Browsing by Author "Shephard, G. S."

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    Lack of a relationship between plasma pyridoxal phosphate levels and ischaemic heart disease
    (Health and Medical Publishing Group (HMPG), 1985-04) Rossouw, J. E.; Labadarios, D.; Jooste, P. L.; Shephard, G. S.
    The 'vitamin B6-homocysteine theory' has been proposed as an alternative to the widely accepted lipid hypothesis in the aetiology of ischaemic heart disease (IHD). In a cross-sectional study of 71 white men with evidence of IHD and 110 male controls (all aged 45-54 years) we have been unable to demonstrate any differences in plasma pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) levels between the groups. It is therefore unlikely that deficiency of vitamin B6 has a primary causal role in development of IHD. However, 31% of the overall study population had low plasma PLP levels, and the possibility that underlying vitamin B6 deficiency may facilitate the actions of the primary risk factors for IHD therefore cannot be excluded.
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    Low plasma pyridoxal-5'-phosphate levels in children with the nephrotic syndrome
    (Health & Medical Publishing Group, 1985) Van Buuren, A. J.; Shephard, G. S.; Labadarios, D.
    Of 35 children with the nephrotic syndrome in relapse, 88% were found to have low circulating plasma pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) levels. Remission of the syndrome was associated with spontaneous normalization of plasma PLP levels in 23 such children. A significant (P < 0.001) positive correlation (r = 0.81) was found between plasma albumin and PLP levels and a significant (P < 0.001) negative correlation (r = -0.66) between plasma PLP and serum cholesterol levels. The low plasma PLP levels may be due to enhanced urinary excretion of albumin-bound PLP in view of the severe proteinuria which characterizes the nephrotic syndrome.
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    Plasma vitamin A, E, C and B6 levels in myocardial infarction
    (Health & Medical Publishing Group, 1987-5) Labadarios, D.; Brink, P. A.; Weich, H. F. H.; Visser, L.; Louw, M. E. J.; Shephard, G. S.; Van Stuijvenberg, M. E.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Vitamin A, E, C and B6 status was studied in 30 patients with myocardial infarction and in 19 age- and sex-matched patients after elective surgery or trauma. Plasma levels of the four vitamins studied were low, remained low or decreased transiently in both groups of patients during the acute catabolic response phase, and began to return to normal after the third day from the start of the catabolic response. These changes in plasma levels are therefore neither of any special pathophysiological importance in nor specific to myocardial infarction.
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    Plasma vitamin E values in the newborn
    (Health & Medical Publishing Group, 1984) Labadarios, D.; Shephard, G. S.; Green, J.
    Plasma vitamin E values of newborn infants in a coloured population of Cape Town have been determined. The mean plasma α-tocopherol value was 3,2 ± 0,8 mg/l. A significant correlation between the plasma α-tocopherol level and plasma total lipid content (r = 0.45; P<0,001) and plasma cholesterol level (r = 0,65; P<0,001) has been found. However, maternal and neonatal plasma vitamin E levels were unrelated.