Journal of clinical and diagnostic research

Trends In Prescribing Gastroprotective Agents With Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs In An Orthopaedic Outpatient Unit Of A Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most common drugs prescribed the world over. However, they have many adverse effects, especially gastrointestinal toxicity, which is the reason for their frequent co-prescription with gastroprotective agents. Misoprostol, has been specifically approved for prevention of NSAID-induced ulcers in high-risk patients. Proton pump inhibitors too have been used with outstanding efficacy for this indication. Aim: This drug utilization study was conducted to study the co-administration of NSAIDs with gastroprotective drugs in an Orthopaedic Outpatient Unit of an urban, tertiary care, teaching hospital. Settings and Design: A prospective drug utilization study Patients and Methods: This was a prospective study conducted in the Orthopaedic Outpatient Unit of an urban, tertiary care, teaching hospital, for six months. Prescriptions were collected from patients attending the Orthopaedic Outpatients Department. The co-prescription of NSAIDs with gastroprotective agents was analyzed. Results: A total of 1008 prescriptions were studied; 884 prescriptions contained NSAIDs, out of which 288 (32.58%) were co-prescribed with gastroprotective agents. The most common gastroprotective agents combined with NSAIDs were Proton pump inhibitors (81.19%). H2 receptor blockers were a distant second (17.81%), while Misoprostol was not used at all. Conclusion: NSAIDs are commonly co-prescribed with gastroprotectives. Diclofenac is the most commonly co-prescribed NSAID, while Naproxen was least commonly co-prescribed with gastroprotectives. Proton pump inhibitors were most frequently used, while Misoprostol was not used at all, probably because of its higher costs, frequent side effects and the need for multiple daily dosing.

Perceptions And Barriers Towards Provision Of Health Promotion Activities Among Community Pharmacists In The State Of Penang, Malaysia

HASSALI MA *, SUBISH P**, AA SHAFIE***, MIM IBRAHIM****

Introduction: Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over their health and to improve their health. Within this context, the community pharmacist, as one of the most accessible healthcare practitioners, plays a major role in the provision of health promotion activities to the society at large. Objectives: To document the current level of involvement with health promotion activities among community pharmacists in the State of Penang, Malaysia Methods: A cross-sectional study using a validated questionnaire was undertaken with a convenient sample of community pharmacists practicing in the State of Penang. The completed questionnaires were analyzed as per the study objectives. Results: A total of 100 questionnaires were distributed to 100 community pharmacists practicing in Penang state. At the end of the survey, 80 questionnaires were collected back (response rate: 80%). The top five health promotion activities currently undertaken by community pharmacists, were weight management (n=74, 92.5%), diabetes counseling (n=73, 91.3%), traditional and complementary medicine counseling (n=67, 83.8%), nutrition and physical activity (n=66, 82.5%) and asthma counseling (n=65, 81.3%). Most of the respondents (n=60, 75.1%) either strongly agreed or agreed that lack of time is the barrier limiting them from involving in health promotion activities. Only 23 (28.8%) respondents stated lack of profitability as a reason for not taking part in health promotion activities. A majority of the respondents (n=79, 98.8%) were aware that health promotion is part of the pharmacist’s responsibility. We found 62 (77.5%) respondents who provided health education and promotion programs to the public. Conclusion: Most of the community pharmacists in Penang showed a high confidence in providing health promotion activities. Still, there are lots of obstacles for the community pharmacists to overcome in order to involve themselves in health promotion activities. Training and continual support in terms of continuing professional development and life-long learning is essential to empower the community pharmacists.

A Simple And Rapid Method For The Diagnosis Of Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS)

APTE B.N

Use Of Antibiotics For Respiratory Illnesses In Rural India

SHARMA R *, CHOPRA V S **, KOUR G ***.

The increase in antibiotic resistance is one of the preventable threats being faced in the 20th century. Unnecessary antibiotic prescribing remains common not only in the developing countries, but also in the developed countries like USA and Britain. The present study was conducted to study the antibiotic prescribing pattern in paediatric patients with respiratory and ear infections in rural India. Materials and Methods: The present prospective study was conducted in a rural health center (RHC) situated about 30 kilometers away from a tertiary care center. 2561 new (first encounter) prescriptions were studied. Results: Out of the 2561 prescriptions, upper respiratory track infection (URTI), lower respiratory track infection (LRTI), asthma and acute otitis-media (AOM) were the diagnoses made in 29.28%, 5.46%, 5.85%, and 0.97% of the prescriptions, respectively. Cephalosporins were the most frequently prescribed antibiotics in all the age groups of patients. Azithromycin/ erythromycin/roxithromycin were the next most commonly prescribed antibiotics. All patients with URTI, LRTI, asthma and AOM, except 11.11% and 7.50% patients in the age groups of 6-10 years and 11-18 years respectively, received no antibiotic for URTI and 12% patients of AOM received no antibiotic. Conclusion: Broad spectrum antibiotics are frequently used for viral respiratory illnesses which are generally self limiting, further adding to the threat of antibiotic resistance. There is a need to appoint clinical pharmacologists at various levels in a health setup to supervise and evaluate the prescriptions of doctors and to provide them feedback to improve their prescribing skills.

Outbreak Of MRSA In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Of A Tertiary Care Hospital – Transmission From Nursing Personnel

SARITHA K*

Objective: To investigate an outbreak of methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a tertiary care hospital. Setting: Level III NICU in a tertiary care centre. Cases: Four neonates in the NICU were identified to have MRSA infections. The hospital surveillance services identified four more additional neonates who were colonized with MRSA. Source: Two nursing personnel were traced to be nasal MRSA carriers. Interventions: Strict adherence to infection control practices along with initiation of mupirocin therapy. Surveillance cultures performed at regular intervals. Conclusion: Stringent infection control regulations help to prevent and control MRSA outbreaks.

Safety of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in High Risk Patients

FANAEI S.A*, MEHRVARZ S H *, ZIAEE S. A**

Background: Previous abdominal surgery has been reported as a contraindication related to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods: A total of 135 patients were distributed into group I (Gallstone, n = 50) and group II (Cholecystitis with a previous history of abdominal surgery or high risk patients, n = 85). The data were analyzed for open conversion rates, operative times, intra- and postoperative complications and hospital stay. Results: The patients were classified into the following 2 groups: group 1: patients without a history of previous abdominal surgery (n_50) and group 2: patients with risk factors related to LC (n_85). Patients in the control group (II) had a longer operating time (63 ± 19.3 min vs. 52± 25.4), a higher open conversion rate (4.7% vs. 2%), and a longer postoperative stay (1.8± 1.6 days vs. 1.1±1.9) than group I, respectively. But, there was no significant difference between both the groups in characteristic variables. However, higher conversion rates as well as a longer hospital stay for patients with previous upper abdominal surgery than for those without previous upper abdominal surgery, were detected in our study. Iatrogenic injury was not detected in both groups. Conclusions: Previous abdominal operations or high risk situations are not a contraindication to safe laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Alloporinol, Chamomile And Normal Saline Mouthwashes For The Prevention Of Chemotherapy-Induced Stomatitis

Background : Stomatitis is a common side effect in patients receiving chemotherapy. It alters survival because of the risk of infection and has a significant impact on the quality of life, causing treatment delays, nutritional deficiencies and increasing the cost of care. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the efficacy of Alloporinol, Chamomile and normal saline mouthwashes in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced Stomatitis. Methods : A randomized, double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 83 patients receiving chemotherapy.. ANOVA, 2, Kaplan Meyer and T-test have been used for analyzing the data. Results : Significant differences were found between Alloporinol, Chamomile and normal saline groups in the scores of the severity of Stomatitis (P=0.017), Stomatitis pain (P=0.027) and in the persistence of Stomatitis. No significant differences were noted among the mean Stomatitis (P=0.59), Stomatitis pain (0.071) and the severity scores of the Alloporinol and Chamomile groups. Conclusions : These findings indicate the equal efficacy of Alloporinol and Chamomile in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced Stomatitis as compared to the normal saline control group. Considering the cost and easy accessibility of Chamomile and its potential therapeutic applicability in the reduction of the severity of chemotherapy-induced Stomatitis, it has been implied for the prevention of the same.

Emergency (108) Calls To The Ambulance Service In The State Of Gujarat (India) That Do Not Result In The Patient Being Transported To Hospital: An Epidemiological Study

PANDEY A *, RANJAN R **

Objective: To describe the demographical and clinical characteristics of the patients who are not transported to the hospital after an emergency (108) call to the Gujarat EMRI emergency response center, the reason for non-transportation, and the priority assigned when the ambulance is dispatched. Methods: All non-transported patients from 1st December 2008 to 28th February 2009 were identified from the ambulance service command and control data. Epidemiological and clinical data were then obtained from the patient care record which was completed by the attending emergency medical technician (EMT) and were compared with the initial critical code that determined the urgency of the ambulance response. Results: Data were obtained for 22186 patients who were not shifted during the study period. Less than one per cent of these calls were labeled critical (the most urgent category) at the time when the call was received. Trauma (vehicular) accounted for 30.3% and pregnancy related emergency cases accounted for 16.1% of all non-transported calls. These group of patients were predominantly young adults (between 20 to 30 yrs old) and the majority (more than 99%) were identified as less urgent (non critical) at telephone triage. The mean time that an ambulance was committed to each non-transported call was 2hrs 67 minutes per day. Conclusions: This study shows that trauma (vehicular) accounted for a significant proportion of non-transported 108 calls inspite of assigning a high priority status when the call is first received. There could be major gains if some of these patients could be triaged to an alternative response, both in terms of increasing the ability of the ambulance service to respond faster to clinically more urgent calls and improving the cost effectiveness of the health service. Classifying calls into critical and non critical for the dispatch system has been shown to be sensitive, but this study suggests that its specificity may be poor, resulting in rapid responses to relatively minor problems. More research is required to determine whether such prioritisation can reliably and safely identify 108 calls where an alternative to an emergency ambulance would be a more appropriate response.

Improved Method For Detection Of Methylation Status Of Genes From Limited, Archived, FFPE And FNAC Samples.

Purpose: Bisulphite modified genomic DNA and downstream analysis methods are the most powerful techniques which are used to determine the methylation of chromosomal DNA and the promoter region. However, the amount of material available is the most limiting factor, which continuously leads to the development of the most sensitive and specific method of methylation determination. In the present communication, we present an improved modification of bisulphite conversion and MSP. Method: Our strategy is the bisulphite conversion of direct tissue sections in the tube, followed by DNA purification and methylation specific PCR. Results: Our results successfully yielded a high amount of methylated DNA and showed promoter methylation amplification using very scanty biopsy sample, other clinical FFPE tissues and FNAC cells. A large no of genes could be studied, which otherwise would not be feasible using the conventional method of DNA isolation and bisulphite modification. Conclusion: Our method improves substantially, the previously published protocol in terms of yield, quality using a limited amount of tissue from formalin fixed material and cytology smears from fine needle aspirates. Abbreviations: sFRP1: secreted frizzled-related proteins 1, MGMT (O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase), FFPE: Formalin fixed paraffin embedded, FNA: Fine needle aspirate, MSP: methylation specific PCR

Comparative Study Of Systolic And Diastolic Cardiac Failure In Elderly Hospitalized Patients In A Tertiary Care Hospital In Southwest India

DOCHERLA .M, HANDE MANJUNATH .H*, KAVITHA S**, SHASTRY B.A***, BHATIA S****,

Aims:To study and compare the clinical, echocardiographic and the aetiological features of systolic and diastolic cardiac failure in elderly patients. Methods:This is a prospective observational study done from November 2003 to October 2005. Ninety four patients aged > 60 years who satisfied the Framingham’s Criteria for cardiac failure, admitted in the Medicine and Cardiology wards of Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, were included. All patients underwent echocardiographic study and the necessary evaluation to identify the aetiology of the cardiac failure. Statistical Analysis:The results thus attained, were then charted and analyzed using the SPSS 11.0 statistical software package for Windows. The comparative analysis between Group 1 and Group 2 was done using the Chi-Square test for categorical variables. Continuous variables were also categorized and analyzed using the Chi-Square test. Results:The mean age of the study group was 68.9 years ± 6.01 years. It consisted of 57 (60.63%) males and 37 (39.36%) females. Twenty eight (29.78%) patients had isolated systolic failure (Group 1) and 22 (23%) had isolated diastolic failure (Group 2). Tachycardia (p value = 0.017), cardiomegaly (p value = 0.039) and pulmonary rales (p value = 0.003) were more common in Group 1. The most common aetiology in both groups was coronary artery disease (CAD). Hypertension was more common in diastolic failure (p value = 0.010). Conclusions:This study proves that isolated diastolic failure is a significant presentation among the elderly patients presenting to our hospital. Tachycardia, cardiomegaly and pulmonary rales were more common in systolic failure as compared to diastolic failure. These result from hypertension, which can be easily screened and treated.

Inducible Clindamycin Resistance In Staphylococcus Aureus-A Therapeutic Challenge

Mallick SK*, BasakS**, Bose S***

In modern medical practice, multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates have limited therapeutic options. Clindamycin is a useful drug in treating Staphylococcal infection. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of inducible clindamycin resistance in clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. Inducible clindamycin resistance was tested by the clindamycin disc induction test (D-zone test) as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) (previously known as NCCLS), 2004 guidelines. 18.6% of Staphylococcus aureus isolates were positive for inducible clindamycin resistance and belonged to the iMLSB phenotype. All iMLSB phenotypes (100%) were sensitive to vancomycin and linezolid, Moreover, all iMLSB phenotypes were methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We conclude that the clindamycin disc induction test (D-zone test) is easy, which should be performed routinely by all clinical microbiology laboratories to guide the clinicians about the iMLSB phenotype of Staphylococcus aureus to prevent misuse of antibiotics.

Complex Congenital Heart Disease: Neurological And Developmental Sequela Through Early Childhood And Adolescence

GIL W*

This article was originally published in December 2006, Volume 1, Issue 8 of Neonatology Today. Reprinted with permission from Neonatology Today. All rights reserved. http://www.NeonatologyToday.net. As more children with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) survive into childhood and beyond, there is a growing recognition of neurological and developmental abnormalities in some of the survivors. Over a decade ago, much emphasis was placed on the conduct of cardiopulmonary bypass and its role in neurodevelopmental disabilities. Much has been learned in the intervening years regarding the multi-factorial causes of abnormal development in school age, in particular, the role of prenatal, perioperative, socioeconomic and genetic influences. This review will highlight some of the recent advances in our understanding of the protean causes of neurological, behavioral and developmental abnormalities in children and young adults with complex forms of congenital heart disease, which in many ways is remarkably similar to that seen in survivors of prematurity.

Anthropometric Indices In Individuals Infected With Ascaris Lumbericoids In Iran

Context: Ascaris Lumbericoids infection is more common in children and teenagers and in areas with poor sanitation or crowded living conditions. Largest of all the parasites inhabiting the human intestine it is also the most common of parasitic infections in developing countries. It has been reported to infect about one-fourth of the world population. Chronic ascariasis has been reported to adversely effect the growth rate and anthropometric indices in infected individuals of growing age. Aims: The goal of this research was to evaluate the anthropometric indices in individuals infected with Ascaris in Hamedan province of Iran. Settings and Design: This was a descriptive cross sectional study. Methods and Material: Six hundred fourteen randomly selected individuals who were inhabitants of Hamedan province of Iran were chosen for this study. Stool samples of these individuals were collected and then experimented with Formel-Ether method to determine Ascaris Lumbericoids infection. Height and weight of these individuals were measured and compared with the indices related to NCHS. Demographic information of these individuals was entered into questionnaires and ultimately was analyzed with SPSS software. Results: Out of the total study population, 16.5% of individuals were found to be infected with Ascaris. Out of the individuals infected with Ascaris, 1% were underweight. In the age groups of 6-10, 11-15, 16-20 years, 3.5%, 5.1% and 3.5% were found to be suffering from malnutrition, respectively. Conclusion: Malabsorption in children might result in malnutrition. In this study, few individuals infected with Ascaris had malnutrition, thus Ascaris infection may not be an important cause of malnutrition among children in our area.

Epidemiology, Clinical Presentation And Final Outcome Of Patients With Scorpion Bite

SINGHAL A*, MANNAN R**, RAMPAL U***

Most of the scorpion sting cases are acute life-threatening and time-limiting medical emergencies. The present study was undertaken to analyze the varied clinical presentations in patients admitted with a history of scorpion bite, with a special emphasis to find out whether any difference existed in the presentation of paediatric patients in comparison to the adult patients and to understand whether any particular signs and symptoms were associated with increased mortality and morbidity in different age groups. Also, the final outcomes in all the age groups were noted.This study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital (SRN Hospital, Allahabad) from April 2006 to September 2007. In all the age groups, 74 cases presenting with a history of scorpion sting were either observed or admitted to the intensive coronary care unit (ICCU). They were classified into different groups (A-D) depending upon the clinical presentation. GROUP A included patients who presented only with local signs or those who were asymptomatic; GROUP B included patients having signs of acute pulmonary oedema (APO); GROUP C included patients with signs of APO and myocarditis and GROUP D included patients with APO, myocarditis and encephalopathy or encephalopathy alone. The final outcome was tabulated and the results were analyzed to associate the mortality with any particular clinical parameter. The treatment protocol was designed according to the groups divided. The older age group (5-15 years) comprised of the asymptomatic group (Group-A) in which survival was excellent (100%). Group B comprised of the maximum number of patients ie.52 (70.27%). In this group, the patients in the age group of 5-15 years were the largest cohort. Survival in this group was quite satisfactory, with a recovery rate of 96.16%. Group C patients had an additional element of myocarditis which affected the younger individuals i.e. age groups less than 5 and 5-15 years comprising of 3 patients each. In this group, mortality was seen in 2 (33.33%) patients. Group D had the worst outcome with 100% mortality rates and affected the extremes in the age groups from very young (less than 5 years) to the elderly (above 15 years) patients. An incidental finding of priapism was noted in 27.02% of the patients. The point to be noted was that it was present in 100% of the cases in the age group of less than 5 years in male children and in 40 % of the cases in the age group of 5-15 years in males. There was no incidence of priapism in males above 15 years.

Secondary Myelofibrosis In A Case Of Aplastic Anaemia – A Case Report

RANGAN A*, CHOUDHARY D R **, SINHA S***, HANDOO A **, BHARGAVA M***

Myelofibrosis following aplastic anaemia is rare. Here, we report a case in which a 25-year old patient with aplastic anaemia subsequently developed secondary myelofibrosis.

Cutaneous Infection Caused By M.Chelonae Following Thorn Prick

DIAS M* , ANTONY B** , SCARIA B***, PINTO H ****

Mycobacterium chelonae is a rare pathogen that causes infection among humans. It is ubiquitous in nature. We report here, a cutaneous infection in a healthy young lady following thorn prick. She was treated with Clarithromycin and Cotrimoxazole and recovered completely after treatment.

A Probable Case Of Craniodiaphyseal Dysplasia- A Rare Entity

KAMDAR P K*, SHAH V**

Craniodiaphyseal dysplasia (CDD) is a rare sclerosing bone disorder, the severity of which depends on its phenotypic expression. Hyperostosis can cause progressive foraminal stenosis leading to palsy of cranial nerves, epilepsy and mental retardation. We report here, the only case of CDD who presented with fever accidentally and was found to have right facial palsy and craniofacial bone thickening on X-ray, which was diagnosed as craniodiaphyseal dysplasia. We believe that this patient represented one of the few examples of a mild form of adult Craniodiaphyseal dysplasia with facial changes and mild conductive deafness in both ears.

Solitary Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis: A Rare Manifestation Of Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma is (RCC) is notorious for presenting as metastatic carcinoma of unknown primary sites and sometimes at unusual sites. RCC presenting as solitary metastatic lesions are about 1-3%. A 60 year old woman presented with an axillary lump of 2 weeks duration. FNAC revealed a diagnosis of metastatic adenocarcinoma.The protocol followed for the search for the primary detected a tumour in the right kidney. No other metastases were detected. The patient underwent radical nephrectomy and axillary clearance. Axillary lymph node metastasis, an uncommon site for distant metastasis, as a first clinical sign leading to the diagnosis is rare. FNAC is a simple, quick and easy procedure for diagnosing metastatic lesions. It can guide the clinician to investigate for the possible site of the primary tumour. Complete resection of solitary metastases is justified and can contribute to long term survival.

Malignant Nasal Polyp In A Child: A Case Report

BHAT M* , DEEPALAKSHMI**, VAIDYANATHAN V***

A one year and two months old male child was brought to our hospital by his parents. He presented with a history of breathing through the mouth and snoring since two months. The clinical examination was suggestive of nasal polyp. Computerised tomography (CT) scan of the nose and paranasal sinuses (PNS) revealed soft tissue density in the left maxillary sinus extending into the left nasal cavity, widening the ostium and infundibulum soft tissue density in ethmoidal sinuses. Endoscopic resection of the mass was done after a histopathological diagnosis of nasal polyp. The patient (pt) presented with recurrence of symptoms, with breathing and feeding difficulty within 15 days . Clinically, a polypoidal mass was seen filling the left nasal cavity, extending into the oropharynx. A repeat endoscopic resection was done and histopathological examination of the mass revealed embroynal rhabdomyosarcoma (parameningeal type). The patient was treated with 32 cycles of chemotherapy and regular follow up was done for two years. The patient is asymptomatic at the end of two years. Key Words: nasal polyp, rhabdomyosarcoma, embryonal, parameningeal type

A Pre-Auricular Solitary Tuberculous Ulcer

BHAT YR*, GUPTA BK**

Cutaneous tuberculosis occurring sporadically in atypical sites could cause a diagnostic dilemma and lead to delay in treatment. We describe a 6-year old child who presented with a chronic, non-healing ulcer over the right pre-auricular region. There was no improvement with treatment from various practitioners over 2 months. On evaluation, we found that he had a negative smear for acid fast bacilli and a normal chest radiograph, but the Mantoux test done on him was strongly positive. His response to 3-drug anti-tubercular treatment further confirmed the diagnosis. The awareness of uncommon clinical forms of tuberculosis over atypical sites could help child health care providers diagnose the condition early.

Generic Medicines As A Way To Improve Access And Affordability: A Proposed Framework For Pakistan

JAMSHED S *, BABAR Z U D ** , IBRAHIM M I M***, HASSALI M A A ****

Medicines play an important role in health systems throughout the globe; however one third of the world population does not have access to essential medicines. Generic drugs have been instrumental in reducing cost and improving affordability. Generic penetration varies in the developing world and the sale of generics are growing in all the major markets, but the proper domestic availability of generics and their quality use is still a question mark. With the increasing population and shrinking resources, generics could be a recipe for improving the access to and affordability of medicines in Pakistan. However, to gain a wider health professionals’ support, it is vital to understand the issues surrounding generic medicines. This proposed strategy will document the relative importance of the acceptance of generics in Pakistan. This attempt will ameliorate the perception and credibility of generic drugs among providers, prescribers, and consumers. Moreover, this effort will provide the baseline data to assist policy makers to promote the quality use of generic drugs.

Change Control System In The Pharmaceutical Industry In The Lean Thinking Concept

FERNANDES F*, PANDE S**, MURTY P N***

Current Perspectives Of Medical Pharmacology Post Graduates In India: Need To Commute The System

DANG A*, GARG A**, RATABOLI PV***

Creative Writing and Medical Education

SHANKAR PR

Nutritional And Health Status Of Rural School Children In Ratnagiri District Of Maharashtra.

PATIL S N*, WASNIK V R**

The Mortality Profile Of Burn Cases In Jammu

KHAJURIA B *, SHARMA R **, VERMA A***,

The present retrospective study was conducted on 113 autopsy cases brought to the Forensic Department of a tertiary care institute, with the alleged cause of death as burns. Out of a total of 113 cases, 48(42.47%) were males and 65 (57.53%) were females. 85.84% of the cases were in the reproductive and productive (15-45 years) age group. The most common manner of the burn was accidental, followed by suicidal and homicidal causes. Flame burns, electric burns and scalds accounted for 87.60%, 11.50% and 0.90% cases of burns, respectively. In 70 cases, the percentage of burns were between 90-100% . Forty two burn cases with more than 90% burns survived for less than 1 day. 57.5% (65), 35.5%(40), and 6.2%(7) victims died of shock, septicaemia and both shock and septicaemia, respectively. Social factors are the main drive, leading to an unacceptably high rate of burn injuries in our societies. Prevention programmes should be directed at behavioural and environmental changes which can be easily adopted into the lifestyle.