National audit of non-melanoma skin cancer excisions performed by plastic surgery in the UK

A national, multi-centre audit of non-melanoma skin cancer excisions by plastic surgery.

Diabetes risk assessment among squatter settlements in Pakistan: A cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has evolved as a major public health concern worldwide, as its prevalence is increasing exponentially. Pakistan now ranks seventh among the countries with the highest burden of DM. It is expected to become one of the major causes of morbidity within the next 25 years. Therefore, finding an effective way to identify individuals at risk of developing diabetes is a necessity. The Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) has proved to be an effective noninvasive screening tool for identifying individuals at risk for developing diabetes. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of individuals who are at risk for developing DM and their risk of developing DM over the next 10 years using the FINDRISC tool.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 241 adults. The data were collected using the FINDRISC questionnaire followed by calculation of a summated score and analysis to determine the association between the risk factors under study and the risk of developing diabetes.

RESULTS

Out of 241 study participants, 137 (56.8%) were men and 104 (43.1%) were women. Our study showed that 129 (53.5%) participants had low risk, 68 (28.2%) had slightly elevated risk, 27 (11.2%) had moderate risk and 17 (7%) had high risk of developing DM.

CONCLUSION

The general population should be educated about the importance of healthy lifestyle, with special emphases on maintaining an ideal body mass index and a low-risk waist circumference, along with daily fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity of at least 30 min/day.

Effects of Varying Levels of Fungal (Arachniotus sp.) Treated Wheat Straw as an Ingredient of Total Mixed Ration on Growth Performance and Nutrient Digestibility in Nili Ravi Buffalo Calves

The study was carried out to explore the effects of replacing wheat straw with fungal treated wheat straw as an ingredient of total mixed ration (TMR) on the growth performance and nutrient digestibility in Nili Ravi buffalo male calves. Fungal treated wheat straw was prepared using Arachniotus sp. Four TMRs were formulated where wheat straw was replaced with 0 (TMR1), 33 (TMR2), 67 (TMR3), and 100% (TMR4) fungal treated wheat straw in TMR. All TMRs were iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous. The experimental TMRs were randomly assigned to four groups of male calves (n = 6) according to completely randomized design and the experiment continued for four months. The calves fed TMR2 exhibited a significant improve in dry matter intake, average daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio and feed economics compared to other groups. The same group also showed higher digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, neutral-, and acid detergent fibers than those fed on other TMRs. It is concluded that TMR with 33% fungal-treated wheat straw replacement has a potential to give an enhanced growth performance and nutrient digestibility in male Nili Ravi buffalo calves.

Hepatitis E: review of a disease endemic in Pakistan

Hepatitis E is enterically transmitted causing a self-limiting illness similar to hepatitis A. However, unlike hepatitis A, immunity to hepatitis E is not life long, hepatitis E is a disease of developing nations with improper sewage disposal and unclean water supplies. It is thought to be the most common cause of acute sporadic hepatitis in Pakistan, where it has also caused major epidemics. Hepatitis E causes a mild self-limiting illness with no long-term sequelae. However, it is especially severe in pregnant females in the second and third trimesters, in whom it results in a high mortality rate (up to 20%) and an increased incidence of stillbirths. Diagnosis depends on clinical findings and elevated hepatic enzymes. Protection from this disease in endemic areas lies mainly in prevention, as the vaccine for hepatitis E is still in the experimental stage. Provision of clean drinking water, hand washing before eating and proper disposal of sewage has been shown to decrease the incidence of this disease.

Clinical spectrum of systemic lupus erythematosus at the Aga Khan University Hospital

BACKGROUND

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a disease of unknown etiology, which at onest may involve only one organ system or be multisystemic. The aim of our study is to determine the clinical presentation of SLE patients presenting to AKUH to establish whether guidelines laid down about this disease are in agreement with our experience.

METHODS

A retrospective log review was carried out at AKUH, based on data obtained from 165 files of individuals admitted to the hospital over a period of 12 years with a confirmed diagnosis of SLE.

RESULTS

From the sample size of 165, 143 (86.7%) were females and 22 (13.3%) males. The mean age of diagnosis was 30.9 years. Frequency of symptomatology was observed to be in the following order: systemic 78.8%, musculoskeletal 63% and hematological 60.6%. Oninvestigation ANA levels were positive in 112 patients.

CONCLUSION

Our result lead us to conclude that the classification set forth by the American Rheumatological Association is applicable to patients presenting with SLE in our setting.