Hepatitis C patients; treatment compliance of having poor socio-economic back ground

To determine the impact of antiviral treatment of Hepatitis C patients with poor socio-economic resources. Prospective cohort study. Department of Medicine, Sheikh Zayed Medical College / Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan, from August 2006 to February 2007. One hundred known cases of hepatitis C were selected. PCR and biochemical tests were performed before the start of therapy. Interferon and Ribavirin therapy was given according to standard therapeutic protocol. Patients were continuously motivated and educated for regular treatment. The observations were collected regularly. Out of hundred cases 95 improved symptomatically. One got worse while 4 remained symptomatic. At the end of therapy PCR was performed only in 4 cases. In non affording patients although exact status of viral clearance is not known but some thing is better than nothing rule was applied for treatment of patients

Severe hyperprolactinemia directly depresses the gonadal activity causing infertility

Background: To quantify the degree of correlation between serum hormones [prolactin, FSH and testosterone] and sperm count in primary hypogonadism due to hyperprolactinemia in oligo/azoospermic infertile patients

Methods: Serum prolactin, FSH and testosterone levels of 100 male infertile oligospermic/ azoospermic patients were assayed by radioimmunoassay [RIA] and their data was analyzed for significant correlation with the same parameters of 20 control cases

Results: 25 out of 100 infertile patients had hyperprolactinemia out of which 13 had hypogonadism. Out of the 13 hyperprolactinemic hypogonadism cases, 9 had azoospermia. The values of serum prolactin and FSH were significantly raised [P<0.001]. The sperm count in the group was strongly correlated to serum FSH [r = 0.67 P<0.05]

Conclusion: Severe degree of hyperprolactinemia can cause infertility by inducing azoospermia directly. The levels of serum FSH rise in an attempt to reverse these changes

Gall bladder wall thickening; sonographic evaluation

To find out the significance of gall bladder wall thickness seen during the abdominal ultra sound examination. A randomized study. South Medical Ward, Mayo Hospital Lahore. Jan 1996 to Dec 1997. 300 patients who had abdominal ultrasound examination for one reason or the other. No age, no sex, no specific disease pattern was selected. Thickened gall bladder wall is not an uncommon finding. It is seen in different disease conditions. It is quite helpful in diagnosing portal hypertension along with other signs of portal hypertension. It can be used for monitoring the reduction in portal pressure

Immunization status in cases suffering from tetanus

To find out immunization status in cases suffering from tetanus. Design: A study of 180 patients admitted in Tetanus Ward Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Setting: Tetanus Ward is twelve bedded. It is receiving patients from Lahore and adjoining areas. Subjects: 180 patients admitted in Tetanus Ward, Mayo Hospital from January to December 1995. Tetanus has got a high mortality. The disease can be confidently prevented by proper immunization. Most of the patients in this study were unvaccinated and those who gave history of immunization were partially immunized. This may be dangerous sometimes because it gives a false feeling of protection against the disease

HIV antibody and pulmonary tuberculosis

OBJECTIVE: To detect HIV antibody in cases suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis. DESIGN: A study of 200 patients admitted in T.B and Chest ward Mayo Hospital. Lahore. SETTING: TB and Chest ward is a 56 bedded ward receiving patients from TB and chest out door, medical wards and medical emergency. The patients admitted during the period from 15th Aug 1996 to 15 Nov 1996 were studied. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sera of the patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis were tested HIV antibody through ELISA technique. The HIV antibody was detected in none of the cases. There should be a high index of suspicion for HIV infection especially in resistant and fulminant cases of tuberculosis