Determinants of the risk for diabetic foot ulceration in Sohag University Hospital

One of the most common complications of diabetes in the lower extremity is the diabetic foot ulceration [DFU]. To identify the determinants of the risk for diabetic foot ulceration [DFU] in terms of peripheral neuropathy [PN] or peripheral vascular disease [PVD] among a sample of diabetic foot patients. A cross sectional study included 100 diabetic foot patients attending Sohag University Hospital for follow up during the period from January 2009 to January 2010. They were subjected to complete medical history taking and thorough clinical examination. Diabetic Neuropathy Symptoms [DNS] along with the Diabetic Neuropathy Examination [DNE] scores were used together to define and assess PN. PVD diagnosis was based on identification of claudication pain symptoms; absent or weak foot pulses on palpation of the dorsalis pedis and/or the tibialis posterior arteries; coldness of skin; and finally confirmed by arterial doppler of lower limbs. The mean age of the patients was 57.92 +/- 9.2 years; 65% were males and 79% lived in rural areas. The majority [79%] had type 2 DM with mean disease-duration of 13.4 +/- 6.9 years. Fifty percent of the study patients were smokers and ex-smokers, 33% were hypertensive and 24% had previous history of foot ulceration or amputation. Male gender, old age, low socioeconomic status, smoking, hypertension, type 2 DM, long duration of DM, uncontrolled DM, and previous history of foot ulceration, amputation or other diabetic complications were all significant determinants of PN and PVD; two major risk factors of DFU

Study of risk factors for Ischaemic heart disease in middle aged women

This is a prospective study conducted to examine the relationships of obesity, lipids and apolipoproteins, menopausal status, prior combined oral contraceptive [COC] use, and parity with the risk for ischemic heart disease [IHD] among middle aged women. A total of 160 women, aged 35 to 59 years were recruited, 100 cases with IHD, and 60 healthy women as controls. High apolipoprotein-B [Apo-B], low density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], and high triglyceride [TG] levels, were found to have independent influence on the risk of developing IHD in the studied cases. Other risk factors that were found to have significant relation to IHD were increased body mass index [BMI], postmenopause particularly before 50 years, increased low- density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], increased total cholesterol [TC], decreased apolipoprotein-A-I [Apo-A-I]. Parity and prior combined oral contraceptive use were not found to be significant risk factors. An equation including all the studied factors was suggested to be used for prediction of IHD in middle-aged women