ABSTRACT
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Indians are more prone to premature coronary artery disease (CAD). The importance of homocysteine as a risk factor for CAD in Indian patients needs to be recognized. The aim of this study was to note the independent association of this novel risk factor with traditional ones in young CAD patients. METHODOLOGY: This study included 51 patients, < 45 years of age, with proven CAD. They were further divided into two subgroups based on their lipid profile. Group A (n = 30) hyperlipidemic CAD patients and Group B (n = 21) normolipidemic CAD patients. They were compared with 15 age and sex matched healthy controls. Plasma homocysteine was assayed using high pressure liquid chromatography, fasting lipid profile and other risk factors were compared. RESULTS: The mean level of homocysteine in patient group was 27.8 +/- 13.11 nmol/ml. In subgroup A it was 28.86 +/- 13.02 while in subgroup B it was 26.46 +/- 13.44. In the patient group (n = 51), 37 (72.55%) had homocysteine levels greater than 18 nmol/ml. In the control group mean homocysteine was 13.22 nmol/ml +/- 7.36 and only 4 (26.77%) had homocysteine levels greater than the cut-off. CONCLUSIONS: Thus in spite of some baseline variations, plasma homocysteine emerged as a significant (p = 0.0009, OR 6.05) independent risk factor for young CAD patients and was not altered by the baseline lipid profile of the patient. Therefore it should be evaluated in all young patients of CAD in the absence of traditional risk factors.
Subject(s)
Coronary Artery Disease/etiology , Homocysteine/blood , Lipids/blood , Adult , Coronary Artery Disease/blood , Female , Humans , Hyperlipidemias/blood , Hyperlipidemias/complications , India , Male , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
This report describes the statistical analysis of 629 burn patients treated between January 1989 and August 1990. The analysed data include age, sex, cause of burn and mortality in relation to age, cause and extent of burn injuries. Additional information with regard to socioeconomic status, marital status, place of burn, family size, type of burn, time of accident and time between injury and hospital admission was obtained from analysis of 271 of the 629 patients admitted between January 1990 and August 1990. In our series, adolescent and young adults (11-40 years) comprised 64.8 per cent of the patients. Males formed 54 per cent and females 46 per cent of the total burns. 82.65 per cent of the patients received their burns at home. Most of our patients belonged to the low or lower middle socioeconomic strata and had large families. 95.5 per cent of the burns were accidental in nature. Flame burns comprised 67.9 per cent and scalds comprised 16.4 per cent of the total burns. The overall mortality rate was 48.3 per cent. The mortality rate was comparatively low in children (20.1 per cent). Flame burns resulted in maximum deaths (62.1 per cent). In patients with over 40 per cent burns, the mortality was about 80 per cent. There were no survivors in patients with over 70 per cent TBSA burns in our series.
Subject(s)
Burns/epidemiology , Accidents, Home/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Burn Units/statistics & numerical data , Burns/mortality , Child , Child, Preschool , Family Characteristics , Female , Humans , Incidence , India/epidemiology , Infant , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Sex Factors , Social ClassABSTRACT
This retrospective review contains 127 paediatric burns up to 14 years of age admitted to the Burn Unit of the Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, SMS. Medical College, Jaipur over a period of 1 year from January 1990. Epidemiological data include age, sex, seasonal variation, place of burn, family size, economic status, period of time between the accident and admission to hospital. The cause and mode of burn, the relationships between mortality and age, cause of burn and extent of burn are discussed. Most of the burn injuries occurred in the winter months between December and March. Males were affected predominantly. The majority of the burns occurred at home. Most of the patients belonged to the low socioeconomic strata and were members of medium or large size families. The commonest causes of injury were scalds in children under 5 years of age and flames in the older children. The overall mortality was 19.68 per cent.
Subject(s)
Burns/epidemiology , Adolescent , Age Factors , Burns/etiology , Burns/mortality , Child , Child, Preschool , Family Characteristics , Female , Hot Temperature/adverse effects , Humans , India/epidemiology , Infant , Male , Retrospective Studies , Seasons , Sex Factors , Socioeconomic FactorsABSTRACT
We report a 32 years old female who had carcinoma of the oesophagus and who presented with unusual features.
