ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of anaemia among patients with human immune-deficiency virus / acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. METHODS: The descriptive cross-sectional single-blind study was conducted at Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, from June 25 to December 25, 2016, and comprised human immune-deficiency virus / acquire immunodeficiency syndrome patients diagnosed at least 3 months earlier. Demographic information was obtained along with sample of patient's blood for haemoglobin level estimation. Anaemia was defined as haemoglobin <13 g/dL in males and <12 g/dL in females. Data was analysed using SPSS 20. RESULTS: Of the 230 patients, 100(43.7%) were females and 130(56.5%) were males. The overall mean age was 37.99±14.48 years. The mean haemoglobin level was 11.08±2.44 g/dl; 113(49.1%) 8 12 g/dl, 26(11.3%) <8g/dl, and 91(39.6%) >12g/dl. Overall, 152(66.1%) patients were anaemic and 78(33.9%) were normal. Age and socioeconomic status were significantly associated with anaemia status (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Anaemia was a common finding among human immune deficiency virus / acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients.
Subject(s)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome , Anemia , HIV Infections , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/complications , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/epidemiology , Adult , Anemia/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , HIV Infections/complications , HIV Infections/epidemiology , Hemoglobins/analysis , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pakistan/epidemiology , Single-Blind Method , Tertiary Care Centers , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of lactulose plus rifaximin with efficacy of lactulose alone in the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy. STUDY DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Medicine, Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, from December 2014 to June 2015. METHODOLOGY: All patients who presented with hepatic encephalopathy due to decompensated chronic liver disease were randomly divided into two groups of 65 patients each. One group was given 30 ml thrice daily lactulose alone and the other lactulose plus rifaximin 550 mg twice daily for 10 days. Informed consents were taken from the participants' attendants. Grades II-IV hepatic encephalopathy was noted according to West-Haven Classification. All subjects were followed until 10 days after admission. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 56.06 +11.2 years, among which 46.9% were females and 53.1% were males. After ten days of follow-up, reversal was seen in 58.46% in lactulose alone group and 67.69% in lactulose plus rifaximin group (Chi-square p=0.276). CONCLUSION: There was no difference in effectiveness of lactulose plus rifaximin and lactulose alone in treatment of hepatic encephalopathy.