Relationship of high sensitivity C-reactive protein with presence and severity of coronary artery disease

Inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. This study aimed to assess the relationship of serum inflammatory marker high sensitivity C Reactive protein [hsCRP], with the presence and severity of angiographically evaluated coronary artery disease [CAD]. This study was conducted at departments of physiology and cardiology, College of Medicine King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh from August 2009 to March 2012. Eighty seven patients [57 males and 30 females] with angiographically evaluated CAD were studied. In all these patients CAD severity was assessed by Gensini scoring and vessel scoring. Control group consisted of 29 healthy subjects [17 males and 12 females]. Fasting venous blood samples were analyzed for lipid profile and high sensitivity C-reactive protein [hsCRP]. There were non-significant differences in age, weight and BMI among healthy subjects and CAD patients. Comparison of lipid profile between control and CAD patients showed that CAD patients had significantly higher TG and significantly lower HDL levels compared to control subjects. CAD patients presented with significantly higherhsCRP levels than controls. Linear regression analysis between hsCRP and CAD severity determined by Gensini scores showed a significant positive correlation [r=0.423, p=0.018]. Triple vessel disease patients had significantly higher hsCRP levels than one vessel and two vessel disease, while the difference was non significant between one and two vessel disease groups. These results suggest that patients with angiographically evaluated CAD have significantly higher levels of hsCRP levels compared to healthy individuals and are correlated with the presence and severity of CAD

Comparison of the impact of powerpoint and chalkboard in undergraduate medical teaching: an evidence based study

To compare the impact of the PowerPoint multimedia presentation and chalkboard in teaching by assessing the knowledge based on the marks obtained. Cross-sectional study. Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from December 2007 - June 2009. Three-hundred male medical students were divided into three groups and a selected content-based lecture in physiology was delivered. For one group lecture was delivered using PowerPoint presentation, for second group using chalkboard and for third group the lecture was delivered by using both PowerPoint as well as chalkboard. Single-best Multiple Choice Questions [MCQs] paper was used for assessing the knowledge gained. The same exercise was repeated in another medical science school for the confirmation of validity and reliability of the results. Students who attended the class on both PowerPoint and chalkboard obtained significantly higher score in single best MCQ examination compared to those students who attended the same content based lecture on the PowerPoint or chalkboard alone [p = 0.05]. The integrated [PowerPoint and chalkboard] method of teaching was found more suitable tool of teaching and learning than PowerPoint or chalkboard alone