ABSTRACT
Occupational exposure to cotton dust, fibers, metal fumes and different chemicals used in the apparel manufacturing industries cause a wide range of physical and psychological health problems in the garment workers that may also affect their immune function. To assess the immune system function in garment workers. A total of 45 workers of a garment factory, and 41 control subjects, not exposed to the garment working environment were enrolled in this study. In the study subjects, the complement system function was assessed as bactericidal activity on Escherichia coli DH5alpha cells using the standard plate count method. Serum complement components C[3] and C[4] were measured by immunoprecipitation, and IgG was measured by immunonephelometry. The bactericidal activity of serum complement in the garment workers [range: 93.5%-99.9%] was significantly [p<0.01] lower than that in the controls [range: 98.6%-100%]. The heat-inactivated serum of the workers showed a significantly enhanced bactericidal activity. In the garment workers, the mean levels of complement C[3], and C[4] were 1.75 and 0.26 g/L, respectively that were close to those of the controls. The mean IgG level in the garment workers was 13.5 g/L that was significantly [p<0.001] higher than that in the controls. Working in a garment factory may affect the immune system
ABSTRACT
Hypertension, a condition developed as a result of high blood pressure is strongly correlated with body mass index [BMI]. Obesity was noted to be a single best predictor of hypertension incidence, and was regarded as a major controllable contributor to hypertension. Overweight and obesity is conveniently determined from BMI. Present study was conducted in Khyber Medical College [KMC] Peshawar to investigate the relation of hypertension with BMI and age. The objective of the present investigation is to establish a relationship between hypertension and BMI in male and female population of Peshawar with consideration of age. This study was conducted at KMC, Peshawar during 2008-2009. A total of 1006 adult male and female volunteers were the subject of present research and were categorized in terms of their ages. BMI was determined from weight and height; the subjects were grouped as normal, overweight and obese. Hypertension was determined from the measure of blood pressure. The results show a consistence relation between BMI and hypertension within age groups in both male and females. The figures exhibited a relation of age with BMI and hypertension in both males and females subjects. The results showed a higher trend of hypertension with increasing BMI. In young females it was noted that with a shift from normal BMI the incidence of hypertension was very high