Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are known to cause abnormal thyroid function. There is little information on whether HIV infection aggravates alteration of thyroid function in patients with MDR-TB. Objectives: This study was carried out to determine if HIV co-infection alters serum levels of thyroid hormones (T3, T4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in patients with MDR-TB patients and to find out the frequency of subclinical thyroid dysfunction before the commencement of MDR-TB therapy. Methods: This observational and cross-sectional study involved all the newly admitted patients in MDR-TB Referral Centre, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria between July 2010 and December 2014. Serum levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4) and free triiodothyronine (fT3) were determined using ELISA. Results: Enrolled were 115 patients with MDR-TB, out of which 22 (19.13%) had MDR-TB/HIV co-infection. Sick euthyroid syndrome (SES), subclinical hypothyroidism and subclinical hyperthyroidism were observed in 5 (4.35%), 9 (7.83%) and 2 (1.74%) patients respectively. The median level of TSH was insignificantly higher while the median levels of T3 and T4 were insignificantly lower in patients with MDR-TB/HIV co-infection compared with patients with MDRT-TB only. Conclusion: It could be concluded from this study that patients with MDR-TB/HIV co-infection have a similar thyroid function as patients having MDR-TB without HIV infection before commencement of MDR-TB drug regimen. Also, there is a possibility of subclinical thyroid dysfunction in patients with MDR-TB/HIV co-infection even, before the commencement of MDR-TB therapy.

The intracellular killing aspect of innate cellular immunity is deficient in patients with TB, especially 2 to 4 months after commencement of treatment. Therefore, measures (eg, arginine supplementation) to improve intracellular killing in these patients is advocated. Moreover, %LM assay with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine as an antigen may be used to differentiate those newly diagnosed patients from those on anti-TB chemotherapy.

Introduction the outbreak and rapid spread of the novel SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has evolved into an unprecedented global pandemic. The infection impairs several human organs and systems, however, it is not clear how it affects thyroid function. The study therefore aimed at measuring plasma levels of thyroid hormones and Hs-CRP in COVID-19 patients and apparently healthy uninfected controls to assess the possible effect of SAR-CoV-2 infection on thyroid function. Methods in this cross-sectional study carried out between May-August 2020, 90 consenting participants comprising 45 COVID-19 patients and 45 apparently healthy uninfected controls were recruited. Plasma FT3, FT4, TSH and Hs-CRP were measured using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method. Data was analysed using SPSS version 20 and statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results the mean plasma FT3 and TSH concentrations were significantly higher in COVID-19 patients compared to controls (p < 0.001, p < 0.001 respectively). Euthyroidism was observed in all uninfected controls, whereas 35 (77.8%) COVID-19 patients were euthyroid. Sick euthyroid and subclinical hypothyroidism was observed in 7 (15.6%) and 3 (6.7%) COVID-19 patients, respectively. Conclusion though there was a preponderance of euthyroidism among COVID-19 patients, significantly higher mean plasma levels of TSH and FT3, sick euthyroid syndrome and subclinical hypothyroidism observed among some COVID-19 patients may be indicative of disease-related thyroid function changes. Hence, there is need to pay attention to thyroid function during and after treatment of COVID-19.

Background: Asthma is associated with increased production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and an alteration in the levels of antioxidants activities in the lung and blood. The increased production of the superoxide anion radicals contributes to airway remodelling and disease severity. Physiologically, the effect of increased free radical generation is eliminated by corresponding activities of a network of antioxidants. Presently, there is the dearth of information on the steady-state concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) and uric acid (UA) in children with asthma. The serum and urinary levels of NO and UA in children with asthma were thus determined in this study. Methodology: Fifty children consisting of 25 children with asthma and 25 age-matched apparently healthy children without asthma were enrolled into this study. Serum and urinary levels of NO and UA were determined using standard methods. Results: Serum levels of NO and UA were significantly higher while the urinary levels of NO and UA were significantly lower in children with asthma compared with the controls. There was no significant correlation between the serum ad urinary levels of NO and UA in children with asthma. Also, gender differences were not observed in the serum and urinary levels of NO and UA in children with asthma. Conclusion: Children with asthma have elevated serum levels of NO and UA accompanied with suboptimal urinary excretion. Therefore, children with asthma might benefit from routine renal function assessment owing to damages that can result from systemic accumulation of UA with concomitant reduction in its urinary excretion.