Early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in apparently healthy attendants of tertiary care hospital and assessment of its severity

Objective: Early detection of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in apparently healthy attendants of tertiary care hospital and assessment of its severity

Study Design: Cross-sectional, observational study

Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted from January 2015 to July 2015 at Dow University Hospital, Ojha campus

Methodology: A screening method was designed for apparently healthy individuals including attendants of patients, hospital staff, faculty and students, belonging to age group 18-60 years after excluding severe obesity and already diagnosed respiratory and cardiovascular diseases by means of history. Each participant performed pulmonary function tests via spirometer after filling a questionnaire based on various risk factors and symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]. Data was entered and analysed by SPSS-20

Results: Out of the 517 participants, 122 [23.6%] were found to have COPD diagnosed by means of spirometry. Out of these, 23 [4.4%] had COPD stage I, 42 [8.1%] had COPD II, 34 [6.6%] had COPD III, and 23 [4.4%] had COPD IV. Exposure to smoking, wooden stoves, pesticides, biomass fuel, aerosol sprays, gas grill and vehicle exhaust were found to be statistically significant factors in relation to development of COPD

Conclusion: Apparently healthy individuals may have underlying COPD and active screening by means of spirometry plays vital role in early detection of COPD. Smoking and exposure to certain hazardous environmental pollutants are responsible for the development and progression of COPD

Are medical undergraduates more likely to indulge in substance abuse than non-medical undergraduates? a survey from Karachi

To determine frequency of substance abuse and the commonest substance of abuse among medical and non-medical undergraduates. Survey report. Dow International Medical College, Karachi, from June 2012 to August 2012. Semester VIII students from Dow International Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences who visited the selected medical and non-medical universities, data collected through self responding questionnaire which was handed out to the participants. Data was collected from 4 medical and 4 non-medical universities. All responding undergraduate students in selected universities were included. Data was maintained and analyzed on SPSS version 16 for descriptive statistics. Total number of responders was 572 with male: female ratio of 1.23: 1.0 and mean age of 21.76 +/- 2.168 years. Frequency of regular substance abuse was 20.1%. Males were abusing substance more than females, ratio being 4.7: 1.0 among abusers. The most common substance of abuse was tobacco. Frequency of regular substance abuse in nonmedical undergraduates was 29.4% which was higher than medical graduates [13.4%]. Substance abuse among undergraduates in selected universities in Karachi was overall 20.1%. Male nonmedical undergraduates were more frequently using such substances; tobacco being the most common