Background and Objective: Changes in plasma lipid con cen trations are well known metabolic consequences of thyroid dysfunction. The alterations are most prominent in hypothyroidism which is typically associated with pronounced hypercholesterolaemia and frequently with moderate hyper triglyceridaemia. In cases of hypothyroidism, how the serum Lp(a) levels are influenced by thyroid hormone remains unknown and contradictory results on the effect of thyroid hormone on serum Lp(a) levels have been reported. There is substantial evidence to suggest that elevated serum Lp(a) levels contribute significantly to the development of CHD. The present study was designed to determine the lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], lipid profile and thyroid hormone levels in newly diagnosed hypothyroid patients and to find any correlation that existed between Lp(a) and other parameters.

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Cow milk may r e s u l t i n neonatal hypocalcemic t e t a n y i n term i n f a n t s a t one wk of aae. Current US cow milk formulas a r e modified t o have l o w e r "~ contents and should minimize adverse e f f e c t s on Ca metabolism. However t h e s e formulas s t i l l contain more P (33-40 mgldl ) vs breast milk (13 mgldl) and t h e r e a r e no s t u d i e s on iCa and P i n formula vs breast fed infants i n t h e f i r s t 6 mos of age. W e hypothesized t h a t t h e higher i n t a k e of P i n formula vs breast fed i n f a n t s r e s u l t s i n g r e a t e r serum P but lower iCa. In a Z4 f a c t o r i a l design cross-sectional study controlled f o r sex, race, season and d i e t , we evaluated serum Ca, iCa and P by d i e t (formula vs b r e a s t ) i n 119 normal, term i n f a n t s <6 mo of age. No differences i n serum Ca, iCa o r P by season, race o r sex were found. Total serum Ca did not d i f f e r between breast-and bottle-fed with means (tsem) of 9.75 (0.09) and 9.73 (0.06) mgldl. However, iCa (Radioiiieter e l e c t r o d e , N a d u l t s 4.8-5.2 mg/dl, CV 1.1-2.68) was lower i n b o t t l e -(5.27+ 0.02 mg/dl ) vs breast-fed i n f a n t s (5.38t0.03) (p=0.005). Serum P was h~g h e r (6.98+0.08) f o r b o t t l e -vs 6T44 (t0.10) i n breast-fed (ptO.OO1). Therewere no c o r r e l a t i o n s of C-terminal o r i n t a c t PTH by radioimmunoassay with iCa o r P. Thus, serum iCa i s lower and P i s higher i n formula-vs breast-fed i n f a n t s . W e speculate t h a t t h e lower Ca:P r a t i o i n cow milk formula (1.3:l) compared t o t h a t of breast milk ( 2 : l ) may be responsible f o r t h e s e observed differences. SD) were anesthetized, bile ducts were cannulated and the jejunum (J) catheterized. To compare the distribution of the NAMs, a group of rats (n=7) had 1 ml of a solution containing 1 t o 10 mM taurocholate (TC), 3H-TC, and both 1%-PEG and Poly R-478 instilled into the J. To measure TC absorption, a second group (n=8) received solutions containing TC, 3H-TC and Poly R-478. At the end of the study, J and ileum were divided into 8 segments, homogenized, and digested in 1M KOH. The absorbance of Poly R-478 a t 515 nm was found t o be linear from .0002% t o .02g%. The Poly R-478 concentration in each segment was measured by spectrophotometry a t 515 nm and was used t o calculate TC absorption.Pol R 478 recovery was 96.3 + 9.7%. The distributions of Poly R-478and YoCIPEG were significantly correlated (r=.91, p<.001). The TC absorption rate was linearly related t o the TC concentration (y=.54x+.20, r=.98, p<.001) and was identical t o data calculated using PEG-4000. Poly R-478 is an effective NAM whose advantages include solubility in water, stability, easy and precise concentration determinations and nonradioactivity, allowing the simultaneous use of multiple radio-labeled substrates. The extensive use of this dye family in the food industry attests t o its applicability t o human and animal absorption studies.Stone ISpon. by Festus 0. Adibonopo). Heharrv Hedical Colleoe. -, ...

Anion gap is an important parameter used in the interpretation of acid base disorders. This study is undertaken to update the recent understanding of the clinical usefulness of Anion gap in a selected category of patients in our Hospital. Anion Gap and 95 % confidence limits were calculated using the results for Na, Cl and HCO3 of 200 non hospitalized out patients, 300 MICU hospitalized patients, 110 neonatal hospitalized patients and 51 normal male blood donors. Standard procedure was used to collect random blood samples. Beckman coulter AU400 analyzer which employs ISE direct principle was used to measure Na / K / Cl and enzymatic method for HCO3. Appropriate assayed accuracy controls from Bio-Rad were used to validate the accuracy of the results obtained. As this study was to update the usefulness of anion gap, selection of patients with respect to inclusion or exclusion criteria were not followed. The mean + 2 SD limits obtained for blood donors were Na: 131-143, K: 3.4-4.6 Cl: 97-107, HCO3: 21-29 and AG 6-14, (all in mmol / L) all of which agree well with the normal values used in this laboratory. While AG range for blood donors was 6 to 14, for out patients it was 4 to 16, for MICU group it was 3 to 19 and for neonates 1-23 suggesting that MICU and Neonates group patients may have different types of Acid base disorders. MICU patients AG were more or less close to normal blood donors. The AG range for neonates was the widest ranging from 1 to 23. This study gives some awareness on the usefulness of AG in interpreting acid base disorders.