Peak expiratory flow rate; comparison of cotton mills workers and healthy controls in Multan

To ascertain the effects of cotton dust on the peak expiratory flow of cotton mill workers in comparison with the healthy controls who never exposure to the cotton dust. Outpatient Department of Pulmonology, Nishtar Hospital, Multan. August 2011 to March 2012. A total of 200 male subjects [100 healthy controls and 100 cotton mill workers] who strictly met the inclusion criteria were selected from the OPD. The peak expiratory flow rate [PEFR] [L/min] of cotton mill workers was significantly lower as compared to the control subjects and this impairment was directly proportional to the duration of exposure to the cotton dust in the mail. It was concluded from the study that the peak expiratory flow rate was decreased in the cotton mill workers

[Comparison of EMLA cream versus local refrigeration forreducing venipuncture-related pain in pediatric patients of children's medical center, 2008]

Venipuncture is one of the most painful procedures in hospitalized children and reducing the pain is an important aim of nursing interventions. This study was designed to compare effectiveness of EMLA cream and local refrigeration on reducing venipuncture-related pain in hospitalized children in Children's Medical Center. An interventional study was conducted with 90 hospitalized children ranging in age from 3 to 12 years old who had venipuncture in urology unit of Children's Medical Center. They were randomly allocated in three groups of intervention with EMLA cream, intervention with local refrigeration, and nonintervention groups. The first two groups received the interventions prior to venipuncture. Pain intensity was measured after venipuncture through FACES, a self-report scale and CHEOPS scale for Nurse's observations. All statistics were computed using the SPSS software, using parametric and nonparametric statistical tests, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The mean and standard deviation of pain intensity scores based on FACES scale in EMLA, local refrigeration and control groups were 3.26 +/- 2.79, 8.23 +/- 2.39 and 7.06 +/- 2.27, respectively. The corresponding values for CHEOPS scale were 7.40 +/- 2.15, 4.26 +/- 2.81 and 9.35 +/- 2.17. The between groups difference was statistically significant according to both scales [p<0.00] EMLA and local refrigeration significantly reduced the venipuncture-related pain, compared to controls. There was no significant difference between EMLA and refrigeration groups in reducing the pain. Both refrigeration and EMLA are effective on reducing venipuncture-related pain in children. So, refrigeration, as a non pharmacological, cost effective, and available method, is recommended to manage procedural pain in pediatric patients

Decreased serum zinc levels in patients with senile cataract

Age related cataract is the leading cause of blindness in the world today and cataract extraction is the most often performed surgery. If a practical large scale intervention could slow the onset of cataract by ten years, the need for cataract surgery would be reduced by 45%. The causes of cataract are multiple, with nutrition playing a definite role. The usually high concentration of zinc in the ocular tissue, along with zinc deficiency being an established cause of Age Related Macular Degeneration, has led to an increasing interest in this trace element's potential role in Age related cataractogenesis. This study was conducted in The University of Health Sciences in collaboration with The Institute of Ophthalmology, Mayo Hospital, Lahore and The University of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Lahore. The sample size was 50 patients with senile cataract. Serum of 35 age and sex matched controls were taken. These patients were undergoing trabeculectomy for glaucoma. Zinc levels were measured in the serum, by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results supported the hypothesis that zinc deficiency could be one of the factors responsible for the development of senile cataract. Significant difference was observed in serum zinc levels of patients and controls [P < 0.001] showing that the patient serum zinc levels [0.896 +/- 0.202 vs. 0.478 + 0.278.] are significantly lower than the serum zinc levels of controls

Integrated health, safety, environment and ergonomic management systems for industry

Conventional health, safety and environment [HSE] are a widely used approach to enhance availability and efficiency of complex systems. The integrated HSEE system is defined however as integration of conventional HSE with ergonomics approach. The presented HSEE system introduces a unique, effective and systemic mechanism, which integrates the structure of the human and organizational systems with conventional HSE system. It is utilized to enhance reliability, availability, maintainability and safety through the proposed integrated framework of this study. The integrated HSEE is developed by integration of conventional HSE with job systems by re-engineering organizational structures and teamwork through electronic data interchange [EDI]. To show the need for and superiority of HSEE over conventional HSE to gas Treatment Company was studied and questionnaires were collected and examined with respect to distinct components of HSEE. The main result of this study is a framework for development of integrated intelligent human engineering environment in complex critical systems. The presented HSEE system introduces a unique, effective and systemic mechanism, which integrates the structure of the human and organizational systems with conventional HSE system

Modeling an integrated health, safety and ergonomics management system: application to power plants

This study presents a framework for development of integrated health, safety and ergonomic [HSE] in complex critical systems. Total ergonomics model considers conventional ergonomics factors as well as management and organizational factors. Control room operation and maintenance department of a thermal power plant was chosen as the case of our study. To achieve the above objectives, an integrated approach based on total ergonomics factors was developed. Second, it was applied to the thermal power plant and the advantages of total ergonomics approach were discussed. Third, the impacts of total ergonomics factors on local factors were examined through non-parametric statistical analysis. Moreover, the importance and impacts of total ergonomics factors were shown through statistical tests. It is shown that total ergonomics model is much more beneficial than conventional approach. It should be noted that the traditional ergonomics methodology is not capable of locating the findings of total ergonomics model. The distinguished aspect of this study is the employment of a total system approach based on integration of the conventional ergonomics factors with HSE factors

Association of dyslipidemia with acute and myocardial infarction

Ischaemic heart disease is a leading cause of death throughout the world. CAD has been recognized among all age groups especially above forty years of age more frequently in recent years. To determine the dyslipidaemia and waist hip ratio as a risk factor of Myocardial Infarction [MI]. This descriptive comparative type of study was conducted in the medical Ward, Nishtar Hospital, Multan during the period from January 2006 to January 2007. A total of 150 patients of first acute myocardial infarction age ranges from 35 years-70 years were included in the study. Among these patients 74% were males and 26% females. Two modifiable or controllable risk factors including dyslipidaemia. [Truncal obesity] were studied in this study. Patients were diagnosed on he bases of typical history of chest pain, ECG changes, raised cardiac enzymes or troponin T positive. Fasting lipid profile was done. Dyslipidaemia i.e. high total cholesterol, low density lipoproiein cholesterol and low HDL-cholesterol was statistically significant in all patients of ML 74% patients have dyslipidaemia including high total cholesterol, high LDL-C and low HDL-C. Triglyceride level was not found statistically significant. Incidence of IHD showed linear relation with age i.e. risk increased with the age only 14% patient belonged to age group 35-30 year as compared to 34%i patient who belong to age group more than >50 years. Mostly females were post-menopausal. It was also found that upto 80% had two or more than two risk factors. In conclusion, dyslipidaemia and Truncal obesity are important modifiable risk factors. These risk factors must he sought out in all high risk groups and where possible be treated for both primary as well as secondary prevention of CAD

Use of ceftizoxime in bacterial meningitis in infants and children

To determine the efficacy of ceftizoxine, a third generation relatively cheap cephalosporin, in the treatment of bacterial meningitis. Design: A prospective study of 10 cases of bacterial meningitis between January and December 1995. Setting: Medical Unit Two, Children's Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad. Ten patients with mean age of 20 months and varied from 3 months to 8 years. Male: female ratio was3: 2. Clinical cure was obtained in 8 patients and 2 patients needed change of antibiotic therapy. One patient though recovered from meningitis, died of aspiration pneumonia. No serious side effects were observed in any of the patient. Conclusions: Ceftizoxime is not recommended as first line drug in the treatment of bacterial meningitis

Symptomatic carriers of muscular dystrophy

Data of twelve females who were symptomatic carriers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy is being reported here. Age at the time of presentation varied from one year to 17 years. All patients presented with progressive motor disability or delayed development. Six patients were bed ridden and 8 had history of similar disorder in male siblings. Majority of them had serum creatine kinase levels more than ten times the upper normal limit. Muscle biopsy was consistent with the diagnosis of muscular dystrophy in 4 patients and 1 patient had normal result. Overall prognosis was invariably poor

Neurodegenerative disease of infancy and childhood

Clinical and laboratory features of 99 children diagnosed as neurodegenerative diseases are reported twenty nine children were given a specific diagnosis, 70 remained unknown degenerative brain disorders. Leucodystrophy [10 patients] and neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis [8 patients] were the commonest diagnoses eighty six children presented after the age of one year and 64 presented with some kind of development delay EEG was performed on 37 patients and 33 were abnormal whereas 20 head CT scans were done 14 were reported abnormal. Parents of 90 children were related and vast majority of them were first cousions. Thirty eight patients had 1 or more sibs affected with similar neurological disorders. Two patients were twins