ABSTRACT
Background: Little is known about iron deficiency (ID) and anemia in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To study the prevalence and treatment of anemia in patients of COPD and to check the hemoglobin level in all patients with COPD and to assess the quality of life (QOL) by administering the questionnaire in anemic COPD patients and comparing it with nonanemic COPD patients. Methods: We examined the subjects and administered a questionnaire based on dyspnea score to assess the impact of anemia on quality of life in patients of COPD. A total of 250 COPD patients were enrolled in the study, in that 62 patients were anemic and 188 patients were nonanemic in COPD patients. Results: The proportion of patients of nonanemic was found to be higher as compared with anemia having modified medical research council (mMRC) grade I (35.71% vs 20.00%), grade II (40.48% vs 26.67%), and grade IV (11.90% vs 6.67%), while the proportion of patients of anemia was found to be higher than that of nonanemic having mMRC grade III (46.67% vs 11.90%). Difference in mMRC grade of patients of anemia and nonanemic was found to be statistically highly significant. Out of 250 patients of COPD, hemoglobin levels of 62 (26.32%) were found to be below normal levels and were diagnosed as anemic and classified as anemia in the present study, while hemoglobin levels of the rest 188 (73.68%) patients were found to be normal and were classified as nonanemic. Prevalence of anemia in COPD = 24.87%. Conclusion: Anemia occurs frequently in patients of COPD and is associated with poor quality of life and increased morbidity in the form of number of exacerbations and hospital admissions. Correcting anemia in these patients may improve their clinical outcomes
ABSTRACT
Background: Risk of developing latent tuberculosis infection increases in medical students with their higher exposure to TB care facilities. Objective: To study the prevalence of latent TB infection among students attending professional degrees MBBS, BDS, MD, MS, MDS at King George’s Medical University, India. Methods: This study was carried out with Tuberculin skin testing among students and active TB cases were excluded. A standard dose of 0.1?mL of purified protein derivative was slowly injected intra dermally into non-dominant forearm. After 48-72 hours, the reaction was estimated by measuring the transverse diameter of the induration. Results: Total 561 students had given consent to get enrolled. Prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection was significant with period of clinical exposure (p-value < 0.05), average size of induration (p-value < 0.001), and history of prior Tuberculin Skin Test (p-value < 0.001). However it was not significant with the age (p-value > 0.05), gender (p-value > 0.05), and history of contact with active cases of TB (p-value > 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection is higher in post graduate students followed by interns and final year students due to more exposure to patients in wards and clinics at King George’s Medical University, India.
ABSTRACT
Background Outcomes of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute STEMI (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction) in smokers are expected to be better than non-smokers as for patients of acute STEMI with or without fibrinolytic therapy. Objectives This comparative study was designed to evaluate the outcomes of primary PCI in patients with acute STEMI in smokers and non-smokers. Clinical and angiographic profile of the two groups was also compared. Methods Over duration of two year, a total of 150 consecutive patients of acute STEMI eligible for primary PCI were enrolled and constituted the two groups [Smokers (n = 90), Non-smokers (n = 60)] of the study population. There was no difference in procedure in two groups. Results In the present study of acute STEMI, current smokers were about a decade younger than non-smokers (p value = 0.0002), majority were male (98.9% vs 56.6%) were male with a higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus (61.67% vs 32.28% and 46.67% vs 14.44%, p = 0.001) respectively. Smokers tended to have higher thrombus burden (p = 0.06) but less multi vessel disease (p = 0.028). Thirty day and six month mortality was non-significantly higher in smokers 4.66% vs 1.33% (p = 0.261) and 5.33% vs 2.66% (p = NS) respectively. Rate of quitting smoking among smokers was 80.90% at 6 months. Conclusion The study documents that smokers with acute STEMI have similar outcomes as compared to non smokers with higher thrombus burden and lesser non culprit artery involvement. Smokers present at much younger age emphasizing the role of smoking cessation for prevention of myocardial infarction.