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Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) poses a significant health-care challenge and is a primary contributor to both mortality and morbidity. Diabetic autonomic neuropathy (DAN) is a frequently occurring complication associated with diabetes mellitus. Autonomic nerve damage leading to cardiac autonomic dysfunction and peripheral sympathetic neuropathy can lead to changes in heart rate variability (HRV) and galvanic skin response (GSR), respectively. Aims and Objectives: The study was designed and done to evaluate the impact of T2DM on HRV and GSR for assessing DAN. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 individuals diagnosed with T2DM (cases) and 100 healthy individuals (controls) participated in this study. Physio Pac (PC-2004) was used to record the necessary data. Statistical analysis was performed using the non-parametric Mann--Whitney test to see the comparison of the cases and controls. In addition, to measure the statistical relationship between the duration of the disease and the HRV and GSR parameters, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was utilized. The study received approval from the Ethical and Research Committee at the Government Medical College, Patiala. Results: Significant statistical differences were observed between the cases and controls in all time domain measures, as well as GSR and the majority of frequency domain measures of HRV. The correlation analysis revealed a strong association between the duration of T2DM and a decrease in HRV as well as an increase in GSR. Conclusion: The findings from the present study provide evidence that T2DM has an impact on HRV, which suggests the presence of cardiac autonomic neuropathy among diabetic patients, leading to an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity. In addition, the study indicates that reduced sudomotor function, as assessed by galvanic skin response (GSR), serves as a predictive measure for autonomic neuropathy. Therefore, these tests can serve as valuable tools in facilitating the assessment of DAN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ovarian hormones are known to influence central neuronal functioning. Many studies have established the brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) pattern vis-à-vis the cyclical fluctuations of these hormones in young females; however, there is a paucity of research involving BAEP patterns among menopausal females. Aim: This study was conducted to provide normative values for various BAEP parameters in menopausal females from North India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done on 100 females aged 46-70 years. BAEP recording was done using a standardized protocol. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. It consisted of mean wave latencies I, II, III, IV, and V and interpeak latencies (IPL) I-V, I-III, and III-V. Student's unpaired t-test was used for statistical analysis. Results: The average value of means of wave latencies and IPL from both the ears was obtained. The latencies of waves I, II, III, IV, and V were 1.82 ± 0.27 ms, 2.81 ± 0.27 ms, 4.09 ± 0.35 ms, 4.87 ± 0.33 ms, and 6.19 ± 0.31 ms, respectively. The mean values of IPL I-V, I-III, and III-V were 4.37 ± 0.38 ms, 2.26 ± 0.33 ms, and 2.1 ± 0.32 ms, respectively. Conclusion: The study findings compared favorably with already existing data from similar studies conducted elsewhere. The data from the present study would prove useful to the clinicians to detect subtle neurodegenerative changes at an early stage within the central auditory pathways, even in the absence of any perceptible hearing loss, in this subset of population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted on a group of 90 traffic policemen aged 20-50 years and working in and around Patiala district to assess their knowledge, attitude, and practices toward the ill effects caused by traffic noise on health. The subjects were required to fill up a questionnaire regarding their self-assessment of hearing ability, noise-related attitudes, and the use of personal protective equipment such as earplugs. The mean age of subjects was 39.8 ± 5.80 years, while the mean duration of exposure to traffic noise was 10.56 ± 6.43 years. Only 5.5% subjects felt that their hearing was below average. As many as 61% subjects had work-related tinnitus. It was observed that none of them had ever used ear plugs, mainly due to their non availability. The self-assessment of hearing by traffic policemen indicated that most of them had normal hearing. However, to find out the exact number of cases with hearing impairment, further evaluation with audiometry is recommended in them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a complex metabolic disorder whose detrimental effects on various organ systems, including the nervous system are well known. Aim: This study was conducted to determine the changes in the brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 116 females with type 2 diabetes and 100 age matched, healthy female volunteers were selected. The brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) were recorded with RMS EMG EP Marc-II Channel machine. The measures included latencies of waves I, II, III, IV, V and Interpeak latencies (IPL) I-III, III-V and I-V separately for both ears. Data was analysed statistically with SPSS software v13.0. Results: It was found that IPL I-III was significantly delayed (P = 0.028) only in the right ear, while the latency of wave V and IPL I-V showed a significant delay bilaterally (P values for right ear being 0.021 and 0.0381 respectively while those for left ear being 0.028 and 0.016 respectively), in diabetic females. However, no significant difference (P > 0.05) was found between diabetic and control subjects as regards to the latencies of waves I, II, III, IV and IPL III-V bilaterally and IPL I-III unilaterally in the left ear. Also, none of the BAEP latencies were significantly correlated with either the duration of disease or with fasting blood glucose levels in diabetics. Conclusions: Therefore, it could be concluded that diabetes patients have an early involvement of central auditory pathway, which can be detected quite accurately with the help of auditory evoked potential studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Measurement of peak expiratory flow (PEF) is imperative for management and evaluation of asthmatic children. It is well known that lung function parameters show wide variations with respect to regional, racial, and genetic factors. Aim: This study was conducted to measure PEF in healthy Punjabi children aged 7-14 years as only a few studies have evaluated the lung functions in North Indian children. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in which PEF was measured in 366 healthy schoolchildren (186 boys and 180 girls) of Patiala district, using the Mini Wright Peak Flow Meter. Best of the three trials was recorded. All the subjects were tested in standing position after recording their age, height, and weight. SPSS v. 13 was used for the statistical analysis. Results: The present study showed that all the three independent variables (age, height, and weight) had a significant positive correlation with PEF, in both genders. Furthermore, height was maximally correlated with PEF in both boys (r = 0.970) and girls (r = 0.964). The mean PEF value in boys (249.34 ± 81.36 L/min) was significantly higher than girls (233.31 ± 67.06 L/min). Regression equations for PEF were also determined using age, height, and weight, separately for the genders. Conclusion: Equations derived from this study for estimation of expected PEF values would help the clinicians in assessing the airway obstruction in this population subset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is a disorder of the brain, a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings, and sense of well-being and can cause alteration in sympathetic activity of the body, thus affecting heart rate variability (HRV)., Aim: The study was conducted to determine the effects of depression on HRV parameters in clinically known cases of depression., Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional (observational) study was conducted on fifty known patients of depression, aged 18-65 years, and fifty healthy, age-matched, normal controls. HRV test was conducted, and the results were analyzed statistically using Student's "t"-test for equal variance, for various parameters., Results: The study showed that the differences in mean R-R interval(s), mean HR (beats/min), very low frequency (VLF) power (milliseconds squared [ms 2 ]), and low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) power (%) (LF/HF ratio) among controls and cases were statistically highly significant, while the differences in LF power (ms 2 ) in controls and cases were statistically significant. However, the differences in basic anthropometric parameters, STD (standard deviation of the normal to normal)(s), root mean square successive difference (ms), NN50 (count), pNN50 (%), VLF peak (Hz), LF peak (Hz), HF peak (Hz), HF power (ms 2 ), VLF power (%), LF power (%), HF power (%), LF power (nu), and HF power (nu) were found to be statistically insignificant., Conclusion: Depression leads to changes in autonomic control of the body and changes the autonomic balance in favor of an increased sympathetic tone, which can be detected with fair accuracy with HRV analysis., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest (None)., (Copyright: © 2020 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.)

Background: Influence of gender on auditory evoked potentials is contentious. Although there are quite a few studies documenting the gender as an influencing factor on auditory evoked potentials in younger subjects, but there is a lack of similar studies among elderly population. The present study was conducted to find out the pattern of gender based differences in auditory evoked potentials among healthy elderly subjects., Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on age matched, healthy males (n = 35) and females (n = 34), aged 50-70 years. The measures included latencies of waves I-V and interpeak latencies (IPL) I-III, III-V and I-V separately for both ears. Data was analyzed statistically using Students unpaired t-test, using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software v13.0., Results: The values of all the latencies and IPL for both the ears were non-significantly higher (P > 0.05) in males as compared to females. These results may be attributed to the differences in head circumference between both the genders and to the changed hormonal milieu of sex hormones after menopause., Conclusions: Statistical insignificance of latencies among male and female elderly subjects excludes gender as an influencing factor on auditory evoked potentials in this age group.

Background: Anthropometric and socioeconomic factors are known to influence peak expiratory flow rate, but the effect of altitude has not been established decisively, due to conflicting results of various studies., Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of altitude on peak expiratory flow rate of healthy school children., Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which the peak expiratory flow rate of a group of 290 school children (140 male and 150 female), aged 7-14 years, residing in Shimla (altitude 2150 meters), were compared with the results obtained in an age- and sex-matched control group, consisting of 280 school children (138 male and 142 female), residing in Patiala (altitude 278 meters). Mini Wright Peak Flow Meter was used for the study., Results: The mean peak expiratory flow rate value of boys at high altitude (265 ± 92.6 L/min) was significantly higher than those in plain areas (245 ± 82.1 L/min). Similarly, the mean peak expiratory flow rate of highlander girls (250.4 ± 70.2 L/min) was significantly higher than girls of plains (232.6 ± 65 L/min)., Conclusion: The study suggests that besides anthropometric and socioeconomic factors, altitude is an important determinant of lung function.