Gender impact on insulin like growth factor 1(igf-1) and selected biochemical markers in iraqi patients with multiple sclerosis

Objective: To investigate the gender impact on serum IGF-1, Vit. D and other clinical parameters in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and compare between the studied parameters before and after treatment. Design: Thirty Iraqi newly diagnosed patients with MS and follow them after one month of treatment (Beta interferon inj. I inj./week) and compare the results with 20 healthy control. Serum IGF-1, Vit.D, S.GOT, S.GPT, Total Cholestrol and Uric acid were measured. Results: In MS patients, The serum IGF-1 demonstrated a lowest level in the female subjects of control [9.50 ng/dl], while it showed an increased level in male [10.22 ng/dl] , but with similar levels (p> 0.05), The mean of IGF-1 also shown no significant difference between female and male MS patients in pre or post-treatment groups [33.7o vs. 37.46 , 19.22 vs. 21.50 respectively].Similar Vitamin D serum levels( 7.59 and 7.39 ng/ml, respectively) in the two groups of pre-treatment patients (Male and Female), and therefore, no significant difference. In contrast, the controls demonstrated a gradual increase of Vit D. serum level (27.83 and 30.77ng/ml, respectively) in the male and female groups, Such difference was not significant (P ≥ 0.05). In the post-treatment patients also, was no significant difference between male and female patients (11.27 vs. 10.99 ng/ml).Neither SGOT nor SGPT showed a significant variation between the two groups of pre-treatment MS patients for male and for female, although a similar level of SGPT was observed in the control groups for male and female respectively, and the post treatment group of MS patients also not observed and difference between male and female (29.92 vs. 30.17, respectively). No significant difference in uric acid serum level (p≥ 0.05) between male and female groups in pre-treatment patients (4.3 and 4.42 mg/dl, respectively). As well as, in post-treatment MS patient, no significant difference was observed between male and female groups (4.92 and 4.72 mg/dl, respectively). The healthy control group show that the uric acid serum level in male (4.41 md/dl) and in female (4.47 mg/dl) and there was no significant difference between them. There was no significant difference in total cholestrol serum level (p≥ 0.05) between male and female groups in pre-treatment patients (175.38 and 181.94 mg/dl, respectively). As well as, in post-treatment MS patients there was no significant difference was observed between male and female groups (170.92 and 170.0 mg/dl, respectively).The control group show that the total cholesterol serum level in male (160.5 md/dl) and in female (177.14 mg/dl) and there was no significant difference between them. Conclusions: The observed increase in IGF-I in patients treated with IFN-beta being of most significance as a potential therapeutic biomarker.MS, occur more frequently in women. Emerging technologies might provide novel methods with the potential to further dissect the genetic and immunological mechanisms causing the observed differences between women and men with MS.