Diabetic neuropathy and zinc therapy.

This was a double blind study conducted on 60 subjects; 20 age and sex matched healthy controls (Group-I), 20 patients of diabetes mellitus with neuropathy who received placebo for 6 weeks (Group-IIA); and 20 patients of diabetes mellitus with neuropathy who were given oral 660 mg zinc sulphate for 6 weeks (Group-IIB). Serum zinc level, fasting blood sugar (FBS), blood sugar 2 hour after breakfast (2HABF) and motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) were estimated on day 0 and after 6 weeks in all subjects. Serum zinc levels were significantly low (p<0.001) in group II-A and II-B as compared to healthy controls (group-I) at base line. After 6 weeks the changes in pre and post therapy values of FBS, 2HABF and MNCV (median and common peroneal nerve) were highly significant (p<0.001) for group II-B alone with insignificant change (p>0.05) in group II-A. Therefore, zinc therapy helps in achieving better glycemic control and improvement in peripheral neuropathy as assessed by MNCV.

Risk factors & clinical presentations--a study of eighty-five hospital admitted stroke cases.

Stroke is the commonest neurological cause of morbidity and mortality. Changes in risk factors may influence stroke incidence. Definitive diagnosis of the type of stroke is necessary for management and it has a strong impact on stroke outcome. A total of eighty-five consecutive stroke patients irrespective of age and sex admitted during the period of August 2000 to June 2001 were studied. They were asked about occupation, area of habitat, smoking habit, family history of ischaemic heart disease and/or stroke, any febrile illness, recent history of productive cough, dysuria and diarrhoea. They were searched for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischaemic heart disease, valvular heart disease and dislipidaemia. In every patient complete blood count, urine examination, fasting blood glucose and serum lipids, ECG, x-ray chest were performed. CT scan of brain was performed in 68 cases. Male was found 81.18% of cases with age 62.54 +/- 13.08 (m +/- SD) years. Female were 18.82% of cases with age 58.81 +/- 12.77 (m +/- SD). 75.29% of patients were belongs to middle class family. 51.76% of patients came from rural area and 48.24% of patients came from urban area. 78.82% of patients were hypertensive. Infection was associated with 37.65% of cases. Hemiplegia was commonest presentation (88.24%). Though altered consciousness was found more in haemorrhagic stroke (54.84%) but it was not significantly. High from ischaemic cases (p > 0.10) Male suffer more from stroke. Hypertension is the commonest risk factor. Infection is a common association of stroke. Altered consciousness is not a reliable guide to differentiate between ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke is hospitalized cases.