Appearance anxiety and loneliness: the mediating role of rejection sensitivity in patients with alopecia areata in Lahore Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association involving appearance anxiety, rejection sensitivity and loneliness in patients with alopecia areata. METHODS: The correlational study was conducted from February to September 2020 at public-sector and private-sector hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan, and comprised alopecia areata patients of either gender aged 20-40 years. Data was collected using the Appearance Anxiety Inventory, the Appearance-based Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire and the University of California-Los Angeles Loneliness Scale. Data was analysed using SPSS 23. Results: Of the 240 patients, 120(50%) each were males and females. The overall mean age was 28.39±3.87 years. Appearance anxiety and rejection sensitivity were positive predictors of loneliness (p<0.000), while rejection sensitivity was positively significantly mediated between appearance anxiety and loneliness (p<0.000). CONCLUSIONS: The association involving appearance anxiety, rejection sensitivity and loneliness was found to be significant.

Expression deregulation of matrix metalloproteinases and vasoconstriction related genes in Pakistani females with abnormal uterine bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is irregular menstrual bleeding which has great impact on female health and life style. Various genetic factors are involved in etiology and pathology of AUB. Present study was designed to explore the association of PTGFR, MMP9, MMP2, TGFB3 and VEGFB with AUB. METHODS: Blood samples of 212 females with AUB were collected along with age-matched healthy control. Expression variation of targeted genes was evaluated using qPCR. Present study cohort was divided into different groups based on demographic parameters and all targeted genes were correlated with study demographics. RESULTS: Expression of targeted genes was significantly (P < 0.001) downregulated in females with AUB compared to control. Reduced (P < 0.01) expression of targeted genes was observed in all age groups (21-30, 31-40, 41-50 year) of AUB patients compared to respective control. Expression of VEGFB increased (P < 0.05) in AUB females with > 9 days bleeding compared to AUB patient had < 9 days bleeding. AUB women with miscarriage history showed upregulation in MMP2, TGFB3 (P < 0.05), and downregulation in MMP9 and VEGFB (P < 0.05) expression compared to AUB group with no miscarriage history. Expression of MMP2 increased (P < 0.05) in AUB females with > 60 kg body weigh compared to AUB patient with < 60 kg weight. CONCLUSION: Present study open a new window for diagnosis of AUB at early stages and suggested a possible involvement of PTGFR, MMP9, MMP2, TGFB3 and VEGFB as candidate biomarkers in AUB.

A young man with hoarseness of voice.

A 45 year-old driver presented with a two months history of hoarseness, fever, productive cough, anorexia and weight loss. He chewed tobacco. He was previously seen and treated without benefit by a family Physician and two ear, nose and throat consultants. Crackles were heard in the left scapular region. An X-Ray of the chest showed a right apical cavity, perihilar infiltrates and blunting of left costophrenic angle. His sputum smear showed acid fast bacilli. A high index of suspicion for tuberculosis is recommended while dealing with such cases. Complete recovery of patient's voice with anti-tubercular therapy confirmed it was a case of laryngeal tuberculosis.