Indian J Med Res
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The prevalence of hypertension is increasing among all ethnic groups across the globe with only a handful of studies from India addressing the prevalence of hypertension among tribal population. In view of paucity of data, this study was aimed at estimating the prevalence of hypertension and associated risk factors among tribal population of Kashmir, India. ⋯ Gujjar and Bakarwal tribes of Jammu and Kashmir showed high prevalence of hypertension. Hence, urgent policies and reforms are needed to tackle this silent epidemic and further studies focusing on community-based interventions are required.
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The prevalence of severe infections due to carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) strains has increased worldwide. With rising resistance to polymyxins, the treatment has become challenging. Given the paucity of novel agents and limited data on combination therapy for CRKP, the present study was performed to test antibiotic combinations, for synergy against clinical isolates of CRKP. ⋯ Of the three combinations tested, imipenem and tigecycline followed by meropenem-colistin were found to be best. No synergy was detected for levofloxacin-polymyxin B combination.
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Despite tobacco use among college students being a major health concern, data remain sparse from India. It is in this background that this study aimed to report the prevalence of tobacco use and its psychosocial correlates among college students in the State of Kerala, India. ⋯ Although the prevalence of tobacco use in our study was relatively low, the proportionately higher rates of hazardous use and its association with the negative correlates suggest that more needs to be done to prevent its deleterious consequences.
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Human papillomavirus (HPV) and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) are found to be strongly associated with each other with an increase in incidence has been noted globally over the years. A literature search for data depicting the role of HPV in oropharyngeal carcinoma in South India, however, has resulted in little information, thus, the present study was aimed to assess a possible association between the two among OPSCC patients from a tertiary care cancer centre in South India. ⋯ The p16 positive OPSCC cases constituted a small proportion in the present study and behaved similar to p16 negative cases. Usage of tobacco and alcohol appear to be the susceptible factors even in p16 positive cases. More studies from other States would be helpful to determine if HPV-related SCC in the Indian subcontinent behave differently or similarly to cases from Western countries.
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A etiologically symmetric and asymmetric small for gestational age (SGA) infants are two distinct entities. In view of absence of longitudinal information on growth pattern of skinfold thicknesses (SFTs) among Indian infants, this study was conducted to assess the auxological dynamics of SFTs (sub-cutaneous fat) of symmetric and asymmetric SGA infants. ⋯ Thinner SFTs obtained for symmetric and asymmetric SGA as compared to AGA infants reveal their compromised adiposity and nutritional status. Comparatively, higher SFTs in symmetric than in asymmetric SGA infants appear to suggest that the former have a tendency to accumulate more fat, than the latter during infancy.