Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with established coronary artery disease

Background:Vitamin D deficiency is widely prevalent in this part of the country, in spite of the fact that there is ample sunshine and the economic status of the people is good. Several studies have suggested possible link between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease risk. Hence authors evaluated the patients with established coronary artery disease attending cardiology department of super speciality hospital, Government Medical College Jammu, for their vitamin D status. Methods:The study was conducted in the department of Biochemistry Government Medical College Jammu and data of established cases of coronary artery disease patients attending cardiology department of super speciality hospital, government medical college Jammu was analyzed for vitamin D levels during the period from January 2019 to February, 2020.Results: A total of 200 established cases of coronary artery disease comprising of 130 male patients and 70 female patients were analyzed in the study, out of 200 cases, 190 (95%) were found to be having low levels of vitamin D in their blood (<30 ngm/dl). 123 (94.6%) out of a total of 130 male patients had vitamin D deficiency as compared to 67 (95.7%) out of 70 females patients.Conclusions:The study has revealed a very high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in established cases of coronary artery diseases. More detailed prospective studies are required to unravel the association of vitamin D and its role in prevention of coronary artery diseases in the absence of well-established risk factors like smoking, Diabetes, Hypertension and dyslipidaemias.

Genome complexity of begomovirus disease and a concern in agro-economic loss

Significant agro-economic loss becomes a foremost concern in terms of productivity and feeding the expandingpopulation. Among all plant pathogens, begomovirus is also one of the contagions which affect most monocot anddicots. Begomovirus is transmitted by the whitefly vector Bemisia tabaci and causes potential yield reduction in anumber of economically important crops. The evolution of the new strain of begomovirus through genetic changes,climatic factors, and mutation drastically affects the agricultural yield and thus the economic loss. A strategicBegomo management would foster the healthier agricultural environment. The review focus on classification,genome organisation, replication, pathogenecity, phylogeny, genetic diversity, technology behind its suppression,concealment and kayo.

Primary pyomyositis in North India: a clinical, microbiological, and outcome study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Pyomyositis is an infective condition with primary involvement of the skeletal muscles. There is sparse recent literature on patients with pyomyositis. METHODS: This study was carried out at emergency services of a tertiary care center located in subtropical area of Indian subcontinent. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients of primary pyomyositis formed the study cohort. Mean age of occurrence was 29.9 ± 14.8 years. There were 54 men. Twelve patients had underlying medical diseases. Muscle pain was seen in all 62 patients. Forty-eight patients (77.4%) had the fever. Most common site of involvement was thigh muscles (n = 29, 46.8%). Forty-nine patients (79%) presented in the suppurative stage of illness. Patients with comorbidities were older (age: median 36 years [interquartile range (IQR), 25 to 47] vs. 24 years [IQR, 16 to 35], p = 0.024), had higher culture positivity with gram-negative organisms (8/9 [88.89%] vs. 6/29 [20.69%], p = 0.001). Importantly, higher number of these patients received inappropriate antibiotics initially. Patients with positive pus culture result had higher complication rate (32/38 [84.21%] vs. 10/18 [55.56%], p = 0.044). Six patients (9.7%) had in-hospital mortality. Lower first-day serum albumin, initial inappropriate antibiotic therapy, and advanced form of the disease at presentation were associated with increased in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Primary pyomyositis is not an uncommon disease entity. Patients with comorbidities were more likely to receive initial inappropriate antibiotic therapy. Patients with positive pus culture report had the higher rate of complications. Lower first-day serum albumin, initial inappropriate antibiotic therapy and advanced form of the disease at presentation were associated with increased in-hospital mortality.

Down's syndrome and myocardial reperfusion injury

Down syndrome is known to be an independent risk factor for mortality after surgical repair of congenital heart anomalies. It is also associated with neurodegenerative disease and accelerated aging. The mechanism of the latter features has been attributed to abnormal handling of oxygen-free radicals as well as mitochondrial dysfunction. These properties also place the child with Down syndrome at a risk of an exaggerated myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. A 6 month old child with Down syndrome is reported who suffered from obvious clinical ischemia/reperfusion injury following an uncomplicated repair of complete AV canal. Both intraoperative as well as postoperative echocardiography documented a satisfactory technical repair. After resting the heart on ECMO the child's myocardial function returned to normal. The mechanisms by which patients with Down syndrome are at risk of ischemia/reperfusion injury are reviewed. Future studies should focus on specific approaches for myocardial protection in the child with Down syndrome undergoing cardiac surgery

Sero-prevalence of hepatitis C antibodies in the people visiting roadside barbers

Sharing of blades and shaving kits, especially unsterilized ones are known risk factors for the transmission of Hepatitis C. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Hepatitis C antibodies reactivity among the patients admitted due to any medical condition and who have been visiting roadside barbers. This was a descriptive study conducted from July 2007 to June 2008 in the Medical Unit-111, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi. The study was designed to include patient's demographics [age, occupation, marital status and education], clinical information and duration of the visits to roadside barbers with an approximate frequency of shavings per month. The patients with history of>3 visits to a roadside barber during the last six months were included in the study. Whereas, the patients with history of liver disease, blood transfusion, surgery, dental treatment, tattoo marks, intravenous drug use, on regular injectable medicine [like insulin, etc], multiple sexual partners and on haemodialysis were excluded from the study. A blood sample was collected at the time of admission and the screening for HCV-antibodies was done by Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbant Assay [ELISA]. A total of 184 male patients were included in the study. The mean age+ SD of the patients under the study was 33.8+13.2 years. The majority of study patients were uneducated and belonged to low socioeconomic group. Out of 184 patients, 70 [38%] were found to be HCV-antibodies reactive. In comparison to younger patients [age<40 years], the older patients as well as those with history of longer duration of visits to roadside barbers had high prevalence of HCV-antibodies reactivity, P.015 and P.02 respectively. There was no statistical significant difference for the prevalence of HCV-antibodies reactivity among the different socioeconomic groups, educational level and marital status. In the present study, it is concluded that the sharing of unsterilized shaving kits and used blades by roadside barbers are the main sources for the transmission of HCV. The transmission rate of HCV infection increases with the duration and multiple exposures for shaving