ABSTRACT
To determine the frequency of latent tuberculosis among diabetics and non-diabetics. Adescriptive cross sectional study. At Unit II, Department of Medicine, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi from October 1,2009 to March 30,2010. Across sectional study was carried out in MUM, BBH Rawalpindi. All patients, male and female, both diabetic and non diabetic, above the age of 18 years, presenting in Out-Patient department for regular check up or follow up were included in the study. Mantoux test was carried out in all patients to find out the frequency of latent tuberculosis in diabetics and non diabetics. A total of 286 patients were initially inducted in the study. However by the end of study, 20 patients dropped out as they lost follow up. So 256 patients were finally included in the study. Amongst them 131 were diabetics i.e., 51.2% and 125 were non diabetics i.e., 48.8%. One hundred and seventeen were male i.e., 45.7% and 139 were female i.e., 54.3%. Mantoux test was carried out in all patients both diabetic and non diabetic. Out of 256 patients Mantoux test was positive in 33 patients i.e., 14.8%. Among diabetics Mantoux test was positive in 27 patients i.e., 10.5%. While among non diabetics Mantoux test was positive in 11 patients i.e., 4.3%, with a p value of .008.This shows that latent tuberculosis is more common in diabetics than non diabetics. Latent tuberculosis is more common in diabetics than non diabetics. Treatment of latent TB in diabetics may have a beneficial impact on TB control
ABSTRACT
To examine the utility of clinical features in detecting serious underlying causes of headache in patients presenting to an emergency room. Descriptive Observational Study. Pakistan Railway Hospital spanning over a period of one year from July 2010 to June2011. Medical records of the patients attending the Emergency Room with headache as the major complaint were studied. 312 patients presented to ER with a complaint of headache. Of these 7.7% [n=24] had malignant headache and 92.3% [n=288] had benign headache. One hundred and ninety six patients [62.8%] were women and 116 [37.2%] were men. In males there were 86.2% patients with benign headache and 13.8% with malignant headache. While in females 94.9% had benign and 4.1% malignant headache. Ninety percent of patients had altered consciousness at presentation proved to have malignant cause for their headache. This figure was 91% for limb weakness, 100% for papillary and gaze abnormalities, 89% for extensor plantar response, and 85% each for papilledema and neck rigidity. Females present at younger age with headache and tend to have benign than malignant headache in majority of cases. Males present at relatively older age and tend to have malignant than benign headache in majority of cases. Younger patients presenting with headache usually have benign and elderly patients usually have malignant illness as the cause of their headache. With a good history and thorough physical examination Imaging like CT Scan and MRI can be avoided