Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H Qureshi

Publications and source records attributed to H Qureshi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Etiology of chronic liver disease in children.

OBJECTIVE: To review the clinical spectrum and etiology of chronic liver disease in children at National Institute of Child Health, Karachi. METHODS: Prospective study in children aged 1 to 14 years with suspected chronic liver disease. Complete blood count, LFT's, prothrombin time, serum albumin and ultrasound of abdomen were done in all patients. Liver biopsy was done in majority of the cases. Viral markers included HBsAg, anti HCV and ANA to determine etiology. Those who were negative for hepatitis B, C and autoimmune disease, were subjected to slit lamp examination of eyes and 24 hours urinary copper estimation for Wilson's disease. Alpha-1-antitrypsin levels were done in selected patients. RESULTS: A total of 55 cases were studied. The common presenting features were edema, ascites (44 patients), jaundice (27), variceal bleeding (23) and fever (22). On examination anemia was present in 52 patients, edema in 46, jaundice in 37, splenomegaly in 42 and hepatomegaly in 35 patients. Fortynine patients had hypoalbuminemia (< 2.5 gm%), 45 raised ALT (> 80 IU/L) and 49 prolonged PT (> 4 sec of control). Ultrasonography showed a dilated portal vein in 34 patients and esophageal varices were seen in 46 patients on endoscopy. Thirteen (24%) had chronic hepatitis B, 9(16%) autoimmune disease, 9 (16%) Wilson's disease and all were anti HCV negative. Etiology remained uncertain in 24 (44%) cases. CONCLUSION: Hepatitis B was the leading cause of chronic liver disease in children followed by Wilson's disease and autoimmune liver disease. None of the patients had hepatitis C in this study.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Diabetes mellitus is equally frequent in chronic HCV and HBV infection.

OBJECTIVE: To see the association of type 2 diabetes mellitus (Type 2 DM) in patients suffering from chronic HBV or HCV related liver disease. SETTING: Patients were selected from the gastroenterology OPD of the medical research centre, diabetic controls from private diabetes clinic and healthy controls from the blood bank of the hospital. METHODS: Patients with chronic liver disease had HBV, HCV tested using ELISA and blood sugar using a glucometer mostly as a 2 hour post prandial sample. Healthy controls had their sugar and ALT checked while donating blood and HBV, HCV were checked routinely. In diabetic controls, blood sample was taken as sera stored for HBV,HCV and ALT and later tested in batches. A random sugar of > or = 200 mg/dl was taken as diabetes. RESULTS: Of 400 patient with chronic liver disease 302 had HCV and 98 HBV infection. Diabetes was found in 24.5% HCV and 19.4% HBV related cases (not significant). Out of 410 healthy controls 18 were HCV and 17 HBV positive. Diabetes was found in only 1 (5.6%) HCV positive control and none of the HBV positive controls. Of 196 diabetics 10 (5.1%) were HCV positive and none HBV positive. Diabetes was more frequent in patients having liver cirrhosis than in those having chronic hepatitis (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Diabetes is equally frequent in both HBV and HCV related disease but is significantly more in those with chronic liver disease than in controls. The pancreatic damage secondary to extrahepatic viral replication appears to be the major cause but genetic factors also need to be explored.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Determination of alpha-1 antitrypsin genetic deficiency in duodenal ulcer by polymerase chain reaction.

OBJECTIVE: To confirm alpha-1-AT deficiency status in duodenal ulcer using a combination of PCR and restricted enzyme digestion. METHODS: Fifty patients with endoscopically proven duodenal ulcer and hundred controls with no signs of the disease were included. Alpha-1-AT phenotypes were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction enzyme digestion. RESULTS: Alpha-1-AT concentration in duodenal ulcer patients showed a mean value of 2.12 +/- 0.11 g/l (range: 0.52-3.95 g/l, p < 0.05). In controls this was 2.47 +/- 0.08 g/l (range: 0.52-5.0 g/l). Among the controls 70% had the MM phenotype, 28% M1 M2 and 2% FM. In duodenal ulcer, MM predominates (70%), followed by M1 M2 (18%), SS (4%), SZ (4%), ZZ (2%) and MZ (2%). CONCLUSION: Alpha-1 AT deficiency was found in 10% of duodenal ulcer patients. DNA analysis more accurately resolved the phenotypes as S and Z mutations.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Staphylococcus epidermidis with intermediate resistance to vancomycin: elusive phenotype or laboratory artifact?

The recent and troubling isolation of Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci that have increased resistance to glycopeptide antibiotics has prompted the use of aggressive surveillance measures in the clinical microbiology laboratory to aid in the recognition of these strains. Despite increasing awareness, the confirmation of glycopeptide resistance among staphylococci can be problematic; we present a case of catheter-associated peritonitis caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis to illustrate the dilemma.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2001

Physician assisted suicide perceptions among patients presenting to family physicians at a teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: To study the perceptions on physician assisted suicide, among patients presenting to family physicians, at a teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. METHOD: The study was carried out at the Community Health Center of The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, between December 1999 and May 2000. The principal and co-investigators filled a pre-coded and pretested questionnaire consisting of important demographic characteristics and bio-medical ethics issues. A system of convenience sampling was used and a written consent was taken from respondents over the age of 16 years, who agreed to participate. The data were managed by using the Epi Info (version 6.0) program. RESULTS: Four hundred twenty respondents were interviewed against an estimated sample size of 385. Majority (88%) were males between 25 and 34 years of age, and were self employed or in private service. Overall 9% respondents were advocated of physician assisted suicide, advocates was 9%. Those who advocated the Physician assisted suicide were more likely to be female, elderly, married and educated amongst the total respondents. Those who support Physician assisted suicide were less likely to attach divine qualities to physicians and were more bold, courageous and tolerant towards broader biomedical ethics issues. CONCLUSION: We have found a substantial acceptability to the idea of Physician assisted suicide in a Muslim society and have identified characteristics of those who support it.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

The incidence of vaccine preventable influenza-like illness and medication use among Pakistani pilgrims to the Haj in Saudi Arabia.

Over the 33-day duration of the 1999 Haj in Saudi Arabia, we collected daily health status reports for 2070 Pakistani pilgrims over 13 years of age, 54% of whom had elected to receive influenza vaccine immediately before departing for the Haj. We calculated vaccine preventable outcome incidence as the difference in attack rates between vaccinated and unvaccinated persons. The incidences of vaccine preventable influenza-like illness (sore throat in combination with cough or fever of at least 38 degrees C), fever, and any symptom of upper respiratory infection were 22, 17, and 24 per 100 pilgrims per Haj. For every 100 persons who attended the Haj, 17 had a course of antibiotics and 23 had a course of nonprescription cold medication that was preventable with influenza vaccine use. Influenza leads to significant morbidity and medication use among Haj pilgrims. Vaccine against influenza should be considered for pilgrims before entry into Saudi Arabia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Role of cytokines in giardiasis.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of inteleukins with G. lamblia infection. METHODS: Serum interleukins were estimated in 42 patients suffering from giardiasis and 42 apparently healthy controls. Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) was also studied in 14 patients and 14 controls. Interleukins (IL-2, IL-4, IL-10) and TNF alpha were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: IL-4 was present in 14 (33.3%) patients (mean value 220 pg/ml) and 8 (19%) controls (mean value 93 pg/ml). IL-10 was present in 5 (12%) patients (mean value 57 pg/ml) and 6 (14%) controls (mean value 79 pg/ml). IL-2 was present in one patient only but absent in controls. TNF alpha was not detected in patients but was present in 2 (14.2%) controls (mean value 75 pg/ml). CONCLUSION: Results indicate that IL-4 being an inflammatory regulator appears to have some relationship with giardiasis, while TNF alpha was not detected in patients probably because G. lamblia is a non invasive parasite.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed2000

Exposer rate of hepatitis E (IgG) in a selected population of children and adults in Karachi.

AIMS: To see exposure rate of hepatitis E (IgG) in 100 apparently healthy children and adults. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sera from 100 healthy children aged 1 day to 10 years and 100 healthy adults aged 18-45 years were analysed for exposure to hepatitis E (IgG) using ELISA. RESULTS: Two samples from children were excluded from the study due to improper storage leaving 98 samples for analysis. Of 98 sera from children 19.4% were positive for IgG indicating previous exposure to hepatitis E. The exposure rate increased with age and was 10% in children below 1 year of age, 14% at 2 years, 19% at 3 years and 28% at 10 years. In adults overall exposure was 16%. There was no predominance of either sex in both the groups and all individuals belonged to middle to lower socioeconomic strata. CONCLUSION: An exposure of 19% in children and 16% in adults indicates high faecal contamination of drinking water and re-addressing of the issue of use of boiled water on individual level, supply of potable water on the government level and a need to produce a vaccine on international level.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Two weeks triple therapy with lansoprazole, amoxycillin and roxythromycin is better than dual therapy with lansoprazole and amoxycillin for H. pylori infection: a randomised, clinical trial.

AIMS: To compare the efficacy of 2 weeks of dual therapy of Lansoprazole and Amoxycilline with triple therapy of Lansoprazole, Amoxycilline and Roxythromycin for H. pylori eradication. SUBJECTS: Twenty-five suffering from dyspepsia and found H. pylori positive (CLO) during upper GI endoscopy. METHODS: Patients were divided into 2 groups, one group received Lansoprazole (30 mg) once a day, and amoxycilline (500 mg) three times a day (group I), while the second group received Lansoparazole and amoxycillin in similar dosage with the addition of Roxythromycin (150 mg) twice a day (group II). H. pylori status was confirmed on endoscopy using CLO test at entry to the protocol and then at 4 weeks. RESULTS: H. pylori eradication was 57% in group I and 86% in group II with healing of lesions in all cases. CONCLUSION: Better response with triple therapy (group II) indicates enhanced eradication of the pathogens with triple therapy while using roxythromycin (JPMA 50:157, 2000).

2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles↗
PubMed2000

Seroepidemiology of varicella-zoster in Pakistan.

The availability of safe and effective vaccines has renewed interest in the epidemiology of varicella worldwide. To date published data on the epidemiology of varicella in Pakistan is very scarce. Therefore, we conducted a study to determine the age-specific seroprevalence rate of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) antibodies in Pakistan. Between December 1997 and March 1998, 1,509 healthy volunteers aged between 1 month and 30 years were recruited from the Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi areas. Demographic information, socioeconomic status and past medical history were obtained by questionnaire. Serum samples were assayed for IgG antibodies against VZV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Overall 41.8% (600/1,435) of those tested were found to be seropositive for VZV antibodies. No difference was found in results obtained from the different cities. A higher seroprevalence was observed among women (45.2%) compared to men (39.6%). Seroprevalence rates increased with age and were 28.4% in those aged 0-5 years, 41.5% in the 6-10 year age group, 42.5% in the 11-15 year age group, 46.7% in the 16-20 year age group and 53.6% in those aged 21-30 years. Socioeconomic status was not a significant risk factor for VZV seropositivity. This is the first report of the seroepidemiology of VZV in Pakistan. The results indicate that seroprevalence of VZV increases with age in the Pakistani population studied. As in other tropical countries, there is greater susceptibility to varicella among the adolescent and young adult population. The results of this study suggest that these at-risk groups should be included in vaccination programs aimed at reducing the public health impact of varicella.

Adolescent↗