Value of Indian Diabetes Risk Score among Medical Students and Its Correlation with Fasting Plasma Glucose, Blood Pressure and Lipid Profile.

INTRODUCTION: The Indian Diabetes Risk Score is a tool which was devised by the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation to screen people for the risk of developing Diabetes mellitus; it comprises of the family history, the abdominal circumference, age and the physical activity. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study was aimed at finding out whether the Indian Diabetes Risk Score (MDRF) correlated with the blood sugar levels, the lipid profile and the blood pressure readings of medical students. METHODS: Seventy five female and 75 male students who signed the informed consent were selected for the study. Their IDRS was calculated by using a validated questionnaire which involved the family history, the abdominal circumference, age and the details of the physical activity. All of them had their blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose and lipid profiles measured. RESULTS: There were 101 students with an IDRS of <30, 42 students with a moderate IDRS (30-50) and 7 who had a high IDRS of ≥60. The fasting plasma glucose was significantly correlated with the IDRS (P=0.001, r = 0.472), with a mean FPG of 84 ± 3.63mg/dl in the low risk groups, of 88 ± 4.93mg/dl in the moderate risk groups and of 94 ± 6.50mg/dl in the high risk groups. The total cholesterol value was r = 0.420 (P= 0.001), the total triglycerides value was r = 0.373 (P=0.001), the LDL cholesterol value was r = 0.578 (P=0.001) and the VLDL value was r = 0.566 (P=0.001), which positively correlated with the risk score and the HDL value r = -0.480 (P=0.001) correlated negatively with the risk score. There was no correlation between the IDRS and the blood pressure. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that nearly 40% of the medical students had a moderate to a high IDRS. The IDRS significantly correlated with the fasting plasma glucose and with all the components of the lipid profile. The IDRS did not correlate with the blood pressure readings.

Role of multiple induced sputum examination in the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.

We evaluated the usefulness of repeated nebulized saline induced sputum examinations among 60 HIV infected patients clinically suspected to have Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). We found that the first sample was positive for 15 episodes (21.4%); the second sample was positive in 33 episodes (47.1%); the third sample was positive in 22 episodes (31.4%). Repeated nebulized saline induced sputum examination imporved the yield of Pneumocystis carinii and enhanced the sensitivity of a positive result. This technique is simple, cost-effective, non-invasive, and reliable. We recommend the examination of multiple induced samples of nebulized saline induced sputum in all HIV infected patients with suspected PCP. This recommendation may decrease the need for invasive procedures.