ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Ground crew of the Air Force routinely handle aviation turbine fuel (ATF) and lubricants and a need was felt to study the adverse effects of these substances on their skin so that remedial measures could be taken to prevent these adverse effects. METHODS: A multi-centric, cross-sectional, observational study was performed at three Air Force flying stations. 109 ground crew members of the Indian Air Force (IAF) who were in direct contact with ATF and lubricants were screened for dermatological manifestations on exposed areas. History of atopy was elicited, systemic and dermatological examination done and occlusive patch testing carried out where indicated. Fungal infections were excluded by a potassium hydroxide mount. RESULTS: 20 out of the 109 personnel (18.34%) were symptomatic in the form of mild irritant contact dermatitis. There was no case of allergic contact dermatitis. Only two cases showed an irritant reaction on patch testing. 65% of the symptomatic personnel were atopic. There was no predisposing trade or age group for adverse effects to ATF. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that contact with ATF is associated with only mild irritant contact dermatitis in exposed ground crew members of the IAF and atopy was a predisposing factor for susceptibility to the dermatitis.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Attainment of functional independence is the ultimate goal of a sound stroke rehabilitation program. Good trunk stability is essential for balance and extremity use. Stroke patients may have upper extremity impairments that may affect functional activity and lower extremity impairments that may hinder mobility. Hence, quantifying the specific levels of impairment in the trunk, upper extremity, and lower extremity is helpful to determine the extent to which each might influence the ability to perform activities of daily living. OBJECTIVE: To assess the impairment of the trunk and the upper and lower extremity of stroke patients and correlate it with overall function. METHODS: A cross-sectional repeated correlation study. Twenty-three subjects with a first-time stroke, between 50 and 75 years of age, of both genders, admitted in hospital within 5 weeks of stroke onset were included using purposive sampling technique. On the eighth day of the stroke, trunk impairment was assessed using the Trunk Impairment Scale, upper and lower limb impairment was assessed using the Simplified Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement (upper and lower limb subscale, respectively), and overall function was measured by FIM. RESULTS: Trunk activity showed highly significant correlation (r = 0.598, P = .003) with overall function compared with upper limb activity (r = 0.501, P = .015). Lower limb impairment showed no correlation with overall function (r = 0.208, P = .342). CONCLUSIONS: The overall functional independence in acute stroke patients is most closely correlated with the levels of impairments of trunk function, followed by upper limb impairments.