Determination of serum gonadotropin and testosterone levels in male infertility

To determine the levels and ratios of serum LH, FSH and Testosterone, among men having history of infertility, A non-interventional descriptive study was carried out in the Department of Public Health Laboratories Division, NIH, Islamabad from January 2004 to December 2005. Two hundred fifty infertile men, classified as azoospermic [50], oligozoospermic [75], asthenozoospermic [50] and normozoospermic [75] were studied for serum LH, FSH and Testosterone, in addition to 50 proven fathers. The respective FSH [mlU/ml] LH [mlU/ml] and Testosterone [nmol/L] levels for the groups were 22.924.15, 13.852.33 and 11.860.70 [Azoospermia], 16.823.79, 10.921.22 and 11.88 +/- 1.06 [Oligozoospermia], 3.220.61, 3.921.17 and 16.24 +/- 2.05 [Asthenozoospermia] while in normozoospermic men were 5.530.52, 7.400.60 and 17.29+1.02, The proven fathers group had 7.74 +/- 0.71 mlU/ml LH, 6.75+1.06 mlU/ml FSH and 15.88 +/- 1.15 nmol/ml testosterone, respectively. The LH/FSH and FSH/LH ratios were 0.77 +/- 0.08 and 1.84 +/- 0.22 [Azoospermia], 1.78 +/- 0.41 and 1.47 +/- 0.18 [Oligozoospermia], 1.51 +/- 0.46 and 1.28 +/- 0.28 [Asthenozoospermia] while in normozoospermic and proven fathers were 1.55 +/- 0.16 and 0.85 +/- 0.10,1.67 +/- 0.22 and 0.94 +/- 0.12. Similarly, the LH/T and T/LH ratios were 1.17 +/- 0.28 and 0.86 +/- 2.70 [Azoospermia], 0.92 +/- 0.28 and 1.08 +/- 0.17 [Oligozoospermia], 0.30 +/- 0.10 and 4.14 +/- 10.4 [Asthenozoospermia] and in normozoospermic were 0.42 +/- 0.08 and 2.34 +/- 0.48.The ratios observed for T/FSH and FSH/T were 0.52 +/- 0.17 and 1.93 +/- 5.95 [Azoospermia], 0.71 +/- 0.28 and 1.42 +/- 3.57 [Oligozoospermia], 5.04 +/- 3.38 and 0.20 +/- 0.30 [Asthenozoospermia] and in normozoospermic men were 2.82 +/- 0.90 and 0.35 +/- 1.12, while in proven fathers were 4.09 +/- 0.57and 1.04 +/- 0.53 respectively. Altered/disturbed concentrations of gonadotropins and androgenic hormones and their ratios cause infertility, since all these hormones act synergistically

Single dose fluconazole in the treatment of pityriasis versicolor

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of single dose [450mg] of fluconazole in the treatment of pityriasis versicolor. Patients suffering from pityriasis versicolor presenting to department of dermatology, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar were enrolled in the study. Diagnosis of PV was made by Wood`s lamp and confirmed by examination of scales in KOH preparation. 30 patients were included in the study. 30 patients completed the study including 24 males and 6 females. Their age ranged from 14 years to 45 years [mean 25.3 years]. Eighteen patients [60%] had complete cure and their clinical and laboratory parameters remained negative at 3 weeks and 6 weeks after completion of treatment. Twelve [40%] had no response to treatment. Treatment was well-tolerated and there were no adverse affects reported with single 450mg of fluconazole. Fluconazole 450mg as a single dose was effective in the treatment of pityriasis versicolor and well tolerated. However, long term comparative studies should be done to establish the efficacy of fluconazole as a single dose treatment in PV

Lymph node diseases: a histopathological analysis of 86 cases at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Peshawar

To know the frequency of lymph node diseases. The lymph nodes specimens received in the department of pathology, HMC in the year 2003 [n=86] were analyzed histopathologically. Out of a total eighty six lymph node biopsy specimens .common lymph node lesions included chronic granulomatous lesions compatible with tuberculosis [37.2%] followed by reactive hyperplasia [26.7%], Hodgkin's Disease [6.9%], Non-Hodgkins lymphoma, [3.5%], Acute lymphadenitis [9.3%] and metastatic carcinoma [9.3%]. This study shows that extrapulmonary tuberculous lymphadenitis is still the most commonly encountered lesion followed by non-specific reactive changes and malignancies