Introduction: The function of the thyroid gland is altered during pregnancy. Thyroid disorders during pregnancy are associated with serious maternal and fetal outcomes. Universal screening for thyroid disorders is recommended in the first trimester of pregnancy. This study aims to determine the prevalence of thyroid disorder during pregnancy in women attending a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Kathmandu Medical College and Teaching Hospital from March 2020 to August 2020 after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review committee with reference number 20032020. The pregnant women >18 years of age, irrespective of their gestational age and gravida status, were included in the study by convenience sampling method. The participants were screened by estimation of thyroid function test. Data were collected, and statistical analysis was done in Statistical Packages for Social Services version 20.0. Results: A total of 329 pregnant women were included in this study. The prevalence of thyroid disorders in the present study is 24.62 %. The most common thyroid disorder observed was subclinical hypothyroidism comprising 65 (19.75 %) cases followed by overt hypothyroidism 8 (2.43%) cases. Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of thyroid disorders during pregnancy in our settings. Timely screening of pregnant women helps in the early diagnosis and management of complications related to thyroid disorders.  

Introduction: The association of hearing loss and diabetes has been under research for many years. The hearing loss in diabetes in our population has not been studied extensively. The objective of this study was to compare the hearing threshold between type 2 diabetic patients and age- and sexmatched controls. Materials and Methods: A comparative study was done in the Department of ENT, Kathmandu Medical College from October 2019 to February 2020. The hearing threshold, of 40 type 2 diabetics patients, and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy controls in the age group of 35 to 55 years, were assessed by pure tone audiometry. The hearing threshold was compared between the two groups by using the student’s unpaired t-test. Results: Among 40 diabetes patients, 29 (72.5 %) had bilateral, mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss. The hearing threshold in diabetes patients was signifi cantly higher than the healthy controls in all the frequencies except at 250 Hz. When comparing the threshold according to the duration of diabetes, it was found to be signifi cantly higher only at higher frequencies (4000 and 8000 Hz) in diabetes with more than 5 years duration. Conclusions: The hearing loss was common in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Most diabetic patients had mostly bilateral mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss affecting hearing thresholds in higher frequencies than the healthy controls as assessed by pure tone audiometry.

Background: Hyperlipidemia is one of the important risk factor for development of cardiovascular disease in post menopausal women.Our study compared the serum lipid profile and atherogenic index of plasma between premenopausal and post menopausal women.Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted in Kathmandu Medical College. A total number of 194 women in the age group 30 to 60 years were studied. They include 108 postmenopausal women and 86 premenopausal controls. Total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides were determined. Results: The mean value of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride were significantly increased in postmenopausal women when compared to premenopausal women. There was increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in postmenopausal women but the difference was not significant. The atherogenic index of plasma was increased in postmenopausal women (0.22 ± 0.25 mmol/l). This shows that postmenopausal women in our setting are at medium risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Atherogenic index of plasma was positively and significantly correlated with age (r= 0.29, p<0.05), body mass index (r=0.24, p<0.05), systolic blood pressure (r=0.20, p<0.05) and diastolic blood pressure (r=0.45, p<0.05).Conclusions: Postmenopausal women were at greater risk for developing cardiovascular disease when compared to premenopausal women due to increase in atherogenic lipid profile. There was a significant correlation of atherogenic index of plasma with age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure.Keywords: Keywords: Atherogenic index of plasma; lipid profile; menopause.

Background: Rapid increase in number of vehicles in Kathmandu valley over past decade and never ending road expansion projects has aggravated air pollution. People involved in transportation jobs for long duration like bus drivers, conductors are more vulnerable to ill effects of air pollutants. The purpose of the present study was to assess lung function of public bus drivers exposed to outdoor air pollution by means of PEFR. Methods: Fifty healthy, non smoking bus drivers were selected randomly from bus parks of Bhaktapur district. Anthropological records were taken. PEFR value was obtained by Mini Wright’s peak flow meter. Their mean PEFR was compared with 50, age matched control group involved in other office works. Results: The PEFR value was significantly lower among bus drivers than the control group (p<0.001). Mean PEFR decreased with increasing age and increased duration of bus driving. Conclusions: Our study concluded that PEFR value among bus drivers who are exposed to air pollutants for long period of time was significantly reduced.

Background: Hyperlipidemia is one of the important risk factor for development of cardiovascular disease  in post menopausal women.Our study compared the serum lipid profile and atherogenic index of plasma  between premenopausal and  post menopausal women.Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted in Kathmandu Medical College.  A total number of 194 women in the age group 30 to 60 years were studied. They include 108 postmenopausal women and 86 premenopausal controls. Total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol  and triglycerides  were determined. Results: The mean value of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride were significantly increased in postmenopausal women when compared to premenopausal women. There was increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol  in postmenopausal women but the difference was not significant. The atherogenic index of plasma was  increased in postmenopausal women (0.22 ± 0.25 mmol/l). This shows that postmenopausal women in our setting are at medium risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Atherogenic index of plasma was positively and significantly correlated with age (r= 0.29, p<0.05), body mass index (r=0.24, p<0.05), systolic blood pressure (r=0.20, p<0.05) and diastolic blood pressure (r=0.45, p<0.05).Conclusions: Postmenopausal women were at greater risk for developing cardiovascular disease when compared to premenopausal women due to increase in atherogenic lipid profile. There was a significant correlation of atherogenic index of plasma  with age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure  and diastolic blood pressure.