ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to evaluate the proportion of concurrent symptoms of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCSs) among patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: A retrospective study was undertaken at the Department of Psychiatry, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Sindh, Pakistan between 1st March 2019 and 1st April 2020. All cases with diagnosed schizophrenia irrespective of gender, age, or ethnicity were eligible for the study. We excluded patients with acute psychosis due to isolated substance use disorder or any organic brain disease. The medical records for each patient were retrieved from the departmental database. Sociodemographic factors including age, gender, ethnicity, and presence of OCSs and other psychiatric comorbidities were recorded in a predefined pro forma. The presence of OCSs was noted by the attending psychiatrist during history taking as positive or negative. RESULTS: A total of 139 patients were included. A predominance of the male gender was noted. There were 63 (45.3%) patients with concurrent OCSs. Out of the total patients, 42 (66.67%) males and 21 (33.33%) females had OCSs. A total of 28 (44.44%) patients between 31 and 45 years of age had OCSs. Out of the 63 patients with OCSs, 36 (57.14%) had a history of substance abuse (p = 0.471). In the study, 17 (26.98%) Balochi and 19 (30.16%) Pashtuns had OCSs. However, the difference was statistically insignificant. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, OCSs were frequent in patients with schizophrenia, according to the current study. We discovered that males, individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 years, Balochis, Pashtuns, and those with a history of substance abuse were more likely to have OCSs. However, the difference was not statistically significant.
ABSTRACT
Introduction Adult-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is defined as a chronic hyperglycemic state, characterized by insulin resistance and declining islet B-cell function, eventually leading to islet B-cell function failure. The present study evaluated the association of T2DM with the type of blood group. Methodology A case-control study was conducted from April 2020 to September 2021 in Karachi, Pakistan. An electronic questionnaire was used to determine if there is an association between ABO blood groups and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Our study involved two groups with an equal number of participants. The patient group contained participants who had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus, whereas the control group contained participants who had never been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Information was collected through a self-administered electronic questionnaire which was circulated through social media. Results The mean ± SD age was reported to be 25.98 ± 12 years. The study found a significant association between blood group B and type 2 diabetes mellitus (p=0.006), whereas a negative association was seen between the blood group O and type 2 diabetes mellitus (p=0.001). It should be noted, however, no significant association was found between the blood groups A and AB and type 2 diabetes mellitus (p>0.05). Conclusion The results of this study indicate that there is an association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and the ABO blood group system; a significant association was found between blood group B and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Nevertheless, we recommend regular screening for T2DM in individuals with a high-risk profile. Those at risk can adopt measures that are beneficial for them in the long run such as dietary control and physical exercise. Further studies using explorative techniques with a diversified population are recommended.
