Prevalence of type-II diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy: the Gaddap study

To determine the frequency of type-II Diabetes mellitus [DM] in the endogenous population of Gaddap town and also to evaluate the status of Diabetic retinopathy [DR] in this group. Descriptive study. Isra Postgraduate Institute of Ophthalmology, Al-Ibrahim Eye Hospital, Karachi, from January 2006 till December 2008. This community based study of subjects of either gender was carried out in the Gaddap town. Three primary eye care centres were established in the existing primary health care [PHC] facilities, to screen the target Population aged 30 years and above, and who met other inclusion criteria for DM and DR respectively. Patients requiring intervention were managed accordingly. Data was entered and analyzed using Microsoft Visual Basic 6 and Microsoft Access. Out of the cohort of 19211 subjects, 1677 patients were found Diabetic, giving the prevalence of DM in Gaddap town at 8.73%, with 1258 [6.55%] known and 419 [2.18%] newly diagnosed cases. DR was seen in 460 [27.43%] of the Diabetic cases with 126 [7.51%] patients requiring urgent intervention for vision threatening complications. The result validates the importance of early screening of DR in people suffering from DM for possible management and prevention of sight threatening complications in the early stage of the disease and advocates the inclusion of primary eye care as a part of PHC system

case series study of 26 subjects with left ventricular thrombus-to see its etiology and left ventricular function

To evaluate the left ventricular function and determine etiology of left ventricular thrombus in 26 cases. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: Medical Unit of Ayub Teaching Hospital, Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad. Patient and Method: Patients with left ventricular thrombi diagnosed with echocardiography from May 1999 to June 2001 were studied for its etiology and left ventricular function. Fifty-six% of left ventricular thrombus cases were due to chronic ischemic heart disease while 36% had dilated cardiomyopathy. Left ventricular aneurysm was seen in 7.8% cases. Mean age was 54 +/- 3 years with 74% males and 26% females. Mean ejection fraction was 22 +/- 2.5% in dilated cardiomyopathy cases while it was 35 +/- 17% in cases with underlying coronary artery disease. Chronic ischemic heart disease and dilated cardiomyopathy are the main causes associated with left ventricular thrombi. Impaired left ventricular function is a common denominator in these cases

echocardiographic study of 129 cases of cardiomyopathy

One hundred and twenty nine cases of cardiomyopathy [CMP] were diagnosed echocardiographically among 2374 patients 11 months and ten days period. The mean age was 50 years with no sex predominance. 91.47% had dilated CMP, with impaired left venticular [LV] systolic function. Echocardiographically detectable common features include, LV systolic dysfunction, pulmonary artery hypertension, and mitral regurgitation. The prevalence of CMP in the target population was 5.43%. More studies are needed to outline local prevalence and incidence of disease and to outline the aetiological and risk factors for cost effective primary and secondary preventive strategies