Association between helicobacter pylori seropositivity and hepatic encephalopathy

The knowledge on Helicobacter pylori [H. pylori] contribution in the pathology of the liver and biliary tract diseases in human is very limited. The aim of this study was to assess the probable association between H. pylori seropositivity and hepatic encephalopathy. This is a case control study conducted through three groups, cirrhotics with hepatic encephalopathy [HE], cirrhotics without HE and healthy controls. All subjects were examined serologically for determination of IgG class antibodies to H. pylori based on ELISA technique. H. pylori seropositivity was present in 88% cirrhotic patients with hepatic encephalopathy, 86% cirrhotics without hepatic encephalopathy and 66% healthy controls. According to our results, H. pylori seropositivity rate in cirrhotic patients with or without hepatic encephalopathy was higher than healthy controls. But H. pylori seropositivity rate was not significantly different among cirrhotics with hepatic encephalopathy and those without it

Osteoporosis in postmenopausal diabetic women; prevalence and related factors

Diabetes mellitus and osteoporosis are two frequent medical conditions with an increasing prevalence in elderly. This study is conducted to evaluate osteoporosis in postmenopausal females with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Sanandaj, the provincial center of Kurdistan province in the west of Iran. From an initial population of 2500 women with type 2 diabetes, 242 postmenopausal women were randomly selected and were compared with 221 non-diabetic postmenopausal women, matched by age and body mass index [BMI]. Bone mineral density [BMD] was measured at the L2-L4 vertebrae [anteroposterior projection] and femoral neck with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry [DXA]. The statistical significance was set at a P value of .05 or lower. Prevalence of femoral neck osteoporosis in diabetic women was 30.2 percent [73 cases] and osteopenia was 48.3 percent [117 cases]. Osteoporosis prevalence in spine was 7.9 percent [19 cases] and ostropenia was 46.3 percent [112 cases]. Osteoporosis in both femoral neck [P=0.001] and spine [P=0.04] were significantly higher in patients than in controls. Correlation between HbA1c and femoral neck [p=0.11, correlation coefficient=0.04] and also spine [p=0.10, correlation coefficient= -0.12] T score was not significant. No significant correlation was found between osteoporosis with presence of microalbuminuria [P=0.91], retinopathy [P=0.33], hypertension [P=0.70], ischemic heart disease [P=0.57] and insulin therapy [P=0.08]. This study shows that type 2 diabetic patients have significantly lower T score values and more frequency of osteoporosis than healthy postmenopausal women

Prevalence of asthma and rhinitis in bakery workers in the city of Sanandaj, Iran

Baker's asthma is one of the most common forms of occupational asthma. This study was conducted to determine prevalence of asthma and rhinitis among bakery workers in the city of Sanandaj, the provincial center of Kurdistan province in the west of Iran in the in Summer 2006. In this study 776 bread bakery workers were included. These subjects were selected randomly among 1620 bakery workers. The diagnosis of asthma was based on a medical history of episodic symptoms of cough, chest tightness, and dyspnea and spirometry. Airflow obstruction was determined with spirometry, the definition of airflow obstruction which was used in this study was an FEV1/FVC ratio<0.8, and FEV1 or FVC increases of>/=12 percent and at least 200mL after using a short-acting inhaled beta2-agonist. Rhinitis was diagnosed by typical history of work related symptoms. Analyses were performed on 776 subjects [all were men] without missing data for asthma and rhinitis. All of subjects were male with mean age of 33.69 +/- 11.09 years. Mean duration of bakery working for these subjects was 13.91 +/- 9.37 years. Prevalence of asthma at the time of study was 11.9%. 93 subjects were diagnosed as asthma with history, physical and spirometry findings. 31 [33.3%] of asthmatic workers were diagnosed as asthma previously and 62 [66.6%] workers were known as new asthmatic patients which were diagnosed in this study program. The prevalence of rhinitis was [9.9%]. Subjects with asthma had longer history of working at bakery than others [P=0.001]. Asthma prevalence among these bakery workers that were included in our study was similar and in some instances the prevalence was lower than other studies