Arsenic-related health problems among hospital patients in southern Bangladesh

To assess the health effects of arsenic poisoning and to determine the relationship among duration and severity of skin lesions, exposure dose of arsenic, and nutritional status of people, 150 patients attending the Dermatology Outpatients Department of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, Barisal, Bangladesh, were included in this cross-sectional study. The study was conducted during January-December 2000. Records of patients were collected prospectively using a pre-tested questionnaire, which included information on demography, sources of water for drinking and cooking, duration and amount of drinking-water obtained from shallow tubewells, clinical presentations, complications, and physical and laboratory findings. Water samples from tubewells currently being used by individual patients were examined. Nine percent of the patients were unaware that arsenic-contaminated water causes diseases. Due to lack of alternative water supplies, 25% of the subjects were still drinking water from contaminated tubewells. About 18% did not complain of any clinical symptoms, except that their skin lesions were ugly-looking, and 82% had moderate or severe skin lesions. Thirty-one percent of the water samples had arsenic concentrations 10-fold higher than the permissible limit of 0.05 mg/L in Bangladesh and 50-fold higher than the WHO guideline value of 0.01 mg/L. The mean arsenic concentration in water was significantly associated with the severity of disease. Body mass index correlated inversely (r = -0.298, p = 0.013) with the duration of disease after controlling for age. The findings suggest the need to enhance public awareness on negative health effects of arsenic poisoning in rural Bangladesh. From a public-health perspective, effective intervention strategies need to be developed to curb the exposure, strengthen rapid diagnostic facilities, establish effective treatment facilities in rural areas, and improve the nutritional status of people.     

Risk factors of diabetic retinopathy in Bangladeshi type 2 diabetic patients

AimsTo determine the risk factors associated with diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Bangladeshi type 2 diabetic subjects.MethodsA cohort of 977 type-2 diabetic patients was recruited retrospectively based on hospital records in 2008, who were naïve type-2 diabetes during 1993. Data on diabetes and lipid profile with serum creatinine and biophysical measures were obtained at baseline, 5, 10 and 15 years. DR was diagnosed by retinal color photography. Generalized linear models were used to assess the associations of clinical, biochemical and anthropometric variables with retinopathy at three follow-up. Cumulative exposures were determined based on average exposure to individual attribute. IRR and 95% CI were generated through Poisson regression model, adjusting for age-at-diagnosis of diabetes, baseline BMI, end-line waist-to-hip ratio and present physical activity status.ResultsDR patients had significantly poorer glycemic control at all three follow-ups. Age, residence, physical activity, serum creatinine and hypertension appeared as independent risk factors for DR in all three follow-up points. Poisson regression model identified glucose deregulation (IRR 1.8; CI 1.5–2.1), hypertension (IRR 1.5; CI 1.2–1.8) and raised serum creatinine (IRR 1.9; CI 1.5–2.3) as significant predictors for DR adjusted for possible confounders. Work related moderate-to-heavy physical activity (IRR 0.2; CI 0.1–0.3) appeared as protective.ConclusionsAlong with poor glycemic control, hypertension, nephropathy are independent risk factor retinopathy.