Background:Reduction of bone mineral density (BMD) is a known and established phenomenon in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, there have been no data regarding osteoporosis/osteopenia in COPD patients in India.Aim:To look for the degree and frequency of osteoporosis/osteopenia in our OPD patients being diagnosed as COPD.Materials and Methods:Thirty-seven randomly selected patients with COPD were assessed for BMD with commercially available ultrasound bone densitometer (HOLOGIC SAHARA) in a pulmonary OPD. Some cofactors for reduced BMD were also noted.Results:Out of the 37 COPD (all belonging to the GOLD III/IV category) patients studied, the BMD was found to be normal in 10 (27%) patients, while 27 (73%) patients were found to have osteopenia/osteoporosis [19 (51.35%) and 8 (21.62%) patients having osteopenia and osteoporosis, respectively].Conclusion:Frequency of osteoporosis and osteopenia was found to be very high (73%) in our population of advanced COPD. The data suggest a need for further in-depth study regarding the issue.
SummaryTo understand the genetic variation underlying atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac arrhythmia, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of > 1 million people, including 60,620 AF cases and 970,216 controls. We identified 163 independent risk variants at 111 loci and prioritized 165 candidate genes likely to be involved in AF. Many of the identified risk variants fall near genes where more deleterious mutations have been reported to cause serious heart defects in humans or mice (MYH6, NKX2-5, PITX2, TBC1D32, TBX5),1,2 or near genes important for striated muscle function and integrity (e.g. MYH7, PKP2, SSPN, SGCA). Experiments in rabbits with heart failure and left atrial dilation identified a heterogeneous distributed molecular switch from MYH6 to MYH7 in the left atrium, which resulted in contractile and functional heterogeneity and may predispose to initiation and maintenance of atrial arrhythmia.
Background:Biofilms (BFs) are a potential source of highly resistant infections, frequently formed on devicesand pose problems for management.Aim:This study was to develop rational approach for prevention of indwelling urologic device associated biofilm colonization.Subjects and Methods:From randomly selected patients visiting Department of Urology of a tertiary hospital in India 150 uro catheters and 31 used ureteric stents, in-situ for > 30, were collected aseptically. The organisms were isolated and identified from washed devices dipped in broth. Evidence of bacteriuria in each case was checked by semi-quantitative method of urine culture, on day 0 and 14 of device use. The BF statuses of the device-adhered organisms were confirmed by modified method of Christensen. The antibiotic susceptibility was determined by disc diffusion method. Data were analyzed using the Graphpad Prism version 5 statistical software.Results:Both single and multi-species BFs were formed on catheters, whereas mono-bacterial BFs were exclusive on stents. Predominant organisms were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (30.67%,69/225,) followed by Staphylococcus aureus (15.11%, 34/225), Escherichia coli (13.78%, 31/225), Klebsiella pneumoniae (12%, 27/225), Staphylococcus epidermidis (8.44%, 19/225). Of all strains, (89.33%, 201/225) were found to be BF positive and their colonizations were early indicated by the presence of insignificant bacteriuria in follow-up urine samples. All BF isolates were resistant to at least three antibiotics.Conclusions:BF colonization was almost inevitable in prolonged used urinary devices and the most frequent organisms were Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, and Escherichia spp. Their colonizations usually were indicated by insignificant bacteriuria from follow-up samples. Such BF dislodged organisms were multidrug resistant and could be a source of disseminated infection, yet were in-vitro preventable by many drugs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.