Association between various antioxidants in normals and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, their alteration and impact of smoking and disease on levels of antioxidants

Background: There is total alteration of various antioxidants in response to the oxidative stress, which is one of the major patho-physiologic hallmarks in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) development. This study aims to establish the correlation between different antioxidants in normals and COPD, study the alteration in the correlation due to COPD and smoking as well as the impact of COPD and smoking on antioxidants levels.Methods: Study comprises of 96 normals as group I and 96 COPD patients as group II. The antioxidants albumin (Alb), bilirubin (Bil), uric acid (UA) ceruloplasmin (Cp), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD3) were estimated.Results: Significant lower serum Alb, UA, SOD3 and increased serum Cp and GSHPx were found in Group II. Significant correlation was found between Alb and UA (r=0.24); Bil and UA (r=0.26); Alb and CAT (r=0.211) and SOD3 and CAT (r=0.318) in normals. However, these correlations were altered in COPD where Alb correlates with Bil (r=0.235); UA with CAT (r=0.203) and SOD3 with GSHPx (r=-0.27). The correlation between SOD3 and CAT remained unaltered. Similar correlation of UA with Alb and Bil was observed in nonsmoker normals and between SOD3 and CAT in smoker normals. In COPD, no correlation was seen in nonsmokers, while in smokers Alb correlates with Bil (r=0.316) and SOD3 with CAT (r=0.317).Conclusions: These alterations may have clinical ramifications in further understanding the pathogenesis of COPD and developing therapeutic approaches

Prevalence and risk factors of hypertension among women in a rural community of Maharashtra

Background: There are very few epidemiological studies on the prevalence of hypertension and its risk factors among women in the rural population. This cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the same in a rural community. This study was carried out in a rural population of Maharashtra in a rural field practice area of a Medical college with which the author is affiliated. The present study is thus a novel effort to measure the burden related to hypertension and related sociodemographic factors in a rural setting among women aged >30 years. Materials and Methods: A random sample of 220 women of 30 years and above were selected from a rural area. The study participants were selected using simple random sampling technique using lottery method. Numbers were allotted to every individual. All the women were then listed. This became the sampling frame. An individual was taken as the sampling unit. The pre-tested pro forma was used to collect the data by trained doctors. Results: Maximum participants in the study were from age group 30–39 years (33.6%), followed by 40–49 years (23.2%). Mean and standard deviation (SD) of age among study participants was found to be 47.7 ± 13.4 years. A total of 155 (70.5%) of the study participants used tobacco in one or the other smokeless form. About 29.5% of the study participants never used tobacco in the lifetime. The most common form of smokeless tobacco consumption was Mishri (71.6%) followed by tobacco which was used by 27% of the participants. Supari was also consumed by few of the participants. About 51.4% of the participants consumed >5 g (World Health Organization recommended level) of salt per day. All the participants consumed extra salt in the form of pickle/papad/table salt over and above that consumed in meals. About 8.2% of the study participants were found to be underweight while 21.2% were overweight. 3.2% of the study participants were in Grade I obesity and only one (0.4%) was in morbid obesity category. 70% of the study participants who had waist-hip ratio ≤ 0.85, whereas 30% of them had ratio > 0.85. Nearly 52% of the study participants gave a positive family history of hypertension among first-degree relatives. Only 22 (68.7%) of those participants diagnosed with hypertension were taking antihypertensive drugs and nearly half of these participants 12 (54.5%) were taking regular medication. 34.1% of participants had systolic blood pressure (BP) >140 than mmHg (isolated systolic hypertension) while 37.2% had diastolic BP >90 mmHg (isolated diastolic hypertension). The mean systolic BP calculated was 130 mmHg with SD 20.7 with 95% confidence interval (CI) of mean to be 127.5–132.8 mmHg, whereas diastolic BP was 83 mmHg with SD 11.1 with 95% CI of mean to be 81.7–84.6 mmHg. The overall prevalence of hypertension among the study participants was calculated to be 23.6% with 95% CI to be 18.2–26.8 mmHg. Conclusion: Prevalence of systolic hypertension in rural community was 34.1% and of diastolic hypertension 37.2% with an overall prevalence of 23.6%. Significant associations were found between the presence of hypertension and various sociodemographic variables using Chi-square test. Furthermore, there was a significant association between hypertension and consumption of smokeless tobacco, low physical activity level

Association between intimate partner violence & HIV/AIDS: Exploring the pathways in Indian context

Background & objectives: Violence against women cutting across diverse socio-economic classes is an under-recognized human rights violation in the world. This analysis was undertaken to examine the prevalence along with predictors of intimate partner violence (IPV) and its association with HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Indian ever-married women. Methods: The data obtained from 2005 to 2006 third round of National Family Health Survey-3 (NFHS-3) were used in this study. Analyses were conducted on ever-married women by linking individual women data including violence information and HIV test results. Results: The analyses indicated all forms of violence to be prevalent in India. The prevalence of lifetime IPV reported was 35.3 per cent. Multivariate analysis using logistic regression identified younger age of women, higher number of children, low level of education of women as well as her partner, working status of women, higher spousal age, rural residence, alcohol consumption by husband, childhood witness of violence among parents, nuclear household and lower standard of living to be positively associated with the experience of IPV by the women (P<0.05). HIV-positive status of women, as well as women from high HIV prevalent State, were at increased odds of IPV (P<0.05). Interpretation & conclusions: Significantly higher reporting of HIV/STIs by women experiencing IPV hints at new pathways that link violence and HIV. Further, our analysis showed a high prevalence of IPV in India