Undergraduate research in medical schools in Pakistan: Relevance, Needs, and Importance.

Recent trends in medical education demand practicing physicians to be competent in playing multiple roles. Life-long learning skills underpinned by research & scholarly activity will enable them to play these roles adequately. Therefore, the introduction of structured training in research during early undergraduate years is pivotal. This would enable trainee physicians to develop essential skills; the institutions will grow in terms of visibility & ranking; the trainers and supervisors will be satisfied in terms of research productivity and, most importantly the patients will benefit in terms of improved clinical outcomes.

Frequency of deaths in hepatitis C virus infected hepatocellular carcinoma patients and its relationship with raised serum alpha-fetoprotein levels.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of deaths in hepatitis C virus infected hepatocellular carcinoma patients, and its relationship with raised serum alpha-fetoprotein levels. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted at Isra University Hospital, Hyderabad, Pakistan, between March 2013 and April 2014, and comprised all patients diagnosed with hepatitis C virus and hepatocellular carcinoma over 30 years ofage. Blood sample was drawn for the measurement of serum Alfa fetoprotein levels. Data was analysed using SPSS 16. RESULTS: The mean age of the 165 patients was55.49±11.67 years. The mean tumour size was 5.63 ± 2.14cm. Of the total, 31(18.8%) patients had tumour size <3cm, 65(39.4%) 3-5cm and 69(41.8%) >5cm. The mean serum Alfa fetoprotein level was 7641.0±3665.32 IU/ml. Overall mortality rate was 70(41.9%). Tumour size >5cm was significantly associated with mortality (p=0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Serum Alfa fetoprotein levels were a useful tool for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis C virus patients.

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in hepatitis C virus infected population: a Southeast Asian study.

PURPOSE: The study was aimed to investigate the frequency of diabetes mellitus type 2 in patients infected with chronic hepatitis C virus and its association with cirrhosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective case series was conducted at Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Isra University Hospital, Hyderabad, over a period of 4 months from June 2009 to October 2009. Hepatitis C virus seropositive patients who were older than 18 years, diabetic or nondiabetic, were included. Basic demographic data collected by questionnaire and laboratory investigations including fasting blood glucose levels, serum cholesterol, and liver function tests were done. A logistic regression model was used to explore the association between diabetic and nondiabetic HCV seropositives and type 2 diabetes mellitus with cirrhosis. RESULTS: A total of 361 patients with hepatitis C were analyzed; the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in HCV patients was 31.5%. Out of the total number of the participants, 58.4% (n = 211) were cirrhotics, while 41.6% (n = 150) were noncirrhotic HCV seropositives. In multivariate analysis, cirrhotic patients appeared significantly more likely (P = 0.01) to be diabetic as compared with noncirrhotic patients (OR = 2.005, 95% CI: 1.15, 3.43). CONCLUSION: Advancing age, increased weight, and HCV genotype 3 are independent predictors of type 2 diabetes in HCV seropositive patients, and there is a statistically significant association of cirrhosis observed with type 2 diabetes mellitus.