BACKGROUND: Hypertension is still a health problem both in developed and developing countries. Hypertension can cause various complications; one of them is cognitive function impairment. AIM: This study aimed to look at the relationship of hypertension with cognitive function. This research can also be useful to help optimise the health of the elderly, maximise quality of life and avoid hypertension as a risk factor for cognitive impairment in the elderly at the Karya Kasih Nursing Homes, Medan from May to June 2018. METHODS: This research was carried out by analytic observational with cross-sectional research approach. In this study, 57 elderly from Karya Kasih Nursing Homes Medan who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria participated. Assessment of cognitive function used Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Six Item Cognitive Impairment Test (6CIT) and Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMT) instruments. RESULT: This study obtained a significant relationship between the history of hypertension with impaired cognitive function (p = 0.003). The results of the cognitive function examination with MMSE showed that among 57 elderly, 16 people (43.2%) were normal and 21 people (56.8%) had impaired cognitive function in the first degree hypertension group, besides that, 3 people were normal (15%) and 7 people (85%) had impaired cognitive function in the second degree hypertension group (p = 0.031). Based on the result of mild and severe cognitive function impairment, among 12 people (57.1%) and 9 people (42.9%) had a mild and severe cognitive function impairment, respectively, in first-degree hypertension. 3 people (17.6%) and 14 people (82.4%) had a mild and severe cognitive function impairment, respectively, in the second-degree hypertension (p = 0.013). The 6-CIT instrument also showed a significant relationship between the severity of hypertension and impaired cognitive function (p = 0.027), and there was no significant relationship with AMT instruments (p = 0.078). CONCLUSION: There was a relationship between the history or duration and degree of hypertension with cognitive dysfunction in the elderly at the Karya Kasih Nursing Home Medan.

BACKGROUND: Helminthiasis in school-aged children potentially causing physical growth and intellectual development retardation. Trichuriasis was the most common type of helminthiasis in children. AIM: To investigated the efficacy and side effects of albendazole, albendazole combined with levamisole and mebendazole combined with levamisole for trichuriasis and ascariasis. METHODS: This study was conducted as a double-blind, randomised clinical trial by comparing the efficacy and side effects of albendazole, albendazole combined with levamisole and mebendazole combined with levamisole for trichuriasis. The sample of this study were 180 elementary school students at Deli Serdang Regency State Elementary School, Medan, Indonesia. The study was conducted from April to June 2015. RESULT: The cure rate of helminthiasis on the 7th day was 81.7% after albendazole therapy, 88.3% after albendazole levamisole therapy, and 83.3% after mebendazole combined with levamisole therapy (p = 0.577). Cure rate on the 14th day was 88.3%, 95%, and 91.7% for albendazole, albendazole combined with levamisole, and mebendazole combined with levamisole therapy, respectively (p = 0.418). On the 21th day, the cure rate was 88.3%, 96.7%, and 91.7% (p = 0.230). Combination of albendazole and levamisole showed the highest cure rate, despite the statistically insignificant difference for all groups (p > 0.05). Combination of albendazole combined with levamisole showed better cure rate for mild trichuriasis (95.8%) than albendazole therapy (46.2%) and mebendazole combined with levamisole (83.3%), (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Single-dose albendazole, a combination of albendazole and levamisole, and a combination of mebendazole and levamisole had similar efficacy in reducing egg count in helminthiasis. Combination of albendazole and levamisole showed better cure rate for mild trichuriasis and mixed infections. Side effects were similar in all treatment groups.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a multifactorial disease that is dangerous and is a factor in the emergence of serious diseases such as dyslipidemia, stroke, coronary heart disease and others. In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients there is a disorder of lipid metabolism, namely dyslipidemia. Changes in lipid profile that occurred were an increase in total cholesterol levels, Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides, and decreased levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The phenomenon of an increase in T2DM patients in Indonesia caused double mortality in recent decades. AIM: This study was to determine the relationship between obesity and lipid profile in T2DM patients at Pirngadi Medan Hospital in 2018. METHODS: This study was conducted in an observational analytic with a cross-sectional study approach. Fifteen obese patients with T2DM who were treated at the Endocrine and Metabolic Polyclinic in Pirngadi General Hospital Medan from January to December 2018 were recruited into the study sample. RESULT: Based on the analysis using the results of a one-way correlative analytical test showing that there was a positive correlation between obesity and total cholesterol levels (r = 0.209; p = 0.455) and LDL levels (r = 0.335; p = 0.222) but not significant. There was a negative correlation between obesity and HDL levels (r = -0.072; p = 0.798) and triglyceride levels (r = -0.025; p = 0.930) but not significant. There was no significant relationship between obesity and blood glucose levels (r = 0.463; p = 0.082). This study concluded that there was no significant relationship between obese patients and lipid profiles in T2DM patients. CONCLUSION: Obesity positively correlates with blood glucose level, but its correlation with a lipid profile is not reliable.

BACKGROUND: Trichuris trichiura is a soil-transmitted parasitic worm commonly found in humid, tropical to subtropical areas, as well as poor sanitation area. These worms are cosmopolitan, especially in tropical and humid countries like Indonesia. This worm infection is more common in developing countries and more in children than adults due to poorer child self-hygiene. Worm disease is one of the common society diseases with 60% of children in Indonesia which are estimated to be affected. One species of T. trichiura worm that is often used in research on experimental animals is Trichuris muris. The administration of T. muris infective eggs can significantly increase the number of goblet cells in intestinal crypts of colon and cecum. Goblet cell hyperplasia will occur after exposure to high-dose T. muris (acute/200 infective eggs) in resistant mice. Various studies on the development of natural and traditional materials have been developing in the past few years to see the effects of betel nut on the number of goblet cells in the large intestine. AIM: The aim of this research is to determine the effect of ethanol extract and the ethyl acetate fraction of betel nut on the change in the number of goblet cells in male mice given orally T. muris infective eggs. METHODS: This study was an experimental study with a post-test only control group design in male mice (Mus musculus) which were given 200 infective eggs of T. muris. The study sample consisted of 70 mice divided into seven groups. Doses of the ethanol extract of betel nut are 100 mg/kg b.w. and 150 mg/kg b.w., and doses of ethyl acetate fraction are 100 mg/kg b.w. and 150 mg/kg b.w. The independent variable was ethanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction of betel nut. The dependent variable is the number of goblet cells. Mean differences in groups were tested by Mann–Whitney. RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed a significant difference of p < 0.05 in the colonic crypts and cecum. In Group K (+), there was no increase in the number of goblet cells (54.2000 ± 30.54864) compared to Group K (−) (79.0750 ± 11.79221) in the colon. There was an increase in goblet cells in the 150 mg/kg b.w. of ethanol extract group (64.1000 ± 29.50381), the 150 mg/kg b.w. of ethyl acetate fraction group (56.2250 ± 22.11035), and the 1 mg/20 g of albendazole group (68.3750 ± 11.30956) in the colon. Likewise, there was an increase in the number of goblet cells in the cecum. It can be concluded that 150 mg/kg b.w. of the ethanol extract of betel nut can effectively increase the number of goblet cells in the colon and cecum. CONCLUSION: Ethanol extract of betel nut 150 mg / kg of weight can effectively increase the number of goblet cells in the colon and caecum.

Phyllanthus emblica (PE) is a plant widely found in Indonesia, especially in Sumatra island, and in India. This study followed the OECD No. 420. The groups were divided based on gender, male and female rats. Male rats were divided into 6 groups, which were male/female control, male/female 2000 mg/kgBW, and male/female 5000 mg/kgBW. This study revealed that the ethanol extract of Phyllanthus emblica (EEPE) doses of 2000 mg/kgBW and 5000 mg/kgBW did not cause histological changes in the heart, liver, testes, ovaries, and kidneys, and did not cause changes to the hematological parameters, kidney biochemical parameters, liver biochemical parameters, and electrolyte parameters both in male and female rats. The results show that the LD50 of EEPE is higher than 5000 mg/kgBW. In short, this study provides information regarding the antioxidant activity and the safe use of EEPE. The LD50 of extract ethanol of Phyllanthus emblica is higher than 5000 mg/kgBW.