Period prevalence of hypertension and risk factors in an urban slum of Maharashtra

Background: One in three adults worldwide has high blood pressure and proportion increases with age. Detecting high blood pressure is easy. Hence a study for prevalence of hypertension was conducted in an urban slum of Pune, Maharashtra.Methods: The study was conducted in an urban slum field practice area exclusively under the community medicine department of a tertiary care hospital during the period of February 2014- July 2014. Overall 1043 people fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were interviewed, and anthropometric measurements were taken, followed by blood pressure readings and awareness of own hypertensive status. Data was compiled, edited, classified, and analyzed. The prevalence of hypertensive patients was obtained and physical and behavioral risk factors were analyzed for association.Results: The prevalence of hypertension in adults above 18 years of age was 25.6% with mean age of hypertensive patients was 48.58±15.75 yrs. Hypertension was significantly associated with age, habit of adding extra salt to cooked food, family history, BMI and consumption of smokeless form of tobacco among the study participants. Hypertension was not significantly associated with gender and religion of the participants. Of the 267 hypertensives, 40.82% were aware of their hypertensive status and amongst those aware 61.46% were on anti-hypertensives.Conclusions: Hypertension is a public health problem affecting slum population as well. It is significantly associated with risk factors, which are modifiable. The awareness of hypertensive status is low, the under treatment is lower. The population in slum, with its poor literacy, low awareness and income levels provides an opportunity to make an intervention necessary as well as challenging.

Clinical and epidemiological correlation of Leptospirosis among patients attending KMCH, Manipal.

Leptospirosis is one of the most widespread zoonotic diseases in the world. Infection may range from sub clinical infection to death of the patient. It may also occur endemically in tropical countries, showing seasonal incidences following heavy rainfall. As the diagnosis is difficult due to vague clinical symptoms, laboratory investigations are essential for the confirmation of the disease. This study was undertaken to correlate the clinical findings, occupation and behavioural pattern in seropositive cases of Leptospirosis. A total of 733 patients suspected of Leptospirosis were tested for specific IgM ELISA and clinical findings, occupation and behavioural pattern were noted.

Yavatmal District Blindness Control Society: a case study.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively study the records and reports available at the District Blindness Control Society (DBCS), Yavatmal in terms of target fixation, performance and utilisation of manpower and equipment. METHODS: All the available records, reports, correspondence, and proceedings of meetings from 1981-98 were scrutinized and analyzed. RESULTS: The performance records and reports showed that over the last 10 years the target achievement of DBCS is close to 100%. However, the fixed facility (District hospital/Tertiary hospital where cataract surgeries are being performed under strict aseptic conditions) performance does not match the targets. The district mobile unit camp performance achieved 35-40% of the target in the last quarter of the financial year. CONCLUSION: The target fixation is irrational and needs improvement, and it is necessary for the program managers in the district to undertake analysis of the available data to ensure performance improvement.

A study of ocular morbidity among elderly population in a rural area of central India.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in five randomly selected villages in Wardha district of Maharashtra state to study the magnitude and factors related to the prevalence of ocular diseases among the elderly population. A total of 903 persons above 50 years were screened. The prevalence of low vision was 32% while that of blindness was 12.2%. Ocular morbidity rate was 1.21 lesions per elderly person and it increased significantly with increasing age (p < 0.001). Ocular diseases were found to be more prevalent among males, low socio-economic status group and landless labourers (p < 0.001). There was a high prevalence of refractive errors (40.8%), cataract (40.4%), aphakia (11.1%) followed by pterygium (5.2%), glaucoma (3.1%) and corneal opacities (3%). Prevalence of diseases of the lens and iris increased significantly with increasing age (p < 0.001). There is a need to evolve strategies for reducing the burden of ocular diseases and improve geriatric eye health under the existing infrastructure of health care delivery in our country.

Effect of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (captopril) on gastric ulcer production in pylorus ligated rats.

Intraperitoneal injection of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme inhibitor, captopril, reduced significantly (P < 0.001), the production of gastric ulcers in pylorus-ligated albino rats, compared to the control groups, irrespective of the dose schedule--single or quadruple. In the light of evidence available in the literature, it is reasonable to hypothesise that the anti-ulcer effect of captopril may be mediated through prostaglandins.

Clinical and electroneurophysiological assessment of leprosy patients on dapsone monotherapy--a two year follow-up study.

Fifty-three persons with tuberculoid type of leprosy having a thickened nerve on one side and a clinically normal nerve on the contralateral side were studied before, during and after two years of therapy for electrophysiological abnormalities in apparently normal and in obviously thickened nerves. Twenty-seven patients had received treatment with dapsone 100 mg orally and 26 cases had received rifampicin therapy. It was found that there was no extension of anesthesia or diminution of motor power over a period of two years. There was no significant difference between the initial and final recordings of motor and sensory nerve conductions if aggregate figures were taken. However, taking individual cases, deterioration in nerve conduction (increased latency and decreased velocity) was found in two patients, of whom one had received dapsone and the other had received rifampicin.

Dental caries and periodontal diseases among urban, rural and tribal school children.

The oral health status in school children of Wardha was studied to find out the geographical differences in oral health status and to relate it with the teeth cleaning habit and nutritional status. A cluster sample of 778 children studying in 2 urban, 4 rural and 2 tribal primary schools was selected. Majority (60.8%) of children were habituated to clean their teeth with Manjan. The prevalence of periodontal diseases was significantly high in children habituated to ash, Manjan and coal. The tribal children showed a better oral health status than urban counterparts. Nutritional status has played no role in dental decay. The school oral health education campaigns should be addressed to dental caries, periodontal diseases and the harmful teeth cleaning materials.

Electro neuro physiological studies in early tuberculoid leprosy.

Electro physiological studies were carried out in early tuberculoid type of leprosy in order to study their utility in detecting nerve damage before the onset of obvious functional deficit. Fifty-three cases showing one mixed nerve thickening in one limb were selected. Nerve conduction studies (both motor and sensory) were done using single blind technique. There was no statistically significant difference between the findings obtained from clinically thickened and non-thickened nerves. There was also no direct relationship between clinical sensory deficit and electro physiological abnormality. Clinical motor power loss was well correlated with electro physiological abnormalities.

Evaluation of disability knowledge and skills among leprosy workers.

The leprosy workers' knowledge and skills regarding disability prevention and control were quantified by a specially designed Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). The scorings were similar and showed no significant difference between supervisors and peripheral workers. It is suggested that the training component of disability control should be improved with emphasis on problem-oriented learning.

Vaccine preventable diseases in eastern Maharashtra--a hospital based analysis.

A retrospective study of hospital admissions of six vaccine preventable diseases from 1982-86 was carried out to save as a baseline data for future evaluation of vaccination programmes. Children between 1-4 years predominated the admissions in all diseases except whooping cough. The frequency of admissions of tuberculosis showed no change. Measles showed classical cyclical trend. Male female ratio was 1.8: 1.0. The mortality rate in meningeal tuberculosis was not influenced by the immunization status. Relatively small number of admissions of diphtheria and whooping cough indicates a decline due to natural causes or due to intervention programmes.

A study of leprosy affected beggars in Aska.

A study conducted among beggars in and around Aska, Orissa revealed 41 of them to be leprosy patients. Almost all had taken treatment and had been released from control. Only 2 of them were mildly positive in their skin smears for AFB. All of them had disabilities and deformities. It is evident that at least in this area beggar leprosy patients cannot be contributing to the transmission of the disease. Their treatment regularity record was also very good.