Woman abuse and pregnancy outcome among women in Khoram Abad, Islamic Republic of Iran

We carried out a descriptive analysis on the pregnancy outcome in 313 pregnant women [153 abused, 160 non-abused]. Abuse was statistically significantly correlated with mean weight gain during pregnancy, mean frequency of the prenatal care, prolonged labour [dystocia], premature rupture of membrane, low mean birth weight and mean gestational age at birth. Given the high likelihood that a woman will access health care services during her pregnancy, physicians providing prenatal care are in a strategic position to screen for partner abuse

Patterns of lipid changes among type 2 diabetes patients in Sudan

This study investigated the patterns and determinants of lipid disorders among a group of 250 type 2 adult diabetic patients and 60 age- and sex-matched healthy controls in Sudan. Demographic and clinical data, body mass index and waist circumference, and fasting blood samples were taken to estimate the glucose and lipid profile. The mean duration of diabetes was 9.4 years and 46.0% of patients had poor glycaemic control. Compared to controls we detected a statistically significant increase in triglycerides level and a decrease in HDL-C levels. Other lipid values showed a slight increase compared to controls. There was a statistically significant association of triglycerides and HDL-C with increasing age, female sex, obesity, physical inactivity and poor glycaemic control of diabetes

Prevalence of tobacco use among the adult Lebanese population

To determine the prevalence of smoking in Lebanon, 727 individuals aged > or = 19 years were randomly selected for study using Emile Roux and Fagerstrom questionnaires. Smokers were defined as those answering "yes" to the question, "Do you currently smoke?" A Fagerstrom score > or = 6 indicated strong nicotine addiction. The prevalence of smoking was 53.6%. The male/female ratio was 1.23, with 67.0% of smokers categorized as addicted. Failure to quit was related to withdrawal symptoms, mostly irritability [57%] and weight gain [20%]. Recommendations are given for combating this high prevalence of tobacco use