Epidemiological study of low bone mineral density states in patients visiting center for unclear medicine [CENUM] Mayo hospital Lahore

Objective: the objective of this study is to identify risk factors related to low BMD among patients attending the Centre for Nuclear Medicine [CENUM]

Methods: it was a cross sectional study conducted at the Centre for Nuclear Medicine [CENUM] Mayo Hospital Lahore, from February 2011 to September 2011.A sample of 246 participants aged 50 to 85 years [both male and female] was selected using non probability convenient sampling technique. Magnitude of BMD status was described using T score as WHO criteria. The data was analyzed by using SPSS version 17.Pearson Correlation was applied to find relationship between different quantitative variable. Also, an independent sample T test was applied to see the significant difference

Results: the results have shown that out of 246 participants, 24 [9.8%] were men and 222 were women [90.2%] aged 50-85 yrs. BMD has significant correlation with age, weight and height of the patients [p 0.05 for both Left Hip and lumber spine T score respectively] as compared to other patients. The patients who had low backache also showed low BMD [p

Conclusions: based on the study results it is concluded that low BMD is a wide spread public health problem and it needs due importance

Use of mycobacterium culture in confirming diagnosis of tuberculosis in smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis suspects registered in dots implemented setting at Lahore

Objective: early diagnosis of disease and prompt initiation of treatment is essential for an effective tuberculosis control programme. There is concern that smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis may be over-diagnosed and treated in overburdened and resource poor countries. This study was conducted to determine what proportion of patients being registered for smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis treatment has microbiologically confirmed tuberculosis

Material and Methods: subjects of either sex above the age of 15 year with symptoms of and x-ray finding consistent with pulmonary tuberculosis were selected. Sputum specimens of 124 smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis suspects about to be registered for smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis treatment by the national tuberculosis programme were inoculated on LJ culture medium to isolate the organism. The result of smear and culture were then compared

Results: a total of 124 sputum smear negative cases were subjected to culture on LJ medium. Out of these 18[14.51 %] were confirmed positive by culture

Conclusion: sputum culture is gold standard the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Complementing smear negative cases with culture may help in reducing over diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis