Ultrasonographic Measurement of Mean Cross-sectional Area of the Median Nerve in Pregnant Women in a Tertiary Level Hospital of Nepal: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Pregnancy is one of the predisposing factors for carpal tunnel syndrome, which may manifest as swelling of the median nerve. The purpose of this study was to obtain the mean cross-sectional area of median nerve using ultrasound in pregnant females at carpal tunnel inlet and its variations with different trimesters. METHODS: A total of 102 pregnant females at first, second and third trimesters were evaluated for median nerve with ultrasonography. Mean cross sectional area of median nerve was calculated in both hands by using two methods- direct and indirect. The study was conducted after obtaining ethical clearance from Institutional Review Board of Institute of Medicine, and after obtaining the written informed consent from the subjects. Convenience sampling technique was used. Data obtained were compiled and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20. RESULTS: The overall mean cross-sectional area was 6.84±1.09 mm2 using direct method and 7.09±1.19 mm2 using indirect method. The values obtained with indirect method were greater than that obtained with direct method. Mean cross-sectional area of the median nerve were higher at third trimester in both hands and by both direct and indirect methods. CONCLUSIONS: From the study conducted, the normal value of mean cross-sectional area of median nerve in pregnant females was established.

Mean Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Attending Tertiary Care Center: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Sonographic carotid intima media thickness measurement in diabetic patients is an important tool for estimating the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. It is a simple, noninvasive and widely available tool which can give idea of further treatment needed. The objective of this study was to determine the mean intima media complex thickness in patients with type II diabetes mellitus attending a tertiary care center. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study done in 64 patients with the type II diabetes mellitus patients visiting diabetic clinic of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, sent for carotid Doppler examination in the department of radiology and imaging. Ethical approval was taken from the Instituitonal Review Board. Convenient sampling method was used. Carotid intima media thickness was measured on both sides and mean intima media thickness was calculated. Mean intima media thickness for male and female diabetic patients was also calculated separately. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: The mean carotid intima media thickness was 0.86±0.13mm with range from 0.7mm to 1.3mm. Mean intima media thickness in male was 0.832±0.094mm and in female it was 0.904±0.144mm. Among 64 patients, 30 (46.8%) were female and 34 (53.3%) were male. Age of the patients ranged from 35 years to 68 years with mean age of 52.4±6.54 years. CONCLUSIONS: Carotid intima media thickness in patients with type II diabetes mellitus showed higher values than that of mean value from study done in similar study. Female had higher mean intima media thickness than male.

Correlational Study of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Diagnosed by Ultrasonography with Lipid Profile and Body Mass Index in Adult Nepalese Population.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to categorize patients into different grades of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by ultrasonography and to compare the findings with their serum lipid profile. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Descriptive, cross-sectional study design was used. One hundred and nine patients without a history of alcohol consumption of age more than 16 years attending general health checkup were selected at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Maharajganj, Kathmandu, as per the exclusion and inclusion criteria. Ultrasound scanning of the patients was done and their liver size, as well as grading of fatty liver, was done. Data were collected in predesigned pro forma and were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 16.0, IBM (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). RESULTS: In this study, the mean age of fatty liver in males was found to be 44.3 years and in females was found to be 51.9 years. 22.9% of patients with NAFLD had increased liver size. Significant association with increasing grades of fatty liver was found with increasing levels of cholesterol (P = 0.028), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (P = 0.017), liver size (P = 0.001), and body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.045) in patients diagnosed with NAFLD. No significant association with increasing grades of fatty liver was found with increasing levels of triglyceride (P = 0.32) and high-density lipoprotein (P = 0.25). CONCLUSION: Ultrasound is a safe and first-line modality for the evaluation of fatty liver and its grading. Increasing grades of fatty liver had significant association with increasing levels of cholesterol LDL, increasing liver size, and BMI of patients.

Assessment of carotid artery dimensions by ultrasound in non-smoker healthy adults of both sexes.

UNLABELLED: Assessment of carotid artery lumen diameter and intima-media thickness is becoming as a surrogate marker of early evaluation of cardiovascular disease. Present study aims to describe the normal carotid dimensions in healthy adults of both sexes. A total of 123 healthy volunteers including 65 men and 58 women, aged 21 to 60 years (mean +/- SD; 35.66 +/- 8.84 years) were studied. Ultrasound study of both carotid arteries were performed with a 7.5 MHz linear array transducer. Common carotid artery lumen diameter ranged from 4.3 mm to 7.7 mm. Difference was not noted between left and right common carotid artery lumen diameter (5.78 +/- 0.57 mm and 5.86 +/- 0.66 mm), and internal and external carotid artery lumen diameter as well. Both left and right common carotid artery, internal and external carotid artery lumen diameter tended to be larger (p < 0.05) in men than women. Common carotid artery intima-media thickness ranged from 0.4 mm to 0.8 mm. Difference was not noted between left and right common carotid intima-media thickness when separately analyzed among men, women and the entire population. Difference was also not noted in comparison between men and women. CONCLUSION: Common carotid artery and internal and external carotid artery lumen diameter tends to be larger in men than women among young adults. There is no difference between left and right carotid artery lumen diameter. Common carotid artery intima-media thickness is similar in comparison between left and right and both sexes.