African Journal of Internal Medicine

African Journal of Internal Medicine ISSN 2326-7283 Vol. 5 (1), pp. 384-388, January, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Profile of blood pressure and glycemic figures of obese people in the common of tchamba (Togo)

Assane Hamadi¹, Balaka Abago², Tchamdja Toyi^3*, Djagadou Kodjo Agbéko², Djibril Mohaman Awalou²

¹Department of physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lomé,Togo,

²Department of internal medicine, Faculty of  Health sciences , University of Lomé, Togo,

³Department of internal medicine, Faculty of  Health sciences , University of Kara, Togo.  

Email: [email protected]                                                                                                                                                                                             

Received 26 November, 2016; Revised 30 November, 2016; Accepted 22 December, 2016 and Published 02 January, 2017

Abstract

Investigate the profile of blood pressure and blood sugar figures of obese people in the municipality of Tchamba. We conducted a cross-study examining the obese population Tchamba Municipality during the period 20 October to 20 December 2011. Female has characterized our sample with a sex ratio F/H equal to 2.46. The age range of 46 to 60 years was the most represented (35%).Considering the BMI, obesity was mild in 50% of subjects; average at 34.44% and severe in 15.55% of the subjects. Considering the WC / HC ratio, obesity was observed android kind in 30% of our subjects, gynecoid kind in 38.88% and mixed in 31.11% in subjects of our study. The association with HBP and diabetes has been observed among our subjects and 58.88% of persons had presented figures fasting glycemic located within the normal range and the other 41.11% had high numbers. This study observed a trend to elevation of blood pressure and blood sugar with obesity. Indeed, progressive parallelism was noted between obesity and blood pressure first, and secondly, between the glycemic figures and obesity.

Keywords: Obesity, glycemy, blood pressure, cardiovascular risk, non-commutable diseases, Togo.

African Journal of Internal Medicine ISSN 2326-7283 Vol. 4 (6), pp. 372-377, November, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Prevalence of PIMs using Beers criteria and STOPP in the geriatric outpatient care

Thongchai Jaa Nichkhun^1*, Akara F. Sombat¹, Winai Ampol Chatree² and Sorapong K. Mitr³

¹Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand.

²Faculty of Nursing, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.

³Outpatient Clinic, Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.

E-mail: [email protected] 

Accepted 30 October, 2016

Abstract

Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) are a common problem in older adults and are associated with negative outcomes. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of and the factors associated with the use of PIMs by elderly patients in an outpatient setting of the tertiary care hospital. A retrospective medical record audit was randomly reviewed in 308 elderly patients in 2010. Beers criteria (2003) and the screening tool of older persons’ potentially inappropriate prescriptions (STOPP) were used to identify PIMs. The results showed that the median number of medicines per patient was 5.6 (inter-quartile ranges 3.5 to 7). Prevalence of PIMs determined by Beers criteria and STOPP was 19.2 and 31.5%. The only factor that exhibited associations was the higher number of prescription medications based on STOPP criteria (odds ratio 1.2, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 1.4), p<0.05. PIMs are highly prevalent among older adults in the tertiary care setting and are associated with greater number of medications based on STOPP. Beers criteria are a less sensitive tool than STOPP to detect PIMs for Thai older adults.

Key words: Beers criteria, screening tool of older persons’ potentially inappropriate prescriptions (STOPP) criteria, Thai older adults, medication errors, inappropriate drug use.

Full Length Research Paper

A study on resident beliefs and practices regarding e-cigarette use

Bill Owen Ronald*, John C. Armstrong and Henry Reagan Clinton

Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 1 Robert Wood Johnson Place, New Brunswick NJ 08901, United States of America.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 17 September, 2016

Abstract

Electronic cigarettes are an important public health concern. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and morbidity worldwide and is a risk factor for six of the eight leading global causes of death. E-cigarettes have been proposed as an enticing prospect to reduce the harms of conventional tobacco use. However, they are increasingly used by middle-school and high-school students and threaten important barriers that have slowly protected the public against tobacco products including renormalization, price barriers, limitations on advertising and access, and bans on flavoring. Physicians have poor knowledge about the potential harms of e-cigarettes and limited data exists regarding potential long-term outcomes. We explored resident physician beliefs and practices regarding e-cigarettes. Several themes were identified: (1) Conversations regarding e-cigarettes are becoming more frequent in physician offices; (2) A lack of knowledge regarding potential harms and benefits of e-cigarettes exists among resident physicians; (3) Physicians falsely believe that e-cigarettes are safer alternatives to conventional smoking products; (4) More education is needed regarding evidence based smoking cessation techniques.

Key words: Electronic cigarettes, public health, nicotine, smoking.

Key words: QTc, type 2 diabetes, insulin therapy.

African Journal of Internal Medicine ISSN 2326-7283 Vol. 4 (3), pp. 359-362, August, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of curcuminoid on the liver function of patients with osteoarthritis

Agnez S. Uwais¹*, Tania Mo Habibie², Raffi O. Syahrini³ and Ayu Sri Gie⁴

¹Rheumatology Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gadjah Mada University/Dr. Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, 55286, Indonesia.

²Endocrinology Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gadjah Mada University/Dr. Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, 55286, Indonesia.

³Geriatric Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gadjah Mada University/Dr. Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, 55286, Indonesia.

⁴Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, 55286, Indonesia.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 14 July, 2016

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is the most frequent joint disease worldwide. Patients with osteoarthritis mostly use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as diclofenac sodium for reducing pain. Diclofenac sodium frequently disturbs the liver function. Curcuminoid has an anti-inflammatory activity and some references state that curcuminoid protects the liver function. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of curcuminoid from Curcuma domestica Val. rhizome extract and diclofenac sodium on the liver function of patients with osteoarthritis. A total of 80 patients with knee osteoarthritis were enrolled. Subjects were divided randomly into two groups; a group received 30 mg of curcuminoid from C. domestica Val. 3 times daily (curcuminoid group) and the other received 25 mg of diclofenac sodium 3 times daily (diclofenac group). Assessment of results includes serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) performed before and after 4 weeks of treatment. In the curcuminoid group, there was no significant decrease of AST serum level (p < 0.15) and ALT serum level (p < 0.41), whereas in the diclofenac group, there was no significant increase of AST serum level (p=0.05) and significant increase of ALT serum level (p<0.01). The increase of serum AST and ALT level in the diclofenac group were significantly different as compared to the decrease of the levels in the curcuminoid group. This means that diclofenac sodium disturbs liver function, while curcuminoid from C. domestica Val. rhizome extract improves the liver function of patients with osteoarthritis.

Key words: Curcuminoid, diclofenac sodium, liver function, osteoarthritis.