Objective:To develop the missing link between hyperuricemia and hypertension.
Methods: The study was conducted in Department of Biochemistry in collaboration with Nephrology Unit of Internal Medicine Department. Hypertension was defined according to blood pressure readings by definitions of the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee. Totally 205 newly diagnosed and untreated essential hypertensive cases and age-sex matched normotensive controls were enrolled in the study. The potential confounding factors of hyperuricemia and hypertension in both cases and controls were controlled. Uric acid levels in all participants were analyzed.
Results:Renal function between newly diagnosed hypertensive cases and normotensive healthy controls were adjusted. The mean serum uric acid observed in newly diagnosed hypertensive cases and in normotensive healthy controls were (290.05±87.05) μmol/L and (245.24±99.38) μmol/L respectively. A total of 59 (28.8%) participants of cases and 28 (13.7%) participants of controls had hyperuricemia (odds ratio 2.555 (95%CI:1.549-4.213), P<0.001).
Conclusions: The mean serum uric acid levels and number of hyperuricemic subjects were found to be significantly higher in cases when compared to controls.

Background and Objectives: Severe to profound hearing loss impacts the capacity for verbal communication as well as the social, emotional, and overall quality of life; however, the association between socio-emotional rehabilitation and post-hearing aid use is not widely explored. This study aimed to investigate the socio-emotional change in post-hearing aid fitted individuals with severe to profound hearing loss. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 individuals comprised of 15 females and 45 males with severe to profound hearing loss within the age range of 40-60 years (mean age and standard deviation of 53.4±6.1), participated in this study. Participants were divided into two categories with a 10-year age interval i.e., 40–50 and 51-60 years. These participants were equally divided into hearing aid user (HAU) and non-hearing aid user (NHAU) groups. The hearing handicapped inventory for the adults-short version (HHIA-S) adapted from Weinstein & Ventry (1983) was used in this study. Results: The mean social score of all the participants was significantly higher than the mean emotional score. However, no such advantage was observed between the HAU and NHAU groups. The mean social score of females in the HAU category was significantly higher than males. The mean social and emotional scores were also compared across two age categories in the age range of 40-50 and 51-60 years and revealed no significant difference between mean social and emotional score across the age categories (p=0.026). Conclusions In individuals with severe to profound hearing loss, social rehabilitation occurs quicker than emotional. In the HAU group, socialization occurred faster in females than males. These findings suggest that a customized counselling should be developed for the social and emotional wellbeing as these two parameters improve distinctly.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine the precise association between beta-2 adrenergic receptor (beta2AR) polymorphism and Ischemic stroke. METHODS: Published case control studies on association between beta2AR and ischemic stroke were searched from electronic databases. Pooled Odds ratio and 95% Confidence interval were calculated by using software RevMan version 5.2. RESULTS: A total of three studies involving 1,642 cases and 1,673 controls, which were published from 2007 to 2014, were subjected to meta-analysis for allelic association and 518 cases and 510 controls for genotypic association. Pooled analysis of two studies for genotypic association suggested that subjects carrying Gln27Glu polymorphism of beta2AR had an increased risk for Ischemic stroke under recessive model (OR 2.09; 95% CI; 1.20 to 3.64) and under dominant model (OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.14 to 1.90). Pooled analysis of three studies for allelic association showed a significantly higher Glu27 allele of beta2AR in the patients with ischemic stroke (OR 1.58; 95% CI; 1.38 to 1.81). CONCLUSIONS: The present meta-analysis suggests that Gln27Glu polymorphism of beta2AR gene is associated with increased risk for ischemic stroke.
Alleles ; Case-Control Studies ; Cerebral Infarction ; Humans ; Odds Ratio ; Receptors, Adrenergic* ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 ; Stroke*

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the major but underreported concerns in cancer patients and survivors. It can lead to depression, lack of intimacy between the couple, and impaired quality of life. The causes of erectile dysfunction are psychological distress and endocrinal dysfunction caused by cancer itself or side effect of anticancer treatment like surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. The degree of ED depends on age, pre-cancer or pre-treatment potency level, comorbidities, type of cancer and its treatment. Treatment options available for ED are various pharmacotherapies, mechanical devices, penile implants, or reconstructive surgeries. A complete evaluation of sexual functioning should be done prior to starting anticancer therapy. Management should be individualized and couple counseling should be an integral part of the anticancer treatment.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the major but underreported concerns in cancer patients and survivors. It can lead to depression, lack of intimacy between the couple, and impaired quality of life. The causes of erectile dysfunction are psychological distress and endocrinal dysfunction caused by cancer itself or side effect of anticancer treatment like surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. The degree of ED depends on age, pre-cancer or pre-treatment potency level, comorbidities, type of cancer and its treatment. Treatment options available for ED are various pharmacotherapies, mechanical devices, penile implants, or reconstructive surgeries. A complete evaluation of sexual functioning should be done prior to starting anticancer therapy. Management should be individualized and couple counseling should be an integral part of the anticancer treatment.

OBJECTIVETo develop the missing link between hyperuricemia and hypertension.

METHODSThe study was conducted in Department of Biochemistry in collaboration with Nephrology Unit of Internal Medicine Department. Hypertension was defined according to blood pressure readings by definitions of the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee. Totally 205 newly diagnosed and untreated essential hypertensive cases and age-sex matched normotensive controls were enrolled in the study. The potential confounding factors of hyperuricemia and hypertension in both cases and controls were controlled. Uric acid levels in all participants were analyzed.

RESULTSRenal function between newly diagnosed hypertensive cases and normotensive healthy controls were adjusted. The mean serum uric acid observed in newly diagnosed hypertensive cases and in normotensive healthy controls were (290.05±87.05) μmol/L and (245.24±99.38) μmol/L respectively. A total of 59 (28.8%) participants of cases and 28 (13.7%) participants of controls had hyperuricemia (odds ratio 2.555 (95% CI: 1.549-4.213), P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONSThe mean serum uric acid levels and number of hyperuricemic subjects were found to be significantly higher in cases when compared to controls.

Adult ; Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Essential Hypertension ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; blood ; epidemiology ; Hyperuricemia ; blood ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nepal ; epidemiology ; Uric Acid ; blood ; Young Adult