Tehran University Medical Journal

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Background: Myeloperoxidase (MPO), an iron-containing protein, is found in the azurophilic granules of neutrophils (PMNs), and catalyzes the conversion of hydrogen peroxide and chloride ions (Cl) into hypochlorous acid, which plays an important role in oxygen-dependent bacterial killing. The enzyme was first isolated in 1941, and deficiency of MPO was first described in 1954. Fewer than 5% of patients with MPO deficiency contract severe infections, which are usually fungal infections in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. Besides the disorder in antifungal activity, diminished rate of bacterial (S. aureus) killing, and carcinogenesis, it seems that MPO deficiency is also related to atherosclerosis, degenerative neurologic diseases, as well as other disorders. In this study, we compared the levels of the MPO enzyme in the peripheral neutrophils of infected and non-infected DM patients at Imam Khomeini Hospital during 2005-2006. We compared these two groups the prevalence of MPO deficiency in each group, in order to then determine any correlations this may have with infection.

Methods: In this case-control study, 50 patients were in the infected group (case group) and 50 were in the control group. Patients were chosen using simple sampling methods. Data was gathered from blood samples, using a qualitative test to determine MPO deficiency (Kaplow stain), laboratory results (BUN, Cr, PMN, HbA1c), interviews and completion of a questionnaires, as well as hospital records. Data were analyzed with SPSS software using T test and chi-square test, with a confidence index of 0.05.

Results: In spite of differences seen in stained slides, the MPO enzyme was positive in all of the patients, and no differences were seen between the two groups.

The average patient age and the duration of DM in the case group were more than those of the control group. No statistical differences in the type of DM and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were found between the two groups. Body mass indexes (BMI) and PMN counts were higher in the case group. The most prevalent infections were in the skin and soft tissue, bones and joints, as well as chronic respiratory infections (TB), pneumonia, urinary infections, CNS infections, gastrointestinal and intra-abdominal infections, mucormycosis, and sepsis.

Conclusions: We found no correlation between MPO enzyme deficiency and age, sex, type or duration of DM, HbA1c levels and BMI.

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Background: Gestational diabetes is associated with increased risk of congenital heart disease in neonates. The study was performed to evaluate the cardiac parameters in neonates of mothers with abnormal glucose tolerance test (GTT) and compare them with data of normal newborn. Methods: In a cross-sectional study in Amiralmomenin Hospital, Semnan City, Iran from April to October 2013, two groups of infants were eligible for the study. Sampling was performed in succession for the infants who were eligible. Echocardiography was performed for the babies on the second day, and cardiac parameters including interventricular septal diameter, left ventricular shortening fraction and mass, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, aortic and left atrial diameter were measured. Maternal glycemic control and HbA1c were measured indicators. Analysis with the SPSS software version 16, the Student’s t-test, Mann-Whitney and Chi-square test were performed. Results: Thirty five newborn infants of mothers with impaired GTT and newborn of 33 healthy women were studied. Birth weight, maternal age and HbA1c among infants of mothers with impaired GTT were greater than the control group (P=0.003 and P=0.000 and P=0.000 respectively). Diastolic and systolic ventricular septal thickness, ratio of diastolic ventricular septal thickness to diastolic diameter of the left ventricular posterior wall, the aortic diameter and left ventricular outflow tract diameter in infants of mothers with impaired GTT were significantly increased in comparison to data of the normal group (P=0.008, P=0.034, P=0.016, P=0.017 and P=0.020 respectively). No significant difference was reported in other diameters. Conclusion: Gestational diabetes mellitus results in changes of echocardiographic findings particularly relevant in diastolic ventricular septal thickness. The increase in wall thickness especially during diastole, is associated with pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Based on the results of the present study, cardiac hypertrophy can be related to gestational diabetes. Poor control of disease may cause or aggravate the process.

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Results: In this study, the birth weight of infants and the age of mothers did not differ between two groups (Respectively P=0.56, P=0.08) However, HbA1c was significantly higher in the infants of mothers with impaired glucose tolerance test (GTT) (P<0.001). In infants of mothers with impaired GTT, ventricular septal thickness was significantly higher than the healthy controls (P=0.03), Also there was a significant difference between two groups in tissue Doppler criteria (Ea) (P=0.04), In other echocardiographic criteria, no significant differences were reported (The LA/AO, LVPWT, LVEF, LVEF, LVFS, LVFS, LVEDd, LVESd, Sa and Aa, All P-values were ≥ 0.05). Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus of mothers causes several complications in their infants. The prevalence of cardiomyopathy hypertrophy is higher in babies whose mothers have higher levels of HbA1c and a sign of poor control of blodd glucose level during pregnancy.