Plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins and sellenium in relation to coronary heart disease

The relation between risk of coronary heart disease [CHD] and the plasma concentrations of vitamins C, E, carotene and selenium were examined in a case-control study of 100 cases of CHD chosen from the Outpatient Clinic of Menoufiya University Hospital, identified by chest pain questionnaire for angina and possible myocardial infarction and confirmed clinically and by electrocardiogram [ECG] and exercise test. Another 100 subjects matched with cases for age and socioeconomic standard who gave negative replies on the same questionnaire were selected as a control group, Each individual [case and control] was subjected to thorough clinical examination and laboratory investigations including estimation of total serum cholesterol, high density lipoprotein [HDL] cholesterol, plasma vitamins C, E, beta-carotene and selenium. The results of this study showed that plasma concentrations of vitamins C, E, carotene and selenium were significantly negatively related to the risk of CHD [P<0.05]. The significant negative relation between CHD and low plasma carotene and that with plasma vitamin C disappeared alter adjustment for smoking as it was a confounding factor. Vitamin E remained independently and negatively related to the risk of CHD after adjustment for age, smoking habit, blood pressure, lipids and relative weight. The adjusted odds ratio for CHD between the lowest and highest quartiles of vitamin E concentration was 3,7 [95% confidence interval 1 - 12] [p < 0.05]. The study recommend doing further intervention trials with vitamin supplements, and that high risk group for CHD may benefit from eating proper diet rich in natural antioxidant vitamins and selenium, i.e. vegetable and fruits and to substitute animal fat by vitamin E rich oil. Smoking cessation must be obligatory together with beta-carotene and vitamin C supplementation

Device associated nosocomial infection: a surveillance in an intensive care unit

This study was carried out in The Intensive Care Unit [ICU] at Menoufiya University Hospital from January 1997 to April 1998 to study the device-associated infection rate as an extrinsic risk factor for nosocomial infection in ICU and to compare this rate with infection rate based on patient admission and patient days in the unit. All intensive care patients were surveyed daily and all cases were examined clinically and with laboratory investigations including sputum, blood and urine cultures in the clinical pathology laboratory of the unit. Data were recorded on the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance [NNIS] component form. The results revealed that the patient admission infection rate was 16.5% [140 cases out of 870 patients]. When the patient days were used as denominator, the infection rate was 46.35/1000 patient days. On the other hand, when device days were used as denominator, the device-associated infection rate was 31.63/1000 device days. These rates vary by type of patient in ICU and type of device utilized, the surgical ICU patients [SICU] had significantly higher pneumonia rate compared to medical ICU [MICU] [91.8 versus 54.7/1000 ventilator days, p <0.05]. Also, central intravenous-associated bacteremia rate was significantly higher in SICU compared to MICU [33.64 versus 12.93/1000 intravenous catheter days, p<0.05]. While urinary tract infection rate was significantly higher among patients in MICU compared to surgical one [32.18 versus 19.5/1000 urinary catheter days, p <0.001], which may be attributed to the prophylactic use of antibiotics among surgical patients. As regard sputum, blood, urine cultures. Gram-negative bacteria were found to be the most common organism recovered from ventilator-associated pneumonia, central intravenous catheter-associated bacteremia and catheter-related urinary tract infection [54.5%, 54.2%, 47.9% respectively]. It was found that perfect and effective hand washing significantly reduced catheter-associated intravenous bacteremia from 26.6 to 8.2/1000 catheter days and urinary tract infection rate from 25.3 to 10/1000 catheter days. So, we recommend urgent establishment of nosocomial infection control committee in Menoufiya University Hospital and more emphasis on the effective technique of hand washing as it is proved to be the simplest measure in controlling device-associated nosocomial infection in ICU. In the meantime, sterilization of equipments should be stressed with every step and each manipulation

Smoking habits and drug abuse among Menoufeya University students

The aim of the present work was to study smoking habits and drug abuse among Menoufeya University students. Four faculties were randomly chosen : Faculties of Commerce and Laws as academic faculties and faculties of Medicine and Science as practical ones. A representative sample of 5300 students was selected randomly from first and fourth grades of academic faculties, while all students from the practical ones were included in the study. All students were subjected to a modified Arabic Version of the World Health Organization standard questionnaire for young people. Results revealed that the prevalence rate of regular smoking was 27.4%, and for drug abuse was 5.6% among Menoufeya University students. Smoking was higher among males [36.5%] than females [6.2%]; among academic faculty students [31.5%] than practical ones [19.5%]; among urban students [29%] than rural ones [26%]. It was also significantly higher among students lacking parental supervision and among those who did not play sports as well as among students who had smoking friends [62%], had at least one member of their families smoking [53.7%] and had teaching staff smoking [30.4%]. Bango was the most common substance used [2.5 vs 1.2%] among academic and practical students respectively. Most of students obtained the drugs from sources inside their faculties [69.7% vs 47.82%]. Peer pressure and imitation were the main reasons for smoking and drug abuse followed by curiosity. Most students were knowledgeable about smoking and drug abuse mainly from media and with attitude against it, however, practical faculties were significantly more knowledgeable than those of academic ones. The authors recommend an urgent need to implement [antismoking anti-addiction] program among university students

Health care quality and impact on: radiologists in Menoufiya hospitals

This Study aimed to assess the protective measures done for prevention of health hazards of ionizing radiation in Menoufiya hospitals. This was achieved through assessment of the environmental safety, performance of radiologists and also through assessment of the health hazards among exposed subjects. All occupationally X-ray exposed workers [l05 males and 37 females] were matched with an equal number of controls, the exposed workers were subdivided into two subgroups according to locality. This study revealed that: although the studied work place environment was considered safe as regards the level of exposure to ionizing radiation [88.7 +/- 20 mrem / year, which is less than MPDE limit] and consequently acceptable structural protective aspects design especially in group I hospitals, but the prevalence of health hazards including behavioral [69.7%], reproductive [21%], skin [25%], cataract [19%] and hematological [33%] abnormalities were significantly higher than controls, also the prevalence of reproductive, skin and hematological disorders were significantly higher among group II workers than group I which could be attributed to bad performance of the radiologists especially in group II workers. Performance of radiologists with negligence of radiation protection measures is considered the most important defect which has its bad impact on health of radiologists in Menoufiya, hence efforts should be directed towards establishment of radiation protection program in hospitals