bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The distribution of the clinical variables in a population of adult males circumcised for phimosis: A contribution to the clinical classification of phimosis
Authors: La Pera Giuseppe , Lauretti Stefano
Published: June 2022

Background: The literature regarding the quality of the sex life in adult males after circumcision, due to phimosis, is scarce and sometimes contrasting. This could be due to comparisons of a nonhomogeneous distribution of the clinical variables of men who have undergone circumcision. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the distribution of the clinical variables in the adult male population who had circumcision for phimosis, and to propose a clinical classification of the phimosis to characterize it in adult males in more homogeneous sub-groups for the common clinical variables. Materials: A population of 244 adult male patients with phimosis was evaluated retrospectively. The mean age was 50.7 years. Each patient was classified according to the most common clinical variables. The variables that make up this classification of the phimosis were: Position (P1-2) to indicate if phimosis is present when the penis is at rest (P2) or only during an erection (P1); Grade (G 0-4) in relation to the extent of glans visibility; Complexity (Co 0-4) of comorbidities; Timespan (T 1-10) of the phimosis. Results: The distribution of the variables was the following: Position P1:30.73%, P2:69.26%; Grade G0:30.73%, G1:23.77%, G2:27.45%, G3:12.29%, G4:5.73%; Complexity (associated penile comorbidities): C0:48.36%, C1:4.5%, C2:0.8%, C3:43.03%, C4:3.27% Timespan: 57.78% of the patients had phimosis for less than a year; 18.03% between 1 and 2 years; 11.88% between 2 and 10 years; and 12.29% for more than 10 years. Conclusions: The distribution of the clinical variables in the adult male population who underwent circumcision due to phimosis was not homogeneous regarding the appearance, severity, comorbidity, and timespan. This non-homogeneity could explain, in some cases, the contrasting results regarding the quality of sex life after circumcision in the literature. The proposed classification can offer an objective tool for researchers and clinicians group the patients into more homogeneous subgroups.
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome due to unilateral renal artery stenosis
Authors: Babici Denis , Hindi Fawzi , Hanafy Khalid A.
Published: June 2022

A tricenarian female with a past medical history of status epilepticus secondary to posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) of unknown etiology presented with a 2-week history of double vision, dizziness, elevated blood pressure, and altered mental status. On hospital day 2, she experienced status epilepticus, during which her blood pressure rose to 240/160 from her baseline of around 140/90. The patient was subsequently intubated for airway protection and transferred to the intensive care unit, where she was started on a nicardipine drip. Due to her history of thrombotic microangiopathy, empiric treatment with plasma exchange and prednisone was started but discontinued when ADAMTS13 came back negative. Urine metanephrines also were found to be negative. Computed tomography angiography of the abdomen showed left renal artery stenosis and stent was placed. Remarkably, over the coming days, her blood pressure normalized, and her neurologic symptoms significantly improved. As a result, antihypertensive medications were titrated down, and the patient was finally provided with a cause of her repetitive, life-threatening episodes of PRES.
2022 Monkeypox outbreaks in endemic and nonendemic nations and the vulnerability of children
Authors: Shrivastava Saurabh RamBihariLal , Shrivastava Prateek Saurabh
Published: June 2022

The 2022 monkeypox outbreak in nonendemic nations has emerged as a cause of concern for the public health authorities and international welfare agencies. The outbreaks of monkeypox in the endemic nations of the African region have been reported on a regular basis. However, the outbreak, which started on May 13, 2022, as a single case in the United Kingdom has become a cause of global concern. Moreover, the sudden detection of cases that has been distributed worldwide indicates undetected transmission for quite some time, and this is a cause of concern for public health professionals. It has been identified that children possess a higher risk to develop severe symptoms when compared with population groups of adolescents or adults. To conclude, the monkeypox outbreak in 2022 has been reported in both endemic and nonendemic nations. The outbreak in nonendemic nations has been quite atypical, with variable clinical presentation, and the absence of a history of travel to endemic nations. The need of the hour is to take prompt steps to spread awareness about the disease and interrupt the chain of transmission through the implementation of preventive measures.
Paraquat-induced lung fibrosis and multiorgan failure
Authors: Aggarwal Jyoti , Lamba Amtoj Singh , Gaba Saurabh , Gupta Monica
Published: June 2022

Paraquat is a herbicide which is widely used by agricultural communities worldwide. It is extremely toxic for humans and ingestion of as less as 30 mL of 20%–24% concentration is usually lethal. The lack of an effective antidote is a concern due to the fatal outcomes associated with ingestion of paraquat. Herein, we are presenting a case of fatal paraquat poisoning in a young male from a center in India. The clinical course was complicated by liver, renal, and lung injury. We also describe its mechanism of toxicity, clinical features, and newer strategies being tried for treatment.
Parents' and teachers' perceptions of emotional and behavioral problems in school-going adolescents
Authors: Harikrishnan U. , Sailo Grace Lalhlupuii
Published: June 2022

Introduction:

Parents and teachers are the primary consultants to understand the emotional and behavioral problems of school-going adolescents. The current study focuses on parents' and class teachers' perspectives of school-going adolescents' emotional and behavioral problems.

Material and Methods: A

Cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among 19 schools from government-private and rural-urban schools across Kollam District, Kerala. Malayalam/English version of the strength and difficulties questionnaire was administered among a sample of 600 parents and 60 class teachers of school-going adolescents.

Results:

Multiple linear regression analysis showed that parents' reports is significantly predicted by gender (P < 0.01), urban-rural settings (P < 0.001) and socioeconomic status (P < 0.01). Teachers' reports have significantly been predicted by urban-rural settings (P < 0.01) and socioeconomic status (P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

More attention is needed for the protection of adolescent's mental health and fills mental health gaps in services.
Factors Influencing Survival Outcome in Deceased Renal Transplant Recipients
Authors: Pal Dilip Kumar , Chaudhury Arpita Ray , Verma Ankit , Jana Debarshi
Published: June 2022

Background:

Renal replacement therapy is the gold standard treatment of end-stage renal disease. Since the number of cases of chronic kidney diseases are increasing exponentially in our country, only live-related transplant is not enough to bridge the gap between disease and their treatment which increased the demand for deceased renal transplant program in our country.

Objective:

The objective is to study donors and recipients' characteristics for association with survival of patients in deceased renal allograft transplant.

Materials and Methods:

It is an ambispective observational analysis of 42 deceased donor renal transplants performed in our institute from January 2012 to December 2019. The difference among donors and recipients' characteristics was analyzed for association with the outcome for survival or death of the patient. Statistical analysis was done using SSPS 21.0 software and P value < 0.05 was taken as statistically significant.

Results:

In association with survival and expired outcomes, donors and recipients age, donors sex, cause of brain death (traumatic/nontraumatic), standard or extended criteria of donor, serum creatinine at the time of death, dialysis vintage period, warm and cold ischemia time, duration of hospital stay had shown no significant association with survival. While donors' urine output at the time of death, recipients sex, previous sensitization of recipients either by previous episodes of blood transfusion or pregnancy, achievement of normal renal function at day 14 of transplant, and tacrolimus level at 1 month of transplant shown significant association with the outcome.

Conclusion:

Deceased donors' characteristics, mainly urine output at death, recipients characteristic, namely any previous sensitization, achievement of normal renal function at day 14, serum tacrolimus level at 1-month posttransplant have a significant association with survival of deceased renal allograft transplant recipients. Sepsis and severe acidosis were the main complications contributing to mortality.
A Prospective Comparative Study from India between Living Genetically Related and Unrelated Donor Renal Transplants
Authors: Agarwal Nitin , Rana Anil Kumar Singh , Jain Aakansh
Published: June 2022

Background:

India has a significant backlog in terms of renal transplant waiting lists, and progress of deceased donor transplant is limited by social and cultural hurdles. Newer strategies in living donation are needed.

Materials and Methods:

A prospective comparative study was conducted at our tertiary hospital over 3 years, between living related donor (LRD) and living unrelated donor (LURD) renal transplant outcomes, chiefly acute rejection and graft dysfunction. Confounding variables and outcome parameters such as mortality, hospital stay >21 days, and complications were recorded for 6 months.

Results:

LRD (n = 78) and LURD (n = 42) groups differed significantly in median recipient age (25 [22–34] vs. 40 [33–50] years; P < 0.001) and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatches >3 (3/78 [3.8%] vs. 32/78 [76.2%]; P < 0.001, respectively). Yet, there was no significant difference in donor age, gender, immunosuppression, preoperative hemodialysis, nephrectomy time, or warm ischemia time. No significant difference was noted between LRD and LURD in acute rejection rate, graft dysfunction at 1 week and 6 months, mortality, hospital stay >21 days, or complication rate. Among factors predictive for acute rejection, only anastomotic time had a significant association (β coefficient = 0.006 [0.001–0.010]; Pearson's coefficient “r” =0.208; P < 0.01), while for early graft dysfunction, it was only mean donor nephrectomy time in minutes (β coefficient=-0.002 [−0.004–0.000]; Pearson's coefficient “r” = −0.158; P = 0.042).

Conclusion:

Despite differences in HLA-mismatches and age, LRD and LURD had a similar short-term outcome with respect to acute rejection and graft dysfunction. This is linked to better and standardized immunosuppression available, making it possible to expand the scope of LURD beyond spousal, within the legal and ethical boundaries.
Reinfection of SARS-CoV-2 in Kidney Transplant Recipient
Authors: Krishna Amresh , Kumar Abhishek , Singh Prit Pal , Patel Prem Shankar
Published: June 2022

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported from Wuhan, China, and later became a pandemic. While infection is very common, reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 is rare because immune responses from past infection reduce the risk of reinfection. In this report, we describe the case of a kidney transplant recipient who was reinfected with SARS-CoV-2 after successfully recovering from moderate COVID-19, 6 months ago. The first infection occurred in September 2020 while the reinfection occurred in April 2021. Our case highlights that kidney transplant recipients can be reinfected with COVID-19, and therefore, recovery from a primary infection should not be taken as license to shun COVID-related precautions. The disease severity, clinical course, and outcome of reinfection may be different from the first infection.
Quality of Life among Pediatric Patients and their Families Suffering from Congenital Ichthyosis - A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Hemrajani Priyanka , Sharath Kumar B. C. , Sharma Mona
Published: June 2022

Introduction:

Ichthyosis are a heterogeneous group of hereditary skin disorders characterized by dryness, hyperkeratosis, and desquamation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate quality of life (QoL) of patients with ichthyosis and their families.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 72 patients were enrolled and 60 patients completed the study. The study instrument included Infants' Dermatitis Life Quality Index and Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index for pediatric patients (5–16 years) and Dermatitis Family Impact Questionnaire (DFI) for family members.

Results:

Questionnaires were completed in 60 children. The patients had predominantly ichthyosis vulgaris (n = 46), lamellar ichthyosis (n = 10), nonbullous ichthyosiform erythroderma (n = 3), and bullous ichthyosiform erythroderma (n = 1). Male: female ratio was 1:1.5. Large effect on QoL was seen in 77.8% and 66.6% of ichthyosis vulgaris and lamellar, ichthyosis, respectively. Mean score of DFI was 9.94 ± 7.23.

Conclusion:

The present study reports a poor QoL among pediatric patients suffering from ichthyosis and their families. Psychosocial and mental support is needed for patients and their immediate caregivers/families for this chronic skin disease.
Subcutaneous Zygomycosis
Authors: Chaudhary Ketki , Agrawal Kritika , Paliwal Vijay , Bhargava Puneet , Mathur Deepak Kumar
Published: June 2022

Subcutaneous zygomycosis is a rare deep fungal infection caused by a group of fungus belonging to the order Entomophtharales. It is a saprophytic fungus and the predominant species causing the infection includes Basidiobolus ranarum and Conidiobolus coronatus. We, hereby, report a case of a 17-month-old female child who presented with a painless, solitary, woody hard enlarging mass which was disfiguring the left side of the face for 6 months. After our complete workup, a diagnosis of subcutaneous zygomycosis was made. The patient was managed on syrup Itraconazole and potassium iodide drops. The patient responded to the trreatment remarkably. We would like to present our take on workup and treatment of a solitary painless enlarging mass on the face in a child.
Successful Treatment of Recalcitrant Juvenile Pemphigus Foliaceus with Intravenous Immunoglobulin and Rituximab
Authors: Teo Hock Gin , Lim Tzyy Huei , Leong Kin Fon , Muniandy Pubalan
Published: June 2022

Pemphigus foliaceus (PF) is uncommon among children. The usage of rituximab in childhood PF is even less documented. We reported a case of a 16-year-old boy with juvenile PF who failed conventional treatments and was started on combination therapy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and rituximab followed by six-monthly rituximab maintenance therapy. He achieved full remission and no adverse effects. Therefore, in cases of recalcitrant juvenile PF, combination therapy of IVIG and rituximab can be considered.
A Comprehensive Review of Immunosuppressive Drugs in Pediatric Dermatoses
Authors: Bose Shiti , Madke Bhushan
Published: June 2022

Pediatric dermatoses constitute an array of varied diseases, a few of which may require long-term treatment with immunosuppressants in the form of corticosteroids (CS) and steroid-sparing agents such as azathioprine, cyclosporine, and methotrexate. There are numerous articles mentioning long-term adverse effects of these immunosuppressants in adults, but just a few mentioning the same in the pediatric age group. This concise review focuses on the immunosuppressants commonly used for dermatoses in children and gives a comprehensive list of the various indications for use in each and associated adverse effect on long-term use. A comprehensive search was done using PubMed, Google, EMBASE, Cochrane, and MEDLINE on studies published till date on immunosuppressant use in pediatric dermatoses with special emphasis on the safety and adverse effects on long-term therapy. Only English language articles were considered. Thirty-eight articles were found, of which only 28 were selected after removing duplication and articles having no relevant information. Clinical as well as randomized double-blinded or single-blinded controlled trials, open-label studies, retrospective studies, case series, reviews, and case reports on the use of immunosuppressants in pediatric age group, including their long-term adverse effects were screened and a documented evidence was prepared, analyzed and presented in a narrative fashion to highlight the important pediatric indications for the use of the respective immunosuppressant, with special emphasis on the adverse effects on prolonged usage. The review has been divided into two parts for the reader's benefit. Part I consists of CS, azathioprine, and cyclosporine, whereas, Part II consists of methotrexate and mycophenolate mofetil.
CD30+ Lymphomatoid Papulosis in 16-Year-Old Adolescent Boy
Authors: Satya Ruttala Sri , Rao Gandikota Raghurama , Singh Vijay Kumar
Published: June 2022

Lymphomatoid papulosis (LYP) is a chronic CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorder that is rare among adults and even rarer in children. The disease is characterized by recurrent self-healing papulonodular eruptions that follow waxing and waning course over the years with an excellent prognosis. In adults, LYP is associated with an increased (10%–20%) risk of secondary lymphomas. The clinical features, course of the disease, and the risk of associated lymphoid malignancies in children are comparable with those of adults. We present a 16-year-old boy with 4-year history of asymptomatic, recurrent papulonodular lesions on the arms, right axilla, trunk, groin, and legs, healing with postinflammatory hyperpigmentation and atrophic scars. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry studies of these lesions are consistent with CD30+ LYP. We also discuss LYP in children with available literature.
Compliance with COTPA (Packaging and Labeling) Rules, 2008 and its amendments in smokeless tobacco products sold across Mangaluru taluk, Karnataka, India
Authors: Dinakar Chethana , Shetty Deepthi , Shetty Pushparaja
Published: June 2022

Introduction:

India introduced the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) (Packaging and Labeling [P and L]) Rules in 2008. These rules utilize the tobacco package to communicate tobacco-caused harms; it also seeks to restrict the delivery of misleading information about the product on the pack. The enormous burden of tobacco-related oral cancers in India necessitates the compliance with the law regarding presentation of information in powerful and salient ways, intentionally designed to increase the awareness in target individuals.

Objectives:

The objectives of the study are to assess the compliance to implementation and enforcement of the COTPA (P and L) Rules, 2008 and its amendments in 2014 and 2018.

Materials and Methods:

Chewing tobacco products were retrieved and evaluated for compliance with the law. The specified pictorial and textual health warnings, area, clarity, rotation, and language were assessed as per the recommendations.

Results and Conclusion:

Even though chewing tobacco products in India have introduced pictorial and textual health warnings, majority of them do not comply with the law. The products displayed the specified health warnings on a total of 70.6% on average, failing to abide by the government-specified average of 85%. 50% of the products did not follow the rotation of pictorial and textual health warning even after completion of the interregnum period of 12 months (September 2019). To ensure consumers’ right to be informed about the health risks from a product, all the details regarding the contents, health warnings and messages, and product care instructions must be mentioned as specified under the law.
To study the awareness about solid waste management rules among nursing professionals in a tertiary care hospital in India
Authors: Singh Sukhbir , Vashisht M. G. , Malik Ishwanti , Dahiya Pushpa , Bhattacharya Sudip
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

Background:

In India, on an average, 0.5–0.99 kg/person/day general solid waste is produced which is higher (i.e. 0.1–0.49 kg per person per day) than solid waste generated in low-income nations and lower than in developed countries (1.5 kg per day). The Government of India has issued guidelines for the management of a different kind of hospital waste from time to time including Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules in the year 2016 and is mandatorily applicable to all organizations including the hospitals

Objective:

We conducted this study to assess the knowledge and awareness among nursing professionals regarding various provisions of solid waste management rules, 2016.

Methods:

It was a cross-sectional study done on nursing professionals across all seniority and from various specialties and super specialty departments. A pretested questionnaire comprising 20 questions was used as a study tool.

Results:

There were a total of 550 participants. The mean knowledge count of the respondents was 9.487273 (1.00–14.00). The mean score was 59.3% of the overall achievable score. In the subgroup analysis, respondents above 60 years of age, married, females, urban residents, nursing sisters scored better than the middle-aged professionals, unmarried, males, rural residents, and staff nurses.

Conclusions:

This study has given insight into various domains of SWM rules, 2016 where nurses performed well and those where considerable gaps exist. The health care workers are more aware of biomedical waste (M&H) rules, and the solid waste management rules are new to them. It is recommended that the biomedical waste management training program must include training on general solid waste management rules.
Determining the efficiency of data analysis systems in predicting COVID-19 infected cases
Authors: Shahpoori Pegah Kalantar , Mirzaei Abaset
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

After the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (2019) (COVID-19), a lot of people have been affected around the world. Due to the large number of affected patients in the world, the global health care system has been disrupted and nearly all hospitals around the world has faced a shortage of bed spaces. As a consequence, being able of prediction of the number of COVID-19 cases is extremely important for taking appropriate decision for management of the affected patients. An accurate prediction of the number of COVID-19 cases Can be obtained using the historical data of reported cases as well as some other data affecting the virus outbreak. However, most of the literature has used only historical data to provide a method of predicting COVID-19 cases and has neglected other influential factors. This has led to inaccurate estimates of the number of infected cases with COVID-19. Thus, the present study tries to provide a more accurate estimation of the number of COVID-19 cases by considering both historical data and other effective factors on the virus. For this purpose, data analysis including the development of a network-based neural algorithm [i.e., nonlinear autonomous exogenous input (NARX)] can be adopted. To examine the viability of this algorithm, experiments were conducted using data collected for the number of COVID-19 cases in the five most affected countries on each continent. Our method led to a more accurate prediction than those obtained by the existing methods. Moreover, we performed experiments to extend our method to predict the number of COVID-19 cases in the future during a period between August 2020 and September 2020. Such predictions can be utilized by the government or people in the affected countries to take precautionary measures against the pandemic.
An interesting case of COVID-19 with transient ischemic attack as a delayed neurological complication
Authors: Singh Jaspreet , Robinson Samantha
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

COVID-19, the ongoing pandemic is known to affect almost every organ system, however the incidence of TIA is not as well established. So, here, we report a rare case of COVID-19 with transient ischemic attack (TIA) as a delayed complication.
Pulse oximetry vs non-invasive blood pressure/oscillometry to record blood pressure in neonates: A prospective observational study
Authors: Raju Reenu , Isac Mathai
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

Aim:

To assess the usefulness and efficacy of pulse oximetry (disappearance/reappearance of plethsmographic waves) as a method of non-invasive blood pressure monitoring in neonates.

Objective:

To investigate the reliability of the plethysmographic wave form of the pulse oximeter to measure the systolic blood pressure.

Study Setting:

A prospective observational study was done to assess usefulness and efficacy of pulse oximetry (disappearance/reappearance of plethysmographic waves) as a method of non-invasive blood pressure monitoring in neonates.

Material and Methods:

The study was conducted among 500 neonates to investigate the reliability of the plethysmographic waveform of the pulse oximeter to measure the systolic blood pressure as it is a easy way to perform and non invasive.

Statistical Analysis Used:

The results will compare and analyse statistically by Pearson correlation co-efficient. Regression modeling will carried out to explain the relationship of non-invasive blood pressure with mean DP and RP and attempted to predict the non-invasive blood pressure from mean DP/mean RP.

Results:

The study results revealed that NIBP systolic and diastolic both correlated with DP and RP of pulse oximetry plethysmograph.

Conclusion:

Study concluded that pulse oximetry is a reliable tool in measuring blood pressure in neonates (appearance and disappearance of plethysmogram).
Hyperhomocysteinemia presenting as exclusive small vessel coronary artery disease (CAD) in a young
Authors: Das Debasish , Das Tutan , Pramanik Subhas
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

We present an extremely rare case of a 26-year-old young male, an engineering student and a staunch vegetarian from early childhood without conventional cardiac risk factors, with hyperhomocysteinemia presenting as acute lateral wall ST elevation myocardial infarction with angiographic evidence of focal critical occlusion of the first diagonal branch. Although homocysteinemia and its association with coronary artery disease is well known, hyperhomocysteinemia with very high level of plasma homocysteine (>100 mmol/l) presenting as an exclusive small vessel coronary artery disease like involving only diagonal branch sparing major coronary vessels has not yet been described in the literature. Our case is unique and the first description of an exclusive small vessel coronary artery disease sparing major coronary vessels in the presence of paradoxically very high-level serum homocysteine (in a young male without conventional cardiac risk factors). Vegetarians should be encouraged to take Vitamin B6 rich food like potatoes, bananas, and garbanzo beans to decrease the likelihood of having severe coronary artery disease secondary to hyperhomocysteinemia.
Visual morbidity and spectrum of ophthalmic changes in pregnancy induced hypertension
Authors: Uma M. S , Bhuvana S , Annamalai Radha , Muthayya M
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

Aim:

To determine the prevalence of ocular changes in pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and co-relate the ophthalmic changes and severity of the disease with visual outcome.

Methods and Material:

This is a retrospective study conducted from a hospital-based cohort of pregnant women, who delivered from June 2018 to December 2020. A total of 153 patients who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of PIH admitted in the obstetric ward were included in this study. History with regard to age, parity, gravida, gestational age, medical history, and ocular findings were noted from the patient’s case records. Anterior segment examination, dilated fundus evaluation, blood pressure (BP) recordings, urine proteinuria were done. All data were analyzed using the satistical package for social science (SPSS) program.

Results:

Out of 153 patients, 78 (50.98%) were primigravida, 55 (35.95%) were gravida 2, and 20 (13.07%) were multigravida. Gestational age ranged from 23–40 weeks. Ocular changes were seen in 57% of the PIH patients. Hypertensive retinopathy was seen in 23.53% of PIH patients with a mean age of 29.06 ± 4.36 years. Grade 1 hypertensive retinopathy was the most common manifestation in PIH patients (51.16%). The visual loss occurred in 72% of eclampsia and12% of pre-eclampsia which was statistically significant (P = 0.03). Papilledema was seen in 6% and refractive error in 41% of the patients.

Conclusions:

Ocular examination of PIH patients reveals important objective information concerning the disorder. The presence of retinal change is a marker of the severity of PIH and is the most common ocular feature. Detection of progression of these changes reflects ischemic changes of the placenta. Fundus examination in PIH patients is important to predict adverse fetal outcomes, and risks to mother’s life.
A study of clinical profile, sequelae of COVID, and satisfaction of inpatient care at a government COVID care hospital in Karnataka
Authors: Suresh Harshini , Nagaraja Manjunatha S.
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

Background:

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus has increased the morbidity and mortality across the world. The most common symptoms are fever, dry cough, tiredness, and the least common symptoms are aches and pains, sore throat, diarrhoea, conjunctivitis, headache and loss of taste or smell. In this current pandemic, the number of COVID-19 survivors being discharged from the hospital is increasing day by day and the long-term effect among the survivors is also increasing. Fatigue and dyspnea were the most reported Post COVID symptoms. The presence of these symptoms is also known as “Long COVID”. COVID-19 disease has not only affected the physical health but also the mental health of the patients which also had led to decrease in their quality of life.

Material and Methods:

A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among 35 patients who were admitted in District hospital in Mysuru during the month of October 2020. Purposive Sampling was adopted for selecting the patients. Data was collected through telephone after their discharge. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel sheet and analysed using SPSS trial version 23. Descriptive statistics such as percentages and proportions were calculated. To see the association between the variables, Chi-square test, Fischer’s exact test was used. P < 0.05 was taken as statistically significant.

Results:

The mean age of the study participants was 49.1 years. Majority of them had fever (68.6%) followed by Myalgia (65.7%), cough (60%), fatigue (42.9%), headache (37.1%) Majority of the patients had no symptoms after discharge (65.7%). After being discharged from the hospital, 22.9% of patients had difficulty in sleeping, 17.1% had loss of taste/smell and fatigue, 8.6% of them had breathlessness and 5.7% of the patients had a change in voice and loss of appetite.

Conclusion:

With the increasing number of cases across the world, we will most likely face an ongoing wave of COVID-19 sequelae. To Prevent this, an extensive rehabilitation program is necessary for patients during hospitalization and after discharge.
A perspective of yoga on smartphone addiction: A narrative review
Authors: Putchavayala Chaitanya K. , Singh Deepeshwar , Sashidharan Rajesh K.
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

Evolution in technology is drastically becoming automatic and making life easier. Among those technologies, smartphones are fast-changing technology that is equipping humans to work from anywhere. Frequent usage and dependency on smartphones have increased, which in turn contributes to changes in psychosocial behavioral aspects. Addiction plays an important role in modifying the healthy habits of individuals. Problematic usage of smartphones affects both physical and psychosocial health and emerges as a cornerstone of psychosocial disorder. However, there is a dearth of data to understand the core concepts of smartphone addiction and there is a need to understand from the broader perspective. Yoga is considered one of the viable protocols to provide the way for digital detoxification from technology and smartphone addiction by promoting self-regulation. Yoga brings back a healthy living style, which allows individuals to have enough physical activity through asanas, emotional stability, and awareness through meditation and breathing practices. We hypothesize that a holistic approach to yoga can regulate the symptoms associated with smartphone addiction by increasing the stability of the body and mind and promoting emotional detachment and self-regulation, which play an important role in the de-addiction process.
A study to assess the outcome in COVID-19 confirmed cases receiving Remdesivir as compared to conventional therapy: Medical records-based audit
Authors: Prabhu Divya , Kulkarni Ashwin , Thyagaraj Vijayashree , Balaji Vijay , Kumar Thimmaiah Anil , Rao Medha Y.
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

COVID-19 infection caused by SARS-Corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused large number of infections and mortality globally. There are no proven medications to prevent and treat COVID-19, nevertheless several potential pharmacotherapeutic agents have been tried. Remdesivir was found to be effective in few studies.

Aims:

To assess the outcome in COVID-19 confirmed cases receiving Remdesivir as compared to conventional therapy.

Methodology:

This study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in South India after the approval of the Institutional ethical committee. It was a medical records-based retrospective, longitudinal study. Medical records of the inpatients with confirmed COVID-19 infection were reviewed from the period of June 15, 2020 to September 15, 2020. This study was conducted to assess the clinical and laboratory profile and outcome in the patients admitted with moderate and severe COVID-19 disease who received Remdesivir.

Statistical Analysis:

The analysis was done using SPSS Inc. released 2009, PASW statistics for Windows version 18.0, Chicago.

Results:

One hundred eleven (N = 111) patients were included in the study. 56 patients received the conventional treatment (Hydroxychloroquine HCQ) and 55 patients received Remdesivir. It was seen that among patients treated with HCQ, 24 (42.9%) required non-invasive ventilation and seven (12.7%) patients treated with Remdesivir required it (P = 0.001). It was noticed that the mean duration of hospitalization was 16.6 days in HCQ group and was 11.4 days in Remdesivir group (P = 0.021).

Conclusion:

The study demonstrates that Remdesivir does have benefit in reducing the mortality and duration of hospital stay. There was reduced requirement of non-invasive and invasive ventilation among patients treated with Remdesivir.
Educational intervention on cervical and breast cancer screening: Impact on nursing students involved in primary care
Authors: Dhanasekaran Kavitha , Verma Chandresh , Sriram Latha , Kumar Vipin , Hariprasad Roopa
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Nurses are the foundation of the Indian health system. They play a crucial role in primary care and implementation of community-centered government health initiatives such as cancer screening. The purpose of this manuscript is to share the experience of this educational intervention study and emphasize the need for drastic medical education reforms to include curricula to strengthen knowledge about cancer screening among nursing students.

Methods:

A one-day workshop on “Cervical and breast cancer screening” was conducted for nursing students pursuing BSc Nursing (Group 1) and General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) (Group 2) in India. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was administered among consented participants before and after the workshop to assess their knowledge and awareness on the subject at the baseline and the improvement they gained after the workshop.

Results:

Ninety-one students attempted both pre and post-surveys, of which 56 were from Group 1 and 35 from Group 2. Students demonstrated statistically significant improvements in knowledge on cervical and breast cancer screening after participating in the workshop.

Conclusion:

Undergraduate nursing education curricula must undergo medical education reform to include education and training for nurses in cancer screening and further motivate their increased participation in preventive cancer screening programs.
The epidemiological aspects of fungal keratitis in a population sample from Northern Iran: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Akbari Mitra , Sedighi Mohadese , Moghadam Reza Soltani , Kazemnejad Ehsan
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Fungal keratitis can be influenced by different genetic, environmental, and even iatrogenic factors that the impact of such factors can be very different in various populations. Thus, it should be attempted to provide a clear picture of the epidemiological situation of this disease in different areas. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiological aspects of fungal keratitis in a population sample from northern Iran.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study was conducted on all consecutive patients clinically suspected to fungal keratitis that were ultimately diagnosed by positive fungal culture that admitted to Amiralmomenin hospital in Rasht city, Iran, between 2011 and 2019. The sampling method was census. The required information was collected by reviewing the hospital’s recorded files.

Results:

Forty seven patients were examined in the study that 53.2% of the patients were men. Among the population of women, housewives-farmers with the prevalence rate of 45% and among the population of men, those with farm occupation with the prevalence rate of 52% formed the most common occupational subgroups. Most patients (89.3%) had no history of any ocular surgery or manipulation. Aspergillus was the most frequent pathogen (23.4%) followed by Penicillium (19.1%) and Fusarium (17.0%). History of chronic disorders was also revealed in 44.6%. The results of smear and culture obtained from the study were as follows: in 8.5% of patients as positive smear and positive culture, and in 91.5% as negative smear and positive culture. Only 2.1% used the lens.

Conclusion:

Fungal keratitis affects our male population slightly higher than females with the highest overall prevalence rate in the sixth and seventh decades of life. The most frequent fungal strains responsible for fungal keratitis include Aspergillus followed by Penicillium and Fusarium.
Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among South Indian pregnant women
Authors: Ravinder S Sheela , Padmavathi R , Maheshkumar K , Mohankumar M , Maruthy K. N. , Sankar S. , Balakrishnan Kalpana
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

Background:

Deficiency of vitamin D is widespread across the globe. Expectant women are one of the most vulnerable groups for vitamin D deficiency (VDD). Even in South India with abundance of sunlight, pregnant women are believed to be at a high risk of this deficiency. The objectives of this study are to assess the prevalence of VDD in antenatal women, associate it with modifiable risk factors and evaluate its correlation with low birth weight.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital, in Chennai, in 100 pregnant women in their last trimester on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria and their vitamin D and calcium levels were assessed. A detailed history regarding physical activity, diet, and sun exposure were collected and results were analyzed.

Results:

The point prevalence of VDD (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH) D) level <20 ng/mL) among antenatal women in our study is 62%. Univariate analysis revealed that sun exposure and socioeconomic status were the significant factors associated with higher percentage of VDD. Linear regression analysis showed that only sun exposure was a significant predictor for serum 25(OH) D levels. VDD is also associated with increased risk of low-birth-weight babies.

Conclusion:

VDD is highly prevalent among pregnant women in South India leading to adverse health consequences in the mother and offspring. Less physical activity, decreased sun exposure, darker skin complexion, lower socioeconomic status and lack of awareness are the major risk factors associated with VDD in our study population.
What do clinical resident doctors think about workplace violence? A qualitative study comprising focus group discussions and thematic analysis from a tertiary care center of India
Authors: Singh Amandeep , Ranjan Piyush , Sarkar Siddharth , Kaur Tarang Preet , Mathew Roshan , Gora Dinesh , Mohan Ajay , Jangra Jaswant
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

Background:

Workplace violence (WPV) is a significant problem in both developed and developing countries among healthcare workers. The study aims to examine the perspective of resident doctors on various aspects of WPV to promote a better understanding of the complexity of the problem of WPV at a tertiary care center in India.

Material and Methods:

Seven focus group discussions were conducted with resident doctors from various departments, which were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling. Discussions were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim to English. Thematic analysis was done using Atlas. ti 8 to generate themes, subthemes, and codes from the discussions.

Results:

A total of 39 resident doctors with a mean age of 28.0 ± 3.8 years were recruited. The themes that emerged during the analysis are as follows: types of WPV, risk factors for WPV, the impact of WPV, and mitigation strategies for WPV.

Conclusion:

Exposure to WPV is not uncommon in India. Factors associated from individual to policy level are involved in subjugating the episodes of violence. Findings from this study will contribute in devising mitigation strategies for the same.
Factor analysis – Eating patterns among khat chewers
Authors: Alsayegh Abdulrahman A. , Chandika Rama M. , Tubaigi Amal A. , Majrashi Abdulrahman M. , Meree Wedad A. , Asiri Abdulmajeed A.
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

Objectives:

Khat is a green leafy plant that grows in many countries, including in the southwest of Saudi Arabia. It is estimated that one third of the people in Jazan chew khat, and the majority are males. The objective of this study was to identify the dietary patterns among khat-chewing students of Jazan University.

Methods:

A cross-sectional descriptive analytical study was conducted at Jazan University. A total of 620 khat-chewing students participated in the study. Food intakes were collected through a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Dietary patterns were assessed by exploratory factor analysis based on the intake of the 17 food groups. A principal component analysis for factor extraction followed by varimax rotation was used.

Results:

Based on the Kaiser criterion and the scree plot, factor analysis identified three patterns that accounted for 70.2% of the variability within the sample. The first factor (starch) was characterized by rice, bread, pizza, potato, traditional food, burger, snacks, and hot drinks. The second factor (meat products/fruit) included meat products, poultry, fish, cool drinks, and fruit. The third factor (dairy products/vegetables) included dairy, low-fat and fat-free dairy, fat, and vegetables.

Conclusion:

The present study identified dietary patterns among khat-chewing students via factor analysis. It is now important to identify a correlation between specific patterns and health status to implement dietary interventions.
Central markers of obesity affect heart rate variability independent of physical activity in young adults
Authors: Banerjee Anushna , Singh Nikhilesh , Raju Aruna , Gupta Richa
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Obesity is considered to be a risk factor for a variety of cardiovascular conditions. Various markers for obesity are used to evaluate effect of obesity on cardiovascular autonomic activity. In light of conflicting reports on effect of obesity on heart rate variability (HRV), use of obesity indices, and the effect of physical activity on HRV, we evaluated autonomic activity in young Indian obese adults using revised Indian and World Health Organization (WHO) body mass index (BMI) guidelines for obesity, waist circumference (WC), and waist–hip ratio (WHR) taking into consideration the level of physical activity.

Methods:

The study was conducted on 91 young healthy adults. Height, weight, waist, and hip circumference were recorded to determine BMI and WHR. Five-minute electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded for assessment of HRV. Physical activity was assessed by the WHO Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ).

Results:

Waist circumference showed a negative correlation with the time domain parameters of HRV and high frequency normalized units (HFnu) while a positive correlation with low frequency normalized units (LFnu). In multiple linear regression analysis, time domain indices, HFnu and total power decreased while LFnu increased with an increase in WC. The result was supported by the similar effect of waist–hip ratio categories on HRV in analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Physical activity had no effect on HRV.

Conclusion:

Central obesity parameters are better predictors of effect of obesity on HRV independent of the effect of physical activity.
Evaluation of the relationship between retinal nerve layer thickness and corpus callosum atrophy in MRI with memory impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Amirifard Hamed , Sanei Sistani Sharareh , Nezamdoust Zahra , Haratirad Ehsan , Banaie Shahram , Khosravi Alireza
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease in which demyelination and loss of axons lead to disruption of communication between neurons in the central nervous system. Cognitive impairment occurs in a significant proportion of patients with MS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and corpus callosum atrophy in magnetic resonance imaging with memory disorders in patients with MS.

Methods:

This descriptive analytical study was performed on patients with a diagnosis of relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis referred to the clinic of Ali Ibn Abi Talib Hospital in Zahedan, Iran. An information form that includes a Mini–Mental State Examination was first prepared, by which the patient’s memory impairment is measured. After recording the data, the data were collected using an information form and finally analyzed by SPSS software version 22 using an independent t-test.

Results:

In this study, 80 patients with MS primary progressive multiple sclerosis were included in the study, of which 53 were female and 27 were male. The mean age of patients was 45.1 ± 5.9 years, which did not show a statistically significant difference (P = 0.536). The mean RNFL thickness in patients with memory impairment was significantly lower than that in patients without memory impairment. The mean corpus callosum thickness was found to be significantly lower in patients with memory impairment than in patients without memory impairment.

Conclusion:

All in all, the results of this study showed that the thickness of RNFL and the corpus callosum in patients with memory impairment was significantly lower than that in patients without memory impairment.