No abstract

Measurement of serum free (ionized) calcium (Ca(++)) reflects true calcium status of the body in health and disease. Present study evaluates efficacy of Ca(++) over total calcium (CaT) in serum for calcium status. 52 subjects were enrolled for study. Anaerobic fasting blood sample for Ca(++) measurement and autoclaved plain bulb for estimation of CaT, Total protein (TP) and Albumin was used. CaT, Corrected CaT, Ca(++), Calculated Ca(++) were measured and correlated. Corrected CaT and calculated Ca(++) were derived from the measured parameters. Study group showed significant difference between CaT and corrected CaT (p<0.006), Ca(++) and calculated Ca(++) (p<0.001). Negligible correlation was observed between Ca(++) and serum protein. Positive correlation was observed between CaT and calculated Ca(++), TP and albumin. Findings indicate that Ca(++) levels are independent of serum protein status. With scrupulous sampling, Ca(++) may be a better parameter than presently used CaT for assessing calcium status in serum.

Osteoporosis encompasses a wide spectrum of conditions associated with imbalance of osteoclastic and osteoblastic activities. The increased activity of osteoclasts leads to increased free radical formation and hence lipid peroxidation. Present study probes into the role of antioxidants as a palliative treatment for osteoporosis. It involved 50 healthy controls and 75 clinically diagnosed osteoporosis patients. Both the groups underwent baseline assessment of biochemical markers viz. osteoblastic markers: serum Alkaline phosphatase. Free or ionic calcium and Inorganic phosphorus, osteoclastic markers: serum Tartarate resistant acid phosphatase and Malondialdehyde and the antioxidant status: serum Superoxide dismutase and Erythrocyte reduced glutathione. The osteoporotic group was then divided into groups A (Vitamin E-Evinal 400 mg), B (Vitamin C-Celin 500 mg), C (Vitamin E+C-Evinal+Celin) for antioxidant supplementation for a period of 90 days. The results reveal that there is significant fall in concentration of serum MDA (p<0.001), TrACP (p<0.01). Improvement in antioxidant status is reflected by significant rise in concentration of serum SOD (p<0.001) and erythrocyte GSH (p<0.001) after 90 days of antioxidant supplementation in osteoporosis. The findings indicate that on the whole bone status improved with prolonged antioxidant vitamin supplementation, which can be used as a palliative treatment for osteoporosis. The efficacy is not affected whether the vitamins are administered singly or conjointly.

Glutathione, the dominant intracellular thiol, plays an important protective role against oxidative stress. The accidental findings of increased reduced glutathione level postprandially as compared to post absorptive level prompted the design of present study. Reduced Glutathione levels were estimated in 50 healthy individuals in post absorptive and postprandial phase by taking whole blood in ACD bulb. Mean postprandial reduced Glutathione (9.60±3.39 μmole/gm of Hb) is significantly increased than mean postabsorptive level (5.53±0.88 μmole/gm of Hb; p<0.001). It also shows positive correlation (r=0.65) between these two GSH levels. So present study suggests that post absorptive specimen collection is preferable over random or postprandial as the former reflects the true basal level of reduced glutathione.