Volume 25, Issue 3-4

The aim of this study was to draw the attention of specialists faced with fetal hydrocephalus in the postnatal period to the possibilities of prenatal diagnosis and further monitoring by studying isolated and syndrome cases in fetuses. One hundred and nine fetuses from a total of 2238 autopsies were the subject of observation in this study. In 64 (58.7%) of the studied fetuses, isolated hydrocephalus was found, while the other 45 cases were associated with the following malformations: Arnold-Chiari type II, Dandy-Walker, stenosis of the aqueductus sylvii, agenesis of corpus callosum (partial and total) and numerical chromosomal aberrations such as trisomy 13, 15 and 18. In cases of isolated hydrocephalus and a stable condition of the fetus, it is possible to wait until the term, or to induce labor without danger to the child, followed by a shunting intervention.

We studied total plasma homocysteine levels (tHcy) in Algerian patients with a deep venous thrombosis (DVT). We measured tHcy levels in a total of 99 subjects enrolled in this study, including 40 patients with DVT and 59 healthy controls. The mean tHcy level in the patients was 12.62±8.7 μmol/L and that in the controls was 10.2± 2.1 μmol/L. In a univariate regression model, tHcy concentrations were inversely correlated with triglycerides (TG) ( r =–0.358; p=0.023) and total cholesterol (TC) ( r =–0.454; p=0.003) concentrations. Logistic regression analysis showed that tHcy after adjustment was significantly associated with the following factors: TC (p=0.003) and TG (p=0.023). The analysis in DVT patients showed that variables independently associated with tHcy were TC [odds ratio (OR) 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7–2.6], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.6–2.5), creatinine (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.7–2.6), and smoking (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.7–2.5). In conclusion, these results indicate that tHcy levels and other biochemical parameters are important determinant factors for DVT diseases in Algerian patients.

Physiologically, zinc is an essential element that has many important functions such as maintenance of immunity, cell integrity, signalling, cellular respiration, and neuromodulation. Besides zinc, folate also plays a crucial role in basic cellular reactions. Exposure to some xenobiotics may lead to folate deficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of zinc fume on erythrocyte folate levels. For this purpose, erythrocyte folate levels and serum zinc concentrations were evaluated in 63 galvanization workers, who were exposed to zinc fume during the galvanization procedure, and 23 office personnel as a control group. Erythrocyte folate levels were found to be decreased, while blood zinc levels were increased in workers compared to the controls (both, p<0.05). Additionally, a significant but rather weak negative correlation was observed between blood folate and zinc concentrations in all participants ( R s =–0.335; p<0.05). It was estimated that zinc exposure leads to a decrease in erythrocyte folate levels. Moreover, it may be speculated that galvanization procedure can cause an elevation in the serum zinc concentration of workers and chronic occupational zinc exposure may trigger changes in erythrocyte folate status, which reflects tissue folate stores.