Quality Of Life Among Stroke Patients Admitted In A Tertiary Care Hospital

Stroke is defined by its aupt onset of a neurologic deficit that is attributable to a focal vascular lesion1. Hypertension, tobacco use, alcohol intake, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity are common risk factors for stroke2. Stroke patients may be left with disability which affects their quality of life. This study aims to profile the morbidity of stroke patients admitted in a tertiary hospital, the prevailing risk factors and their quality of life. METHODOLOGY: A hospital based cross sectional study was conducted among 40 stroke using Stroke Specific Quality Of Life Scale (SS–QOL).RESULT: Of the 40 patients, 20% are females and 80% are males. Family role is severely affected among male patients (mean 1.2) and social roles are the most affected among females (mean 1.3). In motor functions, Upper extremity functions is severely affected (mean 1.2).Under higher functions, language is severely affected (mean score 3.5). CONCLUSION: Males are more affected. Hypertension, personality, smoking and alcohol are the common risk factors. The quality of life is severely affected.

Rapid serodiagnosis of leptospirosis by latex agglutination test and flow-through assay.

PURPOSE: Diagnosis of leptospirosis facilitates patient management and initiation of therapy. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) is the serological test used in reference laboratories because of its high degree of sensitivity and specificity. But the results are not available quickly for patient management. In the present study, in order to develop a simple, rapid immunodiagnostic assay, one of the outer membrane proteins (OMPs), recombinant LipL41 (rLipL41) has been utilised in latex agglutination test (LAT) and flow-through assay. METHODS: Part of LipL41 gene was expressed in Escherichia coli system and purified. The rLipL41 antigen of pathogenic Leptospira interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, which is conserved in all pathogenic Leptospira spp. was used as capture antigen in the LAT and flow-through test. Both tests are very rapid and could be completed within 5 minutes. The sensitivity and specificity of rLipL41 was assessed and evaluated in LAT and flow-through assay in comparison with standard MAT. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the LAT were 89.70 and 90.45% and flow-through assay were 89.09 and 77.70%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The developed LAT and flow-through assays were simple, rapid and economical for the detection of leptospira infection and suitable for large-scale screening of samples in endemic areas without any sophisticated equipment.