Analysis of lung function and respiratory symptoms in brass/metal industrial workers of Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Background: The job demands of some of the industries have been reported to be hazardous to the health and safety of workers. Workplace environmental hazards or occupational hazards are a globally major cause of disability and mortality among the working population. The present study was done to analyze the effect of exposure to metal dust on pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms. Materials and Methods: The study population selected as cases were 200 male mill workers working for at least 1-year duration (direct exposure) in the age group of 20-50 years, and controls were 200 age- and gender-matched male participants without any history of occupational or environmental exposure. A complete history was taken. Spirometry was done. Spirometric parameters studied were forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), ratio of FEV1 and FVC, and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). The spirometry data and baseline characteristics of the participants were compared using unpaired t-test. Results: The mean age of the participants of the study group and the control group was 42.3 years and 44.1 years, respectively. The majority of the study population belonged to the age group of 41-50 years. The mean FEV1 value among participants of the study group and control group was 2.69 and 2.13, respectively. The mean FVC value among participants of the study group and control group was 3.18 and 3.63, respectively. The mean FEV1/FVC value among participants of the study group and control group was 84.59% and 86.22%, respectively. The mean PEFR value among the study group and control group was 7.78 and 8.67, respectively. While analyzing statistically, mean lung functional tests were significantly lowered among the study group. About 69.5% of the participants of the study group thought it to be essential for making safety measures a necessity. Conclusion: The present study concluded that mean lung functional tests were significantly lowered among the study group. Despite the use of face mask, lung function abnormality was present in mill workers.

Résumé Contexte: Les exigences professionnelles de certaines industries ont été signalées comme étant dangereuses pour la santé et la sécurité des travailleurs. Les risques environnementaux sur le lieu de travail ou les risques professionnels sont une cause majeure d'invalidité et de mortalité au sein de la population active. La présente étude a été réalisée pour analyser l'effet de l'exposition à la poussière métallique sur la fonction pulmonaire et les symptômes respiratoires. Matériels et méthodes: La population étudiée sélectionnée comme cas était composée de 200 hommes travaillant dans des usines pendant au moins un an (exposition directe) dans le groupe d'âge 20-50 ans. Les témoins étaient 200 participants masculins appariés par l'âge et le sexe, sans aucun antécédent d'exposition professionnelle ou environnementale. Une anamnèse complète a été réalisée. Une spirométrie a été effectuée. Les paramètres spirométriques étudiés étaient la capacité vitale forcée (CVF), le volume expiratoire forcé en 1 s (VEMS), le rapport entre le VEMS et la CVF, et le débit expiratoire de pointe (DEP). Les données spirométriques et les caractéristiques de base des participants ont été comparées à l'aide d'un test t non apparié. Résultats: L'âge moyen des participants du groupe d'étude et du groupe et du groupe témoin était de 42,3 ans et 44,1 ans, respectivement. La majorité de la population étudiée appartenait à la tranche d'âge des 41-50 ans. La valeur moyenne du VEMS parmi les participants du groupe d'étude et du groupe témoin était de 2,69 et 2,13, respectivement. La valeur moyenne de la CVF parmi les participants du groupe d'étude et du groupe témoin était de 3,18 et 3,63, respectivement. La valeur moyenne VEMS/CVF chez les participants du groupe d'étude et du groupe témoin était de 84,59 % et 86,22 %, respectivement. La valeur moyenne de la PEFR parmi les participants du groupe groupe étudié et le groupe témoin était de 7,78 et 8,67, respectivement. Lors de l'analyse statistique, les tests fonctionnels pulmonaires moyens ont été significativement réduits dans le groupe étudié. dans le groupe d'étude. Environ 69,5 % des participants du groupe d'étude ont estimé qu'il était essentiel de prendre des mesures de sécurité. Conclusion: La présente étude a conclu que les tests fonctionnels pulmonaires moyens étaient significativement abaissés dans le groupe étudié. Malgré l'utilisation masque facial, les travailleurs de l'usine présentaient des anomalies de la fonction pulmonaire. Mots-clés: Poussière de métal dur, test de fonction pulmonaire, symptômes respiratoires.

Head-to-Head Comparison of Tazarotene and Calcitriol with or without Sequential Therapy in Mild-to-Moderate Psoriasis: A Randomized Open-label Study.

Objective: Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes rapid turnover of skin cells. It is a chronic disease that affects a patient's quality of life significantly and frequently requires long-term treatment. The study on sequential therapy with tazarotene 0.1% and calcitriol 0.0003% has not been tried so far; hence, we designed this study to compare the safety and efficacy of sequential therapy with tazarotene 0.1% cream and calcitriol 0.0003% ointment versus monotherapy in mild-to-moderate stable plaque psoriasis (SPP). The objective of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of topical sequential treatment with tazarotene followed by calcitriol, topical calcitriol followed by tazarotene, tazarotene monotherapy, calcitriol monotherapy, and compare the safety and efficacy of the sequential therapies with monotherapies. Methods: The study was a single center, prospective parallel-group, active control, randomized study of 16 weeks duration (treatment for 8 weeks and follow-up for 16 weeks), randomized to either of the four groups, i.e., tazarotene 0.1% for 4 weeks followed by calcitriol 0.0003% for 4 weeks or calcitriol 0.0003% for 4 weeks followed by tazarotene 0.1% for 4 weeks or tazarotene 0.1% for 8 weeks or calcitriol 0.0003% for 8 weeks. Both tazarotene and calcitriol were applied once daily in all the groups. Findings: There was no significant difference with regard to age and duration of illness among the four treatment groups. Statistically significant improvement was observed in erythema, scaling, and induration scores, and Physician`s global assessment scale at 8 weeks and 16 weeks as compared to baseline in tazarotene - calcitriol, calcitriol - tazarotene, and calcitriol versus tazarotene groups. Conclusion: This study concluded that topical treatment with tazarotene 0.1% and calcitriol 0.003% was efficacious in treating mild-to-moderate SPP as both sequential and monotherapy. However, topical treatment with tazarotene as monotherapy was the least efficacious.

Case-Based Learning as an Effective Tool in Teaching Pharmacology to Undergraduate Medical Students in a Large Group Setting.

BACKGROUND: The need for case-based learning in basic subjects is being recognized world over. Early clinical illustrations and actual clinical exposure enable students to associate basic science and real patient situations, probably increasing their retention of knowledge. The study was conducted to introduce an alternate method of teaching-learning in pharmacology in a large classroom setting to integrate pharmacology into clinical setting for better learning and understanding of the subject. METHODS: Ninety-four students of second professional MBBS of a medical college in Punjab were divided into 2 groups and were taught a 2-hour topic in pharmacology using case-based learning (CBL) method and didactic lecture (DL) method using a crossover design. Their attendance and written test score at the end of teaching session were compared. Feedback from students and faculty was taken by prestructured questionnaires. RESULTS: There was an increase in students' attendance (P = .008) in CBL sessions but insignificant difference in their performance (P = .98) in the tests. Most (84%) of the students felt that CBL is a better method of teaching-learning than traditional DL. The teaching faculty felt that the students looked more interested and were themselves more motivated for the newer method of teaching. CONCLUSIONS: Case-based learning led to improvement in student motivation, satisfaction, and engagement. Most students and faculty accepted that CBL was an effective learning tool for pharmacology teaching in a large group setting and supported the incorporation of CBL into traditional DL teaching.

Introducing objective structured practical examination as a method of learning and evaluation for undergraduate pharmacology.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment method can influence student learning. Use of objective structured practical examination (OSPE) has been reported in various institutes with great benefits. We evaluated OSPE for the assessment of practical skills in pharmacology examination for undergraduate medical students and compared it with conventional practical examination (CPE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: After sensitizing the 2nd year MBBS students to OSPE, the students were divided into four batches with twenty students in each batch. Students were assessed by attending five OSPE stations, each for duration of 5 min. The effectiveness was assessed through a student's feedback questionnaire and was checked for its reliability by Cronbach's alpha. The result of OSPE was compared with that of CPE of the same batch. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha of the feedback questionnaire was 0.71, with high internal consistency. The feedback given was categorized into three domains: cognitive, psychomotor, and affective, and an assessment was also done for its further use. In cognitive domain, 74% of the students felt that the questions asked and the syllabus taught were well correlated. In psychomotor domain, 81% agreed that it is excellent for assessing the applied part of the subject. Seventy percent of students opined that it was associated with lesser stress than CPE. On overall assessment, 76% rated this methodology as good/satisfactory and 23% as excellent in terms of better scoring. There was a significant difference in the mean score between the results of OSPE and CPE (P < 0.001, df = 158, confidence interval = 95%). CONCLUSION: OSPE is a feasible and skill enhancing tool for the assessment in pharmacology examinations for undergraduate students.