ABSTRACT
This study was carried out among arsenic-exposed and non-exposed people of Bangladesh to assess and compare their cardiac status based on electrocardiographic (ECG) findings. For the purpose of the study, participants were included in three groups: arsenic-exposed persons with arsenicosis (arsenicosis group), arsenic-exposed persons without arsenicosis (non-arsenicosis group), and persons not exposed to arsenic (non-exposed group). Each group included 50 respondents. In this study, no significant difference in heart rate, rhythm, axis, and pulse rate interval was detected among the arsenicosis, non-arsenicosis and non-exposed groups. A significant difference in corrected QT interval between the arsenicosis and the non-exposed group (p<0.05) was observed. On the contrary, no statistically significant difference in corrected QT interval between the non-arsenicosis and the non-exposed group was found. Abnormal QRS complex was found among 14%, 8%, and 2% of the arsenicosis, non-arsenicosis, and non-exposed groups respectively. ECG findings, indicative of left ventricular hypertrophy, ischaemic heart disease, and right bundle branch block, were high among the arsenicosis group. Overall, abnormal ECG findings were high (58%) among the respondents of the arsenicosis group and were highly significant (p<0.001). The findings revealed that there was a significant association between ECG abnormalities and arsenic exposure.
Subject(s)
Adult , Arrhythmias, Cardiac/chemically induced , Arsenic/adverse effects , Arsenic Poisoning/complications , Bangladesh/epidemiology , Bundle-Branch Block/chemically induced , Case-Control Studies , Chronic Disease , Cross-Sectional Studies , Educational Status , Electrocardiography , Environmental Exposure/adverse effects , Female , Heart Rate , Humans , Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular/chemically induced , Income/statistics & numerical data , Male , Myocardial Ischemia/chemically induced , Risk Factors , Time Factors , Water Pollution, Chemical/adverse effects , Water Supply/analysisABSTRACT
A cross-sectional study was conducted during May-December 2000 among pregnant women attending an urban maternal and childcare-delivery unit in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to assess the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis, Trichomonas vaginalis, and syphilis. All pregnant women at 16-24 weeks gestation attending the clinic for antenatal check-up irrespective of symptoms were enrolled. Sociodemographic information and obstetric history were obtained from each enrolled subject. High vaginal swabs and serum samples were tested for bacterial vaginosis, and T. vaginalis and syphilis respectively. In total, 284 pregnant women were enrolled. Of them, 17.7% had bacterial vaginosis, 1.4% had Trichomonas infection, and 3% had syphilis. The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis was higher in women with low socioeconomic status.