Magnitude, characteristics and consequences of topical steroid misuse in rural North India: an observational study among dermatology outpatients.

INTRODUCTION: Current evidence indicates an alarming increase in topical steroid (TS) misuse in India. Data regarding the magnitude and characteristics of this problem in rural India, where 68% of the population resides, are insufficient. This study analyses the magnitude, causes, characteristics and consequences of TS misuse in rural India. It also examines the association between TS misuse and patients' perception of skin disease. METHODS: A mixed-method observational study was conducted among the attendees of the dermatology outpatient department in a rural North Indian hospital. Those with a history of TS misuse were analysed for behaviour patterns and outcome. RESULTS: Out of 723 patients, 213 (29.2%) misused TS. Clobetasol propionate (58.2%) was most commonly misused. Seventy brands of inappropriate fixed drug combination steroid creams were recovered from the patients. Pharmacists and local healers together contributed to 78% of the sources for steroid misuse. Almost 58% of participants perceived their skin conditions to be allergic reactions to food, when in fact 70.1% were tinea, 10% scabies and 9% acne. Eighty per cent of the respondents having tinea had tinea incognito and 97% had extensive lesions. Eighty-five per cent of the participants with scabies had atypical lesions and 80% with acne had steroid rosacea or aggravation of acne. The median expenditure incurred in purchasing these potentially harmful steroid creams was Rs 1000 (US$14.1, equivalent to 3 days' wages of a labourer). CONCLUSION: Steroid misuse is a problem of epidemic proportion in rural India. This practice is changing the profile of many common and infective skin conditions, which portends diagnostic dilemmas and therapeutic challenges for clinicians. Misconceptions about skin disease drive the public to seek 'quick fixes' from non-allopathic providers who have unrestricted access to potent steroids. There is an urgent need to tighten regulatory controls over the manufacturing, sale and prescription of irrational TS combinations.

Prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes in rural Tehri Garhwal, India: influence of diagnostic method.

BACKGROUND: There are few available data regarding the prevalence of diabetes in the sub-Himalayan region of India. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes in rural Garhwal based on glycosylated hemoglobin. METHODS: In a cross-sectional survey of 500 adults from five randomly selected villages in Chamba, a mountainous Tehri Garhwal district in Uttarakhand in north-west India, we determined the prevalence of diabetes (hemoglobin (Hb) A1c ≥ 6.5%) and pre-diabetes (5.7% ≤ HbA1c ≤ 6.4%). In a sub-sample of those diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes (n = 140), fasting blood glucose (FBG, n = 117) or postprandial blood glucose (PBG, n = 23), and blood hemoglobin concentration, was measured at follow-up. RESULTS: Based on HbA1c, 10.0% had diabetes and 56.4% pre-diabetes. Of those diagnosed as diabetic by HbA1c, 10 of 16 (62.5%) were diagnosed as diabetic by FBG (> 125 mg/dL) or PBG (≥200 mg/dL). In those diagnosed as pre-diabetic by HbA1c, only 55 of 124 (44.4%) were diagnosed as pre-diabetic by FBG (100-125 mg/dL) or PBG (140-199 mg/dL). A large proportion of these 140 individuals (67.1%) were moderately to severely anemic (Hb < 11.4 mg/dL). The diagnostic gap for pre-diabetes between HbA1c and FBG/PBG was similar for the groups with and without moderate to severe anemia. CONCLUSIONS: HbA1c and FBG/PBG have similar diagnostic performance for diabetes in this population. However, many individuals were diagnosed with pre-diabetes by HbA1c but not FBG/PBG. The relative excess diagnosis of pre-diabetes with HbA1c does not appear to be explained by anemia, an endemic condition in India. The prognostic significance of diagnosis of pre-diabetes by HbA1c but not FBG/PBG remains unknown, but merits investigation.