Biomedical subjects

N Baral

Publications and source records attributed to N Baral.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Serum level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in hypertensive retinopathy.

Increased serum level of low-density lipoprotein is associated with coronary artery disease. There are, however, no reports on whether the same is true in hypertensive retinopathy. A cross-sectional comparative study was carried out to evaluate the serum level status of low-density lipoprotein in hypertensive retinopathy, including 30 randomly selected subjects with hypertensive retinopathy; age and gender matched 26 hypertensives without fundus changes. Serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were assessed in all subjects. Results showed statistically significant (p < 0.0196) higher serum levels of LDL-C in hypertensive patients with retinopathy (mean +/- SD = 2.45 +/- 1.76 mmol/l, SE = 0.33 and 95% CI = 1.79-3.11 vs mean +/- SD = 1.6 +/- 0.4 mmol/l, SE = 0.08 and 95% CI = 1.44-1.76). An increased serum level of LDL-C is associated with hypertensive retinopathy.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Thyroid dysfunction in eastern Nepal.

Nepal lies in an area of endemic iodine deficiency. Thyroid dysfunction, along with a higher than average prevalence of goiter, is a major public health problem among the local population. The present study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among the hill and terai (low land) castes of eastern Nepal that attended the thyroid clinic at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Dharan. A total of 599 cases were studied during a single year. The distribution of hyperthyroid and hypothyroidism was 13.68% and 17.19% respectively. The majority of the thyroid dysfunction was seen in the 21-40 year age group. The prevalence of hypothyroidism was slightly higher among terai castes (17.66%) when compared with hill castes (15.17%). There was a similar distribution of thyroid dysfunction among the male and female populations of the goitrous subjects (n=157), most were euthyroid (58.59%); hyperthyroidism affected (27.38%). Since, it was a hospital-based study, the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction may not be applicable to the general population. Extensive field-based countrywide epidemiological studies are necessary to provide data about thyroid dysfunction in the community.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Thyroid function testing in eastern Nepal and the impact of CME on subsequent requests.

This study reveals 1 year's experience of the introduction of thyroid function tests (TFT) in B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), a Medical University situated in eastern Nepal. These were performed on theadvice of doctors working in this region. The rational TFT advice by the medical practitioners was evaluated according to how closely the advice was in line with the algorithms recommended in the textbooks. Only about 14% of the TFT advice followed some rational strategy. A retrospective analysis showed that rational TFT advice could have reduced the cost of a TFT investigation to 43.11% without altering the patient management and disease outcome. Continuing medical education (CME) lectures arranged for a limited number of doctors were found to improve the quality of the subsequentTFT advising pattern. This emphasizes the importance of CME while introducing a costly laboratory test panel (e.g.TFT, lipid profile) needing a strategic approach.

Education, Medical, Continuing↗

PubMed2000

Prevalence of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in urban areas of eastern Nepal: a hospital based study.

Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), which affects millions of people throughout the world, is a widely prevalent chronic debilitating disease that causes short term and long term complications. It is a problem in a developing country like Nepal, where there has been no report of prevalence. Hence this study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of NIDDM among urban patients attending the outpatient clinic of BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) hospital, and coming from the eastern part of Nepal. A sample of 1,840 subjects was incorporated in the study during a period of one year. WHO diagnostic criteria (1985) were followed to establish the diagnosis of NIDDM. The prevalence of diabetes was 6.3% (1.63% previous and 4.67% new) which is relatively high in comparison to many other countries. The prevalence of NIDDM in females was relatively lower (5.75%) than in males (6.73%). The prevalence showed an increasing trend with increasing age. The high incidence (new cases) of NIDDM in Nepal as found in the study may be due to lack of public awareness regarding the problem and poor medical services in the country.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Evaluation of new WHO diagnostic criteria for diabetes on the prevalence of abnormal glucose tolerance in a heterogeneous Nepali population--the implications of measuring glycated hemoglobin.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study was designed to (a) evaluate the implications of revised WHO diagnostic criteria on prevalence of abnormal glucose tolerance, (b) compare glycated hemoglobin level amongst healthy, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and diabetic subjects and (c) evaluate the assay of glycated hemoglobin in screening IGT, IFG from normal subjects. METHODOLOGY: Hospital based, cross-sectional study. Plasma glucose and glycated hemoglobin (gHb) were estimated by glucose oxidase and affinity chromatography method respectively. RESULTS: The crude prevalence of IFG, IGT and diabetes were 9%, 18% and 5.29% respectively with no significant difference between Mongol and non-Mongol population. Newly introduced IFG group falsely incorporate 12% diabetic subjects and fails to detect 83% IGT subjects as impaired glucose metabolism. The gHb level is raised in IGT and diabetic group but not in IFG group. CONCLUSION: The assay of gHb may be used to screen abnormal glucose tolerance but paired estimation of fasting glucose increases the reliability of diagnosis. The level of gHb in mild carbohydrate intolerance mostly depend on the level of rise in post prandial glucose (where the variation is wide, as in IGT) but not on the narrow variance in fasting plasma glucose level as found in IFG.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Assay of iodine deficiency status in three ecological regions of Nepal by a microdigestion method.

Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) are a global public health problem. In continuation of the efforts to eliminate the iodine deficiency in different parts of the world, IDD surveys are being conducted to assess the status of iodine nutriture. A survey was conducted in Nepal in 1998 with assistance from UNICEF. We present the status of the iodine nutriture, as assessed from urinary iodine levels of casual samples by a micro-digestion method, in the three ecological regions: Terai (flat region), Hilly region (300-3,000 m altitude) and mountainous regions (>3,000 m altitude) of Nepal. Terai region is more affected, having iodine deficiency in 18.6% of the population. The hilly and mountainous regions were found to have 11.2% and 9% iodine deficient populations respectively. The study shows improvement in iodine deficiency status with respect to previous surveys yet it continued to be prevalent in the country as a major public health problem which requires strengthening of preventive measures.

Chi-Square Distribution↗

PubMed1998

Hypoglycemic effect of Biophytum sensitivum in the alloxan diabetic rabbits.

Hypoglycaemic effect of a Neapalese plant Biophytum sensitivum was investigated in the alloxan diabetic male rabbits of different severities: subdiabetic (Alloxan recovered; AR), mild diabetic (MD) and severely diabetic (SD). Assessment of activity of the extract, prepared from the plant leaves, was done by fall in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and improvement in the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), following single dose and prolonged administrations. Following single dose administration there was fall in 1 hour and 2.5 hour glucose values by 25.9% and 27.4% respectively in the subdiabetic rabbits, and by 36.9% and 37.7% in the mild diabetic rabbits. Improved GTT response is shown by fall in area under curve (AUC) from 16138 mg/dl to 12355 mg/dl (23.4%) in the subdiabetic rabbits, and from 19258 to 12238 mg/dl in the MD rabbits. More significant improvements occurred following one week of above treatment. The results prove that the plant material has significant hypoglycaemic effect, which is possibly due to pancreatic beta-cell stimulating action. To investigate its possible role in correction of other metabolic abnormalities of diabetes further long term studies are required.

Alloxan↗