Heel pain and its associations

Objective: Heel pain is an everyday increasing problem in young people more commonly in females. It is estimated that about one million people with complaint of heel pain seek medical advice per year. Therefore, it was needed to highlight its clinical associations

Methods: One hundred and thirty-eight cases with heel pain were registered. For comparison, 134 subjects were registered as control. All subjects were segregated into gender groups. Each gender group was further subdivided into young [age < 40] and old [age > 40] groups. Three parameters were considered, i] blood pressure, ii] body mass index [BMI] and iii] serum uric acid level

Results: The overall male to female ratio was 1: 3. There was significant difference [p < .05] in the means of systolic and diastolic blood pressure of old [> 40] cases of both gender groups. The Odds ratio showed association between DBP and heel pain in female group only. There was significant difference [p < .05] in the means of BMI of cases from those of age and gender matched controls. The Odds ratios also showed strong association between increased BMI and heel pain. There was significant difference [p < .05] in the means of uric acid levels of cases from those of controls in female groups only. Similarly, the Odds ratio in this group showed association between hyperuricemia and heel pain. When above parameters were analysed for anindependentrisk factor, increased BMI and hyperuricemia were found to be associated with heel pain as isolated and independent risk factors

Conclusion: In our study, the female cases outnumbered the male cases by 1: 3.The results showing the association between heel pain and increased BMI were well consistent with the international studies. For hyperuricemia, the association with heel pain was also consistent with international studies. Similarly, the hypertension was also found in the cases with heel pain in old groups only. The obesity and hyperuricemia were found to beisolated and independent risk factors associated with the heel pain

Frequency of bacterial, viral and fungal meningitis occurrence in Gadap town Karachi, Pakistan

In the present study the frequency of bacterial [including tuberculous meningitis], viral and fungal meningitis occurrence in Gadap Town, Karachi, Pakistan has been determined. It is a population-based descriptive study which was carried out in Fatima Laboratory Hospital, Baqai Medical University, Karachi from November 2013 to November 2014. A total of 100 cases of meningitis were reported in the hospital during the study period. The physical, chemical and microscopic examinations of the samples were performed following the criteria of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]. In biochemical analysis, glucose was estimated by hexokinase method whereas protein was estimated by calorie method of molybdate. The results of the analysis indicated that the incidence of bacterial meningitis was highest [65%] in the studied population, in which 30% cases were diagnosed with tuberculous meningitis and 35% with other bacterial infections. In the remaining cases, the fungal meningitis [20%] was second most common followed by viral meningitis [15%]

significance of C-reactive protein in adult obese and centrally obese group

To see the significance of C-reactive protein in adult obese and centrally obese groups. Descriptive Study. This study was carried out from free camp for obesity in Clifton area and Punjab Colony, Karachi from November 2010 to April 2011. Overweight adults [20-40 years] were selected along with the history of Xanthomas, yellow coloration of eyes, and high blood pressure and cardiac arrest.100 samples were taken for lipid profile, and C-reactive protein [CRP]. The Body Mass Index [BMI] and waist hip ratio was measured by following the criteria of the National Heart Lung And Blood Institute. Hundred patients were selected for the purposes of study. These patients were divided into two categories i.e. adult obese and centrally obese. Body mass index [BMI] was increases [M=31.27 +/- 1.2, F= 31.3 +/- 0.27] in both sexes of adult, whereas waist hip ratio was slightly increases in adult male [1.22 +/- 0.04] as compared to female[1.14 +/- 0.025]. In comparison of centrally obese male and female, body mass index was high in females [34.1 +/- 0.67] as compared to male [31.68 +/- 0.53], but waist hip ratio was elevated in male cases [2.16 +/- 0.14] than female [2.16 +/- 0.14], when compared with control cases. Whereas C-reactive protein was high in female cases [27.8 +/- 1.20] as compared to male [24.20 +/- 0.86]. In case of centrally obese, markedly increased level was observed in female [30.63 +/- 2.57] as compared with male [28.9 +/- 2.35]. There is significant effect of inflammatory marker C-reactive protein in both male and female obese and centrally obese adult groups