Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) have an increased prevalence of dyslipidemia, which contributes to their high risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This study is an attempt to determine the correlation between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and serum lipid profile and to evaluate the importance of HbA1c as an indicator of dyslipidemia in Afghani patients with T2DM. A total of 401 Afghani patients with T2DM (men, 175; women, 226; mean age, 51.29 years) were included in this study. The whole blood and sera were analyzed for fasting blood sugar (FBS), HbA1c, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Dyslipidemia was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) guidelines. Diabetes was defined as per American Diabetes Association criteria. The correlation of FBS, HbA1c with lipid ratios and individual lipid indexes were analyzed. The statistical analysis was done by SPSS statistical package version 16.0. The mean age ± standard deviation of male and female patients were 51.71 ± 11.70 and 50.97 ± 10.23 years respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between HbA1c, TC, TG, LDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio. The correlation between HbA1c and HDL-C was negative and was statistically nonsignificant. Furthermore, HbA1c was found to be a predictor of hypercholesterolemia, LDL-C and TG via a linear regression analysis. Patients with HbA1c value greater than 7.0% had significantly higher value of cholesterol, LDL-C, and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio compared with patients with an HbA1c value up to 7.0%. Apart from a reliable glycemic index, HbA1c can also be used as a predictor of dyslipidemia and thus early diagnosis of dyslipidemia can be used as a preventive measure for the development of CVD in patients with T2DM.

Objective: To determine the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and lipid profile in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) attending a tertiary care hospital in Peshawar. Methods: A total of 305 patients (men, 132; women, 173) with T2DM visiting an Outpatient department in Northwest General Hospital and Research Centre, Peshawar from January 2016 to July 2016 were included in this study. The whole blood and sera were analyzed for Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TGs), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C).The correlation of BMI with lipid ratios and individual lipid indices were analysed. Results: Mean of BMI was 29.29±5.23. Dyslipidemia; increased TC, increased LDL-C, increased triglyceride and decreased HDL-C were noted in 40.7%, 54.1%, 69.5% and 41% respectively. The mean difference of LDL-C (p=0.006) was significant between male and female. BMI, TC, TGs, and LDL-C showed no significant correlation where as a significant negative correlation between BMI and HDL-C was observed(r=-0.125, p=0.029, R2=0.016). The mean values of TC, TG, LDL-C, TC/ HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios were greater in patients with normal BMI compared to overweight and obese; however, the differences were not significant. HDL-C differed significantly in BMI groups (p=0.040). Conclusion: A significant negative correlation between BMI and HDL-C was observed, while the correlation between BMI and LDL-C was observed to be insignificant. HDL-C was found significantly higher in patients with normal BMI. These results are important to indicate that there is modest impact of BMI on lipid profile. Therefore, assessment and management for altered blood lipids should not be based on a patient’s body weight or BMI. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.3.7 How to cite this:Hussain A, Ali I, Kaleem WA, Yasmeen F. Correlation between Body Mass Index and Lipid Profile in patients with Type 2 Diabetes attending a tertiary care hospital in Peshawar. Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(3):591-597. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.3.7 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Objective: This study aims to determine the prevalence and susceptibility pattern of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates in patients suffering from respiratory tract infection.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from January to December 2014 in Northwest General Hospital and Research Centre, Peshawar. A total of 615 sputum samples were collected from both in and out-patients. Sputum samples were collected as per standard procedure and were inoculated on Blood, MacConkey and Chocolate agar. The isolates were identified by standard protocols using biochemical tests. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of each isolate was checked as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines using Kirby- Bauer

Objective: To determine causative uropathogens and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern among Type-2 diabetics (T2D) with good and suboptimal glycemic control. Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study was carried out in Peshawar from April–October, 2019. Four hundred consecutive T2D patients with symptomatic UTI or showing numerous pus cells on routine urinary examination attending outpatient clinic were included. As per the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), the urine samples collected were checked for identification of uropathogen by culture. Disc diffusion method was used to determined antimicrobial susceptibility. Results: Of the total (n=400) T2D patients, 205 (51.25%) showed microbial growth. Mean age of patients with UTI was 63.26 ±12.30 years. About two-third (63.9%) of the patients were females. Mean HbA1c was 8.80±2.20%. The frequency of patients with UTI was noticeably greater in the suboptimal glycemic control group 178(86.3%) compared to good control glycemic patients 27(13.7%). Significant mean difference in glycemic levels were observed (HbA1c = 5.86±0.48 and HbA1c = 9.25±2.02, respectively, P < 0.001). E. coli was the predominant pathogen isolated 120(71%), followed by Klebsiella pneumonia Spp (K. pn) 35(17.1%), Pseudomonas auregonosa (P. aeruginosa) 14(6.83%), Enterococcus 12 (5.85%) and Candida Spp were 2(0.98%). Both gram positive and negative-bacteria were highly susceptible to imipenem, meropenem, fosfomycin and nitrofurantoin. Conclusion: The frequency of UTI in diabetics was higher in female in comparison to male, and was significantly greater in the suboptimal glycemic control group. E. coli was the most typical isolate followed by K. pn. Imipenem, meropenem, fosfomycin and nitrofurantoin had high susceptibility profile against the isolated pathogens. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.7.2881 How to cite this:Ahmad S, Hussain A, Khan MSA, Shakireen N, Ali I. Diabetes mellitus and urinary tract infection: Causative uropathogens, their antibiotic susceptibility pattern and the effects of glycemic status. Pak J Med Sci. 2020;36(7):1550-1557. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.7.2881 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.