Senile cataract; serum lipids a modifiable risk factor

To estimate the serum lipid profile of patients having different types of senile cataract and compare them with that of the controls. Observational case control study. Tertiary care centre in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. Six months. We selected fifty patients with senile cataract and fifty control individuals from tertiary care hospital of Lahore. History, ophthalmic and systemic examinations were done. Fasting serum samples were taken for estimation of lipid profile from all the subjects. In the patient group, female to male ratio was 1.63:1. 78% patients had Nuclear cataract, 16% had cortical and 6% had posterior sub capsular type of senile cataract. Serum Triglycerides, Cholesterol, LDL, HDL and VLDL of patients were compared with controls. The p-value of cholesterol, LDL and HDL was non-significant. The p-value of triglycerides and VLDL was significant. Serum Triglycerides and VLDL are modifiable risk factors in the development of senile cataract in Pakistani patients. Serum Triglycerides is the only lipid, which has shown consistent results related to cataract development in different parts of the world. Other lipids show variable results in different countries

Senile cataract patients; serum electrolytes and calcium

Purpose: The current study was aimed at finding out the significance of serum electrolytes and serum calcium levels in the development of senile cataract

Study Design: Case control study

Setting: Ghurki Trust Teaching Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan

Period: Jan 2013 to June 2013

Methods: Total fifty patients with senile cataract and fifty controls were selected. Clinical history and clinical diagnostic tests were performed by an ophthalmologist. Blood samples were drawn and serum stored at -20o C. Serum potassium and sodium were measured by Flame photometry. Serum chloride levels were estimated by quantitative displacement of thiocyanate by chloride. The estimation of calcium was done using photometry by CPC method. Statistical analysis was done by Statistical package for social sciences [SPSS version 16.0]. There were 31 females and 19 male [F: M = 1.63: 1] patients. In the control group, there were 32 females and 18 males [F: M = 1.77: 1]. The age was >/= 40 years in both patients and control group

Results: Nuclear cataract was the commonest. Among all the analytes, only serum calcium levels were found to be significantly lower in patients [p value less than 0.05 as compared to controls]. While difference of sodium, potassium and chloride levels between cases and controls was insignificant. [p values 0.49, 0.36, and 0.45 respectively]

Conclusions: In Pakistan, serum electrolytes in cataract patients are not significantly different from the controls while serum Calcium of cataract patients is significantly low when compared with the control group, indicating the possible role of low calcium level as a risk factor in the development of senile cataract

Pityriasis alba with poliosis

Pityriasis alba is a skin disease, commonly seen in children and young adults. This case presents the ocular association of this disease in a 10 years old Pakistani male. Ocular features in this case were poliosis, tilted disc, high myopia and chorioretinal degeneration. Tilted discs and high myopia can be coincidental but poliosis and decreased pigment in retinal pigment epithelium are closely related with the hypopigmentation seen in this disease

Isolation and characterization of irritant components of Euphorbia pilulifera L.

Euphorbia pilulifera is commonly found weed along road sides and loamy soils. This weed is commonly used as treatment of female disorders and respiratory problems. The latex of this weed causes irritation on hand on contact. To evaluate its irritant potentials, the dermatological investigation of irritant principles from locally occurring Euphorbia pilulifera was carried out. For this purpose, after collection and drying, a series of solvents with increasing polarity were used for the successive extraction of non-polar compounds [petroleum ether extract], constituents of intermediate polarities [chloroform extract] and polar constituents [methanol extract] from the whole herb of Euphorbia pilulifera. The chloroform extract of this weed was found most irritant to rabbit's skin. Chloroform extract was further subjected to column chromatography; four fractions Ep 1 to Ep 4 were isolated from active chloroform extract by column and thin layer chromatography. The irritant potentials of these isolated fractions were evaluated on rabbit's skin. Two fractions out of the four, Ep 1 and Ep 3 appeared to be the most irritant than others. A possible structure activity relationship of these active compounds was discussed in order to establish their activity

Serum lipids - a modifiable risk factor for senile cataract

To identify the role of serum lipids in patients with different types of senile cataract. It was an observational case control study in a tertiary care centre in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. Fifty patients with senile cataract and fifty control individuals were selected. History taking with ophthalmic and systemic examinations were done. Fasting serum samples were taken for estimation of lipid profile from all the subjects. In the patient group, female to male ratio was 1.63:1. 78% patients had nuclear cataract, 16% had cortical and 6% had posterior sub capsular type of senile cataract. Serum Triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL, HDL and VLDL of patients were compared with controls. The p-value of cholesterol, LDL and HDL was non-significant. Serum triglycerides and VLDL were significantly raised in patients of senile cataract [p. <0.001]. Serum Triglycerides and VLDL are modifiable risk factors in the development of senile cataract in Pakistani patients. Serum Triglycerides is the only lipid, which has shown consistent results related to cataract development in different parts of the world. Other lipids show variable results in different countries

Counter irritant activity of carthamus oxycantha

Many locally occurring species of Asteraceae are used as medicinal plants by various tribal and ethnic communities in Pakistan. Carthamus oxycantha is often occurs as weed in cultivated fields. Folk medicines indicated its use as an anti inflammatory and wound healing plant. It is used for wound healing by the local population in the form of powder paste. No scientific report, about the behavior of this plant has so far been published. The counter irritant studies of locally occurring Carthamus oxycantha was carried out. The main objectives of the project were to evaluate its wound healing effects on animal skin and the identity and characterization of chromatographically isolated fractions. For this purpose, different solvents with a broad range of polarity were successively used to extract non-polar compounds [petroleum ether extract], constituents intermediate polarities [chloroform extract] and polar constituents [methanol extract] from the whole herb of Carthamus oxycantha. The counter irritant activity of the crude extracts and isolated fractions was evaluated on rabbit's skin. Five fractions Co-1 to Co-5 were isolated from the active chloroform extract by column and thin layer chromatography. Co-1, Co-3 and Co-5 appeared to be the most potent counter irritant than others. A possible structure-activity relationship of these active compounds was investigated by using spectroscopy [UV and FTIR analysis]

Biofilm formation and isolation of Staphylococcus aureus from blood cultures of dental patients undergoing oral surgical procedures

The objective of this study was the detection and separation of S. aureus from blood cultures of patients undergoing oral surgical procedures. Antibiotic sensitivity pattern and biofilm formation of S. aureus were also performed. Total 250 patients undergoing oral surgical procedures were selected for bacteriological examination. 5ml of Blood sample was collected in blood culture bottles containing tryptone soya broth. Blood sample was incubated at 37[degree sign] C for 7 days and after incubation subculturing was done on appropriate Media. The plates were then incubated at 37[degree sign]C aerobically for 24 hours, after which isolated colonies were obtained. S.aureus was identified by Gram staining, colony morphology, pigment production, catalase, coagulase and often biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility was performed by disc diffusion technique on isosensitivity agar. Strains of S.aureus were used for biofilm formation by simple tubemethod. With the help of spectrophotometer at 570 nm optical density was measured. S.aureus [ATTC2523] was analyzed for biofilm production. Bacterial isolates in descending order were S.aureus 56%, E.coli 25%, Pseudomonas spp. 13%, S.typhi 4%and Shigella spp2%. S.aureus was resistant to different antibiotics. Biofilm production of S.aureus was detected in 16.17%of the S.aureus and mostly in association with antibiotic resistant bacteria. S.aureus was the predominant group of bacteria isolated from blood cultures of dental patients. Increased antibiotic resistance of S.aureus may be due to biofilm production resulting in persistent dental infections

Cardiac complication secondary to jugular catheter insertion in a renal failure patient

Central venous catheterisation is a common procedure performed for emergency dialysis. It is usually carried out without any cardiac monitoring. Cardiac arrhythmias with associated conduction blocks are rare complications. The underlying pathogenesis is trauma to the endocardium by the guide wire or catheter. It occurs more frequently in patients with acute renal failure and azotaemia than patients with established end stage renal disease. Disturbances in acid base balance and electrolyte abnormalities are contributing factors. Fortunately, most are benign but occasionally can lead to potentially fatal arrhythmias. We report a case of a 46-year-old lady with end stage renal failure secondary to diabetes mellitus who developed runs of transient ventricular ectopics and right bundle branch block during internal jugular catheterisation. This spontaneously resolved 12 hours later.

Weber's syndrome with vertical gaze palsy

Weber's syndrome with vertical gaze palsy is rarely reported in literature. We present a case of a 47-year-old female who developed sudden onset of left exotropia, right sided hemiplegia and vertical gaze palsy. Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] showed multiple infarcts involving both thalami and extending caudally into the midbrain. This case presents the diverse clinical picture following midbrain infarcts

simplified examination for detecting dental caries, plaque, gingivitis and calculus in school children-A longitudinal study

The objective of the present study was to compare longitudinally the simplified dental examination involving the use of a wooden spatula and a tooth pick with the conventional dental mirror and probe examination for the detection of cavitated carious lesions, dental plaque [with and without gingival bleeding] and calculus. This was a quasi-experimental study that involved 632 children having a mean age of 10 4 years at the start of the study and studying in eight different secondary schools of Karachi, Pakistan The children were subjected to two types of dental examination on three occasions with intervals of six and twelve months in between to detect cavitated carious lesions, dental plaque [with and without gingival bleeding] and calculus. All examinations were conducted by a single examiner who was trained and calibrated for both types of examination. One type of examination involved the use of a wooden spatula and a toothpick [TS examination] while the other type was carried out using the plain mouth mirror and CPI [Community Periodontal Index] probe [MP Examination]. All examinations were performed under identical conditions using natural light Teeth' and 'sextants of oral cavity' were considered as the units of measurement for data analysis. The WHO recommended criteria for decayed, missing and filled teeth were followed for caries detection. A dichotomous scale was used for plaque [with and without gingival bleeding] and calculus with 'present' or 'absent categories. The sensitivity of TS examination for detecting cavitated carious lesions in three examinations ranged from 88.35% to 90.86%; and for Plaque [with and without bleeding] and calculus from 92-99%, the lowest value being for 'calculus' and the highest for 'plaq 1 ue with bleeding' The specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were between 98-99% for both caries and the three components of oral hygiene status, The TS examination can provide a desirable substitute to conventional MP examination in order to undertake regular dental check-ups of school children including detection of cavitated various lesions and assessment of oral hygiene status

role of essential oils in periodontal health: an appraisal of evidence

The objective of this search was to find out "Do essential oils as a therapeutic agent assist in maintenance of periodontal health?" The article is based on a search which was conducted on Medline to identify the studies related to the topic and published up to Sep 2008. Fifty nine articles were retrieved from the search. Four articles were in languages other than English which have not been included in the appraisal. Thirty two articles had information relevant to the search question. Based on the finding of the search it is concluded that essential oil when used as an adjunct to unsupervised oral hygiene can provide additional benefit in reduction of plaque and gingivitis

Increased corneal curvature with posterior nanophthalmos

Posterior microphthalmos is a rare condition which is characterized by the disproportionately small size of the posterior segment of the eye. The corneal diameter, central anterior chamber depth and the lens thickness are all within the normal range. We present a case of posterior microphthalmos with all normal anterior segment measurements except increased corneal curvature