Effect of Jain Fasting on Anthropometric, Clinical and Biochemical Parameters.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Fasting has a long tradition in most cultures and has many health benefits. Most of the studies are from daytime fasting or intermittent fasting. There is paucity of data from complete fasting (no food and fruits, water only). This prospective study is conducted with aims to study impact of complete fasting on clinical and biochemical parameters. METHODS: One hundred ten participants of either gender who voluntarily fasted (3-30 days) were included and underwent clinical and biochemical examination before and after fasting. RESULTS: A total of 110 healthy volunteers (M: 27, F: 83) with mean age 51 ± 16 years (range 18-86) and body mass index 27.1 ± 4.9 kg/m2 (16.1-45.2) were studied. They had undergone fast for varying duration between 3-30 days (short fast: 3-7 days = 72; prolong fast: >7 days = 38). There were significant decrease in weight (66.8 ± 11.0 to 64.7 ± 11.1 kg, P < 0.0001), BMI (27.1 ± 4.9 to 26.2 ± 4.9 kg/m2, P < 0.0001), systolic blood pressure (130 ± 17 to 128 ± 15 mmHg, P = 0.012), serum globulin (3.10 ± 0.42 to 3.01 ± 0.41 mg/dl, P = 0.024), and serum high density lipoprotein (48.3 ± 12.2 to 45.7 ± 12.6 mg/dl, P < 0.0001) post fasting. However, significant increase was observed in pulse rate (81 ± 10 to 83 ± 11 beat/min, P = 0.001), fasting plasma glucose (102.9 ± 35.0 to 132.0 ± 42.0 mg/dl, P < 0.0001), serum triglycerides (137.6 ± 68.3 to 149.0 ± 67.1 mg/dl, P = 0.031), very low density lipoprotein (22.0 ± 10.5 to 24.2 ± 11.1 mg/dl, P = 0.010), and serum cortisol levels (13.5 ± 5.9 to 17.2 ± 6.3 µg/dl, P < 0.0001). These changes were more pronounced with prolong fasting, but were not affected by gender. CONCLUSIONS: Fasting results in improvement in anthropometric, physical and biochemical parameters related to physical health. It can be recommended as a mean for improving quality of life.

Stroke and central nervous system infections.

Stroke is the first cause of disability in adults worldwide. Central nervous system infections as a cause of stroke are not uncommon. The common central nervous system infections associated with stroke can be categorised into viral, bacterial, parasitic and of fungal origin. In HIV infection, central nervous system involvement is a major reason for hospitalisation and morbidity. Varicella-zoster virus encephalitis is uncommon and neurological features are protean. Japanese encephalitis is the most common cause of endemic encephalitis in humans. Viral haemorrhagic diseases are common in the tropics with epidemic outbreak. Central nervous system tuberculosis is the most severe form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Neurocysticercosis is the commonest parasitic disease affecting the central nervous system. Central malaria is the most important parasitic disease of humans with high prevalence in many regions of world including India. Neurological involvement in leptospirosis can be meningitis, aseptic encephalitis, inflammatory myelopathy and radiculopathy. Fungal infections involve central nervous system through cryptococcus, aspergillosis, histoplasmosis and mucormycoses.

Giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis): A report of four cases from north east India.

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a common disease of the geriatric age group in the western world, with a prevalence of 0.2% in the fifty plus age group. It is an important cause of morbidity, with irreversible visual loss being the most ominous complication. This diagnosis is an important consideration in all cases of new onset headache in elderly subjects. Reports of giant cell arteritis are few and far between in the Indian subcontinent. In this report, we describe the clinical details of four cases of giant cell arteritis, detected at Guwahati, Assam. The four patients were in the 70-82 age group. Sex distribution was equal. All of them had polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), with one case displaying an initial presentation as only PMR. Cardinal manifestation was a severe headache, frequently accompanied by scalp allodynia and abnormalities of the superficial temporal artery (STA) on examination. STA biopsy yielded histopathological confirmation in three patients. Permanent visual loss was noted in one patient. These cases highlight the importance of assessing the possibility of giant cell arteritis through appropriate clinical history, estimation of acute phase reactants and the judicious use of superficial temporal artery biopsy, to clinch the diagnosis.