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Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a worldwide pandemic that may lead to diabetic kidney disease (DKD), a complication which is the single most important and globally prevalent cause of chronic kidney disease. Microalbuminuria has been shown to be an early indicator of DKD and data suggest that angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) reduce urinary albumin excretion and retard the progression of renal disease in hypertensive T2DM patients. However, the effects of ARBs on preventing microalbuminuria and ensuing DKD in normotensive patients with T2DM is yet to be fully established. The objective of this study is to assess the anti-microalbuminuric effects of losar-tan therapy versus placebo in normotensive T2DM patients. This randomized single blinded controlled trial was performed at the Diabetic Clinic, Jinnah Hospital, Lahore over a period of 10 months. A total of 361 normotensive patients with T2DM and microalbuminuria were selected; of them, 171 patients were randomly allocated to the test group and 190 enrolled into the control group. The patients in the test group were started on losartan 50 mg/day for a six month period while those in the control group were put on vitamin B-12 500 mcg/day. The patients as well as the primary attending phy-sicians/lab evaluators were blinded to the study. All study patients were followed up on a monthly basis. Quantitative microalbuminuria was tested at the beginning and at the end of the study. Out of the 171 patients in the test group, 149 (87.1%) had significant reduction of albuminuria by > 30% of their baseline (mean 101.9 ± 21.7 baseline and, 47.5 ± 12.9 post-therapy). The corresponding values for albuminuria in the 190 patients in the control group was mean 104.7 ± 26.3 baseline and post 6-month mean 103.9 ± 22.9, with P< 0.0001. The anti-albuminuric effect of losartan was reversible as seen on re-checking the urinary albumin two months after discontinuation of treatment. Our study shows that losartan was well tolerated and demonstrated significant anti-proteinuric effects in patients with T2DM with early nephropathy independent of hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Burnout Syndrome is a mental condition caused by chronic exposure to work related stress and is identified by the presence of any of the three distinct elements of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and lack of personal accomplishment. Middle grade doctors are the backbone of any tertiary care hospital / medical institution, partaking in unscheduled and inpatient care. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the presence of burnout syndrome in the middle grade doctors in a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia. PARTICIPANTS: The study was conducted at the Armed Forces Hospital Southern Region, Khamis Mushyt, from August to October 2012 in departments with at least fifty inpatient admissions per month and with at least five middle grade (Resident, Registrar and Senior Registrar) doctors. The departments were Obstetrics and Gynecology, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Emergency, General Surgery and Nephrology. METHODS: This was a cross sectional descriptive and analytical study using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Health Services Survey and a self-reported stressor-identifying questionnaire to ascertain possible precursors of, or contributing factors to, Burnout Syndrome. RESULTS: A total of 96 proformas/questionnaires were collected anonymously to maintain confidentiality and burnout syndrome was identified in as high as 88.5% of the respondents with high emotional exhaustion in 68.8%, high depersonalization in 63.6% and low personal accomplishment in 38.5%. CONCLUSION: The authors concluded that burnout syndrome is high among the middle-grade doctors in this medical facility and that urgent steps are needed to address this problem to ensure that these physicians remain physically and mentally healthy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dengue virus (DENV) affects over half the world's population in 112 countries, and dengue fever (DF) is the second largest arthropod borne infectious global hazard after malaria with complications like Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) and Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS), accounting for significant morbidity and mortality world-over. Pakistan is significantly affected with DENV infection and to-date no study identifying risk factors associated with development of severe complications of DF has been done. Methods: 997 confirmed cases of DF were collected from a tertiary care hospital in Lahore, Pakistan and their clinical and biochemical data were collected. Univariate, multivariate and logistics regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with development of DHF and DSS. Results: Bleeding OR 70.7 (CI 38.4-129.9), deranged liver function test OR 1.9 (CI 0.97-0.99), presence of urinary red blood cells OR 1.4 (95%CI 0.179-0.900) and presence of urinary protein OR 1.1 (95%CI 0.191-0.974) were related to development of DHF and DSS. Discussion: Severe Dengue, like DHF and DSS can be predicted by the presence of clinical and biochemical factors like signs of bleeding, deranged liver function test, presence of urinary red blood cells and urinary protein; so that the patients at high risk for complication be identified early and started on treatment timely. Conclusion: Predictors of severe dengue are identified in this study but further large scale multi-centered studies are needed for better interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a global disease and its resultant complication, diabetic nephropathy, is a leading cause of chronic renal failure. Microalbuminuria is an early indicator of diabetic nephropathy and is also an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity. Data have shown that anti-hypertensives like Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), and Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) reduce microalbuminuria and retards the progression of renal disease effectively in hypertensive T2DM patients. But the effects ofARBs on preventing microalbuminuria and ensuing nephropathy in normotensive patients with T2DM is yet to be fully established. To assess the anti-microalbuminuric effects of losartan therapy in normotensive T2DM patients. Interventional Phase Two Clinical Trial was done. Study was done at Diabetic Clinic, Jinnah Hospital Lahore, Pakistan over 8 months. A total of 171 normotensive patients with T2DM and microalbuminuria were evaluated. After informed consent and baseline 24-hour urinary microalbuminuria quantification the selected patients were started on losartan 50 mg/day for a six-month period. Monthly follow-ups were done to monitor the blood pressure, glycemic control, urea/creatinine/potassium levels and any untoward effects of losartan therapy. Quantitative microalbuminuria was repeated at the end of study. Out of the 171 patients, 149 (87.1%) had significant albuminuria reduction >30.0% of their baseline and the variable of final outcome of intervention (urinary albumin in mg/dl) was significantly reduced (Mean 101.9 +/- SD 21.7 baseline and 47.5 +/- 12.9 post therapy) with p<0.001 and with minimal side-effects. These anti-albuminuric effects of losartan were reversible as seen on rechecking the urinary albumin two months after discontinuation of treatment. Losartan was well tolerated and demonstrated significant anti-proteinuric effects in patients with T2DM with early nephropathy independent of hypertension, warranting further long-term large-scale studies to prove its usefulness as preventive therapy for diabetic nephropathy.