Interactive observational evaluation of risk factors in acute myocardial infarction

Interactions of known risk factors were studied in patients presenting to Coronary Care unit Sir Ganga Ram Hospital who survived first attack of acute myocardial infarction. The objectives of this study were to find out the frequency and significance of known risk factors in our patient population. Relative importance of risk factors and significance of various combinations of risk factors were studied. Multiple objectives were achieved by an observational design, in which risk factors were compared statistically within the sample. Hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and obesity were considered as risk factors individually as well as on interaction amongst themselves, when combined in the same patient they were highly significant. In a sample of 138 patients with a mean age of 52.4 years [STD. 11.95], other risk factors considered were diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking and stress. The conclusion was that amongst these seven risk factors, only one patient had no risk factor and again one had all seven risk factors while the majority had two, three or four risk factors. This study shows distribution of risk factors in surviving first attack myocardial infarction patients only. The known risk factors in our population were similar to studies elsewhere like Framingham Heart study. We suggest that clinicians must treat and eliminate all risk factors, in particular hypercholesterolemia and obesity

helminthic and protozoal infestations in a rural population of Northern Nigeria

The prevalence of helminthic and protozoal infestations was studied among 778 individuals from a rural area of Northern Nigeria. The principal helminthes present were Necator americanus or hookworm [46.27%], Hymenolepis nana [2.31%], Enterobius vermicularis [1.29%], Taenia saginata [1.16%], Ascaris lumbricoides [0.51%], Strongyloides stercorlis [2.26%] and Trichuris trichiura [2.26%]. The prevalence of hookworm infestations was 60.51% in males and 34.51% in females [P < 0.001]. The principal protozoa were Entamoeba coli [22.24%], Giardia lamblia [8.11%], Trichomonas hominis [4.87%], Iodoamaeba butschlii [1.80%] and Entamoeba histolytica [1.41%]. The cystic forms were more prevalent than the vegetative forms