Comparison of diagnostic yield of AFB with sputum induction to spontaneous sputum examination in suspected pulmonary tuberculosis

To compare the diagnostic yield of AFB positivity with sputum induction to spontaneous sputum examination in suspected cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. Comparative study. Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, from January to December 2006. Sputum specimens were collected by both techniques from 164 patients with clinical and radiological suspicion of pulmonary tuberculosis admitted in medical wards. All specimens were examined for AFB smear and culture positivity. Sputum induction was done for 15-20 minutes with 3% sterile hypertonic saline solution by nebulization in all cases. Proportions were compared using Chi-square test. Among 164 patients, 32 patients [19.5%] were not expectorating spontaneously. Sputum induction was successful in 22 [68.75%] cases and AFB smear was positive in 03 [9.37%] and AFB culture was positive in 7 [21.8%] of these cases. One hundred and thirty two [80.5%] patients were already expectorating and both Day-1 [spontaneous] and Day-2 [induced] sputum samples were available. Day-1 [spontaneous] sputum specimens revealed AFB smear positive results in 20 [15.15%] patients, and AFB culture positive results in 24 [18.18%] patients. Smear positivity on Day-2 [induced] sputum samples was 21.21% [28] with 27.27% [36] culture positivity. In expectorating patients, AFB smear and culture positivity results remain comparable with spontaneous and induced sputum sampling. Sputum induction improves the diagnostic yield for AFB in patients unable to expectorate adequate sputum sample

Frequency of dyslipidemia in Pakistani soldiers in multan garrison

To determine the frequency of dyslipidemia in army soldiers in Multan garrison. Descriptive study. Department of Medicine at Combined Military Hospital Multan from January 1998 to January 2000. One thousand, otherwise healthy male soldiers, from various units in Multan Garrison were included in this study. Their fasting venous blood samples were obtained in sterile disposable syringe for lipid profile test. Those who were smokers or had history of diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism or family history of early coronary heart disease [CHD] were excluded. Sixty eight [6.8%] soldiers were found to have dyslipidemia. Thirty [3%] had low HDL levels, 26 [2.6%] had increased serum triglyceride levels, 10 [1.0%] soldiers were found having isolated increase in LDL-cholesterol level with normal total serum cholesterol, and 2[0.2%] were having raised total and LDL cholesterol levels. Eighty four percent of studied population was not aware of the fact that dyslipidemia is a risk factor for heart disease. Frequency of dyslipidemia in Pakistani soldiers is moderate and it can be further reduced by increasing the awareness of disease