Burden of diabetes mellitus in the families of medical students of lower Sindh

The non communicable diseases are chronic and exist in human body for long period, diabetes is one of those. The origin word of diabetes means siphon or a pipe from which water or any liquid can pass to another container or bottle the word mellitus is Latin and it means sweet, thus diabetes mellitus means sweet urine excreted from the body of person. To ask history of Diabetes in the families of Medical Students. To alculate the burden of diabetes patients present in the family. cross sectional study. This study was carried out at faculty of community medicine and Public Health Sciences Liaquat University of Medical Health Sciences Jamshoro from 1[st] February 2013 to 31[st] May 2013. It is a cross sectional through a pre design and pre tested. Questionnaire having questions about personal bio data like age, sex, rural, urban, merit seats or self financed seats admission history of diabetes in the family and other relevant. The study shows male and female gender of students out of total 154 medical students there were male were 42 [27.27%] and there were 112 [72.72%] female students regarding the type of History of Diabetes in Families of medical students out of total medical students 154, there were 59 [38.31 %] who reported history of diabetes while 95 [61.68%] of no history of diabetes in their families. The Glucometer is a small machine, available in 53 [34.41%] families-and not available 101[65.58%] in the families of the students. The distribution of students according to seat of admission shows out of total 154 students who participated in the study 733 were on merit while 82 were on self finance which means having good income source. The study concludes that there is high burden of diabetes in medical students families in Sindh. Majority is managed on diet, more counseling is required

Frequency of inter-atrial blocks in patients with ischemic stroke

To determine the frequency and association of Interatrial block in hospitalized patients with Ischemic Stroke. A case control study. Department of medicine, Military Hospital, Rawalpindi from 1st Jan 2009 to 30 December 2009. It included 64 patients, 32 cases of diagnosed ischemic stroke and 32 patients were taken as controls not suffering from ischemic stroke or ischemic heart disease. ECG findings of both selected groups were evaluated for presence or absence of interatrial block. Out of 32 ischemic stroke patients, 14 [43.85%] were found to have interatrial block on electrocardiogram [ECG]. Whereas only 6 [18.80%] controls were found to have interatrial block on ECG. Odds ratio was 1.66. Interatrial block is more frequent in ischemic stroke patients and may represent a risk factor for such stroke.

High altitude headache - an etiological based study

To determine the various causes of headache in patients evacuated from high altitude. Descriptive study An observational hospital based study carried out on 50 soldiers evacuated from Northern Areas to Military Hospital Rawalpindi between Sep 2009 to Mar 2010 for evaluation of headache as their major complaint. Necessary investigations including neuroimaging were carried out in coordination with Department of Neurology, Military Hospital and an appropriate diagnosis was made in each case. The data was analyzed accordingly. A total of 50 patients were analyzed .They were all males and the mean age was 25 years. 52% patients had Acute Mountain Sickness, 12% hypertension, 10% High altitude cerebral edema, 8% Tension type headaches, 6% Dural venous sinus thrombosis, 6% migraine, 2% encephalitis, 2% were of Subarachnoid hemorrhage and 2% patients Hydrocephalus. Acute mountain sickness and high altitude cerebral edema accounts for a significant number of patients with high altitude headache

Frequency of axonal variants of guillain-barre syndrome in Pakistan

To determine the frequency of axonal variants in our patients of Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Descriptive study. Department of Neurology, Military Hospital, Rawalpindi and Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine [AFIRM] from 01 Jan 2009 to 30 Jul 2010. Forty adult patients meeting the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke criteria for Guillain-Barre Syndrome [GBS] were consecutively enrolled in the study. Patient's data, detailed history, examination and electrophysiological studies were carried out and recorded on predesigned proforma. All patients were examined and reviewed by Consultant Physicians and neurologists. Electromyography and Nerve conduction study testing was done by experienced electro-physiologists. Axonal variants of Guillain-Barre Syndrome constituted 16[40%] in our study. The variants of Guillain-Barre syndrome were acute inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy [AIDP] in 24[60%] patients followed by acute motor axonal neuropathy [AMAN] in 12[30%] and acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy [AMSAN] in 4[10%] patients. We report a high frequency of the axonal variants of Guillain-Barre Syndrome in Pakistan

Treatment options for Guillain-Barre syndrome [GBS] - a comparative assessment of treatment efficacy between intravenous immune globulin [IVIG] with plasmaphoresis

To compare the therapeutic efficacy of Intravenous immune globulin [IVIG] with Plasma exchange [plasmaphoresis] in patients of Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy i.e. Guillain-Barre syndrome [GBS]. Randomized Controlled Trial [RCT]. The study was of 12 months duration conducted at Department of Medicine, Neurology Unit of Military Hospital Rawalpindi from Jun 2008 to Jun 2009. 60 Patients of GBS were randomly assigned to two treatment groups. Group A received Intravenous immune globulin [IVIG] and Group B Plasma Exchange. Patient's functional status according to London scale grade was assessed at the time of admission and at 02 and 04 weeks after giving treatment. Improvement in mean London scale Grades in each group was calculated at different weeks from baseline and then both groups were compared to each other. In each group there was significant improvement [P-value< 0.001] from baseline-2weeks and baseline-4 weeks. But when compared to each other both the groups had comparable improvement [p-value> 0.05]. Both IVIG and Plasma Exchange have equal therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of patients of GBS

Serum magnesium and hypertension

Despite advances in the prevention and treatment of hypertension over the past decade, hypertension remains an important public health challenge. Recent efforts to reduce the prevalence of hypertension have been focused on non-pharmacologic means, specifically diet. An increased intake of magnesium has been shown in some but not all studies to reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension. Decreased Serum magnesium levels are associated with development of hypertension. This study was planned to investigate relation of serum magnesium with blood pressure in patients with mild uncomplicated hypertension. Study was conducted at LUMHS hospital Jamshoro and DHQ hospital charsadda for the period of six months. Fifty known cases of uncomplicated mild hypertensive patients were selected, same number of healthy controls were also examined. When results were summed up and test parameters were compared, it was seen that no significant differences were found in serum magnesium levels among both groups, when compared statistically. Finally we conclude that no relation of magnesium with hypertension was observed. Much more work on wide scale population may be needed to clarify the idea

Serum magnesium and hypertension

Despite advances in the prevention and treatment of hypertension over the past decade, hypertension remains an important public health challenge. Recent efforts to reduce the prevalence of hypertension have been focused on non-pharmacologic means, specifically diet. An increased in take of magnesium has been shown in some but not all studies to reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension. Decreased Serum magnesium levels are associated with development of hypertension. This study was planned to investigate relation of serum magnesium with blood pressure in patients with mild uncomplicated hypertension. Study was conducted at LUMHS hospital Jamshoro and DHQ hospital charssadda for the period of six months. Fifty known cases of uncomplicated mild hypertensive patients were selected, same number of healthy controls were also examined. When results were summed up and test parameters were compared, it was seen that no significant differences were found in serum magnesium levels among both groups, when compared statistically. Finally we conclude that no relation of magnesium with hypertension was observed. Much more work on wide scale population may be needed to clarify the idea

Effect of choronic cigarette smoking on lipid profile

The present study is designed to observe the effects of chronic cigarette smoking on lipid profile including triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C, and LDL- C. A total of 102 [30 non-smokers and 72 smokers] apparently healthy male subjects with similar dietary habits and socioeconomic conditions were selected for this study. Total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-C were significantly increased in smokers [group B], when compared with non-smokers [Group A], while the level of HDL-C was significantly decreased in smokers as compared to the non-smokers. Total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-C were significantly increased in heavy smokers [Group B2] as compared to the moderate smokers [Group B1] and that of HDL-C was significantly decreased in heavy smokers as compared to moderate smokers

comparative study of red cell folate and serum folate levels in patients on regular Hemodialysis

Sixty subjects were selected and were divided into two groups. Group A included 30 patients of end stage renal disease on regular dialysis and group B included 30 normal healthy subjects as control. Absolute values and Hb were done by hematology auto analyzer and serum and red cell folate were done by commercially available kits. Results were analyzed by using Student`s `t` test and level of significance was done. A significant decreased in serum and red cell folate in end stage renal disease patients with regular dialysis as compared to control

Hook worm infestation in ten weeks old infant

Hook worm infestation is very rare in early age. We report a 2 1/2 months old infant who presented with severe anaemia and passage of dark colour stools. There was no history of bleeding and no signs of haemolysis were noticed. Stool examination revealed ova of Ankylostoma duodenale. Stool examination of the mother also revealed hook worm infestation. As 6-8 weeks are needed to pass ova in the stools from the date of penetration of the skin by the larvae, the possible cause in this was infection through the skin in the 1st few days after delivery or as a result of laying down the child on infected ground