Health outcomes in low, medium, high and very high human developed countries: a cross comparison with Pakistan

Background: Health is a key component of human development and economic growth of a country in addition to education and gross domestic product

Objectives: To determine the health outcomes in four human development index countries and to make a comparison of these with the heath indicators of Pakistan

Materials and Methods: The data used in the current study was a secondary data obtained from United Nations Development Report [UNDP] published in 2015 including several variables representing health outcomes of a country

Results: Pakistan spent 2.8% of its gross domestic product in public health programs which is lower than the average amount spent by low, medium, high and very high human development index countries. Number of medical doctors available per 10,000 people in Pakistan is 8.3 which is higher than the average number in low human development index [1.3], almost similar with the medium human development index [8.2] but much lower than the high [18.7] and very high [28.7] human development index countries. All the health outcome variables were significantly [p< 0.01] different across the four types of human development index groups

Conclusion: Low life expectancy, high mortality ratios, low vaccinations, child malnutrition, less number of physicians and a very low percentage of gross domestic product spent on health are the major barriers in human development of the country

Nephrotoxicity of CDDP assessed estimating glomerular filtration rate with 99mTc-DTPA plasma sample method

To assess early nephrotoxicity of CDDP [Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum] manifested by a decline in the glomerular filtration rate [GFR] estimated by plasma two sample clearance method [PSC 2] after 99mTc.DTPA injection. Descriptive study. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Karachi Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, Karachi, from September 2004 to January 2005. The renal function was assessed on 36 patients suffering from different types of cancer and receiving CDDP in doses of >/= 50 mg/m[2] before and after in each of six CDDP cycles. The GFR was determined by PSC 2 method after 99mTc-DTPA injection]. A paired sample t-test was used for comparison of the mean value with significance at p < 0.01. There were [28 males and 8 females; age range being 16-68 years]. The average decline in GFR baseline to the end of sixth cycles was 43.86 ml/min/1.73m[2] [p=0.000] as estimated by PSC 2 method. There was a significant fall of average 9.36 ml/min/1.73m[2] [p <0.01] in GFR as observed in each cycle of CDDP estimated by the PSC 2 method. In the initial four cycles, CDDP produced a major nephrotoxic effect of average 10.27 ml/min/1.73m[2] [p <0.01] fall in GFR. This then gradually declined to a plateau of an average decline in GFR of 7.76 and 7.31 ml/min/1.73m[2] [p=0.000] after the 5[th] and 6[th] cycle respectively. CDDP produced an early nephrotoxicity which was manifested by a significant decline in GFR in each cycle. Tc-99m PSC 2 method for GFR estimation should be used periodically for the early detection of nephrotoxicity induced by CDDP

Diagnostic accuracy of Tc-99m-MIBI for breast carcinoma in correlation with mammography and sonography

To evaluate the accuracy of 99mTc-MIBI scintimammography [SMM] in differentiating malignant breast cancer from benign breast mass and in detecting axillary lymph node metastasis in comparison with mammography and ultrasonography. Comparative cross-sectional study. At the Karachi Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine [KIRAN], Karachi, from December 2006 to May 2007. A total of 28 patients [both with breast lumps or/and axillary masses] included were in the study. They underwent clinical examination, mammography and ultrasound imaging followed by planar SMM using a single head detector. All subjects received a 740-1110 MBq bolus injection of [99m]Tc-Sestamibi. 5-10 minutes and 1 hour delayed images were acquired after the injection. SMM scans were considered positive when there was focal area of increased radiotracer uptake. Qualitative [visual] as well as quantitative evaluation of scans was done and compared with ultrasound and mammography, taking histopathology as Gold standard. Sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values [NPV and PPV respectively] were determined. There were 22 patients presenting with breast lesions [20 palpable, 2 non-palpable] and 6 patients with axillary lump. Scintimammography accurately predicted malignant lesions in the breast [sensitivity 93.3%, specificity. 71.4%, PPV 87.5%, NPV 83.3%, overall accuracy 86.4%] as well as in patients with axillary metastasis [sensitivity 100%, specificity 66%, PPV 75%, NPV 100%, accuracy 83%]. A combination of scintimammography with any other imaging modality provides better results than a single test to detect breast cancer. SMM has good diagnostic accuracy in the detection of breast cancer as well as in axillary metastasis in association with mammography and ultrasound

Estimation of glomerular filtration rate by using tc-99m DTPA plasma I sample method, Gates method, Cockcroft-Gault method and predicted creatinine clearance method: a prospective comparative analysis with plasma 2 - sample clearance method

To compare diagnostic accuracy of predicted clearance method, Gates method. Cockcroft-Gault method and plasma 1-sample clearance method with plasma 2-samples clearance method with Tc-99m DTPA for the estimation of glomerular filtration rate[GFR]. This study included 91 consecutive patients who were referred for evaluation of renal function to the Nuclear Medicine section of Karachi Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine [KIRAN] from September 2004 to September 2005. The GFR was determined simultaneously by 5 methods including Plasma two-Sample Clearance method after Tc-99m DTPA injection [PSC 2]; Plasma one-Sample Clearance method after Tc-99 m DTPA injection [PSC I]; Gamma camera uptake method after Tc-99m DTPA injection [Gates method]; Predicted Creatinine Clearance by Modification of Diet and Renal Diseases [MDRD]: and Cockeroft-Gault's equation for GFR estimation [CG]. PSC 2 was chosen as a reference, Out of the 91 patients, 71 were males and 20 females with age ranging from 16-68 years. The regression equation of the PSC 1, Gates, MDRD and CC method against the NC 2 was Y = 1.884+0.970X [r=0.90, p<0.001, SEE value-10, 23 ml/min/1.73m2]. Y = - 9.944 + l.083X [r=0.82, p<0.001, SEE valuel=11.02 mI/min/1.73m2], Y=25.606+0.640X [r=0.71, <0.002, SEEvaIuc=15.56 ml/min/1.73m2], and Y=14.9811-0.714X [r=0.77, p=0.002, SEE value=14.44 mI/min/1.73m2] respectively. In comparison with the GFR by PSC 2, the PSC I and Gates tended to overestimate by 1% [p=0.359] and 2% [p=0.265] respectively, MDRD and CC tended to underestimate GER by 11% and 14% respectively [p<0.001] PSC I correlate well with PSC 2 and either can be substituted for the other as ideal GFR markers. The Gates method shows good correlation with PSC 2 however it is less precise than PSC I. MDRD and CG methods due to significant underestimation are not considered as ideal GFR marker

randomized clinical trial comparing 50mCi and 100mCi of iodine-[131] for ablation of differentiated thyroid cancers

To compare the efficacy of low [50 mCi] and high dose [100 mCi] Iodine-131 in ablation of differentiated thyroid cancer remnants. Baseline serum thyroglobulin [sTg], thyroglobulin antibody [Tg Ab] and diagnostic whole body iodine scan with 2 mCi of I-131 were performed in each individual. After 6 months serum Tg, Tg Ab [of-thyroxin] and WB iodine scan with 10 mCi of I-131 were done to assess the efficacy of the low and high dose of I-131. Iodine ablative therapy [IAT] was considered successful [complete ablation] if the I-131 whole body scan was negative and sTg level was undetectable. In case of positive scan and/or sTg level detectable the patient was considered as unsuccessfully/partially ablated. In group A, [high dose] successful IAT was seen in 12/20 [60%] patients. Of these 5/7 [71%] had follicular Carcinoma on histopathology and 7/13 [54%] had papillary Ca. In group B, [low dose] successful IAT was seen in 8/20 [40%] patients, out of which 3/10 [30%] had follicular Carcinoma on histopathology and had successful IAT. 5/10 [50%] patients with papillary Carcinoma had successful IAT. As far as histopathology is concerned, in group A, response to high dose I-131 was better in follicular type than papillary type. Whereas in group B, response to low dose I-131 was better in patients with papillary type than follicular. 100 mCi of radioactive Iodine-131 [I-131] is a more effective therapeutic dose than 50 mCi [I-131] in the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer remnants. Furthermore, follicular Carcinoma respond better to 100 mCi I-131 than 50 mCi while papillary Carcinoma showed an almost equal response to both