ABSTRACT
Objective To determine the frequency of pruritic dermatoses among pregnant women.
Methods This, cross-sectional study was conducted at Obstetrics out-patient department, Bahawal- Victoria Hospital, Quaid-e-Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur, over a period of 6 months in 238 Pregnant women of age ranging from 20 to 40 years. Following specific pruritic dermatoses of pregnancy were searched and recorded on pre-designed proforma and analyzed: pemphigoid gestationis, polymorphic eruption of pregnancy, prurigo of pregnancy, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, eczema in pregnancy and pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy.
Results Among 238 pregnant women, 14 [5.9%] presented with pruritic dermatosis of pregnancy while in rest of 224 [94.1%] patients no specific dermatosis of pregnancy was found. Out of those 14 patients, polymorphic eruption of pregnancy was seen in 5 [35.7%] patients, eczema in pregnancy in 4 [28.6%], pemphigoid gestationis in 2 [14.3%], prurigo of pregnancy in 1 [7.1%], intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy in 1 [7.1%] and pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy in 1 [7.1%] patient. The dermatoses of pregnancy was detected in 5 [35.7%] patients in the age group 20-25 years, 4 [28.6%] patients of age group of 26-30 years, 2 [14.3%] patients of age group of 31-35 years and 3 [21.4%] patients of age group of 36-40 years of age.
Conclusion Pruritic dermatoses of pregnancy are not uncommon among pregnant women and should be considered while evaluating pregnant women. Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy is most frequent pruritic dermatosis of pregnancy, followed by eczema of pregnancy.
ABSTRACT
Objective To determine the frequency of cutaneous manifestations in patients suffering from hepatitis C infection.
Methods In this cross-sectional study, one hundred diagnosed patients of hepatitis C, admitted in medical units of Bahawal-Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur, Quaid-e-Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur were registered over a period of six months. Cutaneous manifestations in these patients were recorded and analyzed.
Results Out of 100 patients, 51 [51%] were males and 49 [49%] were females. Majority of the patients [73%] were 20 to 59 years old. Most of the patients had more than one cutaneous manifestation. These included generalized pruritus 30%, lichen planus 30%, urticaria 26%, leukocytoclastic vasculitis 25%, necrolytic acral erythema 20% and porphyria cutanea tarda 4%.
Conclusion Cutaneous manifestations of hepatitis are not uncommon. These may be the first clinical sign of chronic hepatitis C infection. Generalized pruritus, lichen planus, urticaria, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, necrolytic acral erythema and porphyria cutanea tarda were the important cutaneous manifestations recorded. Screening such patients on the basis of these dermatoses and investigating accordingly may help in early diagnosis and prevention of complications of this grave disease.
ABSTRACT
The objective of this study is to determine the effect of low resolution in the estimation of iron content in deep grey matter of brain using quantitative susceptibility mapping. Six females with mean age 43.16, S.D= 20, age range [23-66] and 13 males with mean age 28.92 + 8.14 were scanned with 3D SWI sequence at 3 Tesla [Trio-Seimens, Erlangen, Germany]. The caudate nucleus, red nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen, white matter, thalamus and substantia nigra of brain were drawn manually based on their anatomical locations in Signal Processing in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance [SPIN]. Magnitude and phase images of high resolution [HR] [0.5x0.5x2 mm[3]] were processed in SPIN using collapsing parameter to generate the low resolution [LR] [1x1x2 mm[3]] susceptibility mapping. Data was analyzed using paired t-test. A strong linear correlation [R[2]=0.99, p /= 0.05 at HR, R[2]=0.66, p >/= 0.05 at LR]. The slope of the above linear correlation was consistent with the equivalent susceptibility trend at low and high resolution QSM. Linear correlation between susceptibility and iron content at HR and LR has demonstrated that low resolution QSM holds the consistency of susceptibility and does not affect the estimation of iron content in deep grey matter of brain
ABSTRACT
To see the association of anxiety and depression with acne and to observe pathoplastic effect of adolescence on this comorbidity. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the out-patients of department of Dermatology, Bahawal-Victoria Hospital/Quaid-e-Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur, from January 01, 2011 to June 30, 2011. After taking written informed consent from each patient, we enrolled 101 patients of acne diagnosed by consultant dermatologist .The severity of acne was determined according to the Global Acne Grading System. The patients of both sexes of the age ranging from 10-39 years were included in the study and divided into three groups [I=10-19y, II=20-29y, III=30-39y] to examine the effect of age on the disease .The patients with concomitant dermatological, psychiatric diseases and on systemic isotretinoin were excluded. The patients fulfilling inclusion criteria were administered Urdu version of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale by senior psychiatrist assisted by his team. The score obtained from each patient was used to categorize non-caseness [0-7], mild anxiety and mild depression [8-10], moderate anxiety and moderate depression [11-15] and severe anxiety and severe depression [16-21]. Out of 101 patients studied, 35.6% were males and 64.4% females with M: F ratio of I: I.8. 81.18% of the acne patients were having anxiety, 70.29% depression and 18-29% had no psychiatric complication. The large majorities of the enrolled patients were suffering from mild anxiety [76.8%] and mild depression [83.1%]. Only the patients with moderate acne had severe anxiety [2.4%] and severe depression [1.4%]. 88.1% of the acne patients had duration of illness less than 5 year against 11.9% with duration more than 5 years [p<0.05]. We found continuous decrease in the frequency of anxiety and depression as the acne patients' age progressed without going into severe psychological handicap. There is high association of anxiety and depression with acne. But no linear relationship between the severities of anxiety and depression with those of acne is found. High frequency of mild anxiety and mild depression in adolescence decreases as the age progresses, which may be due to the pathoplastic effect of the younger age