Nutritional status and self-reported morbidity pattern of urban elderly in Hyderabad city: A preliminary study

Background: Ageing is a natural phenomenon associated with physiological and functional decline in the body, which makes elderly people vulnerable to malnutrition and age related morbidity. Hence, this study was undertaken to assess nutritional status and morbidity pattern of urban elderly. Aims & Objectives: To assess the nutritional status and the morbidity status of urban elderly. Material and methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among the urban elderly in Hyderabad. A total of 261 individuals of ≥60 years were recruited for this study. Anthropometric measurements were measured to assess nutritional status. Pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect information on demographic particulars and self-reported morbidity profile. Data are presented as mean ± standard error and significance level was considered at p < 0.05. Result: The mean height and weight were 160.49 Cm ±0.55 and 66.59 Kg ± 0.68, respectively while the mean BMI was 25.83 Kg/m2 ± 0.22. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among urban elderly was 46.0% and 31.4 %, respectively. The prevalence of central and truncal obesity was 60.1% and 84.6% respectively. The prevalence of morbidities such as poor vision, hypertension, joint pains, diabetes, cataract and hyperacidity was 86.1%, 63.2%, 49.4%, 48.3%, 36% and 32.2% respectively. There was a significant (p<0.05) gender difference among BMI, central obesity, CVDs, joint pains and osteoarthritis. Conclusion: In general, the prevalence of NCDs such as obesity, hypertension and diabetes are significant public health concern among urban elderly. Therefore, primordial and primary preventive measures should be adopted during adolescence and early adulthood for the prevention and control of NCDs during the period of ageing

Standardisation of a two-site PTH immunoradiometric assay using various solid phase formats.

Background & objectives: Estimation of parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels is important in the management of metabolic bone disorders. Here we describe a simple, sensitive and specific second generation immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) to detect intact PTH levels using different solid phase matrices. Different methods for immobilization of antibodies have also been evaluated. Methods: Experiments were carried out with physical adsorption of antibodies, covalent coupling using 2 per cent glutaraldehyde and N,N`carbonyldiimidazole. In all cases, antibodies raised against C-terminal were used as solid phase agent. Detector antibodies were N terminal antibodies that were radio-iodinated with 125I followed by gel purification. Several of the antibodies coupled to various solid phase matrices were incubated with PTH standards and the detector antibody as well as the commercially available tracer from DiaSorin kit to identify a suitable match pair. Results: The best pair was polyclonal C-terminal PTH antibody along with the kit tracer from DiaSorin with regards to antibody coated to magnetic cellulose particles. Among the various antibodies and the solid phases evaluated, the best assay was obtained with the matched pair of antibodies (70×G67 and 70×G68) from Fitzgerald immobilized on polystyrene tubes. The polyclonal antibody against C-terminal PTH was chosen as the capture antibody and 125I labelled polyclonal antibody against N-terminal PTH as the tracer. The sample values obtained in the antibody coated tubes were comparable to those obtained using a commercial kit. Interpretation & conclusions: The results indicated the feasibility of adopting this system for further development into a PTH IRMA for regular production as there is no indigenous kit available for intact PTH.

Vitamin D status in Andhra Pradesh : a population based study.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Data on the vitamin D status of the population in a tropical country like India have seldom been documented. Vitamin D deficiency is presumed to be rare. We carried out this study to document the dietary habits, serum calcium, 25(OH)vitamin D [25(OH)D], and parathyroid hormone levels of urban and rural population in a State in south India. METHODS: A total of 943 healthy urban and 205 rural adult subjects and 76 urban and 70 rural healthy children were studied for their dietary pattern, serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, 25(OH)D, and N-tact parathyroid hormone levels (N-tact PTH). RESULTS: The daily dietary calcium intake of both the urban and rural population was low compared to that of recommended daily/dietary allowances (RDA) issued by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Dietary calcium and phosphorus were significantly lower(P<0.0001) in both the rural adult and children compared to that of the urban adult and children. The dietary phytate to calcium ratio was significantly (P<0.0001) higher in rural adult and children compared to that of urban adult and children. N-tact PTH levels negatively correlated with 25(OH)D in rural (r=-0.24; P<0.002), in urban adult subjects (r=-0.12; P<0.0001) and in rural and urban children (r=-0.2; P<0.05). The 25(OH)D levels of rural adult subjects were significantly higher (P<0.001) than that of urban adult subjects in both males and female groups. The 25(OH)D levels of both the urban and rural children were low. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Low dietary calcium intake and 25(OH)D levels were associated with deleterious effect on bone mineral homeostasis. Prospective longitudinal studies are required to assess the effect on bone mineral density, a surrogate marker for fracture risk and fracture rates.

Scar cancer of the lung.

A case of scar carcinoma developing over lung abscess scar is presented. When the lung scars begin to increase in size and the patient does not respond to the treatment which was effective earlier, the possibility of malignant change in the scar tissue should be considered rather than the recurrence of the previous illness.

Malaria antibody levels in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The antibody titres to P. falciparum and Epstein-Barr Virus-associated antigens were assayed in 22 patients with NPC and 43 controls. All, but one patient had antimalarial titres; 14 had titres greater than 80 and 4 patients greater than 640. Compared to controls the mean anti-malarial titre for most age groups were higher in the patients. Those patients with high anti-malarial titres also had high IgA anti-VCA titre, an antibody which has been demonstrated to be diagnostic for NPC. The peak anti-VCA (IgG) and anti-EA (IgG) antibody titres were associated with anti-falciparum titres of 320-640 and 80-160, respectively. The results are discussed in relation to the possible association between malarial infection and etiology of NPC.