Comparative evaluation of procoagulant and proinflammatory markers in drug naive versus oral contraceptive pill’s (OCP’s) treated Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) women.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder of young women. There is a spectacular increase in the prevalence of PCOS all over world especially in Asia. The condition seems to be on rise in Kashmir valley although systemic studies on the subject are underway. First line of treatment is often the oral contraceptive pills (OCP’s) as most of these women attend to various gynaecologists and they desire menstrual regulation. Since there is plethora of data that PCOS women have evidence of enhanced markers of inflammation and indicators of coagulation. Therefore treatment with OCP’s may worsen the metabolic, inflammatory and coagulation parameters in this population. We undertook this study to investigate the effect of OCP treatment procoagulant and proinflammatory markers in women with PCOS. The results may therefore translate in to the clinical practice

Seroprevalence of hepatitis-B virus (HBV), hepatitis-C virus (HCV) and human immodeficiency virus (HIV) in blood donors.

Objectives: To study the seroprevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV in blood donors at SKIMS Srinagar. Study Design: A combined (retrospective/prospective) observational study. Material & Methods: All the eligible blood donors were screened for HBsAg, HCV and HIV by Rapid test and/or ELISA. Results: A study of 5½ years was carried out in the Department of Blood Transfusion & Immunohaematology at SKIMS Srinagar. The study period extended from January 2003 to June 2008. A total of 48025 units of blood donated were screened for HBsAg, HCV and HIV. Seroprevalence of HBsAg, HCV and HIV was 0.57%, 0.22% and 0% respectively, with total seroprevalence of all three viral markers of 0.79%. There was no statistical difference between the seropositivity of HBsAg and HCV among different age groups, male v/s female, rural v/s urban, replacement v/s voluntary, first time v/s repeat donors. Seropositivity was statistically not associated with ABO blood groups. Conclusions: Seroprevalence of viral markers was lower in our study as compared with studies from other countries. However, the risk of transmission, though small, is significant considering the overall morbidity and mortality of disease transmitted