Background and Objectives:Exercise-induced desaturation (EID) is associated with increased mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the relationship of EID with anthropometric and clinical parameters of resting pulmonary function test and six-minute walk test (6MWT) in COPD remains unclear. The study was designed to assess the correlate of EID and to identify various possible predictors of EID in stable normoxemic patients of COPD.Materials and Methods:Sixty patients with stable COPD diagnosed and staged as per the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines underwent 6MWT. A drop in standard pulse oximetry (SpO2) of ≥4% or nadir up to ≤88% was defined as EID. Based on EID during 6MWT, two groups were formed: desaturators (DS) and nondesaturators (NDS). DS and NDS were compared for baseline and clinical characters by the Student's t-test while Pearson and Spearman rho correlation coefficient assessed strength of the association of anthropometric and clinical variables with EID. The predictors of EID were identified by logistic regression and receiver operator curve analysis.Result:Out of 60 patients with stable COPD, 33 patients desaturated on exercise (n = 33/60). DS had significantly lower values of FEV1 (P < 0.001), FVC (P < 0.01) FEV1/FVC (P < 0.01) compared to NDS. EID had significant negative correlation with FEV1 (r = 0.31, P < 0.01), resting oxygen saturation (r = 0.549, P < 0.001) and 6MWD (r = 0.511, P < 0.001). Resting SpO2 ≤93% was found to a predictor of EID with a sensitivity and specificity of 83% and 78%, respectively.Interpretation and Conclusion:The 6MWT is a safe and sensitive test to recognize EID in normoxic stable COPD patients. Resting oxygen saturation is a good predictor of EID.

Background:A high level of preoperative anxiety is common among patients undergoing medical and surgical procedures. Anxiety impacts of gastroenterological procedures on psychological and physiological responses are worth consideration.Aims and Objectives:To analyze the effect of listening to Vedic chants and Indian classical instrumental music on anxiety levels and on blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and oxygen saturation in patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy.Materials and Methods:A prospective, randomized controlled trial was done on 199 patients undergoing upper GI endoscopy. On arrival, their anxiety levels were assessed using state and trait scores and various physiological parameters such as HR, BP, and SpO2. Patients were randomly divided into three groups: Group I of 67 patients who were made to listen prerecorded Vedic chants for 10 min, Group II consisting of 66 patients who listened to Indian classical instrumental music for 10 min, and Group III of 66 controls who remained seated for same period in the same environment. Thereafter, their anxiety state scores and physiological parameters were reassessed.Results:A significant reduction in anxiety state scores was observed in the patients in Group I (from 40.4 ± 8.9 to 38.5 ± 10.7; P < 0.05) and Group II (from 41.8 ± 9.9 to 38.0 ± 8.6; P < 0.001) while Group III controls showed no significant change in the anxiety scores. A significant decrease in systolic BP (P < 0.001), diastolic BP (P < 0.05), and SpO2 (P < 0.05 was also observed in Group II.Conclusion:Listening to Vedic chants and Indian classical instrumental music has beneficial effects on alleviating anxiety levels induced by apprehension of invasive procedures and can be of therapeutic use.

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The present analytic study was planned to study the impact of overweight and obesity on glucose tolerance in adolescents. Thirty overweight (BMI analogue  ≥  25-29.9 kg/m(2)) and 30 obese (BMI analogue  ≥ 30 kg/m(2)) adolescents were included as cases and 30 healthy age and sex matched adolescents comprised the control group. All the study participants were subjected to oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) as a measure of glucose tolerance.Means of fasting blood glucose levels in normal, overweight and obese groups were 84.5 mg/dl, 86.7 mg/dl and 94.8 mg/dl respectively. Means of two hourly blood glucose levels in normal, overweight and obese groups were 105.8 mg/dl, 117 mg/dl and 127.1 mg/dl respectively. Oral Glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was normal in all the participants from control group but was impaired in four overweight adolescents. In obese group, OGTT was impaired in eight subjects and one obese child had fasting and 2 hourly blood glucose levels in diabetic range.