Exploring the Role of Adult Wrist Circumference as a Potential Indicator of Obesity.

Objective: To explore the correlation of wrist circumference (WrC) with various obesity indices and to determine gender-specific optimal cut-off points of WrC for obesity.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of the Study: Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan, from December 2021 to December 2022.

The relationship of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and Vitamin D binding protein in periodontitis.

Objective: This study was conducted to explore the relationship between 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D (1,25(OH)D) and Vitamin-D binding protein (DBP) in patients with periodontitis and healthy controls.

Methods: Seventy-five periodontitis cases were recruited from the dental OPD of Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi. Diagnostic criteria of periodontitis were followed according to the probe pocket depth and clinical attachment loss.

Leptin as a predictor of anthropometric cutoff points for obesity.

This study was conducted to find the association between leptin and adiposity indices. Secondly, to identify optimal threshold of various anthropometric indices for obesity, as assessed by 75th percentile of leptin levels, within a clinic sample of non-diabetic and diabetic Pakistani adults. Fasting serum leptin levels were compared with anthropometric markers of obesity in 164 diabetic and non-diabetic subjects (90 male, 74 female), aged 35 to 65 years.

Serum Interleukin-15 and its relationship with adiposity Indices before and after short-term endurance exercise.

Objective: The myokine interleukin-15 (IL-15) is capable of modifying the metabolism of both skeletal and adipose tissue. This study compares the change in serum levels of IL-15 in obese and non-obese after a single session of submaximal exercise.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi, during Aug-Dec 2015, comprising of 133 medical students (aged 17-24 years).

Cardiorespiratory fitness and its association with adiposity indices in young adults.

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and adiposity in young adults.

Methods: Data was collected from 133 students of a medical college of Pakistan. The study was conducted on young adults, aged 17-24 years, recruited from Jinnah Medical & Dental College, Karachi, between Aug-Dec, 2015.

Neck circumference: A supplemental tool for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome.

Objective: To explore the usefulness of neck circumference as a supplemental tool for diagnosing metabolic syndrome while identifying its cut-off values.

Methods: This case-control study was conducted at Dr. Essa's Laboratory and Diagnostic Centre, Karachi, from December 2014 to April 2015, and comprised subjects with and without metabolic syndrome aged between 35 and 65 years regardless of their diabetic status.

Analysis of one-best MCQs: the difficulty index, discrimination index and distractor efficiency.

Objective: To investigate the relationship of items having good difficulty and discrimination indices with their distractor efficiency to find how 'ideal questions' can be affected by non-functioning distractors (NF-Ds).

Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted at Fatima Jinnah Dental College, Karachi, during Jan-Jun 2009, with 102 First Year dental students (17-20 years). Physiology paper of the first semester, given after 22 weeks of teaching general topics of physiology, was analysed.

Neck circumference as a useful marker of obesity: a comparison with body mass index and waist circumference.

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of neck circumference as an index of excess weight and obesity in young adults while identifying its appropriate cutoff points.

Methods: The study comprised 41 male and 109 female students, aged 18-20 years. Anthropometric markers of obesity were measured, including body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and compared with neck circumference of the same subjects.

Overweight and obesity in students of a dental college of Karachi: lifestyle influence and measurement by an appropriate anthropometric index.

Objective: To compare body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and body fat percentage (%BF), as index of overweight and obesity in young adults. We also intended to find an association between lifestyle behaviours and obesity.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Fatima Jinnah Dental College, Karachi, during 2007 to 2008, with 192 first year dental students, (18-21years) of high socioeconomic class.

Anthropometric and metabolic indicators in hypertensive patients.

Objective: To determine the relationship between anthropometric variables with blood glucose and lipid concentrations in different stages of hypertension and evaluate the risk factors involved in progression of pre-hypertension stage in to clinical hypertension stage-1.

Study Design: Case-control study.

Place And Duration Of Study: National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease and General Practitioner's Clinics, Karachi, from 2005 to 2007.

Presentation, staging and diagnosis of lymphoma: a clinical perspective.

Background: Due to lack of awareness among health professionals, lymphoma is often misdiagnosed. This study was done to evaluate the clinical features and histopathologic subtypes of lymphoma.

Methods: Sixty diagnosed cases of lymphoma were selected (aged 12-65 years) from medical units of Civil Hospital Karachi, during 1993 to 1998.

Ehlers-danlos syndrome--clinical presentation.

Two cases of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) diagnosed on the basis of their clinical presentation are presented. EDS is a rare genetic disorder involving connective tissue of skin and joints, having a variety of presenting signs and symptoms. There is no specific therapy for this disease but it is important to diagnose it as it may end up in fatal complications.

Role of exercise in osteoporosis prevention--current concepts.

Osteoporosis is a metabolic disorder of the bones due to loss of both bone mineral and bone matrix in equal proportions resulting in a bone that is weak and unable to support the body. This becomes a problem in the elderly who are then at risk of frequent fractures increasing the morbidity and mortality. Measures taken early in life in the form of calcium and exercise go far in preventing the development of this disorder.

Current trends in type 1 diabetes mellitus--stem cells and beyond.

Search for a cure for type-1 diabetes mellitus has lead to many avenues of research, all having the same objective: to replace the lost beta cells and prevent their further destruction by the immune system. Transplantation of islets of Langerhans seems closer to achieving this goal with the recent introduction of new improved immunosuppressive protocols including monoclonal antibodies against the T-lymphocytes. But the need for acquiring beta cells in large numbers rather limits this approach.