ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: Both Hepatitis B virus [HBV] and hepatitis C virus [HCV] infections are rapidly spreading in the developing countries. Both of them are blood borne and are transmitted through un-screened blood transfusion, inadequately sterilized needles and equipment. According to WHO's criteria of endemicity, Pakistan has high disease burden of Hepatitis B and C. The present study was planned to determine the frequency and to identify the risk factors of hepatitis B and C virus in the general community of Farash town
Methods: This descriptive study was carried out in Al Nafees Medical Hospital Lab, from January 2013 to December 2013. Both the genders and all age groups were included in the study. All the patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria had given a written consent. Data was collected through questionnaire and was analyzed on Statistical Package for Social Sciences [SPSS] version 21
Results: Three-hundred and forty five patients were studied. Among these 92 [27%] were males and 253[73%] were female, 33% of them had hepatitis C, 9% had hepatitis B. History of injections was reported in all of the patients. Visit to community barbers was present in 58.6% and 41% cases of hepatitis B and C. History of dental procedures was obtained in 7[24%] and 15[13%] patients of hepatitis B and C
Conclusion: Major contributors for Hepatitis B and C in Farash town are use of unsterilized therapeutic injections and visit to community barbers. Education of the barbers regarding sterilization may help in reducing the burden of infection in this community
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Male , Adult , Middle Aged , Child , Child, Preschool , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Hepatitis C/epidemiology , Developing Countries , Risk Factors , Cross-Sectional Studies , Hepacivirus , Hepatitis B virusABSTRACT
Objectives: To evaluate the sleep habits in pre and postmenopausal females and to find out the relationship between sex hormones and sleep habits
Study design: Cross sectional study
Place and duration: The study was conducted in Islamic International Medical College Rawalpindi and was completed in 1 year [1[st] March 2010 to 28[th] February 2011]
Methodology: A total of 60 females were randomly selected out of which 30 were premenopausal [Group] and 30 were postmenopausal [Group B] females. The sleep habits were assessed by sleep questionnaire and blood sample was taken for serum estrogen levels and were analyzed by enzyme-linked fluorescent immunoassay [ELFA] technique
Results: The comparison between pre and postmenopausal females was done on the basis of their sleep habits and statistically significant results were found which showed that postmenopausal females had lesser sleep duration than premenopausal females [p=0.011]. Postmenopausal females had more frequency of nocturnal arousals than premenopausal females [p<0.01], postmenopausal females awoke in morning without an alarm while most of the premenopausal females needed an alarm to woke up [p= 0.000] and postmenopausal females woke up earlier in the morning than premenopausal females [p=0.000]. Serum estrogen levels of postmenopausal females were lower than premenopausal females [p= 0.000]
Conclusions: The study revealed that the serum estrogen levels affect the sleep pattern of females across the menstrual cycle and menopause. As the serum estrogen levels decline after menopause; the sleep habits of females get affected and have relatively poor sleep quality as compared to premenopausal females
ABSTRACT
Objectives: To assess the regional variation and clinical manifestations of acute dengue infection amongst the patients who presented to a tertiary care hospital of Rawalpindi
Study design: A Descriptive study
Place and duration: Study was carried out at Microbiology Department of Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi Medical College, Rawalpindi, from 1st August 2010 to 30th March 2011
Methodology: A simple random sampling technique was adopted for all the suspected cases of acute dengue, admitted in the dengue ward of Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi. Their blood samples were taken and analyzed by ELISA test for the detection of antidengue antibodies [IgM]
Results: A total of 30.2% [n=104] patients were diagnosed positive by ELISA test. The frequency of dengue fever [DF] in males was 68.2% [n=71] and in females it was 31.7% [n=33]. The incidence of dengue fever was high in Rawalpindi [30.2%] and Chakwaal [30.1%]. The most common clinical manifestations were high grade continuous fever [>10[degree]F] seen in 88.4% [n=92], followed by retro-orbital headache 65.3% [n=68], epigastric pain 65.3% [n=68], arthralgias 63.4% [n=66] and myalgias 50% [n=52]
Conclusion: The incidence of Dengue fever is high in Rawalpindi and Chakwaal. The most common clinical manifestations of acute DF include high grade continuous fever along with retro-orbital headache, epigastric pain, myalgias and arthralgias
ABSTRACT
Objectives: To compare the hypoglycemic and anti-platelet aggregation effect of Acacia modesta leaves extract and Glibenclamide on alloxan induced diabetic rats
Study Design: Experimental study
Place And Duration: This Experimental study was performed at Shifa College of Medicine and National Institute of Health [NIH], Islamabad
Methodology: Diabetes mellitus was induced in 90 out of 120 male albino rats by intraperitoneal injection of 110 mg/kg bw of alloxan and was confirmed by measuring fasting blood glucose level >200 mg/dl on 4th post-induction day. The rats were equally divided into four groups, A [normal control], B [diabetic control], C [diabetic rats treated with glibenclamide], and group D [diabetic rats treated with plant extract]. Rats of group C and D were treated with single dose of 900 micro.g/kg b.w of glibenclamide and 400 mg/kg b.w of Acacia modesta leaves extract respectively for three weeks. Blood Glucose levels were measured by glucometer, Platelet aggregation by Dia-Med and serum beta-thromboglobulin by ELIZA technique
Results: The results showed significant hypoglycemic [p<0.01] and anti-platelet aggregatory [p<0.01] effect of glybenclamide and Acacia modesta leaves extract on diabetic control rats. Within the treatment groups, the fasting blood glucose, and serum beta-thromboglobulin levels were nearly equally significant [p<0.05] in diabetic rats treated with glibenclamide and plant extract
Conclusion: Acacia modesta leaves extract has a nearly equally significant hypoglycemic and anti-platelet aggregation effect on diabetic rats as that of glybenclamide
ABSTRACT
To determine the effect of estradiol treatment on serum corticosterone levels in Oophorectomized [OVX] female Sprague Dawley rats exposed to chronic restraint stress. Experimental study. Department of Physiology, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi and National Institute of health, Islamabad, from January to December 2008. A total of 90 female Sprague Dawley rats [age: 90 +/- 10 days], were divided into three groups, each having 30 rats. Group-I comprised of healthy control female rats whereas group-II and III were experimental female rats exposed to chronic restraint stress after bilateral Oophorectomy and called estradiol treated and vehicle treated groups. Estradiol treatment of Oophorectomized rats was done once daily for 2 weeks. At the end of experiment, the rats were sacrificed and intracardiac blood sampling was done to measure serum corticosterone levels by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] kit. The restraint stress to estradiol treated rats for 2 weeks revealed that serum corticosterone levels were significantly increased [31.32 +/- 5.46 ng/ml, p < 0.05] as compared to the healthy controls [17.48 +/- 4.14 ng/ml]. Chronic restraint stress results increases the serum corticosterone levels in Oophorectomized Sprague Dawley rats. Estradiol treatment increases the responsiveness of adrenal cortex of Oophorectomized female rats
Subject(s)
Female , Animals, Laboratory , Corticosterone , Ovariectomy , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Stress, Psychological , Restraint, Physical , Adrenal CortexABSTRACT
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the hypolipidemic effect of Acacia modesta [AM] leaves extract in comparison with glibenclamide in alloxan induced diabetic rats
STUDY DESIGN: An Experimental study
PLACE AND DURATION: This study was carried out at the Shifa College of Medicine and National Institute of Health, Islamabad from October 2010 to October 2011
MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty healthy male albino rats were equally divided into four groups [n=30], groups A [normal control], B [diabetic control], C [diabetic rats treated with glibenclamide] and group D [diabetics rats treated with AM leaves extract]. Diabetes was induced in overnight fasting [14-16 hrs] rats of groups B, C and D by single intraperitoneal injection of alloxan [110 mg/kg b.w] and was confirmed by measuring fasting blood glucose level >200 mg/dl on 4th post-induction day. Rats of group C and D were treated with glibenclamide [900 µg/kg b.w] and Acacia modesta leaves extract [400 mg/kg b.w] respectively for 3 weeks. Serum triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL and serum HDL levels were measured by homogenous enzymatic colorimetric method
RESULTS: A significant decrease [p<0.05] in the levels of serum triglyceride, cholesterol and LDL levels, and an increase in HDL levels were noticed in rats treated with glibenclamide [group C] and AM leaves extract [group D] than the diabetic control rats [group B]. Group C showed a significant decrease in the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL with a significant increase in levels of HDL as compared to group D
CONCLUSION: Administration of AM leaves extract results in hypolipidaemic activity in diabetic rats as that of glibenclamide
ABSTRACT
Background: To consider new hypoglycaemic, anti-hyperlipidaemic and anti-platelet aggregation sources, aqueous methanol extract of Acacia Nilotica [AN] leaves was investigated in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Methods: Diabetes mellitus was induced in 90 out of 120 male albino rats by administering 50 mg/Kg bodyweight [bw] streptozotocin intraperitonealy, and was confirmed by measuring fasting blood glucose level >200 mg/dL on 4th post-induction day. The rats were equally divided into 4 groups, A [normal control], B [diabetic control], C [diabetics rats treated with plant extract] and group D [diabetics rats treated with glyburide]. The rats of group C and D were given single dose of 300 mg/Kg bw, AN extract, and 900 µg/Kg bw glyburide respectively for 3 weeks. Blood glucose levels were measured by glucometer, platelet aggregation by DiaMed method, ß-thromboglobulin and insulin by ELISA technique, and lipid components were measured by enzymatic calorimetric method. Results: Significant differences [p<0.05] were noticed in blood glucose, serum insulin, platelet aggregation and triglyceride levels in diabetic rats treated with AN extract and glyburide as compared to diabetic controlled rats. A significant difference [p<0.05] in ß-thromboglobulin and LDL levels was also noticed in rats treated with glyburide than the diabetic controlled rats. The levels of fasting blood glucose, ß-thromboglobulin and platelet aggregation were significantly reduced [p<0.05] in diabetic rats treated with glyburide than AN extract treated rats. Conclusions: Administration of AN leaves extract showed hypoglycaemic and anti-platelet aggregation activity in diabetic rats as that of glyburide. Keywords: Acacia Nilotica, Hypoglycemia, Streptozotocin