BackgroundPrevious studies reported increased risk of cardiac events in subjects with fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels lower than the diagnostic threshold of diabetes mellitus. However, whether increased cardiac events in those with upper normal FBG is secondary to the shift of their cardiac sympathovagal balance towards sympathetic predominance is unknown.AimsTo assess the association between FBG levels and cardiac autonomic modulation (CAM) in euglycaemic healthy subjects based on heart rate variability (HRV) derived indices.Subjects and MethodsThe study enrolled 42 healthy young adults. Following sociodemographic and clinical assessment, blood samples were collected to measure FBG levels. Five minutes ECG recordings were performed to all participants to obtain frequency domain HRV measurements, namely the natural logarithm (Ln) of total power (LnTP), very low frequency (LnVLF), low frequency (LnLF) and high frequency (LnHF), low frequency/ high frequency ratio (LnLF/HF), normalized low frequency (LF Norm) and high frequency (HF Norm).ResultsFBG levels correlated positively with LnHF (r = 0.33, P = 0.031) and HF Norm (r = 0.35, P = 0.025) and negatively with LF Norm (r = -0.35, P = 0.025) and LnLF/HF (r = -0.33, P = 0.035). LnHF and HF Norm were significantly decreased in subjects with the lower (4.00 (1.34) ms2/Hz and 33.12 (11.94) n.u) compared to those with the upper FBG quartile (5.64 (1.63) ms2/Hz and 49.43 (17.73) n.u, P = 0.013 and 0.032 respectively). LF Norm and LnLF/HF were significantly increased in subjects with the lower (66.88 (11.94) n.u and 0.73 (0.53)) compared to those with the higher FBG quartile (50.58 (17.83) n.u and 0.03 (0.79), P = 0.032 and 0.038 respectively).ConclusionThe present study is the first to demonstrate that rise of blood glucose concentration, within physiological range, is associated with higher parasympathetic, but lower sympathetic CAM. Further researches are needed to set out the glycemic threshold beyond which further increase in glucose level readjusts sympathovagal balance towards sympathetic predominance again.

We investigated zinc and copper levels in angiographically defined obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients undergoing elective coronary angiography in El-Shaab Hospital, Sudan. We performed a cross-sectional study. One hundred forty-two patients were enrolled. Sociodemographic and medical characteristics were collected using a questionnaire. Glucose, lipid, zinc, and copper levels were measured. Out of 142 patients, 102 (71.8%) had CAD and 40 (28.2%) had patent coronary arteries. There were no significant differences in median (interquartile range) zinc [118.5 (97.2–151.0) vs. 130.0 (106.0–174.0) μg/ml, P = 0.120] and copper [150.6 (125.0–183.0) vs. 158 (132.0–180.0) μg/mL, P = 0.478] levels between patients with CAD and those with patent coronary arteries. In linear regression analysis, there were no associations between CAD and zinc and copper levels. The current study failed to show any significant association between CAD and zinc and copper levels.

AIM:This study aimed to assess if clinical remarks gained by analysis of the present and past medical history of patients undergoing elective coronary angiography (ECA) due to typical chest pain can help to predict the outcome of ECA.MATERIAL AND METHODS:One hundred and fifty-four ECA candidates with a history of typical chest were seen on the same day intended for ECA in the cardiac centre of AlShaab Teaching Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan. The details of the present complaints, characteristics of chest pain, past medical and socioeconomic history were recorded from each subject guided by a questionnaire. ECA confirmed CAD in 112 of the studied patients and were considered as the test group. The remaining patients (N = 42) were diagnosed as CSX after exclusion of significant narrowing of the coronary vessels and were considered as the control group.RESULTS:Univariate analysis of pain characteristics among patients undergoing coronary angiography revealed that pain is less likely to radiate to the neck (OR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.21 – 0.91, P = 0.027) and the back (OR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.23 – 1.00, P = 0.049) in patients with CAD. Presence of shortness of breathing and/or dizziness significantly decrease the odds of having abnormal coronary angiography (OR = 0.30 and 0.48, 95% CI = 0.12 – 0.77 and 0.22 – 0.92, P = 0.013 and 0.030 respectively). Past history of diabetes mellitus significantly increases the odds of having abnormal coronary angiography (OR = 3.96, 95% CI = 1.68 – 9.30, P = 0.002). In contrast, past medical history of migraine decreases the odds of having positive finding in ECA (OR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.13 – 0.72, P = 0.006).CONCLUSION:Characteristics of chest pain are comparable in CAD and CSX. However, pain is less likely to radiate to the neck and/or the back in the first group. Presence of dyspnea and dizziness during angina attacks as well as the history of migraine significantly decreases the odds of having abnormal coronary angiography.

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