Study of prevalence and types of anemia in primary hypothyroidism

Background: Hypothyroidism is common disease with varying frequency between countries. Anemia in hypothyroidism can be normocytic normochromic, microcytic hypochromic and macrocytic hypochromic. Anemia severity is associated with hypothyroidism degree. Objective of this study to study the association between anemia and hypothyroidism and prevalence and types of anemia in primary hypothyroidism (subclinical and overt both).Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out at tertiary care hospital in North India. Newly diagnosed 100 primary hypothyroid patients and 100 controls with age and sex matched evaluated for anemia. Prevalence and types of anemia were studied and severity of anemia was correlated with that of hypothyroidism.Results: Anemia was observed in 90 patients with hypothyroidism. Symptoms due to anemia were higher in cases than in controls. RBCs morphology showed normocytic normochromic in 59, microcytic hypochromic in 26 and macrocytic hypochromic in 15 cases. Serum anti-TPO positivity was present in 71.1% in cases as compared to 33.33% in controls. Anemia was severe in cases with high TSH.Conclusions: Anemia was more prevalent in cases of hypothyroidism than in euthyroid controls. Normocytic normochromic type of anemia was most common type in this study. Serum anti-TPO positivity was 71.1% in cases. There was statistically significant negative correlation between TSH and haemoglobin. Symptoms of anemia were more in hypothyroid patients than in euthyroid anemic patients.

Knowledge, attitude and practices of antibiotic usage among university students from Karachi, Pakistan

Background: Antimicrobial resistance has become a serious global problem. A potential post-antibiotic era is threatening present and future medical advances. In Pakistan, the usage of antibiotic is unnecessarily high and due to over exposure to these drugs, bacteria are developing resistance against these drugs. It is necessary to improve public awareness about the rational use of antibiotics in order to bring a change in consumer’s behaviour. Therefore, present study was undertaken to assess the existing knowledge, attitude and practices related to antibiotic usage among university students.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among university students from Karachi, Pakistan during May-June 2018. 200 students were approached to participate in the study of which 159 agreed to participate (males: 70, females: 89). Pretested questionnaire was distributed to the study subjects and the collected data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23.Results: Substantial number of (33% and 50%) participants were unaware about the differences in antibiotic: anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotic: antipyretics respectively. 29% of the participants thought it is right to stop antibiotics only based on symptomatic improvement. Thirty nine percent and eighty three percent participants believed that antibiotics should always be prescribed to treat flu like symptoms and pneumonia respectively.Conclusions: Participants demonstrated average knowledge about antibiotics. Similarly, their attitude and practice toward antibiotic use was associated with misconceptions. An educational intervention is necessary to make them aware about rational use of antibiotics.

Oral cancer awareness among university students from Karachi, Pakistan

Background: Oral cancers (OC) are malignant lesions occurring in the oral cavity that include squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), salivary gland and odontogenic neoplasms. Even though it is the eighth most common malignancy globally but in Pakistan it is the second commonest type of cancer. Lack of awareness about ill-effects of preventable risk factors of oral cancer increases the burden of disease due to the associated high cost of treatment, permanent impairment and high mortality. Hence, awareness can be very helpful in prevention, control and early diagnosis of oral cancer.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among university students from Karachi, Pakistan during April to May 2018. Three hundred students were approached to participate in the study of which 277 agreed to participate. Pretested questionnaire was distributed and collected data was analysed using IBM SPSS version 23.Results: There were 125 (45%) males and 152 (55%) females in the study and response rate was 94%. Sixty one percent (154/250) respondents correctly identified smoking, and tobacco chewing as possible causes of oral cancer. Almost one third (74%; 184/250) respondents correctly responded that oral cancer does not spread from person to person through touch or speaking. Sixty six percent (164/250) respondents believed that oral cancer is curable. Mean score of knowledge was higher in females (61%) than males (53%). Significantly higher number of females compared to male participants answered correctly to questions regarding cause of oral cancer, spread of disease and occurrence of oral cancer in AIDS patients.Conclusions: Participants showed poor knowledge about oral cancer. Female participants showed better knowledge compared to male counterparts. Details about oral cancer should be incorporated in the university curriculum and periodic awareness programs should be organized for students.

Antioxidant, Antliglycation and Antimicrobial Activities of Ziziphus oxyphylla and Cedrela serrata Extracts.

Aims: To determine the antioxidant, antiglycation and antibacterial activity of two selected plants found wild in Pakistan (Ziziphus oxyphylla and Cedrela serrata). Study Design: In vitro assessment of antioxidant assays, phenolic and flavonoid content, protein-glycation inhibition and antibacterial study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp Belgium (February - April 2013; Antioxidant, Protein glycation). Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Karachi, Pakistan (March – June, 2012; antibacterial). Methodology: In vitro laboratory experimental tests; preparation of plant extracts, antioxidant assays (ABTS.+, PMS-NADH radicals), total phenol, total flavonoid; protein glycation (fluorescence); susceptibility tests (zones of inhibition). Results: The bark of C. serrata contained the highest amount of total phenol (0.35 ± 0.04 mg GAE/g extract) and exhibited significantly superior ABTS.+ and PMS superoxide radical scavenging activity with IC50 values of 0.043 ± 0.001 mg/ml and 0.18 ± 0.01 mg/ml, respectively (P=0.05). Similarly, the protein-glycation assay revealed that the bark of C. serrata had the best inhibitory property with a low IC50 value of 0.61 ± 0.02 mg/ml (P=0.05), probably due to the presence of high amounts of total phenol. Furthermore, the various extracts showed considerable inhibition against both Gram–positive and – negative bacterial growth when compared against two standard drugs neomycin and doxycycline. Conclusion: The results of this study substantiate a probable role for these plants to be utilized as a natural source of antioxidant having a wide range of bioactivities.

Políticas de conflictos de intereses y requisitos para su declaración en las revistas cardiovasculares nacionales de la Sociedad Europea de Cardiología / Conflict of interest policies and disclosure requirements among european society of cardiology national cardiovascular journals

Las revistas biomédicas utilizan la declaración de posibles conflictos de intereses para garantizar la credibilidad y la transparencia del proceso científico. Sin embargo, las revistas no abordan la declaración de conflictos de intereses de manera sistemática ni uniforme. Recientes esfuerzos editoriales conjuntos han abierto el camino a la aplicación de herramientas uniformes para la declaración de conflictos de intereses. En este artículo se presenta una visión integral sobre cuestiones clásicas relacionadas con los conflictos de intereses desde un punto de vista editorial. Además, a partir de los datos de un estudio transversal basado en el empleo de un cuestionario estandarizado, se comentan nuevas apreciaciones sobre las políticas y los actuales procedimientos editoriales relativos a los conflictos de intereses en las diversas revistas cardiovasculares nacionales de la Sociedad Europea de Cardiología.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is used by biomedical journals to guarantee credibility and transparency of the scientific process. Conflict of interest disclosure, however, is not systematically nor consistently dealt with by journals. Recent joint editorial efforts paved the way towards the implementation of uniform vehicles for conflicts of interest disclosure. This paper provides a comprehensive editorial perspective on classical conflict of interest-related issues. New insights into current conflicts of interest policies and practices among European Society of Cardiology national cardiovascular journals, as derived from a cross-sectional survey using a standardized questionnaire, are discussed.