Prevalence of hypertension in psychiatric disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of hypertension in our cases with psychiatric disorders and to study if the prevalence is higher in the cases with psychiatric disorders. METHODS: Four hundred twenty two cases with various psychiatric disorders attending the Outpatient Department of Psychiatry of our hospital were studied. Detailed clinical evaluation was done in all the cases. Blood pressure was recorded in the sitting position and mean of three readings was taken. Diagnosis and grading of hypertension was done according to the JNC V recommendations. Psychiatric disorders were diagnosed according to DSM IV criteria. RESULTS: Mean age of the cases was 36.3 years. Prevalence of hypertension in the cases was 7.1%. Prevalence in male and female cases were 7.2% and 7.0%, respectively. Prevalence of hypertension in various age groups was 20-39 years--1.48%, 40-60 years--24.4%, > 60 years--33.3%. CONCLUSION: The overall prevalence of hypertension in our cases with psychiatric disorders was 7.1% which was not higher than the reported prevalence of hypertension in our general population.

Biochemical analysis of jejunal brush border membrane of golden hamster: pathogenic modulations due to ancylostomiasis.

The common hookworm (Ancylostoma ceylanicum) infection of humans was studied in golden hamsters model system. Significant biochemical modulations were observed in hamster jejunal brush border membrane (BBM), the primary site of infection. Analysis of BBM at the peak of infection (3-weeks) revealed a marked decrease in the activities of sucrase, lactase and maltase, while activities of alkaline phosphatase, (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase were increased. Kinetic studies conducted with maltase, a superficially localised enzyme of jejunal BBM, revealed loss of enzyme active site during the infection. Among other constituents, the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly decreased with slight increase in phospholipid content in the infected animals. The hookworm infection also caused a decline in total hexose content indicating an altered membrane glycocalyx. Conversely, there was significant enhancement of hydroxyproline and sialic acid contents. SDS-PAGE analysis showed an enhancement in both low and high molecular weight proteins in jejunal BBM preparations of the infected group. Gel electrophoresis of glycoproteins further revealed the appearance of two additional peaks in the low molecular weight region and concomitant disappearance of a peak in the high molecular weight region. These results strongly support the view that the hookworm infection causes severe damage not to the site of attachment alone but also to the entire cell lining of the jejunum and therefore could influence overall digestion and absorption.

Effect of anthelmintics and phenothiazines on adenosine 5'-triphosphatases of filarial parasite Setaria cervi.

S. cervi showed particulate bound Ca2+ ATPase and Na+,K(+)-ATPase activities while Mg2+ ATPase was detected in traces. ATPase of S. cervi was also differentiated from the nonspecific p-nitrophenyl phosphatase activity. Female parasite and microfilariae exhibited higher Ca2+ ATPase and Na+,K(+)-ATPase activities than the male adults and the enzyme Na+,K(+)-ATPase was mainly concentrated in the gastrointestinal tract of the filarial parasite. Na+,K(+)-ATPase of the filariid was ouabain-sensitive while Ca2(+)-ATPase activity was regulated by concentration of Ca2+ ions and inhibited by EGTA. Phenothiazines, viz. trifluoperazine, promethazine and chlorpromazine caused significant inhibition of Ca2+ ATPase and Na+,K(+)-ATPase. Diethylcarbamazine was a potent inhibitor of these ATPases. Mebendazole, levamisole and centperazine also caused significant inhibition of the ATPases indicating this enzyme system as a common target for the action of anthelmintic drugs.