Assessment of stress & related albuminuria in caregivers of severe mentally ill persons.

Background & objectives: The family caregivers of patients with chronic diseases are known to undergo psychiatric stress leading to oxidative damage to glomerular membrane of kidney resulting in proteinuria. This study was aimed to compare current anxiety, depression levels and urinary albumin:creatinine ratio between primary caregivers of chronic mental patients and matched controls, and also whether the urinary albumin : creatinine ratio is correlated with stress factors (state and trait anxiety level, depression and caregiver burden) amongst caregivers. Methods: The present cross-sectional study included 131 subjects (93 primary caregivers of patients with major mental illness as cases and 38 normal controls). They completed the Burden Assessment Schedule of SCARF, State Trait Anxiety Inventory and Beck’s Depression Inventory. A spot urine sample was tested for urinary albumin : creatinine ratio from all study subjects. Results: Mean values of current State and Trait anxiety, depression, urinary albumin:creatinine ratio were significantly higher in caregivers than controls (P<0.001). Urinary albumin : creatinine ratio was significantly correlated (P<0.001) with State and Trait anxiety level, depression as well as caregiver burden. Interpretation & conclusions: The study demonstrated depression , anxiety and albuminuria amongst primary caregivers of patients with mental illness. Increase in the caregivers’ burden, depression and anxiety resulted in an increase in the urinary albumin: creatinine ratio. This indicates that psychological stress is one of the determinants of albumin excretion rate in otherwise healthy subjects.

Assessment of perception of first professional MBBS students in India about a teaching learning activity in Biochemistry.

Objectives: To obtain feedback from the 1st Professional MBBS students on their perception of the existing method of lecture classes in Biochemistry. Method: A semi-structured questionnaire based study was conducted at the Department of Biochemistry, Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, under the West Bengal University of Health Sciences. The subjects were the 1st Professional MBBS students in the 1st semester of the academic year 2008 – 2009. Results: Three items with the highest and least Satisfaction Index were segregated and compared against an ‘average satisfaction’ of 66.67%. The summary of the consolidated observation on the most appreciated and least appreciated aspects and suggestions for improvements were taken into consideration and discussed. Further, Interpretation of the feedback reflected that the learners still preferred to be taught in a predominantly individualized care-based environment. Conclusion: Feedback from the students facilitates a change in preconceived notions about teachinglearning principles on the part of the faculty. At the same time, it is evident from the feedback obtained that the students still prefer to be taught in an individualized care-based environment which reflects their lack of or incomplete attitudinal shift towards the more institutionalized care-based environment of a medical education institution.

Role of clinical biochemistry laboratory in the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.

Clinical biochemistry and laboratory help is needed at all stages of diagnosis of diabetes. Laboratory plays a key role in the management of diabetes and its complications like renal, metabolic, and others. Monitoring of treatment is also guided by regular blood sugar estimation and self-monitoring of blood glucose level.