (U CMAP), peroneal compound muscle action potential (P CMAP) and peroneal  nerve conduction velocity (P NCV) were found to be significantly reduced (p<0.001, <0.01, <0.01 respectively) in diabetic group with shorter duration of diabetes(Group B) in comparison to non-diabetic control group (Group A). In the diabetic group with relatively longer duration of diabetes (Group C) motor nerve conduction parameters like U CMAP and P NCV were significantly reduced (p<0.001, <0.01 respectively). The results showed that in the type 2 diabetic population, motor nerve conduction parameters were affected early and there was gradual deterioration of motor function as duration of diabetes increased. Though previous studies on diabetic neuropathy suggest that abnormalities of sensory nerve conduction are early features of diabetic nerve damage and sensory nerves are more susceptible to fall prey to metabolic assaults, the present study indicates that motor nerves are also involved and the neuropathic changes assessed by electro diagnostic methods in motor nerves may occur early in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. So, there may be some genetic and biochemical basis (other than hyperglycaemia) for early motor involvement in type 2 diabetic population of Bangladesh. Key words: Diabetic neuropathy, electrophysiology, nerve conduction, electromyography. DOI: 10.3329/jafmc.v5i2.4576 JAFMC Bangladesh Vol.5(2) (December) 2009, pp.14-17

Tumours with strong synuclein expressions are more likely to be more advanced tumours (pT1). Tumours expressing ninjurin tend to progress slower than those with no ninjurin expressions. Synuclein and neuropilin failed to show any value in predicting tumour behaviour.

BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. It has been widely established that the early detection of HCC enables more treatment options with improvements in prognosis and survival.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of both circulating miR-215 and squamous cell carcinoma antigen-IgM (SCCA-IgM) as serum biomarkers for HCC by examining their diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and predictive values in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-induced HCC patients.Subjects and methodsThis study included 60 patients with HCV-related HCC. In addition, 60 patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis (LC) and 60 apparently healthy subjects were involved, and served as diseased and healthy control groups, respectively. The relative expression levels of miR-215 were detected using quantitative real-time PCR. SCCA-IgM levels in serum were measured by enzyme immunoassay. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to calculate the diagnostic accuracy against alpha-fetoprotein (AFP).ResultsRelative miR-215 expression levels increased the most in HCC patients compared to that in healthy or diseased controls (P<0.001). Serum concentration of SCCA-IgM was significantly higher in HCC group than that in the two control groups. We performed multivariate analysis using AFP level, focal lesion size, and portal vein thrombosis as independent variables. ROC curves showed that the optimum diagnostic miR-215 cutoff value for identifying HCC patients from cirrhotic ones was 417 (sensitivity, 97%; specificity, 91%) and for SCCA-IgM was 95 AU/mL (sensitivity, 92%; specificity, 98%). Moreover, the superiority of both miR-215 and SCCA-IgM to AFP is obvious in our study and this superiority is more evident in distinguishing HCC with AFP levels <200 ng/mL and HCC patients with small-sized focal lesions from cirrhotic patients.ConclusionCell-free miR-215 and serum SCCA-IgM could be used for early diagnosis of HCC either each one as a single marker or with AFP complement measurement.

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