Metabolic Syndrome and its Risk Factors in Bangladeshi Immigrant Men in the USA

Higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome risk factors and lowest self-rated health status (SRHS) were reported in Bangladeshi men compared to other South Asian immigrant men in the UK. No information is available on metabolic syndrome and its distribution among Bangladeshi men in the USA. We investigated metabolic syndrome, its association with SRHS and its distribution in Bangladeshi men in Houston, Texas, USA. Data for 91 men (age 46 ± 8 years) were drawn from a cross-sectional study on coronary artery disease in Bangladeshi immigrant men, Texas, 2007. Multivariate logistic models investigated association between metabolic syndrome and SRHS controlling for demographics, behavioral factors and intra-community variation based on social clustering. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 38%. SRHS (OR, 95% CI = 4.90, 1.11–21.57) and intra-community variation (4.10, 1.32–12.71) were independent indicators of metabolic syndrome in our participants. Dietary habits may have contributed to the intra-community variation that warrants investigation.     

An Investigation into the Accumulation of Air Borne Trace Metals in the Lungs of Common Myna Acridotheres tristis and Bank Myna Acridotheres ginginianus Captured from Urban and Semi Urban Areas of Lahore and Pattoki,Pakistan

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology - With increasing urbanization and industrialization, clean air is becoming a scarce resource. During the present investigation,...     

Fluconazole and treatment of onychomycosis. About 86 cases

Systemic treatment of onychomycosis is based these last years on the new drug utilization aiming to decrease the length of the treatment and secondary effects particularly with fluconazole. The aim of our study is to determine the efficiency and the tolerance of the fluconazole (Funzol) managed to the dose of 150 mg per week in the treatment of onychomycosis. It is a multicentric and prospective study done to different department of dermatology in Tunisia. Are included adult patients with clinical and mycologic documented onychomycosis. They are treated during 12 to 24 weeks for the fingernail and 24 to 36 weeks for the toenail. The assessment of the efficiency and the tolerance of the drug was clinic and biologic. During this survey, 86 patients are included, 55 female and 31 male with mean age of 43.5 years. Onychomycosis seat to hands in 30 cases (34.8%) with a predominance of Candida species (73%), to toes in 68 cases (79%) witch due in 85% of cases to dermatophytic agent (85%). At 6 months, clinical cure rate is observed in 51% of cases. After 9 months, at the end of therapy, 84% of patients were judged clinical successes and culture was negative in 82% of cases. Some minimal secondary effects are signalled in 11% of cases to 6 weeks and 10% to 12 weeks not justifying the stop of the treatment. So this study confirms the efficiency and the good tolerance of fluconazole in the treatment of onychomycosis.     

A rare case of streptomycin-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis in a patient with tuberculosis: a therapeutic dilemma

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of streptomycin-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). CASE SUMMARY: A 55-year-old woman was admitted for treatment of active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). She was given standard oral anti-TB chemotherapy including isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and streptomycin. On the fourth day of therapy, she experienced high fever at 39 degrees C, chills, vomiting, pruritus, and diffuse erythema, followed by extensive bullae formation and skin denudation. Diagnosis of TEN was considered, and all anti-TB drugs were discontinued. Skin biopsy disclosed complete epidermal necrosis with dermal-epidermal cleavage and absence of inflammatory infiltrate, highly suggestive of TEN. The patient was transferred to the intensive care unit. Her general condition and skin lesions improved. A staged-fashion exposure test to the 4 anti-TB drugs allowed the incrimination of streptomycin as the offending agent. DISCUSSION: Anti-TB drugs, mainly rifampin, ethambutol, and isoniazid, have been incriminated in TEN. Streptomycin-induced TEN remains an extremely rare event. However, minor allergic skin reactions (rash, urticaria) have been described with this drug. Our patient presents a rare case of streptomycin-related TEN. Even though dangerous, a step-wise exposure test was necessary to allow safe treatment of active pulmonary TB. It also provided a strong argument of a cause-effect relationship between TEN and streptomycin. An objective causality assessment using the Naranjo rating scale revealed that the adverse drug event was highly probable. CONCLUSIONS: Streptomycin should be added to the list of drugs that induce TEN.     

Possible relation of Tunisian pemphigus with traditional cosmetics: a multicenter case-control study

Pemphigus is a severe, autoimmune, blistering disorder with a high incidence among young women in rural Tunisia. The authors investigated explanatory environmental factors. A multicenter case-control study was conducted prospectively from 1992 to 1996 in Tunisia. Sixty-eight incident female cases of pemphigus and 166 controls matched on age, hospital, and geographic area were included. Data collected concerned socioeconomic status, medical history, drug intakes, lifestyle, and environment. Several factors were significantly associated with pemphigus in multivariate logistic regression analyses: traditional cosmetics (odds ratio (OR) = 4.0, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1, 14.8); Turkish baths (OR = 3.2, 95% CI: 1.4, 7.3); cutting up raw poultry (OR = 5.1, 95% CI: 1.3, 19.4); contact with ruminants (OR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.3, 5.8); and wasp, bee, and spider stings (OR = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.5, 6.4). A dose-dependent relation was observed for traditional cosmetics. All risks except insect bites were higher when analysis was restricted to younger women, the demographic group with higher incidence. The strength of the associations, the dose-dependent relation for traditional cosmetics, and the increase of risk estimates for younger women support a causal relation. Traditional cosmetics widely used by Tunisian women could play a major role in excess of cases of pemphigus.     

Al Ain community survey of psychiatric morbidity II. Sex differences in the prevalence of depressive disorders

AIM: To examine sex differences in the prevalence of depressive disorders in an Arab community. METHODS: One thousand three hundred and ninety-four subjects (n=1394) were systematically sampled from the general population in Al-Ain city, United Arab Emirates. All subjects were interviewed and assessed with the modified version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) and a specially designed socio-demographic questionnaire. The lifetime male and female prevalence rates were estimated. Multivariate logistic regression of various socio-demographic variables was carried out to assess independent risk factors for depression. Statistical significance of sex differences in rates of depression by various socio-demographic groups were also assessed. RESULTS: The lifetime rates in males and females were 2.8 and 10.3%, respectively. F:M ratio found in this study is highest reported ratio in the literature. Sex, life events, chronic difficulties and to a certain extent age were found to be risk factors for depression in the studied community. The prevalence rates of depression were higher in females in all above categories but such differences reached statistical significance in age category before 55, regardless of marital status, when the number of children is four or more and among those exposed to recent life events and chronic difficulties. Females were found to to be more exposed to chronic life difficulties but only depressed females were significantly more subjected to recent life events. CONCLUSION: Sex differences in depression is a robust finding but more studies are needed to explain the high F:M ratio found in this survey.     

Al-Ain community psychiatric survey IV: socio-cultural changes (traditionality-liberalism) and prevalence of psychiatric disorders

Background This study was set to explore the relationship between socio-cultural change and psychopathology. Method A representative sample (n = 1394) of Al-Ain adult population had their psychopathology assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview and other self-reported questionnaires, while the socio-cultural change was assessed with the modified version of the Socio-cultural Change Questionnaire (ScCQ). The reliability and construct validity of the modified ScCQ were assessed. The overall Tradition Index, attitudinal and behavioural indices of the sample were estimated. Association between socio-cultural change and psychopathology was also evaluated. Result The reliability of the modified ScCQ was found to be moderate (alpha Cronbach 0.66) and the hypothesis regarding its construct validity was confirmed. Mean traditional index was found to be 0.61 ± 0.14. Young, highly educated, skilled, and female subjects were found to be significantly less conservative and their scores on traditional index deviated significantly from overall mean. Less traditional people were also found to have a significantly increased rate of ICD-10 psychiatric disorder and higher scores on psychopathology measures especially among females. Although females showed significantly more modern attitude, there were no significant sex differences in the expressed behaviour as measured by the behavioural Tradition Index. Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that the prevalence of psychiatric disorder varies significantly according to the extent to which subjects adhere to traditional values. Accepted: 4 September 2001