Awareness, Practices and Treatment Seeking Behavior of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in Delhi.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a multisystem disorder that is associated with number of complications. Patient's awareness and practices are crucial components in reducing the burden of diseases and its complications. AIM: To assess patient's knowledge about their disease and its complications, practices, treatment seeking behavior and average expenditure incurred by its management. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in rural and urban slum areas of Delhi selecting a total of 98 diabetic patients diagnosed during the two community surveys and interviewed using pretested and predesigned questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 17 (Chicago II, USA). Chi-square, fisher or Mann-Whitney tests were used for test of significance and considered statistically significant at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Of 98 participants, 31.6% (31/98) were from urban slum area, and 68.4% (67/98) were from the rural area. In both urban and rural areas, majority were Hindu, married, literate and unemployed. Significantly less subjects (61.3%, 19/31) of urban slum area than of rural area (85.1%, 57/67) could name at least one complication of DM (P < 0.01, odds ratio [OR] =3.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.3-9.6). Majority of participants in both urban slum and rural area have knowledge about at least one component of management but significantly lesser in urban (83.9%, 26/31) than rural area (97.0%, 65/67) were reported (P = 0.02, OR = 6.2, 95% CI = 1.1-34.2). Significantly more subjects (29.0%, 9/31) in urban slum area than rural areas (7.5%, 5/67) reported that they were not taking any treatment for DM (P < 0.01, OR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.1-0.6). In urban area, 32.2% (10/31) patients told that it is a burden on their family while in rural area 44.7% (30/67) of the patients told that they have to squeeze money from the family expenditure to afford drugs. CONCLUSION: Patients need to be made aware of the asymptomatic phase of DM and its long term complications. At the same time, efforts should be made to sensitize them about the importance of taking regular treatment and management.

Application of existing technology to meet increasing demands for automated sample handling.

As the clinical laboratory advances toward total automation, the marketplace is now demanding more-efficient sample-handling systems. These demands have arisen over a relatively short period of time, in part because of heightened concern over laboratory safety and the resulting manpower shortages. Adding sample-handling capabilities to existing instrumentation is often a challenge, because usually mechanical or system constraints are present that interfere. This challenge has been overcome in the DuPont Sample Management System (SMS), a second-generation general chemistry analyzer that incorporates the latest barcode and computer-interfacing technology. The development of the SMS system relies heavily on recent advances in technology, e.g., software modeling and computer-aided design. The SMS system includes a barcode scanner based on "charge-coupled device" technology, a random-access sample wheel, and new software that oversees the various functions.

Extraneural metastases in gliosarcoma: a case report and review of the literature.

This report details the case of an 11-year-old girl with gliosarcoma and her rapid demise after a brief asymptomatic postcraniotomy period. The discussion that follows is a collective review of the several aspects illustrated by the case history. Special attention is directed toward the pathological features of this histological variant of glioblastoma multiforme. The topic of extraneural metastasis is reviewed with regard to frequency, mechanisms, sites, and prognosis.

Meningioma with intracerebral hematoma.

A case of spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage associated with a meningioma is presented. Intracranial hemorrhage has been reported to be associated with meningioma in 45 cases. A comprehensive review of the subject is presented. The importance of the diagnosis of associated hemorrhage and subsequent surgical intervention is emphasized.

Solitary intracranial plasmacytoma.

A case of solitary plasmacytoma involving the left cerebral convexity, dura mater, falx, and sagittal sinus is reported. After undergoing subtotal excision, followed by radiation, the patient was still doing well seven years after diagnosis. The importance of electrophoretic studies of the cerebrospinal fluid protein and the serum protein is discussed. The literature on solitary intracranial plasmacytoma is reviewed.