Background and objective
Lipocalin-2 (LCN-2) is an adipokine that plays a protective role in various inflammatory disorders and regulates innate immune response to acute and chronic infections. However, scant information is available regarding the relationship between serum LCN-2 levels and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) occurring concurrently with chronic hepatic infections. The present study sought to investigate the association of LCN-2 with T2DM patients with hepatic infections.
Methods
The association of LCN-2 with T2DM, hepatic steatosis, and inflammation was tested in 37 non-T2DM noninfectious individuals (group A, control group) and 55 age-matched patients with T2DM and chronic infection (group B). Anthropometric data were measured and the body-fat percentage was calculated using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Hemoglobin (Hb), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), liver function enzymes (LFEs), lipid profile, and total leukocyte count (TLC) were measured. Serum LCN-2 levels were measured using a commercially available sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method.
Results
Levels of LCN-2 were significantly elevated in group B (1896.90 ± 73.13 ng/ml) versus control group A (263.58 ± 15.66 ng/mL; p<0.001). LCN-2 correlated moderately with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (r=0.369), alkaline phosphatase ALP (r=0.419), and HbA1c (r=0.341) (p<0.01). All correlations were lost when adjusted for the presence of hepatitis, indicating that liver infection exacerbates insulin resistance.
Conclusion
Based on our findings, circulating LCN-2 is elevated in T2DM subjects with hepatitis B co-infection and may contribute towards deranged inflammatory response.
Objective: To provide an insight into the frequency of cutaneous manifestations in patients with Corona Virus Disease of 2019 COVID-19), along with an association of these findings with the severity of the disease.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Tertiary care hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from May to Jul 2020.
Methodology: We collected data from 412 confirmed cases of COVID-19 patients directly who were >12 years of age. The data included names of patients, their genders, ages, dates of admission, severity category, presence or absence of symptoms and cutaneous findings along with description of cutaneous findings if present. The data was evaluated using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.
Results: Eleven out of the total 412 patients with COVID-19 included in our study were found to have cutaneous findings. The frequency of cutaneous manifestations associated with COVID-19 was calculated to be 11 (2.7%). Increasing age proved to be positively correlated with increasing severity of the disease whereas no association was found between gender and severity of the disease.
Conclusion: Infection with COVID-19 may result in dermatological manifestations with various clinical presentations, which may aid in better understanding and management of the disease.
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