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Background: Diabetes and hypertension are known to co-exist frequently as adverse cardiovascular risk factors. Both can produce cardiac autonomic neuropathy that can be measured by ECG RR interval-based heart rate variability (HRV). We compared 5 minutes HRV in four groups based on diabetes and hypertension. Methodology: A cross sectional study was done on 203 participants divided into four groups-diabetics, hypertensives, diabetic-hypertensives and normotensive-nondiabetics. They were evaluated for current disease control and five minutes HRV was done in supine condition following standard protocols by Variowin HR Software. HRV parameters of time domain, frequency domain and Poincare plot were compared between groups and associated with gender, glycaemic control and blood pressure control. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Three diseased groups had mean age in mid-fifties, mean duration of disease > 6 years, comparable BMI, poor glycaemic and blood pressure control. As compared to normal groups, three diseased groups exhibit reduced HRV with respect to all three domains of HRV with varying statistical significance. Among diseased groups, HRV was associated with blood pressure control better than glycaemic control but not with gender. LF/HF ratio was the most consistent HRV parameter showing statistical significance in tests. Conclusion: HRV is reduced in both diabetics more than hypertensives; related to blood pressure control more than glycaemic control. It points altered cardiac autonomic balance, and possibility of cardiovascular risk and early detection of it with timely intervention. It also calls for investigation of same for reinforcement of our observations and further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is known to produce diabetic retinopathy (DR). Pulse wave analysis (PWA) provides arterial stiffness (AS) and central hemodynamic (CH) parameters. We studied the effect of DR on AS and CH parameters in type 2 diabetics (T2D). Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study on 47 T2Ds attending a private ophthalmology clinic screened for DR by optical coherence tomography angiography and divided into NDR (non-DR), NPDR (non-proliferative DR), and PDR (proliferative DR). Mobil-o-graph (IEM, Germany) based oscillometric PWA yielded AS and CH parameters. They were further compared between groups stratified by DR with P value set at 0.05. Results: Participants had a mean age 62, mean diabetes duration 9 years, high mean BMI, and high prevalence of physical inactivity, hypertension, and poor diseases control. Significant differences were lacking in NPDR, NDR, and PDR in rate pressure product (mean 112.71 vs 116.06 vs 119.57), central pulse pressure (mean 46.50 vs 43.09 vs 42.72), stroke work (mean 153.36 vs 132.36 vs 146.08), augmentation index (mean 29.43 vs 33.14 vs 31.64), and aortic pulse wave velocity (mean 10.06 vs 9.08 vs 9.06). There was no clear pattern of distribution of most parameters among the three subgroups. Conclusion: We found a lack of association between DR and cardiovascular ageing studied by AS and hemodynamic parameters. It suggests a possible difference in risk factors for both of these aftermaths of T2DM and calls for further prospective studies with a large sample size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Type 1 Diabetes is an early onset disease that imposes significant cardiovascular risk. Arterial stiffness and central haemodynamics are immediate and discrete parameters but studied scarcely. Pulse wave analysis (PWA) allows non-invasive measurement of them which we undertook in diabetics. Methodology: We performed a case control study on 36 treated type 1 diabetics and 36 nondiabetic, normotensive, matched controls. Oscillometric pulse wave analysis (PWA) was performed by Mobil-o-Graph (IEM, Germany). Parameters were compared between case and controls. Multiple linear regressions were accomplished to find significant predictors. P < 0.05 was taken as statistical significance. Results: - Cases showed significantly raised brachial haemodynamics (blood pressure, heart rate, rate pressure product); arterial stiffness (augmentation pressure, augmentation index, pulse wave velocity, total arterial stiffness, pulse pressure amplification) and central haemodynamics (central blood pressure, cardiac output, stroke work) than controls, with statistical significance for not all. Most outcome parameters were predicted by age, HR, BP to lesser extents. Genders, presence of hypertension, glycemic control, blood pressure control, physical activity were not significantly affecting study outcomes in case group. Conclusion: Gujarati type 1 diabetics had beyond brachial blood pressure, adverse profile of discrete cardiovascular parameters; independent of conventional confounders; suggesting vascular progeria. This baseline work hints further study of these PWA parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Smoking is an increasingly popular indulgence in India. Assessment by routine spirometry falls short of direct functional parameter like Diffusion Lung Capacity (DLC), also known as lung transfer factor (LTF). Aim: To measure LTF amongst middle aged male smokers and to study various correlates for it. Materials and Methods: Total of 45 asymptomatic male current smok ers were enrolled for this cross-sectional study conducted at pulmonary function testing lab of Physiology Department of our college. Smoking history was evaluated and smoking index was defined by product of number smoked per day and years smoked. We used instrument Ultima PFX of Medgraphic Company. After pre syringe calibration LTF was measured by Methane mixture using protocols of ATS. Parameters measured were Dlco-uncorrected, corrected and normalized to VA (alveolar volume). Results were compared for statistical significance and significance was set as p <0.05. Results: In case group of 45(25 bidi and 20 cigarette smokers) mean age was 30 years, mean duration was 8 years, mean smoking index was 60. We found small insignificant decline in actual LTF values than predicted which was not significantly different between bidi and cigarette smokers. Duration, age and intensity of smoking were negatively and significantly correlated with LTF value while anthropometric parameters were not. Conclusion: Smoking adversely affects LTF in young asymptomatic current male smoker that further declines with severity of smoking and with duration regardless of type of smoking. With years to come, these alterations can largely be prevented by smoking cessation, at least theoretically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Deranged body fat and muscle mass are aftermaths of uncontrolled diabetes. Anthropometric methods like body mass index (BMI) do not give qualitative inferences like total body fat (TBF), visceral fat (VHF) or subcutaneous fat (S) that can be given by bio-electrical impedance analysis (BIA). We studied body composition of type 2 diabetics in comparison to controls matched by age-sex, weight and BMI separately. Methods: Seventy-eight under-treatment type 2 diabetics of either sex with known glycemic and lipidemic control and equal number of controls with three patterns of matching were taken from our city. We derived parameters of body composition in both groups by Omron Karada Scan (Model HBF-510, China), using the principle of tetra poplar BIA and compared them for statistical significance. Results: We found significantly more SF (30.47% ± 7.73%), VF (11.94% ± 4.97%) and TBF (33.96% ± 6.07%) and significantly lesser skeletal muscle mass (23.39% ± 4.49%) in type 2 diabetics as compared to controls, persisting even after matching with weight or BMI. On assessing qualitatively, the risk of high VF, high TBF, low skeletal muscle mass was significantly high in type 2 diabetics, which were 10.41, 3.01, 9.21 respectively for comparable BMI and 6.78, 3.51, 11.93 respectively for comparable weight. Conclusions: BIA reveals that type 2 diabetics have more ectopic fat on the expense of skeletal muscle that persists even after matching by weight or BMI, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Measurement of body composition can be included as a primary care strategy to motivate lifestyle modifications while managing metabolic deran-gements of type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Air pollution due to road traffic is a serious health hazard and air quality crisis in cities is mainly due to vehicular emission. Thus the persons who are continuously exposed are at an increased risk. The study was carried out to evaluate the extent of impairment in lung function in traffic police personnel compared to matched unexposed control group. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to measure the spirometric parameters of 100 traffic police personnel, aged 20-55 years, working in Saurashtra region, as compared to matched control group, consisting of 100 unexposed males. Measurement of lung volumes and capacities was done with SPIROEXCEL. The statistical analysis was carried out with Graph pad instat 3. Results: Traffic police personnel had significantly declined forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1), slow vital capacity (SVC) and maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) when compared with predictive normal values, which is probably due to exposure to vehicular exhaust. Comparison of test values between groups showed significantly reduced FVC, MVV and increased FEV1/FVC ratio and insignificantly declined FEV1 and SVC in cases as compared to controls. Traffic personnel with longer duration of exposure showed significantly reduced lung functions than those with shorter duration. Smokers showed lower test values as compared to non-smokers with significance only in unexposed group. Conclusion: The effect of pollution by vehicular exhausts may be responsible for these pulmonary function impairments and traffic police personnel should be offered personal protective or preventive measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exposure to Occupational noise is the major avoidable cause of permanent hearing loss that is preventable by protective measures. Present study evaluated hearing profile and effects of shift, sex, and smoking on hearing loss in plastic weavers working in textile industry exposed to impact type of noise. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study of hearing threshold of various shift workers of plastic weaving industries (18 males, 32 females) at various frequencies was done and effect of various factors was tested at low and high frequencies and compared at 4 kHz, 6 kHz, and 8 kHz statistically. Results: Hearing thresholds were significantly higher at high frequencies than speech frequencies, in day shift workers than night shift workers and within day shift workers more with continuous type of shift work than interrupted type. Females showed better hearing than males and for non-smokers than smokers, but the difference observed in both instances proved statistically insignificant. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the use of alternate day and night shift, interrupted day shift may be used to prevent hearing loss and for further confirmation few more studies are warranted. Being female and non smoking also proved an advantage. Comparatively, mild to moderate degree of hearing loss further reinforces the scope of prevention by hearing protective devices and interrupted shift design of work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The textile workers exposed to industrial noise are prone to develop hearing loss concentrated mainly at high audible frequencies. It is affected by duration of exposure and type of noise. Aims: Present study was conducted to (a) investigate hearing thresholds of textile workers by pure tone audiometry, (b) correlate thresholds at 4 kHz, 6 kHz and 8 kHz between noise exposed and unexposed group and (c) study effect of duration of exposure on hearing profile. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 50 weavers of plastic industries exposed to high levels of constant noise. Objectively, hearing defects were inquired by self-administered questionnaires. Subjectively, pure tone audiometry was carried out to measure hearing thresholds at various frequencies. It was simultaneously compared with the similar data of matched control group. Results: Prevalence of hearing loss symptom and hearing thresholds were more in exposed group than in control group. There was significant hearing loss at high frequency as compared to lower ones. Audiometry revealed notch at 4 kHz with less effect at 6 or 8 kHz, cumulative effect of duration of exposure. Conclusion: Textile weavers are more at risk to develop Occupational Noise Induced Hearing Loss (ONIHL) mainly affecting higher frequencies concentrated at 4 kHz. Despite least effects on hearing, this disease silently progresses and there is a definite scope of prevention by appropriate protective measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Influence of sex on brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) is not well understood with few studies in India that targets young Teenagers. Aim: Our study aimed to look into gender, head circumference, and body mass index (BMI) as a factor affecting BAEPs of healthy late teenagers. Materials and Methods: BAEP responses were elicited in age-matched teenager college students using standard protocol. Results of absolute latencies and interpeak latencies (IPLs) were compared among Male and female groups and compared for significance as such and after normalizing head size and BMI and tested for significant difference, if any. Results: Latencies and IPLs of BAEP were lower in males when compared with females, but significance was found only for the later parameter. IPLs showing significant gender difference were for I-III and III-V but not I-V. When test groups with comparable head size and BMI were compared, the difference decreased with neither of the parameter being statistically significant. Conclusion: Utility of BAEP can be optimized by establishing normative data for every setup based on BMI and head circumference along with age and gender before using it as a clinical tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "A Study of Effect of Shift Work, Sex and Smoking on Development of ONIHL in Plastic Weavers" by J. D. Solanki and colleagues that was published in a 2013 issue.