RESUMO
Objective: To determine the gender differences in risk factors and patterns contributing towards deliberate self-poisoning. Methods: A descriptive study of patients admitted in National Poisoning Control Center Ward-5, Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center Karachi, was conducted for six months from 1st July 2013 to 1st January 2014. The information was gathered using a questionnaire generated from World Health Organization, International Programme on Chemical Safety's INTOX [WHO IPCS INTOX] recording format for toxic exposure the data was analyzed on package SPSS version 14.0. The results were obtained in numbers and percentages. The Chi-square test was used for statistical differences of risk factors for deliberate self-poisoning in relation to gender. p-values of <0.05 were considered significant. Results: Out of the 374 patients analyzed during this period the age group most frequent was within the range of 15-74 years, with 61.5% of the subjects being male. No significant age difference was observed between male and female subjects. Single male subjects represented the largest population which attempted deliberate self-poisoning. History of psychiatric illness and drug abuse was more common in male subjects. There was no significant difference in educational status, agent used for Deliberate Self-Poisoning [DSP], number of agents used or route of exposure in the two genders. The agent most commonly used was organophosphate insecticide. Conclusion: Young single males belonging to low socioeconomic group and having history of psychiatric illness or drug abuse are at greater risk of Deliberate Self-Poisoning [DSP]. Preventive strategies need to be directed at this population
RESUMO
To assess the association of Diabetic Retinopathy [DR] with type and duration of Diabetes Mellitus, mode of treatment and glycaemic control. An observational study was carried out. Patients with the diagnosis of either Type1, insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [IDDM] or Type 2, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [NIDDM] were enrolled into the study through non-probability, convenient sampling method from Jinnah Medical College Hospital Karachi from July 2012 to March 2013. Thorough history and physical examination was done on each patient. Glycaemic control was assessed by glycosylated Hb level [HbAIc]. All information so collected was entered into a proforma. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. A total of 108 patients were examined. Out of these, 33 [30.6%] had Type 1 and 75 [69.4%] had Type 2 diabetes. In Type 1 group, 18 [54.5%] were female while in Type 2 group, 37 patients [49.3%] were female. In Type 1 group, 60.6% [n=20] had DR compared to 37.3% [n=28] in Type 2 group [p <0.005]. DR. was seen less frequently in subjects with less than five years duration in both the groups i.e. 12.6% in Type 1, and 15.7% in the Type 2 group. This increased to 100% [p<0.001] in Type 1, and 77.7% [p<0.02] in the Type 2 group with a duration of over 20 years of diabetes. In patients on insulin therapy, 60.6% in Type 1 group and 53.1% subjects in Type 2 had DR. In Type 2 group, 25.6% subjects on oral hypoglycaemics and/or diet therapy had DR. None of the subjects in both groups with HbA1c <7% had any evidence of DR. The frequency of DR. is higher in patients with Type 1, than those with Type 2, in patients receiving insulin therapy and with long duration of diabetes. Higher levels of HbA1c have clear relationship with development of DR