Fasting levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, fructosamine and glycosylated hemoglobin were measured in normal and in Type II diabetic subjects before the beginning and at the end of the Muslim month of fasting (Ramadan). In normal subjects, there was a significant increase (P<0.01) in triglycerides and uric acid levels as a result of Ramadan fasting. In diabetic patients, triglyceride levels decreased significantly (P<0.05), while uric acid levels showed a significant increase (P<0.01) as a result of the same type of fasting. There were no significant differences in cholesterol, fructosamine and glycosylated hemoglobin levels before and after fasting in either group. These findings suggest that although this type of fasting is effective in causing considerable changes in certain blood biochemical parameters in normal and diabetic subjects, it has no effect on the glycemic control of either normal or Type II diabetic subjects.

Serum cortisol levels of 100 children 3-10 years old with various haemoglobinopathies were measured. The mean cortisol levels of sickle cell trait, sickle cell disease, beta-thalassemia minor and alpha 2-thalassemia were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those of normal subjects. The decrease in cortisol levels varied from 25 (in the sickle cell trait group) to 57 per cent (in the alpha 2-thalassemia group) of the mean cortisol levels of the control group. These results suggest the presence of hypoadrenalism and its possible association with the indicated haemoglobinopathies.

Androgens have been implicated in autism pathophysiology as recently, prenatal exposure to elevated androgens has been proposed as risk factor. However, published data on postnatal sex hormone levels in autistic children are controversial and the source of prenatal androgen exposure in autism remains unknown. Therefore, this study investigated postnatal sex hormone levels and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) to shed light on a potential role for the adrenal gland in autism pathophysiology. A case-control study investigating estradiol (E2), DHEA, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels was conducted with 31 Saudi males with autism and 28 healthy, age-matched boys plasma. Moreover, correlation analysis with measured hormones and previously measured total testosterone (TT) and free testosterone (FT) in the same group of autism was conducted. DHEA was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the autism group compared to controls. DHEA positively correlated with previously measured TT (r = + 0.79, p < 0.001) and FT (r = + 0.72, p < 0.001) levels in the same autism group. FSH levels were also significantly higher in the autism group than in the control group (p < 0.01). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report a strong positive correlation between TT, FT and DHEA, suggesting an adrenal source for elevated androgen levels.