A study of cardiovascular sympathetic function tests during different phases of menstrual cycle in young females

Background:  Menstrual cycle is a regular coordinated physiological change in non-pregnant women. The variation of hormonal concentrations during different phases of the menstrual cycle has a profound influence on autonomic and metabolic activities. The present study was designed to assess the cardiovascular sympathetic functions during different phases of menstrual cycle in normal healthy eumenorrheic females.Methods:  Fifty females in the age group of 18-25 years were selected for the study. Non-invasive cardiovascular sympathetic function tests were performed during different phases of the menstrual cycle using RMS Polyrite D.Results: Results were analyzed using paired ‘t’ test. Resting blood pressure, blood pressure response to isometric handgrip test and cold pressor test were statistically significant higher (p-value <0.05), in the secretory phase as compared to menstrual and proliferative phase. Blood pressure response to orthostatic test was statistically significant between the proliferative and secretory phase and between menstrual and secretory phase (p-value <0.05).Conclusion: Our study shows that sympathetic activity is highest during the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle and lowest in the proliferative phase as compared to the menstrual phase. This higher sympathetic activity may be correlated with higher estrogen and progesterone levels during the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle. The study also emphasizes the complex relationship between ovarian hormones and autonomic regulatory systems

An assessment of the learning styles of first year medical and dental students of North Bengal Medical College, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India

Background: Learning is the act of acquiring, modifying and reinforcing existing knowledge, behavior, skills and values. This phenomenon of learning is dominated by an individual’s learning style. Learning style is a popular concept in psychology and education, and it refers to how a person learns best. This study aims to identify the Learning Styles of the first year MBBS and BDS students at NBMC by administering the questionnaire of the VARK model.Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in the Department of Physiology at North Bengal Medical College, West Bengal after. The VARK questionnaire 7.8 version was administered to 180 first year MBBS and BDS students from the 2017-2018 batch who had volunteered for the study. The Questionnaire consisted of 16 questions, along with a scoring chart. Students were allowed to choose more than one option. If in majority of the questions they opted for a single sensory modality they were considered as unimodal learners and if they chose multiple options, they were recognized as multimodal learners.Results: The study showed 57% of the students to be multimodal learners and 43% to be unimodal learners. Read/Write was the most preferred (31.22%) sensory modality followed by kinesthetic mode (29.57%).Conclusions: As majority of our students are multimodal learners teachers should incorporate active teaching and learning strategies to cater to all types of learners. Also, as the most preferred method is Read/Write which includes googling and the use of internet to browse for information, we must try and incorporate e-learning into our curriculum

A study of peripheral neuropathy in cases of type-II diabetes mellitus patients with or without hypothyroidism

Background: Type 2 diabetic patients have a higher prevalence of thyroid disorders, particularly hypothyroidism.  Peripheral neuropathy is a common and disabling complication of diabetes mellitus. Peripheral nervous system involvement in hypothyroidism is also a well-documented fact. Nerve conduction studies are generally considered to be the most sensitive and reproducible in the assessment of peripheral neuropathies. This study helped to determine the prevalence of peripheral neuropathy in diabetic hypothyroid patients as well as to compare it in diabetic patients with or without hypothyroidism. It compared the onset latency, amplitude, conduction velocity and F- wave latency of some nerves in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with or without hypothyroidism.Methods: With RMS, EMG, EP MARK-II, nerve conduction studies are done in 30 cases (type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with hypothyroidism) and 30 controls (type 2 diabetes mellitus patients of diabetes without hypothyroidism) respectively, attending the Diabetic Clinic and Biochemistry Laboratory of North Bengal Medical College.Results: Data were treated with Unpaired t-Test. The study reveals that type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with hypothyroidism have higher prevalence of peripheral neuropathy. There is statistically significant (p<0.00) decrease in motor nerve conduction study in both right and left median nerves in diabetic patients with hypothyroidism than in diabetic patients without hypothyroidism.Conclusions: All diabetic patients should be screened for early detection of hypothyroidism as type 2 diabetic patients with hypothyroidism have higher prevalence of peripheral neuropathy. The nerve conduction study remains the most reliable, accurate, and sensitive method to evaluate peripheral nerve function

A study of cardiovascular autonomic function in normal pregnancy

Objective: The present study was designed to evaluate the physiological responses to noninvasive cardiovascular autonomic function tests in normal pregnancy and compare them with non- pregnant controls. Materials and Methods: The study population comprised of 90 apparently healthy, pregnant women divided equally into three groups based on their period of gestation and 30 otherwise healthy, non-pregnant women as controls. The standard autonomic function tests based on cardiovascular reflexes, including heart rate response tests and blood pressure response tests were performed. Result: It was observed that variability of mean between and within all the population groups and controls was significantly different. Multiple comparison analysis revealed a significantly lower Deep Breathing Difference in pregnant subjects, significant difference in Valsalva Ratio in third trimester group, a significantly lower Postural Tachycardia Index only during last trimester and a significantly higher fall in systolic blood pressure on standing only during 1st trimester. A significantly lower alteration in diastolic blood pressure during isometric handgrip in later trimesters and a significant increase in overall cardiovascular autonomic score between and within all groups were also observed. Conclusion: The observations serve to corroborate that the cardiovascular indices in pregnant women are significantly altered in comparison to non-pregnant women, thus highlighting the importance of cardiovascular monitoring during pregnancy. The study also helped to reaffirm the efficacy of simple cardiovascular reflex tests in research on pregnancy physiology