Pattern of respiratory diseases respiratory diseases with cement and associated socio-demographic factors among workers of zeal pak cement factory,. site area, Hyderabad

The occupational dust leads to various respiratory diseases. It is a major health problem among factory workers and is under reported in everyday scene of medical practice. To assess the frequency of occupation related lung diseases among study population. To seek association of socio-demographic characteristics with occurrence of lung diseases among study population. Descriptive cross sectional study. This study was conducted in the Zeal Pak Cement factory, site area, Hyderabad for a period of one year. Data was collected by filling a questionnaire; subjects were selected by convenience sampling. Frequencies were computed, chi-square test was applied to see any statistical analysis of various categorical variables. Among 100 subjects examined, the frequency of respiratory diseases was found among 83% workers. 70% subjects belonged to labour class who were closely exposed to occupational dusts. 58% of the subjects were earning < rs:4000 /month; however no association of socio-economic status was seen with occurrence of respiratory diseases [p=0.06]. 63% workers belonged to age group 31-40 years. Chronic bronchitis was the most commonly presenting respiratory disease i.e. 37%, while cor pulmonale reported in 4% of the workers. Silicosis along with tuberculosis was reported among workers of age group 40-50 [p=0.01]. The high frequency of occupation dust related respiratory diseases warrants further research in order to design preventive strategies against them

Plexiform Neurofibroma in a 16 year old boy

Plexiform Neurofibroma appeared at the age of 5 years, with little pain and itching at the site. Increase in size and weight of Plexifom was gradual with age. In this case the Plexiform developed on lower right arm. All over the body, the patient also showed other signs of NFl, Caf‚-au-lait spots [CLSs] and sessile neurofibroma. Freckles were seen in the arm pits and over the stomach skin. The Lisch nodules were also present in the eyes of the subject. Pedigree of the patient confirms that the case is familial one where his mother had NFl but no Plexiform. Biopsy confirms that neurofibromatosis tumors were benign

Too late presentation of 53 patients with retinoblastoma: a big challenge / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM:To evaluate the site, size,histology,and recurrence of the tumor.METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 53 patients with histological diagnosis of retinoblastoma involving the eye, orbit, intra cranial cavity and other tissues, at Department of Ophthalmology, Chandka Medical College Hospital, Larkana. To assess the extent of the tumor investigations, including X-ray-orbits, ocular B-scan, CT-scan/MRI-Oorbits-brain, whole body bone scanning, X-ray chest PA view, ultrasound abdomen, lumbar punc-ture, complete blood cell count, blood chemistry as-sessment, including renal and hepatic function para-meters, were performed. The selection of mode of treatment like surgical procedures, local radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy used depend on the site, size, recurrence and metastasis of the tumor. The patients with local and systemic metastases were referred to the oncologist at the Larkana Institute of the nuclear medicine and radiotherapy for local radiation and systemic chemotherapy. Follow up examinations were carried out at 1, 3 , 6 and 12 months after the operation, and then annually for a further 5 years or longer. The tumor's site, size, histological type, and recurrence were evaluated.RESULTS: Of these 53 patients the age range was from 8 months to 8 years. 25 (47%) were male and 28 (53%) were female. The laterality of the tumor was in left eye 25 (47%) cases, right eye 19 (36%) cases, and both eyes 9 (17%) cases. The presentation of the patient at 1st visit was strabismus 3 (6%) cases, pseudohypopyon 4 (8%) cases, orbital pseudo orbital inflammation 6 cases (11%), mass with metastases 7 (13%) cases, fungating mass 8 (15%) cases, leu-kocoria 12(23%) cases and orbital invasion 13(25%) cases. The surgical procedures performed were enucleation alone in 19 (36%) cases, enucleation with modified exentration followed by local radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy in 19 (36%) cases and enucleation with total exentration followed by local radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy in 15 (28%) cases. The histological types of the tumor were well- differentiated retinoblastoma with abundant rosettes in 25 (47%) cases and highly undifferentiated retino- blastoma 28 (53%) cases . After primary surgery, the recu-rrences and metastases of the tumors were noticed in 37 (70%) cases due to optic nerve involvement beyond the point of surgical transaction, orbital invasion and sy-stemic metastasis.CONCLUSION: Any child with red eye or white pupillary reflex should be suspected of having retinoblastoma, until proved otherwise, and should be promptly referred to an ophthalmologist, because early presentation of patient in the initial stage of the tumor will result in decreased risk of tumor extension, recurrence and mortality.

Correction of post-polio residual deformities of hip and knee joints by conventional methods

This prospective study was conducted in Orthopaedic Unit-I of Civil Hospital, Karachi from Jan. 2000 to Dec. 2002 to find out the prevalence of post polio residual deformities in our society and to assess the outcome of corrections done by conventional methods. A total of 50 cases were seen during the study period. Of these 35 were male and 15 females. Minimum age of onset of the disease was six months while maximum age was six years. The deformity was seen commonly in the lower socio-economic group coming from urban slum areas. Hip joint was involved in 35 patients whereas knee joint was involved in all the 50 cases. Fixed flexion deformity was noted in 48 patients with involvement of knee and 33 cases with involvement of hip joint. In hip joint only soft tissue procedures were done to correct the deformity. On the other hand in patients with knee joint deformity Younts fasciotomy was done in 25 cases, supracondylar osteotomy of femur in eight and posterior capsulotomy in 15 patients. It is concluded that conventional methods of correction of post-polio deformities are good, economical and less cumbersome

Dot Elisa [Typhidot] in early diagnosis of typhoid fever

The study has been carried out on 334 suspected cases of Typhoid fever during the year 2002 on patients either admitted in children emergency Word-11 or seen at out patient department of Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad - Pakistan. The purpose of study was to evaluate and compare conventional Widal test and qualitative dot enzyme immunoassay "Typhodit" test. The patients were selected below 15 year of age and were categorized in three groups. The overall sensitivity and specificity in "Typhidot" was fund to be 72.4% and 93.3% respectively, as compared to "Widal test" where sensitivity and specificity was found to be only 53.9%. The efficiency of Typhidot comes to be 74.7%. Thus it was concluded that Typhidot - Dot Elisa is a valuable diagnostic tool in early diagnosis of Typhoid fever