Visfatin and its relationship with the severity of coronary artery disease in Pakistani population

To determine plasma visfatin in patients with and without coronary artery disease and to correlate it with the coronary vessels blockage by using anagiography. Comparative Cross Sectional Study. This study was conducted at the Department of Biochemistry, Ziauddin University and Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi from June 2009 to November 2010. The study includes 80 subjects [mean age 48.8 +/- 6.15; 40-55 years age range] who underwent coronary angiography for suspected coronary artery disease. Plasma visfatin levels were determined by using ELISA. Out of these 80 study subjects, 30 [37.5%] had single vessel CAD, 12 [15%] had two vessels CAD, 24 [30%] had three vessels CAD and 14 [17.5%] had non significant disease. Serum Visfatin levels were higher in three vessel disease [5.82 +/- 0.58] when compared with non significant [4.55 +/- 1.10] single vessel disease [4.86 +/- 0.93] and two vessels disease [5.53 +/- 0.79] respectively but these values were statistically nonsignificant in all four study groups. Serum Visfatin levels were high in all three study groups when compared with non significant disease group and positive correlation of serum visfatin with the extent of the coronary artery disease was observed

Serum leptin levels correlation with high blood pressure in adult females

To measure serum leptin levels and compare them in lean and obese subjects and to identify correlation between serum leptin levels, heart rate and hypertension in lean and obese subjects among adult females. A case control study. Jinnah Medical and Dental College Hospital's Outpatient Department [OPD] during the calender year 2003. Seventy female subjects with different body mass indices were selected from OPD of Jinnah Medical and Dental College Hospital [OPD], Karachi. Heart rate was counted manually; blood pressure was measured by mercury sphygmomanometer while serum leptin was measured using enzyme-linked immunoassay. The outcomes hypertension and heart rate were correlated to risk factor leptin. Result: Mean heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and serum leptin levels of obese people were 90 +/- 1, 142 +/- 2, 89 +/- 1 and 24.13 +/- 1.7 respectively, which were significantly higher as compared to lean subjects [p<0.05]. All the parameters correlated positively and significantly with increasing BMI. There was a relationship of tachycardia and hypertension with high serum leptin levels in obesity. Serum leptin levels increase with the level of obesity. Hyper-leptinemia is associated with tachycardia and increases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in obesity via complex mechanisms

Effect of problem based learning in basic medical sciences

Jinnah Medical and Dental College is a private institution determined to train inethcal students into competent and humane doctors. The college is affiliated with University of Karachi and observes the conventional type of MBBS curriculum with two years of basic and three yecirs of clinical science training. Biochemistry is the basic medical science course, which is introduced in fIrst two years. Learning biochemistry has been passive through lecture-based strategy. Through problem based learning [PBL] students are actively involved and recognize deficiencies in their knowledge qf basic sciences and f ill up the gaps via self-learning. [l] To identify the attitude of students towards learning of basic medical course [Biochemistry] in innovative curriculum with PBL as the principle mode of information transfer, [2] To compare the university results of the students trained through two curricula. A cross-sectional analytical study. Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi during the academic year 2003 - 2004. Fifty-four students of batch -4 were asked to fill an anonymous questionnaire regarding 30 PBL sessions they were exposed to, during the academic year March 2003 till January 2004. The responses were analyzed using Chi-Square test. The results of first professional part B MBBS annual examination conducted by university of Karachi for batch - 3 [n=71] and 4 [n=54] were compared using student's t-test. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 10.0. Significant number of the students found PBL as a useful study aid and agreed that basic science knowledge is applicable and can easily he correlated with the clinical science knowledge [87% and 79.62%, p<0.05]. These sessions helped them to internalize habit of giving evidence-based answers and enabled them to acquire habit of doing positive criticism in group-discussions and to tolerate it patiently [88.8%, 87%, p<0.05]. Them was significant difference between the results of two classes exposed to conventional and problem-based curricula [p<0.05], probably it is due to the method of examination, which is totally conventional. The study results strongly favour introduction of problem-based learning as the mode of information transfer in basic sciences, but it should be implemented in combination with the traditional learning methods to provide effective training to the undergraduate medical students

Presentation and precipitating factors of diabetic Ketoacidosis in children

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder caused by absolute or relative deficiency of insulin. It is the most common metabolic disorder of childhood and is caused by deficiency of insulin [type 1]. Its prevalence is 1 per 500-600 children. The incidence is 1.2-1.9 cases per 1000 children. The complications of diabetes are multiple and severe. Immediate complications include Diabetic Ketoacidosis [DKA] and Coma. 10-30% children present with DKA. The main contributing factor is relative lack of insulin. This occurs when there is increased requirement for insulin due to increased physiological stress as seen in infection, trauma, surgery and psychological stress, etc. [1] To identify the frequency of various presentations of DKA in children. [2] To identify the frequency of various precipitating factors of DKA in children. [3] To correlate the incidence of DKA with age and socioeconomic conditions. A cross-sectional study. JMDCH, January 2004 - October 2004. The convenient sample of 50 histories was collected from pediatric departments of various public and private sector hospitals of Karachi. Results were analyzed using MS Excel 2000. A total of 50 cases were analyzed out of which most of the cases were undiagnosed [64%] and belonged to low socioeconomic group [58%]. Mean age of male patients was significantly lower as compared to females [5.5 +/- 2.31 vs. 7.54 +/- 3.05, p<0.05], while status of hydrogen ion concentration [pH] was significantly lower in females [7.16 +/- 1.46 vs. 7.26 +/- 0.08, p<0.05]. Most frequent presenting complaints were vomiting, abdominal pain, dehydration and respiratory distress [34%]. The most frequent precipitating factor was fever in 17[34%] cases. More than half of the cases are undiagnosed and belong to low socioeconomic group. The level of awareness towards diagnosis of disease increases with the socioeconomic conditions. DKA affects both the genders equally; males being affected at an earlier age group. Most frequent presenting complaints are vomiting, abdominal pain, dehydration and respiratory distress while fever is the chief precipitating factor

Leptin correlates with BMI and fasting blood sugar in lean and obese females with NIDDM

Leptin was first described as an adipocyte derived signaling factor, which after interaction with its receptors induces a complex response including control of body weight and energy expenditure. In humans leptin is present in circulation in direct proportion to the amount of body fat. Present study was conducted to investigate serum leptin levels in lean and obese Pakistani females with NIDDM, and evaluate its relationship with BMI, waist-hip ratio and fasting blood glucose levels. One hundred and forty subjects with different body mass index and fasting blood sugar levels were selected from diabetic centers in urban areas of Karachi. Serum leptin was measured by ELISA using coated micro-wells. The results indicate that serum leptin levels of obese non-diabetics were significantly higher compared to lean non-diabetics [p<0.001]. Leptin levels of diabetic patients were significantly higher than non-diabetic subject [p<0.05]. Based on these results, it is concluded that serum leptin levels are significantly correlated with body mass index. Increased leptin levels in diabetic patients may have an important metabolic role in the development of NIDDM