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Biomedical subjects

A J Khan

Publications and source records attributed to A J Khan.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

The relationship between therapeutic injections and high prevalence of hepatitis C infection in Hafizabad, Pakistan.

To determine the prevalence and routes of transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Hafizabad, Pakistan, we collected sera in 1993 from a geographically based random sample of residents, and in 1994 identified 15 HCV-infected individuals (cases) and 67 age and sex matched uninfected individuals (controls). Initially we approached 504 households, and collected serum from a randomly selected household member in 309 (64%). Twenty persons (6.5%) had anti-HCV antibody; 31% percent had hepatitis B core antibodies, and 4.3% had hepatitis B surface antigen. In the case-control study, persons who received more therapeutic injections (categorized as averaging 1, 2-4, 5-9 or > 10 injections per year in the previous 10 years) were more likely to be infected with HCV (odds ratio 0, 1.5, 2.5 and 6.9 respectively, P = 0.008) compared to persons averaging 0 injections per year. Efforts to limit therapeutic injections to only those that are medically indicated and that use sterile equipment are essential in order to prevent transmission of HCV.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Metastatic carcinoma of umbilicus: "Sister Mary Joseph's nodule".

A 72-year-old woman presented with a progressively enlarging, painful umbilical nodule. A biopsy specimen of the lesion showed focally mucin-producing adenocarcinoma, and the patient was diagnosed to have metastatic carcinoma of umbilicus: Sister Mary Joseph's nodule. Search for the primary tumor revealed adenocarcinoma of the splenic flexure of colon with metastasis to liver, spleen, and periaortic lymph nodes. Sister Mary Joseph's nodule is a well-known entity. It is a rare form of cutaneous umbilical metastases, can present as the first sign of intra-abdominal malignancy, carries very poor prognosis, and generally is inoperable. This report emphasizes the need for careful evaluation of any umbilical lesion and the importance of histologic diagnosis in case of doubt.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1996

Urinary tract infection in adolescent boys.

Clinical and laboratory features of 21 adolescent males with urinary tract infections were studied. Sixty-seven percent were symptomatic and 80% revealed abnormalities on initial urinalysis. Forty-eight percent showed structural anomalies of the urinary tract. Recurrences were observed only in those having abnormalities of the urinary tract.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Estimation of dose rate for indoor radon from building materials.

The internal dose rate due to indoor radon (Rn) emissions from building materials is estimated. It is observed that the contribution from building materials to the dose rate is very small. The average indoor radon concentration in 75 different rooms is found to be 55 +/- 12 Bq. m-3. Assuming an occupancy factor of 0.8, the annual average effective dose equivalent is 1.7 mSv. It seems that soil gas is mainly responsible for the internal exposure from indoor Rn.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMed1994

Relapsing polychondritis: case report and review of the literature.

A 65-year-old man who experienced the acute onset of pain, redness, and swelling of his right ear was treated with antibiotics for erysipelas. Subsequently, the other ear and both eyes became inflammed. Relapsing polychondritis was diagnosed and treatment with prednisone was successful. Relapsing polychondritis, a rare multisystem disease, presents most commonly with auricular chondritis. Other clinical manifestations include arthritis, nasal chondritis, scleritis, damage to tracheal and bronchial cartilage, and aortic, cardiac, and renal involvement. The cause is autoimmune. Recurrent episodes of progressive inflammation result in destruction of cartilage. Treatment consists of administration of corticosteroids and other anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Efficacy of single-dose therapy of urinary tract infection in infants and children: a review.

The role of single-dose therapy was evaluated by pooling data on 320 infants and children included in 12 clinical trials that differed from each other in many variables. Single-dose therapy achieved an overall cure rate of 89%, but varied with different antimicrobial agents. Intramuscular aminoglycosides were the best (cure rate: 96%) closely followed by trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or a sulfa drug with a cure rate of 90%. The cure rate with amoxicillin (75%) was significantly less. Single-dose therapy was most effective (cure rate: 90%) in well-documented lower urinary tract infections (UTIs) and slightly less effective (cure rate: 89%) among those in whom upper UTI could not be excluded. In patients with a normal urinary tract, single-dose therapy was significantly more effective (cure rate: 93%) than in the group of 36 patients with a urinary tract malformation (cure rate: 69%). Single-dose therapy can be used with confidence in patients with lower UTIs and in those with normal urinary tracts. In patients with abnormal urinary tracts and lower UTIs, single-dose therapy may be used with caution, preferably using aminoglycosides. Further studies are required to establish a definitive role of single-dose therapy in patients with urinary tract malformation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Radon daughter levels in some public and private buildings in India.

Radon daughter concentrations have been measured in some public and private buildings of Aligarh city. Approximately 320 CR-39 detectors were mounted in 30 sample sites. It was found that the Rn daughter concentrations vary from 3.5 mWL to 8.1 mWL with a geometric mean of 5.6 +/- 1.3 mWL. The average annual effective dose equivalent due to Rn daughters is found to be 1.46 mSv using an equilibrium factor of 0.45 and an occupancy factor of 0.8. About 33% of buildings were estimated to have a Rn concentration below 40 Bq m-3 and 79% below 60 Bq m-3. The measured levels do not require any intervention as recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗
PubMed1990

Acute respiratory infections in children: a case management intervention in Abbottabad District, Pakistan.

Between 1985 and 1987, a community-based case-management programme for acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) was conducted in a rural district of northern Pakistan. The impact on infant and child mortality of this programme, which included active case-finding and maternal health education, was evaluated. In 1985-86, the ALRI-specific mortality rate among children less than 5 years old in 31 intervention villages was 6.3 deaths per 1000 children per year, compared with 14.4 in seven control villages (P = 0.0001). Within one year of the interventions being extended to the control villages in 1987, the ALRI-specific mortality rate in these villages dropped by 55% to 6.5 per 1000 children per year (P = 0.06). The total child mortality rate in 1985-86 was 29.0 per 1000 children per year in the intervention villages and 39.4 per 1000 children in the control villages, a difference of 26% (P = 0.01). With the interventions in 1987, the total child mortality rate in the control villages declined by 29% to 27.8 per 1000 children per year (P = 0.09). Similar intervention-associated declines in the infant mortality rate were also observed. Case management of acute respiratory infection by village-level community health workers backed up by local health centre staff appeared to significantly reduce both ALRI-specific and total infant and child mortality rates in this setting.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1990

Improvement of neutrophil migration by systemic vitamin C in neonates.

The effect of oral vitamin C on chemotactic and random migration of neutrophils in 20 neonates (10 normal and 10 with suspected sepsis) was evaluated. Chemotaxis and random migration were studied between 24 and 48 hours of life, before and 24 hours after the administration of 400 mg (divided in four doses) of vitamin C. Chemotactic migration improved by 65% and random migration by 57% following vitamin C administration. The significant improvement in chemotaxis (P less than .01) and random migration may justify the inclusion of vitamin C as an adjunct to the therapy of neonatal sepsis.

Ascorbic Acid↗
PubMed1989

Biosynthetic arginine decarboxylase in phytopathogenic fungi.

It has been reported that while bacteria and higher plants possess two different pathways for the biosynthesis of putrescine, via ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and arginine decarboxylase (ADC); the fungi, like animals, only use the former pathway. We found that contrary to the earlier reports, two of the phytopathogenic fungi (Ceratocystis minor and Verticillium dahliae) contain significant levels of ADC activity with very little ODC. The ADC in these fungi has high pH optimum (8.4) and low Km (0.237 mM for C. minor, 0.103 mM for V. dahliae), and is strongly inhibited by alpha-difluoromethylarginine (DFMA), putrescine and spermidine, further showing that this enzyme is probably involved in the biosynthesis of polyamines and not in the catabolism of arginine as in Escherichia coli. The growth of these fungi is strongly inhibited by DFMA while alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) has little effect.

Arginine↗
PubMed1989

Urinary tract infections associated with otitis media in infants and children.

One hundred six infants and children with otitis media were screened for the incidence of urinary tract infections (UTI) by urine culture. Seventeen patients (16%) who had UTI were compared with the 80 patients with sterile urine for differences in host factors and laboratory features. The mean age, WBC counts, and ESR values were similar. Patients with UTI-associated otitis media had a higher incidence of hematuria. Prevalence of high (greater than or equal to 103 degrees F) fever was higher among the boys with UTI. However, because of the lack of definite clinical and laboratory clues to determine the presence or absence of UTI, urine culture is the only test to uncover otitis media patients with concomitant UTI.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1988

Radon estimation in some Indian tobacco, tea and tooth powder using CR-39 nuclear track detector.

Radon contents in some samples of tobacco, tea and tooth powder have been estimated using CR-39 solid state nuclear track detectors. The Radon content in tobacco has been found to vary from 14.06 +/- 1.4 to 89.91 +/- 3.3 mBq/l. The Radon content in tea and tooth powder has been found to vary from 27.38 +/- 1.8 to 41.81 +/- 2.2 mBq/l and 26.27 +/- 1.4 to 413 +/- 6.0 mBq/l respectively. The present investigations are useful from the health hazards point of view.

Dentifrices↗
PubMed1987

Single-dose gentamicin therapy of recurrent urinary tract infection in patients with normal urinary tracts.

Results of single-dose therapy of urinary tract infections in pediatric patients have been contradictory mainly because of selection criteria. We evaluated the efficacy of a single dose of gentamicin in patients with normal urinary tracts and in whom urinary tract infections were recurrent. Twenty-one patients were included in the study, and a similar number in a conventional group given treatment for 10 days. Cure rate was 100% in both groups. The recurrence rates of 67% in the study and 52% in the conventional group were comparable. Single-dose therapy seems to have a role in the treatment of urinary tract infection in the absence of urinary tract malformation.

Adolescent↗