bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Correlation between retinal and optic nerve microvasculature and sensitivity in patients with multiple sclerosis with and without optic neuritis
Authors: El-Mayah Esraa , Mohamed Mounira M.A. , Elmekawey Hany , Eltanamly Rasha M. 
Published: December 2022

Objective
To correlate the retinal vascular affection (macula and Optic nerve head (ONH)) assessed with OCT-A and retinal sensitivity (macula and peripapillary) measured with microperimetry in patients with multiple sclerosis with and without optic neuritis.

Patients and methods
A total of 18 patients (18 eyes, six with antecedent attack of optic neuritis and 12 without) and 18 age-matched healthy controls (18 eyes) were included. OCT-A and microperimetry were used to evaluate retinal vasculature and sensitivity in the macular and peripapillary areas, respectively.

Results
Patients with MS (regardless of the presence of history of symptomatic optic neuritis) had lower vessel density, thickness, and sensitivity than controls. This decrease in the three parameters was correlated to some extent especially in the superior and parafoveal regions.

Conclusion
OCT-A and microperimetry could be considered as noninvasive tools for early diagnosis of neuroretinal affection in multiple sclerosis and monitoring of disease severity.
Hemodialysis Parameters and Pulse Wave Velocity
Authors: Miseljic Sanja , Aziri Buena , Begic Edin , Rebic Damir , Džubur Alen , Miseljic Nenad , Mekic Mevludin , Resic Halima , Begic Nedim , Zukic Fuad 
Published: December 2022

Abstract

Aim:
The study aimed to evaluate the acute effect of ultrafiltration on the mechanical properties of the aorta using brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (PWV) before and after hemodialysis (HD).

Patients and Methods:
This study included 80 patients who were on a long-term HD program. The input variables were anamnestic data, body composition monitor (BCM) parameters, and echocardiography findings. The assessment of hydration status was determined by BCM, whose work is based on the principle of multifrequency bioimpedance spectroscopy. Another diagnostic procedure was the use of an arteriograph apparatus to assess PWV and Augmentation Index (AIx). All measurements were performed before and after dialysis on the middle dialysis day of the week.

Results:
The participants were divided into two groups based on hydration status: the experimental group consisted of 40 overhydrated participants and the control group consisted of 40 normovolemic participants. Statistically, the following BCM parameters correlated significantly positively with PWV: total body fat (r = 0.222; P < 0.05), overhydration (r = 0.290; P < 0.001), and relative overhydration (r = 0.290; P < 0.001). From echocardiography findings, only left atrial diameter correlated statistically significantly positively with PWV (r = 0.359; P < 0.001). Comparison of the mean PWV values within the experimental group before and after HD showed a statistically significant decrease from 14.32 ± 2.34 m/s to 8.72 ± 1.52 m/s (Z = 3.254; P = 0.0001). Mean PWV values within the control group did not decrease significantly from 13.39 ± 1.32 m/s to 10.39 ± 1.18 m/s (Z = 0.524; P = 0.742). If we compare the mean values of PWV between groups, then before HD treatment, there was no statistically significant difference between groups with PWV values in the experimental group of 14.32 ± 2.34 m/s and the control group of 13.39 ± 1.32 m/s (Z = 0.762; P = 0.852). According to the results of univariate regression analysis before and after HD treatment, only overhydration showed an absolute effect on PWV before and after HD.

Conclusion:
Overhydration showed an effect on brachial-ankle PWV before and after HD, and brachial-ankle PWV should be followed in HD patients.
Profile of poisoning cases treated in a teaching hospital of Northeast India with special reference to Poison severity score: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Das Anamika , Datta Anupam , Nath Anamika , Bhowmik Anirban 
Published: December 2022

ABSTRACT

Background:
Poisoning has been one of the greatest medical emergencies from the dawn of human civilization, posing threat to mankind. Tripura being a seven sister state of Northeast India have a unique topography, diverse ethnic groups, cross-cultural food habits, agriculture, and a horticulture-based economy that draws some distinctive type of poisoning threats compared to the rest of the Indian subcontinent. The present study was carried out to find out the epidemiological factors, toxicological profiles, and clinical outcomes of patients after consumption of poison.

Methods:
A cross-sectional study on 212 patients with a complaint of poisoning was conducted in a teaching hospital in Tripura, India, for 2 years, and the data were analyzed by using SPSS-15 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software.

Results:
Out of 212 participants, males from lower socioeconomic status, farmers by occupation, and belonging to the age group of 21–30 years predominated other categories. Organophosphorus compounds were majorly ingested (38.7%). Suicide was the most common manner of poisoning (62.73%). The majority of the patients (75%) died during treatment, 39.15% of patients died in the initial 24 hours and 43.87% of the patients had severe life-threatening symptoms [grade 3 of poison severity score (PSS)] during the first 72 hours of hospital admission. A Spearman rho value of −0.740 and a P value <0.001 were found while establishing a relationship between survival time and PSS.

Conclusion:
Poisoning by any agents and means produces adverse effects on the human body which further influences the clinical outcome. Therefore, proper knowledge and attention regarding its clinico-toxico-epidemiological profile, accurate and timely diagnosis, and satisfactory management and prevention strategies are necessary.
Role of domestic migration stress in adapting precarious behaviours among interstate migrant workers in a semi-urban area of Tamil Nadu
Authors: Soundarajan Suganathan , Akhtar Shifa , Dutta Ruma , Nisha B , Parasuraman Gomathy 
Published: December 2022

ABSTRACT

Background:
Migration is a process in which a person moves from one cultural setting to another for a long period of time or permanently, which induces increased adaptation of risky behaviors due to migration stress. This study aimed to identify domestic migration stress and to determine its role in practising precarious behaviours among interstate migrant workers.

Methodology:
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 313 migrant workers in the Kanchipuram district using a simple random sampling method for recruitment. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data with details on socio-demographic characteristics and precarious behavior profiles, and the ‘domestic migration stress scale’ was validated. For analysis, variables were described using frequencies, proportions and mean ± standard deviation, appropriately. Inferential statistics like the ‘Chi-square test and multiple logistic regressions’ were performed to establish the relationship between migration stress and high-risk behavior.

Results:
Among respondents, 286 (91.37%) were males. The majority were chronic alcoholics [151 (48.56%)], followed by tobacco chewers [106 (33.86%)], chronic smokers [83 (26.51%)], had illicit sexual activity [59 (18.84%)] and drug abusers [4 (1.27%)]. About 247 (78.93%) were under domestic migration stress. Smokers, tobacco chewers and those involved in illicit sexual activity were significant predictor factors.

Conclusion:
Stress management is paramount, and having the knowledge about their precarious behavior and stress among workers will help in the further development of health promotion strategies for migrant workers.
Assessment of diabetes risk profile in a rural population of northern India using the Indian Diabetes Risk Score – A community-based study
Authors: Sharma Sarit , Bansal Aman , Singh Surinder Pal , Chaudhary Anurag , Satija Mahesh , Singla Ankur , Kalsi Harsimran 
Published: December 2022

ABSTRACT

Background:
Diabetes is one of the leading killers among noncommunicable diseases of the present time and poses a considerable burden to the society in terms of public health. The Indian Diabetes Risk Score (IDRS) can be used as a risk assessment tool to estimate the population at risk and plan appropriate interventions. The present study was conducted to assess the diabetes risk profile of a rural population of Punjab by using IDRS.

Materials and Methods:
This was a cross-sectional study conducted in two phases after obtaining approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee. Phase 1 was done in Rural Health Training Center (RHTC), Pohir, where every fifth patient attending the outpatient department was included in the study. Phase 2 was conducted in village Gopalpur, which is one of the villages in the field practice area of Department of Community Medicine, where participants were enrolled by conducting house to house survey after taking their informed consent. Sociodemographic characteristics, risk factor profile, and the IDRS of the participants were noted. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0 to calculate the percentages. Pearson’s Chi-square test was used for qualitative variables, and mean, standard deviation and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for quantitative variables. A P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Results:
A total of 252 subjects (99 male and 153 female) from RHTC and 213 subjects (71 male and 142 female) from village Gopalpur participated in the study, with their mean IDRS being 44.8 ± 15.7 and 46.6 ± 21.1, respectively. On calculating the IDRS of participants enrolled in RHTC, it was found that 15.5% had low, 56% had moderate, and 28.5% had high risk, whereas from village Gopalpur, 19.2% had low, 57.3% had moderate, and 23.5% had high risk for developing diabetes mellitus. The risk for developing diabetes was found to be higher among females, subjects living in joint families, and subjects with high body mass index (BMI). The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure showed an increasing trend with increase in IDRS score of the participants.

Conclusion:
The present study showed that even in rural areas, nearly one-fourth of the adult population was at high risk, whereas more than half of the population was at moderate risk of developing diabetes mellitus. This corroborates the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) stand to declare diabetes as a public health emergency and to devise ways to urgently mitigate this problem. Therefore, awareness and health education campaigns should be implemented in rural areas for early identification of risks, which will help in prevention and hence decreasing the burden of the disease.
Status of cancer screening in India: An alarm signal from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5)
Authors: Gopika M. G , Prabhu Priya R. , Thulaseedharan Jissa V. 
Published: December 2022

ABSTRACT

Background:
Cancer is often detected much later to its onset, resulting in poor prognosis. This makes cancer the second most common cause of death globally. Looking for cancers much before any symptoms occur is termed “cancer screening” and is a powerful strategy for prevention, early diagnosis, and better management of several cancers. This paper examines the status of cancer screening in India from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 report for the period of 2019–2021.

Methods:
Secondary data on participation in screening for cervical, breast, and oral cancer were extracted from the NFHS-5 report. Participation status for all the above cancer types is represented as percentages and compared across 28 states and eight union territories in India.

Results:
The percentages of women who have ever undergone cervical, breast, and oral cavity screening were 1.9%, 0.9%, and 0.9%, respectively. About 1.2% of men participated in oral cavity screening. The highest percentage of cervical and breast cancer screening participation was reported in Tamil Nadu (9.8% and 5.6%, respectively), followed by Puducherry (7.4% and 4.2%) and Mizoram (6.9% and 2.7%). Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported the highest oral cancer screening among women (10.1%) while Andhra Pradesh (6.3%) reported the highest participation among men.

Conclusion:
Cancer screening participation in India is extremely inadequate and calls for the immediate attention of national and state governments. Additional efforts are warranted to improve public awareness of cancer screening, and appropriate measures should be implemented to conduct well-organized screening programs across the country to ensure maximum participation.
Effectiveness of weekly local mothers’ kitchen recipe talks to improve dietary iron intake among tribes of Andhra Pradesh, India: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Gupta Arti , Shaik Yusuf Noorani , Kakkar Rakesh , Aravindakshan Rajeev , Pentapati Siva Santosh Kumar , Reddy B Venkatashiva 
Published: December 2022

ABSTRACT

Introduction:
Anemia is a major public health problem in India, especially among tribal women. The study was done to estimate the prevalence of iron intake below the estimated average requirement in the diet and to study the effectiveness of weekly local mothers’ kitchen recipe talks.

Methodology:
A total of 340 women from scheduled tribes participated in a prospective cohort study over 10 months in 10 clusters in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, India. A questionnaire, a 24-hour dietary recall, and an assessment of hemoglobin were done to gather information at baseline and after three months of weekly local recipe talks in mothers’ kitchens.

Results:
A total of 340 women were studied. The mean age of the mothers was 23.5 ± 3.6 years. At baseline prevalence, the mean intake of daily iron in diet among mothers was 9.04 ± 3.18 (SD) mg/day. The prevalence of anemia among mothers at the baseline was 63.8%. The mean intake of daily iron in the diet at the end line was significantly higher with a P value of 0.019 among mothers who attended 10 or more weekly local mothers’ kitchen recipe talks and did not take iron folic acid (IFA). Mothers who attended 10 or more weekly local mothers’ kitchen recipe talks without IFA intake have a significant drop in the prevalence of severe anemia.

Conclusion:
The integration of weekly local mothers’ kitchen recipe talks in the ongoing Integrated Child Development Service Scheme can be a boon for early-aged, less-literate, inexperienced, and financially poor mothers.
Practice of ear candling during lockdown due to COVID-19 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alanazi Samar M. , Albdaya Norah A. , Alhosaini Lama S. , Alotaibi Fahad Z. , AlQabbani Alhanouf A. , Hajr Eman A. 
Published: December 2022

ABSTRACT

Objectives:
Cerumen production is a protective process for the ear canal. Cerumen impaction causes unpleasant symptoms. There are various cerumen removal practices. These include irrigation, application of softeners/solvents, mechanical removal, and micro-suction. However, during the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic, some patients opted for some procedures, such as ear candling, which are not evidence-based. This study aimed to explore the awareness of ear candling among otolaryngology doctors and record cases with complications of such practice in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

Methods:
This was a cross-sectional study. A questionnaire was developed after an extensive literature search, and distributed to otolaryngology residents, fellows, and consultants of different hospitals across the country. A total of 80 respondents agreed to participate in the study.

Results:
A total of 16 doctors reported seeing cases of ear candling, of which 13 patients had different complications, of which ear pain was the most commonly reported. The majority of participants (42.5%) thought the lack of medical access during lockdown enhanced the practice of alternative medicine for ear-related complaints in society compared to 35% of participants who had a neutral response regarding this idea and 22.5% who disagreed.

Conclusions:
Although the practice of ear candling is not widely spread in KSA, different types of ear complications were recorded by the otolaryngologist. We would like to encourage the doctors to report such complications, especially after the lockdown period.
Assessment of the levels of antispike SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies and their association with clinical characteristics in cohort of patients in Saudi Arabia
Authors: AlGannas Nayef S. , Alghamdi Abdullah S. , Hazazi Ali M , Alqahtani Nasser S. , Alshareef Mohammad N. , Ahmed Mohamed H. , Omer Abubakr , AlShehah Abdulmajid A. 
Published: December 2022

ABSTRACT

Background:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a global public health crisis. The disease is known to be caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, but the detailed characteristics of the immune response to this novel virus have not been fully elucidated yet. In this study, we aimed to determine the level of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies and their correlation with clinical features at three time points postinfection in a group of patients in Saudi Arabia.

Method:
In this prospective observational study, we collected the demographic and clinical data from 43 polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed patients and measured the COVID-19 antispike IgG levels at three different visits.

Result:
The seroconversion rate after COVID-19 infection was 88.4% in the study participants, with no significant changes in the IgG levels through the three visits. The duration of shortness of breath had a significant positive correlation with the IgG level of the patients. Using the logistic regression model, participants having coughs were found to be 12.48 times more likely to develop positive IgG. The IgG levels were less in smokers than nonsmokers [Odds ratio = 6.42 (95% CI 2.11–19.48); P = 0.001].

Conclusion:
Positive IgG levels have been developed in most COVID-19 patients and did not significantly change over 3 months following the diagnosis. The level of IgG antibodies was found to be significantly associated with the presence of cough, duration of shortness of breath, and the smoking habit of the patients. These findings have clinical and public health significance and need to be validated in larger studies in different populations.
Intrapartum cardiotocographic monitoring and its correlation with neonatal outcome
Authors: Singh Suraj Kumar , Kumar Rakesh , Agarwal Anand , Tyagi Amita , Bisht Surender Singh 
Published: December 2022

ABSTRACT

Introduction:
Despite the advancements in perinatal care in past decades, perinatal asphyxia remains a serious problem leading to significant perinatal morbidity and mortality. Therefore, foetal monitoring during the intrapartum period is of paramount importance. Among various methods of fetal monitoring, cardiotocography is a form of electronic foetal monitoring in which there is simultaneous recording of foetal heart rate and uterine contractions.

Materials and Methods:
This cross-sectional observational study was done in the labour room and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a teaching Municipal Hospital in North India including 500 pregnant women of age group 18-45 years with singeleton fetus of gestation ≥36 weeks without any known congenital anomaly. Intrapartum cardiotocography (CTG) for 20 minutes was done within 12 hours prior to delivery and babies born to them were observed for birth asphyxia as Apgar score <7 at 1 minute as per using APGAR score less than 7 at 1 minute as per south east asia regional neonatal perinatal database (SEAR-NPD), world health organization (WHO) working definition.

Results:
CTG tracing was normal/reassuring in 92% of pregnant women, nonreassuring in 7% and was abnormal in only 1%. In patients with abnormal and nonreassuring CTG, delivery by lower segment cesarian section (LSCS) was significantly high (P < .0001). APGAR scoring was done at 1 minute and 5 minutes of life, it was found that 4% babies were having score less than 7 at 1 minute with incidence of birth asphyxia 40 per 1,000 live births Neonatal seizure was significantly more in nonreassuring and abnormal CTG group (P value <.0001).

Conclusion:
Abnormal CTG tracings result in higher incidence of operative interventions for deliveries. Abnormal CTG pattern during intrapartum CTG has high specificity and negative predictive value but has low sensitivity and positive predictive value for detection of birth asphyxia and need for NICU admission.
Status of respectful maternity care for women underwent normal vaginal delivery in selected hospitals in Rishikesh: A mixed-method study
Authors: Rana Jyoti , Jelly Prasuna , Negi Rizu , Sharma Rakesh 
Published: December 2022

ABSTRACT

Background:
Many women face disrespectful and abusive treatment during childbirth in facilities worldwide. Such treatment violates women’s rights to respectful care and jeopardizes their rights to life, health, bodily integrity, and equality. This study aims at identifying the status of respectful maternity care (RMC) in selected hospitals in Rishikesh.

Material and Methods:
A mixed-method approach was adopted to explore RMC during normal vaginal delivery in a selected hospital in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. In the quantitative part, 145 women were purposively selected, and data were collected by a pre-structured, validated RMC checklist, developed based on WHO RMC standards. Qualitative data were collected from 18 women, and a face-to-face semi-structured interview was conducted.

Results:
Forty-two elements of RMC categorized under eight domains show the type of mistreatment and its prevalence faced by women at a health care facility. Data showed that domain-7 (availability of competent and motivated human resources) had higher scoring (95%), and on the other hand, domain-4 (informed consent and effective communication) got lowest-scoring (68.45%). The overall mean percentage score of RMC was 85.68%. There was no statistically significant association between the total score of RMC and the selected socio-demographic variables.

Conclusion:
The overall RMC score was high, and there was no significant association with mothers’ socio-demographic variables. The majority of mothers expressed that competent and motivated professionals were available during their delivery, but their communication skills were found to be lacking.