Impaired fasting glucose, diabetes mellitus and coronary risk factors.

The authors conducted a prevalence survey of impaired fasting glucose and diabetes mellitus in 3,615 Shinawatra employees, and we also determined various risk factors of coronary artery disease such as blood pressure level, body mass index and serum lipids. The prevalence of impaired fasting glucose and diabetes mellitus were 1.7 per cent and 0.8 per cent respectively. The prevalences were more common in males and increased with increasing age. Coronary risk factors were higher in impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and diabetes mellitus (DM) when compared with normal glucose levels. There were also significant differences between impaired fasting glucose and diabetes mellitus, except for pulse pressure, serum cholesterol level, LDL-cholesterol level and HDL-cholesterol level.

A 5-year prospective study of conventional risk factors of coronary artery disease in Shinawatra employees: a preliminary prevalence survey of 3,615 employees.

We conducted a prevalence survey of conventional risk factors of coronary artery disease in 3,615 Shinawatra employees and we planned to prospectively follow up this population to determine the impact of the risk factors in the development of coronary disease. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, obesity, physical inactivity and smoking were 7.4 per cent, 1.4 per cent, 21.1 per cent, 13.9 per cent, 76.3 per cent and 16.3 per cent respectively. The awareness of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia were 42.2 per cent, 78 per cent and 32.9 per cent respectively. The prevalence of the risk factors was more common in males and increased with increasing age. Dependent variables which were associated with hypertension included: excessive weight; male sex; increasing age; hypercholesterolemia and diabetes mellitus. Variables which were associated with diabetes mellitus were hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, male sex, increasing age and excessive weight.. Variables which were associated with hypercholesterolemia were hypertriglyceridemia, high HDL-cholesterol, increasing age, excessive weight and hematocrit level while overweight, hypercholesterolemia, low HDL-cholesterol, smoking, hematocrit level, low income and increasing age were associated with hypertriglyceridemia. Excessive weight was associated with hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-Cholesterol, presence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, increasing age and low education.

Are routine checkups necessary?: The Shinawatra's employee study.

The authors performed a survey in 3,615 Shinawatra employees aged 18-60 years to determine the abnormalities found with routine checkup. The annual checkup included: history taking. anthropometric measurement, physical examination, complete blood count, urine analysis, chest roentgenography, blood chemistry (fasting blood glucose, BUN, creatinine, uric acid, AST/ALT, cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol). The prevalence of abnormalities with management change detected by complete blood count, urine analysis was low and we did not recommend the routine use of complete blood count and urine analysis. The prevalence of hypertension was more common in males and the prevalence increased sharply after the age of 25 years in males and 40 years in females. The prevalence of abnormalities of BUN, creatinine (both males and females) and uric acid (in females) was very low. There was high prevalence of high AST/ALT which suggested hepatitis in our population, and the prevalence was more common in males beginning at a young age. Diabetes mellitus was more common in males especially after the age of 45 years. Chest roentgenography abnormalities were found in 9.4 per cent and the prevalence of abnormalities increased with age and was common after the age of 44 years. Most of the abnormalities found by chest roentgenography were pulmonary infiltration and cardiomegaly. The authors' findings did not recommend the routine use of complete blood count, urine analysis, fasting BUN and creatinine. We recommend routine blood pressure measurement in males aged 25 years or more and in females aged 40 years or more. We suggest routine blood cholesterol measurement in both sexes, blood triglyceride measurement in males aged 25 years or more and fasting blood sugar tests in males aged more than 44 years, chest roentgenography in males and females after the age of 45 years.

The prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy and associated factors in a Thai population.

Electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) has been a bad prognostic factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However the prevalence and prognostic value of LVH are varied among nationalities and populations. Several factors have been shown to associate with LVH. Some factors are treatable such as hypertension. We prospectively studied the prevalence of LVH and associated factors in selected group of Thai population. The study population was 1,606 Shinawatra employees who were 30 year old or more. The prevalence of LVH was 13 per cent (210) among study population. Hypertension, lower body weight and male sex were significantly associated factors. In the subjects with LVH, the prevalence of hypertension was 25.6 per cent, male ratio was 5:1 and mean body weight was 57.7 kg, compare to 9.8 per cent prevalence of hypertension, 2:1 female ratio and mean body weight was 62.3 kg in the group without LVH.

Radiofrequency ablation of cardiac arrhythmia: the first fifty cases experience in Siriraj Hospital.

In our series of 50 consecutive patients with a wide variety of cardiac arrhythmia, a combined approach to electrophysiological diagnosis and definitive treatment with catheter ablation was associated with a high degree of efficacy, low procedural complication and low rate of arrhythmia recurrence. The radiofrequency catheter ablation should be considered as the acceptable or preferable first line treatment in patients with supraventricular tachycardia and idiopathic ventricular tachycardia.