Biomedical subjects

Sultan A Meo

Publications and source records attributed to Sultan A Meo.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Lung function in Pakistani welding workers.

Our objective was to study the effects of welding fumes and their duration of exposure on lung function. This was a matched case-control cross-sectional study of spirometry in 50 nonsmoking manual metal arc welders who work without the benefit of welding fume control ventilation or respiratory protective devices. Welding workers, with exposures longer than 9 years, showed a significant reduction in spirometry (forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1], FEV1/forced vital capacity [FVC%], and peak expiratory flow [PEF]) relative to controls. Lung function in nonsmoking welding workers is impaired and stratification of results shows a dose-effect of years of welding on lung function. This effect primarily shows an obstructive pattern of airways disease. Preventive measures in developing countries have to be adopted to avert long-term lung damage in welders.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Estrogen receptors in human thyroid gland. An immunohistochemical study.

OBJECTIVE: Thyroid diseases affect women approximately 3 times more frequently than men. It has been suggested that the female sex steroids stimulate thyroid growth such as in the breast. Seventeen beta-estradiol, the major estrogen in the body acts via estrogen receptors (ER) present in the nucleus of the cell. The aim of the study is to determine the ER status in the thyroid gland tissues. METHODS: Our study was based on immunohistochemical staining for ER. Fifty previously diagnosed cases of various thyroid lesions were selected from the Surgical Pathology Records of Pathology Department, Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi, Pakistan between March and August 2000. The staining was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissues using monoclonal anti-ER antibody (clone 1D5). Out of 50 cases, 8 were nodular goiter, 9 cases of adenoma, 19 papillary carcinoma, 10 follicular and 4 cases were of medullary carcinoma. Surrounding normal tissue was available in 25 (50%) cases, 4 non-neoplastic and 21 neoplastic lesions. Out of 50 cases, 10 (20%) were males and 40 (80%) were females, the youngest patient was a 14-year-old female and the eldest patient was a 56-year-old male. RESULTS: Despite the availability of normal thyroid tissue and a wide range of lesions, none of our cases showed positive staining. CONCLUSION: In contrary to many earlier reports by immunohistochemical method using monoclonal antibody (clone 1D5) on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded thyroid tissues, the ER are not detectable. The effect of estrogen on thyroid gland may be indirect one.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Chest radiological findings in Pakistani cement mill workers.

OBJECTIVE: Even in the 21st century, in developing countries millions of people work daily in dusty environments. They are exposed to different types of health hazards namely, fumes, gases and dust, which are risk factors for developing occupational diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study was to perform chest radiology to determine the occupational hazards of cement dust on the lungs of cement mill workers. METHODS: This study was carried out in the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Hamdard University Karachi, Pakistan, during the period June to August 2000. In this study 50, apparently healthy volunteer male cement mill workers were randomly selected with an average of 13 years exposure with age ranging from 20-60 years. They were matched with 50, healthy male control subjects in terms of age, height, weight and socioeconomic status. Both groups met with exclusion criteria as per standard. Radiology was performed by Trophy radiology. RESULTS: The present study demonstrated 12% of cases with interstitial lung disease and 2% of cases with pleural thickening and chronic bronchitis in cement mill workers. CONCLUSION: Exposure to cement dust causes interstitial lung disease, pleural thickening and chronic bronchitis in cement mill workers.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Spirometric evaluation of lung function (maximal voluntary ventilation) in welding workers.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to study the effects of welding fumes on maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) and to determine its severity in relation to duration of exposure. Additional objective was to reduce the potential health risks of welding workers by providing them with information concerning the hazards of welding fumes. METHODS: This study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre, Karachi, Pakistan in 1999. In this study, the MVV was studied in 50 male control subjects and 50 male arc welding workers and all participants were non-smokers with an age range of 20-60 years. The subjects were matched for age, height, weight and socio-economic status. Maximal voluntary ventilation test was performed by using an electronic spirometer and results were compared by a paired t-test. RESULTS: Welding workers showed a significant reduction in MVV relative to controls. CONCLUSION: We conclude that MVV in welding workers is significantly decreased as compared to their matched controls. Stratification of results by years of welding shows a dose-response effect of years of welding on lung function.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Health hazards of welding fumes.

Even in the twenty-first century, welding is still a common and a highly skilled occupation. The hazardous agents associated with welding processes are acetylene, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, ozone, phosgene, tungsten, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, silver, tin, and zinc. All welding processes involve the potential hazards for inhalation exposures that may lead to acute or chronic respiratory diseases. According to literature described earlier it has been suggested that welding fumes cause the lung function impairment, obstructive and restrictive lung disease, cough, dyspnea, rhinitis, asthma, pneumonitis, pneumoconiosis, carcinoma of the lungs. In addition, welding workers suffer from eye irritation, photokeratitis, cataract, skin irritation, erythema, pterygium, non-melanocytic skin cancer, malignant melanoma, reduced sperm count, motility and infertility. Most of the studies have been attempted previously to evaluate the effects of welding fumes. However, no collectively effort illuminating the general effects of welding fumes on different organs or systems or both in human has not been published. Therefore, the aim of this review is to gather the potential toxic effects of welding fumes documented by individual efforts and provide informations to community on hazards of welding.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗

PubMed2002

Lung function and surface electromyography of intercostal muscles in cement mill workers.

Impairment of pulmonary function in cement mill workers has been previously reported without considering a variety of parameters that can help evaluate more thoroughly the effect of cement dust on the respiratory system. In addition, an integrated approach has not been considered to assert the involvement of respiratory muscles. Therefore, in the present study spirometry and surface electromyography (SEMG) of intercostal muscles were used for indicating pulmonary impairment. In this study, a group of 50, apparently healthy volunteers, male cement mill workers aged 20-60 years with exposure of 13 years on average, were randomly selected. They were matched with another group of 50 control healthy male subjects in terms of age, height, weight and socioeconomic status. Both groups met the standard exclusion criteria. Spirometry was performed on an electronic spirometer, while SEMG of intercostal muscles was performed by using a chart recorder. The results demonstrated statistically significant reduction in lung function parameters i.e., force vital capacity (FVC) (p < 0.0005); force expiratory volume in first second (FEV1) (p < 0.0005); peak expiratory flow (PEF) (p < 0.005); and maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) (p < 0.0005) in cement mill workers, when compared with controls. However, the FEV1/FVC ratio was significantly higher (p < 0.025) in cement mill workers. Similarly, the parameters obtained from SEMG of intercostal muscles, i.e. number of peaks (NOP) (p < 0.0005); maximum peak amplitude (MPA) (p < 0.0005); peak to peak amplitude (PPA) (p < 0.0005); duration of response (DOR) (p < 0.0005) and maximum peak duration (MPD) (p < 0.0005), were significantly lower in cement mill workers than in controls. It is concluded that exposure to cement dust not only impairs lung function but also affects costal muscle performance, thus possibly indicating the decreased lung and thoracic compliance.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Hematological changes in cement mill workers.

OBJECTIVES: Considering the hazards of exposure to cement dust, this study incorporated basic hematological parameters, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and the total leukocyte count. The idea was to identify a simple, readily available and cost effective screening test that could help in identifying the presence of disease, its severity, or both in cement mill workers potentially related to their work place. METHODS: This study was carried out in the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Hamdard University, Karachi and the University of Karachi, Pakistan, during the time frame 1999-2000. In this study a group of 50, apparently healthy volunteers male cement mill workers were randomly selected with ages ranging from 20-60 years. They were matched with another group of 50, control healthy male subjects in terms of age, height, weight and socioeconomic status. Both groups met with exclusion criteria as per standard. The total leukocyte count was performed on an auto analyzer, (Symex-K-1000 CP-Analyzer, Japan) and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate was measured by Westergren tube method. Results were compared in a mean, and on the basis of, period of exposure in a cement mill. RESULTS: In the present study, the mean values of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p<0.05) and total leukocyte count (p<0.02) significantly increased, but the parameters do not revealing statistically significant differences between 2 groups on the basis of duration of exposure in a cement mill. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that exposure to cement dust causes increased mean values of total leukocyte count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. However, this change is not related to the duration of exposure in a cement mill.

Adult↗