Objective: Serum fasting lipid profile has been studied in various clinical spectrum of Beta (β)- thalassaemia syndrome. Premature cardiac impairment in thalassaemia major appears primarily due to iron accumulation and oxidative injury; however it might be a sequel of abnormal lipoprotein concentrations. The rational of this study is to analyse the serum fasting lipid profile in cardiovascular disease free β-thalassaemia major (β-TM) patients. Relationships with age, gender, haematological parameters, liver enzymes and serum ferritin were observed. Method: Fasting serum lipid levels, liver function test (LFT), complete blood count (CBC) and serum ferritin were measured in 36 patients with homozygous β-TM from March 2012 to March 2014. Patients were stratified into two groups, age ≤15 and >15 years, to determine the possible lipid profile distinction in relation to age. Results: 17 were males and 19 were females, with median age of 12.0 years. The mean total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) were 5.01±1.32 and 8.36±5.28 mmol/L respectively. High TG was detected in 36.1%, while high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) were markedly low, 0.98±0.51 and 2.35±1.22 mmol/L respectively. No statistically significant difference was noted between the two age groups. The median TC to HDL ratio (TC:HDL) was elevated, 5.7 (4.0). We established significant correlation of total bilirubin with TC (r=-0.4), HDL(r=-0.5) and LDL (r=-0.4) (P<0.05). Conclusion: Dyslipidaemia in β-TM patients is irrespective of age and gender including low HDL and high TC:HDL, whilst high TC:HDL may contribute as a significant risk marker for future cardiac events in these patients.

β-thalassemia is the most common genetic disorder worldwide with an increased prevalence around the Mediterranean, Indian subcontinent and in South-East Asia. Various siderotic and non-siderotic complications significantly impact the quality of life. Thalassemic patients are also at risk of zinc deficiency due to diverse causes including desferrioxamine chelation. This study sought to investigate the prevalence of zinc deficiency in beta thalassemia major patients on desferrioxamine for iron chelation. Study design: This was a descriptive, prospective, cross-sectional study over a 6-month period. 63 cases of beta thalassemia major within the age group of 5-15 years on desferrioxamine for at least 1 year, were included. Basic patient demographics such as age, gender and duration of disease were recorded. Serum zinc levels were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results: The mean age of patients was 10.84±3.47 (5 to 15) years. There were 35 (55.6%) males and 28(44.4%) females. The prevalence of zinc deficiency (zinc levels < 50 μg / dl) was 22.2%. Proportions of deficiency were higher in males with a duration of disease beyond 10 years. Conclusions: Zinc deficiency is not uncommon in beta thalassemia patients on desferrioxamine. We suggest that zinc levels be regularly monitored in these patients.

Background: The effect of Helicobacter-pylori eradication therapy on the platelet counts in patients with immune thrombocytopenia is still debatable. The aim of this study was to assess the response rates of standard triple eradication therapy in secondary immune thrombocytopenia with Helicobacter pylori infection. Methods: From January 2012 to December 2013, 197 patients were diagnosed to have immune thrombocytopenia, out of which 22(11.1%) patients infected with HelicobacterPylorus were enrolled in this study. Helicobacter-Pylori infection was documented by Helicobacter-pylori stool antigen enzyme immunoassay method. All positive patients were put on triple eradication therapy. The responses rates to treatment were defined as per International Working Group on ITP. Results: Mean age of patients was 43.18±12.5 years. There were 10(45.5%) males and 12 (54.5%) females. Of the 22 patients, 7(31.8%) exhibited a complete response (CR) to Hpylori eradication therapy; 10(45.4%) attained a response; and 5(22.7%) had no response. Mean base line platelet counts were 53.36±24.5x109 /l, while platelet counts at 4 week following eradication was 80.86±51.0x109 /l (P=0.003). The predictive factor of response following eradication therapy was baseline platelet counts. Virtually all responders had baseline platelet counts >30x109 /l and all non-responders had <30x109 /l of platelet counts. Conclusions: Though the prevalence of H-pylori is low, this study confirmed the efficacy of eradication in increasing the platelet counts in H-pylori positive patients with ITP. It is an important measure in short time, safe and very cost effective to achieve platelets increment. We endorse the routine detection and eradication treatment of H-pylori infective ITP patients.
Helicobacter pylori

Back ground: Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a hemorrhagic diathesis, characterized by platelets destruction alongside impaired production. Patients from Asian regions often exhibit distinctive characteristics in comparison to the western patients. We accomplished this study to evaluate the prevalence of primary versus secondary ITP along with the comparative analysis between them. The secondary objective was to determine the etiological spectrum of secondary ITP. Methods: We illustrate the results of a large cohort of newly diagnosed adults ITP from southern Pakistan. The study extended from January 2009-December 2013. Complete blood counts, HbsAg, Anti-HCV, ANA, stool for Helicobacterpylori were done on all. HIV, TSH, anti-dsDNA, RA factor, APLA and direct coombs test were evaluated in cases where indicated. Results: A total of 417 patients were included with a mean age of 40.95±14.82 years. Primarily disease was observed in the 3rd decade of life. Male to female ratio was 1:1.5. Mean platelets count was 46.21±27.45x109 /l. At diagnosis 43.16% (n=180) patients had hemorrhagic manifestations whilst 56.8% (n=237) were asymptomatic. None of the patient presented with visceral, retropharyngeal or intracranial bleed. The prevalence of secondary ITP was substantially higher (64.8%) as compared to primary ITP (35.2%). Secondary ITP was predominantly seen in HCV reactive patients (24.4%) followed by helicobacter-pylori infection (11%). Nevertheless 16.4% patients had underlying autoimmune disorders. Providentially no study subject was found to be HIV reactive. Conclusions: Our study revealed predominance of secondary ITP. However bleeding manifestations and degree of thrombocytopenia were high in primary-ITP. Infectious etiology followed by autoimmune disorders is mainly implicated for secondary ITP in our setting.

No abstract available.
Malaria, Cerebral* ; Plasmodium falciparum*

Background: Blood transfusion safety commences with healthy donor recruitment. The threat of transfusion transmitted infections is greatly minimized by serological tools but not entirely eliminated. Recently, nucleic-acid testing for blood donor screening has virtually eliminated this jeopardy. Methods: This prospective study was conducted from February 2015 to February 2016. Samples from seronegative donors were run on multiplex assay (Cobas, S-201 system platform, Roche) in a batch of six [MP-NAT]. In case of reactive pool, tests were run on every individual sample [IDNAT]. Results: Of 16957 donors, 16836 (99.2%) were replacement donors and the remaining 121 (0.7%) were voluntary donors, with a mean age of 29.09 ± 7.04 years. After serologic screening of all 16957 donors, 955 (5.6%) were found to be reactive; 291(1.71%) were reactive for hepatitis-B surface antigen, 361 (2.12%) for antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV), 14 (0.08%) for antibody to human immunodeficiency virus, 287 (1.69%) for syphilis and 2 (0.01%) for malaria. 14 (0.08%) NAT reactive donors were identified after testing the 16002 seronegative donors, with an overall NAT yield of one reactivity out of 1143 blood donations; 10 donors for HBV-DNA (HBV NAT yield-1:1600) and remaining 4 for HCV-RNA (HCV-NAT yield-1:4000). None were HIV positive. Conclusion: NAT has improved the safety attributes in blood products. Although the positivity rate for NAT testing is low but in view of the high prevalence of transfusion transmitted infections in our country, we recommend the parallel use of both serology and NAT screening of all donated blood.

Background: It is being increasingly recognised thatthalassemia major patients, like intermedia, have increasedpropensity for thromboembolism. Deficiency of naturalanticoagulants is more recently defined finding contributingto the hypercoagulable state. The aim this study is todetermine natural anticoagulants levels and their correlationwith maternal characteristics, haematological andbiochemical markers.

Pandemic H1N1 influenza virus respiratory illness has become an inevitable global health concern. With antigenic drift, it becomes necessary to have drugs over tailor-made HIN1 vaccine every year. In the current study, we screened many Piperine derivative in which, N-5-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2E,4E-pentadienylpiperidine (AB05) and was further studied for anti-H1N1influenza virus activity and compared with other stains in-vitro on MDCK cell line. Initial cytotoxic doses of AB05 for the MDCK cell line were > 25µM. The results showed a dose-dependent reduction of the viral plaque’s in the adsorption assay with EC50 of 0.33 µM. The mechanism of AB05 was by inhibition of matured viral release as evaluated by the time of virus addition with incubation of 6-10 hours. With the promising H1N1 virucidal activity of AB05, we included various strains of human influenza virus to screen AB05 inhibition of Neuraminidase (NA). The result showed 70% NA inhibition in WSN (H1N1), 90% in H3N2 & Influenza B and 49% in Tamiflu resistant H1N1). Further our In silco docking studies substantiated experimental results by showing the difference in binding and cooperation between H1N1 and N3N2. Together these observations illustrate that Piperine derivative AB05 is a promising lead molecule which needs further evaluation in animal models.