ABSTRACT
One of the common questions for patients with a history of cardiovascular disease is whether it is safe for them to fast during Ramadan. Yet, studies on the effects of Ramadan fasting on blood lipids, blood pressure, anthropometric parameters and other cardiovascular risk factors are scarce, and have given inconclusive results. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Ramadan fasting on cardiovascular risk factors including biochemical indices, blood pressure and main anthropometric parameters. This Prospective observational study was conducted at the CCU (Coronary care unit) and medical wards of Madinat Zayed hospital one of Al Dhafra hospitals, under Seha Abu Dhabi. Fifty-Six diabetic patients admitted with cardiovascular events including 48 males and 8 females with a previous history of cardiovascular event completed the study. Their age ranged between 32 and 91 years with a mean of 54.0 ± 10 years. A non-significant slight biochemical modification with regard to the metabolic profile pre, during and post-Ramadan period was reported: eGFR, total cholesterol, LDL, and HDL were increased yet, triglycerides and creatinine were non-significantly lower during Ramadan. Findings also showed a non-significant decrease in the post Ramadan blood pressure values which could be attributed to the metabolic switch.
ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to determine the antibiotic susceptibility; plasmid profile and conjugative abilities of Shigella species isolated from different towns in Sudan during 2005-2007.Methods:Stool specimens were collected in Carry Blair transport medium from patients presenting with diarrhea from different sites in Sudan between the years 2005-2007.All specimens were inoculated on Mac Conkey's agar and Xylose Lysine Dioxycholate (XLD) (Mast group Ltd. Merseyside U.K.). Bacteria was isolated and subjected to different antibiotics to detect sensitivity and transference of resistance.Results:One hundred and fourteen Shigella isolates were included in the study.Eighty (70.1) were Shigella flexeneri representing the dominant isolate; followed by 20 (17.5) isolates of Shigella dysenteriae; 9 (7.9) Shigella sonnei and 5 (4.5) Shigella boydii.Most of the isolates showed resistance to streptomycin (70);tetracycline (52) and co-trimoxazole (43).They were highly sensitive to norfloxacin (97); nalidixic acid (95); gentamicin (89) and chloramphenicol (77).Multi-drug resistance to two or more antibiotics was apparent in most of the isolates (64; 56.1).Fifty nine of the resistant Shigella isolates were studied for their ability to transfer resistance to the donor E. coli K12 by conjugation.Of these;six were able to transfer resistance to streptomycin; tetracycline and co-trimoxazole.Extraction of the plasmid DNA from both donors and trans-conjugants showed a single type of plasmid with a molecular weight of 4.6 Kb.Conclusion The transfer of multi-drug resistant plasmids and the emergence of antibiotic Shigella and other bacterial species should raise the awareness and the seriousness of the uncontrolled (unsupervised) use of antibiotics in the medical practice