Metabolic syndrome in soldiers of armed forces

Objective: To determine frequency of metabolic syndrome and its components amongst soldiers of Armed Forces

Study Design: Descriptive cross sectional

Place and Duration of Study: Medical department, Okara CMH, October 2012to March 2013

Patients and Methods: Our study included 2187 male soldiers. Age ranged from 20 to 52 years. Detailed history and examination of all the participants was done. Body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC] and blood pressure [BP] of each subject were recorded. BMI > 25 kg/m[2] and WC > 90 cm was considered obesity and abdominal obesity respectively. BP > 130/85 mmHg defined as hypertension. Blood glucose fasting, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides levels were checked in all participants. SPSS version 16 was used to analyzethe data. p value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant

Results: In our study, 783 participants [35.8%] were found to have abdominal obesity.Overall 491 [22.5%] soldiers had metabolic syndrome out of which 438 [89%] were physically inactive. Frequency of metabolic syndrome was 31.7% [156 out of 491] in age group 20 to 36 years while 68.3%[335 out of 491] in 37 to 52 years of age. Hypertriglyceredemia was present in 504 [23%], low HDL cholesterol in 496[22.6%], hypertension in 210 [9.6%] and abnormal glycemic control in 197 subjects [9%]

Conclusion: A large number of Army soldiers are suffering from metabolic syndrome. Its frequency is increased with increasing age, weight and physical inactivity.Patientswith previous history of diabetes or hypertension were 4 times at risk of developing Metabolic Syndrome as compared to others

Gastric carcinoma: location, morphological and histological profile

To know the common tumor location, morphological and histological types of gastric carcinoma. This cross sectional study was conducted in gastroenterology unit HMC from January to August 2010. One hundred and thirteen patients of more than 30 years of age and having endoscopic and biopsy proven gastric carcinoma were included in the study. All patients after necessary investigation were prepared for endoscopic examination, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was done and findings were recorded. Biopsies of the lesions were taken for histopathological confirmation. Seventy five [66.4%] patients were male and 38 [33.6%] were female. The mean age was 56.02 +/- 12.11 years. Antrum was involved in 29[25.7%] cases alone, body alone was involved in 16[14.2%] cases, body and antrum in combination were involved in 15[13.3%] cases, cardia and fundus in 15[13.3%] cases, cardia alone in 13[11.5%] cases, fundus alone in 6[5.3%] cases, fundus, antrum and body in combination in 5[4.4%] cases, cardia, fundus and body in combination in 3[2.7%] cases and cardia and body in combination were involved in 2[1.8%] cases, while stomach was diffusely involved in 9[8.0%] cases. Tumor was polypoid/fungating in 51[45.1%] cases, ulcerated in 43[38.1%], infiltrating in 17[15.0%] and fungating and ulcerated in 2[1.8%] cases. Intestinal type gastric carcinoma was present in 39[34.5%] cases and diffuse type gastric carcinoma was present in 74[65.5%] cases. Gastric carcinoma is a male predominant neoplasm which commonly involves the antrum, usually as fungating or ulcerated lesion and majority of gastric carcinoma are diffused type gastric carcinomas

Various risk factors for irritable bowel syndrome

To assess the frequency of various known risk factors in patients with irritable bowel syndrome [IBS]. Descriptive study. Combined Military Hospital Okara on 60 patients [convenience sampling over a period of 01 year] who had been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome [IBS] and paid regular follow-up visits to the medical OPD. Each patient in the study was investigated for the presence of various risk factors of IBS i.e. their age, sex, weight, socioeconomics, state of education, any coexistent ailment [DM, HTN etc] and any history of enteritis and food intolerance. The frequency of each risk factor in this sample of patients was then analyzed. Two third of the patients were within the age bracket of 20-30 years showing a male predominance. Body mass index and educational status had no effect on the frequency of the disease. Neither could any co-existing ailment or food intolerance be linked with the disease. Relatively high socioeconomic status and a history of enteritis prior to developing IBS did show a positive co-relation with IBS. IBS is more common in young adult males. The disease shows a positive co-relation with a history of prior acute enteritis. It has a slight predilection for high socioeconomic status but its frequency is not related to food intolerance, any co-existing disease or BMI