Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Multitex Rct - A Multifaceted Intervention Package For Protection Against Cotton Dust Exposure Among Textile Workers - A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial In Pakistan: Study Protocol, Asaad Ahmed Nafees, Sara De Matteis, Muhammad Masood Kadir, Peter Burney, David Coggon, Sean Semple, Paul Cullinan

Community Health Sciences

Background: In the Pakistani textile industry the prevalence of workplace respiratory illnesses, including byssinosis, is high. The MultiTex RCT study aims to determine the effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention package in reducing dust levels in cotton mills, decreasing the frequency of respiratory symptoms among cotton textile workers, and improving their lung function.
Methods/design: We will conduct a cluster-randomized controlled trial at 28 textile mills in Karachi. The intervention will comprise: training in occupational health for all workers and managers reinforced by regular refresher sessions; the formation of workplace committees to draw up, agree and promote a health and safety plan …

Postpartum Endometritis And Infection Following Incomplete Or Complete Abortion: Case Definition & Guidelines For Data Collection, Analysis, And Presentation Of Maternal Immunization Safety Data, C E. Rouse, L O. Eckert, F M. Muñoz, J S A. Stringer, S Kochhar, L Bartlett, M Sanicas, D J. Dudley, D M. Harper, Fyezah Jehan

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Abstract are not provided by the author/publisher

A Cross-Sectional Analysis Of Factors Associated With Detection Of Oncogenic Human Papillomavirus In Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected And Uninfected Kenyan Women, Aaron Ermel, P. Tonui, M. Titus, Y. Tong, N. Wong, J. Ong’Echa, Kapten Muthoka, Stephen Kiptoo, A. Moormann, Elkanah Omenge

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: Cervical cancer is caused by oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPV) and is one of the most common malignancies in women living in sub-Saharan Africa. Women infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have a higher incidence of cervical cancer, but the full impact on HPV detection is not well understood, and associations of biological and behavioral factors with oncogenic HPV detection have not been fully examined. Therefore, a study was initiated to investigate factors that are associated with oncogenic HPV detection in Kenyan women.

Methods: Women without cervical dysplasia were enrolled in a longitudinal study. Data from enrollment are presented …

Intravenous Dexamethasone Along With Caudal Block Improves Analgesic Efficacy Following Day-Case Inguinal Hernia Repair In Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Amjad Nadeem, Aliya Ahmed

Department of Anaesthesia

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of intravenous dexamethasone along with caudal block in improving analgesia following inguinal hernia repair in children.
Methods: The double-blind randomised controlled trial was conducted over a 6-month period from June 01, 2016 to November 30, 2016 at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised patients aged 1-5 years, scheduled for elective inguinal hernia repair. The subjects were randomised into two groups using the sealed envelope technique. Group D patients received 0.5mg/kg dexamethasone intravenous in 5ml, and group P was given placebo (5ml 0.9% saline). Assessment of postoperative pain was made through the faces, legs, …

Determinants Of Linear Growth Faltering Among Children With Moderate-To-Severe Diarrhea In The Global Enteric Multicenter Study, Rebecca L. Brander, Patricia B. Pavlinac, Judd L. Walson, Grace C. John-Stewart, Marcia R. Weaver, Abu S. G Faruque, Anita K. M. Zaidi, Dipika Sur, Samba O. Sow, M Jahangir Hossain

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in the first 2 years of life can impair linear growth. We sought to determine risk factors for linear growth faltering and to build a clinical prediction tool to identify children most likely to experience growth faltering following an episode of MSD.
Methods: Using data from the Global Enteric Multicenter Study of children 0-23 months old presenting with MSD in Africa and Asia, we performed log-binomial regression to determine clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with severe linear growth faltering (loss of ≥ 0.5 length-for-age z-score [LAZ]). Linear regression was used to estimate associations with ΔLAZ. A …

Apasl Hcv Guidelines Of Virus-Eradicated Patients By Daa On How To Monitor Hcc Occurrence And Hbv Reactivation, Tatsuo Kanda, George K K. Lau, Lai Wei, Mitsuhiko Moriyama, Ming-Lung Yu, Wang-Long Chuang, Alaaeldin Ibrahim, Cosmas Rinaldi Adithya Lesmana, Saeed Hamid, Wasim Jafri

Section of Gastroenterology

In the direct-acting antiviral (DAA) era for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, sustained virological response (SVR) is very high, but close attention must be paid to the possible occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in patients with co-infection who achieved SVR in short term. HCC occurrence was more often observed in patients with previous HCC history. We found occurrence of HCC in 178 (29.6%) of 602 patients with previous HCC history (15.4 months mean follow-up post-DAA initiation) but, in contrast, in only 604 (1.3%) of 45,870 patients without previous HCC history (18.2 months mean …

Time To Adopt Developmental Origins Of Health And Disease (Dohad) Science In Pakistan, Rozina Nuruddin, Akbar Shoukat Ali, Nuruddin Badruddin Mohammed

Community Health Sciences

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Increasing Age On Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Vs Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting In Older Adults With Unprotected Left Main Coronary Artery Disease: A Meta-Analysis And Meta-Regression, Mahin R. Khan, Waleed T. Kayani, Waqas Ahmad, Malalai Manan, Ravi S. Hira, Ihab Hamzeh, Hani Jneid, Salim S. Virani, Neal Kleiman, Nasser Lakkis

Office of the Provost

Background: Older adults (≥70-year-old) are under-represented in the published data pertaining to unprotected left main coronary artery disease (ULMCAD).
Hypothesis: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) might be comparable to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for revascularization of ULMCAD.
Methods: We compared PCI versus CABG in older adults with ULMCAD with an aggregate data meta-analyses (4880 patients) of clinical outcomes [all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), repeat revascularization, stroke and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events(MACCE)] at 30 days, 12-24 months & ≥36 months in patients with mean age ≥70 years and ULMCAD. A meta-regression analysis evaluated the effect of age on mortality …

Kangaroo Mother Care: Opportunities And Implications For Rural Pakistan, Hasan Nawaz Tahir, Zafar Fatmi

Community Health Sciences

Neonatal mortality comprises 40% of total under-5 mortality, globally. Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is one of the most cost-effective interventions to reduce neonatal mortality. KMC does not require highend equipment, intensive care facilities or technical knowledge. A recent meta-analysis reported that KMC may reduce neonatal mortality in preterm and low birth weight neonates up to 36%. A review of enablers and barriers of KMC suggests that KMC can be integrated in maternal health care system by giving awareness, involving family and giving ownership of the intervention to the community. If supported with minimal incentives it would reduce the cost of …

Regional Variation In Chronic Kidney Disease And Associated Factors In Hypertensive Individuals In Rural South Asia: Findings From Control Of Blood Pressure And Risk Attenuation-Bangladesh, Pakistan And Sri Lanka, Liang Feng, Hithanadura Asita De Silva, Imtiaz Jehan, Anuradhani Kasturiratne, Gulshan Himani, Mohammad Abul Hasnat, Tazeen Jafar, Cobra-Bps Study Group

Community Health Sciences

Background: We aimed to determine the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its cross-country variation among hypertensive individuals in rural Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. We also explored the factors associated with CKD in these populations.
Method: We studied baseline data from the Control of Blood Pressure and Risk Attenuation-Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka (COBRA-BPS) trial, an ongoing cluster randomized controlled trial on 2643 hypertensive adults ≥40 years of age from 30 randomly selected rural clusters, 10 in each of the three countries. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) /min/1.73 m2 or a urine albumin:creatinine …

Early Life Child Micronutrient Status, Maternal Reasoning, And A Nurturing Household Environment Have Persistent Influences On Child Cognitive Development At Age 5 Years: Results From Mal-Ed, Benjamin J J. Mccormick, Stephanie A. Richard, Laura E. Caulfield, Laura L. Pendergast, Jessica C. Seidman, Beena Koshy, Reeba Roshan, Rita Shrestha, Erling Svensen, Muneera Rasheed

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Child cognitive development is influenced by early-life insults and protective factors. To what extent these factors have a long-term legacy on child development and hence fulfillment of cognitive potential is unknown.
Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relation between early-life factors (birth to 2 y) and cognitive development at 5 y.
Methods: Observational follow-up visits were made of children at 5 y, previously enrolled in the community-based MAL-ED longitudinal cohort. The burden of enteropathogens, prevalence of illness, complementary diet intake, micronutrient status, and household and maternal factors from birth to 2 y were extensively measured …

Cardioprotective Effects Of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor Immunomodulator Fty720 In A Clinically Relevant Model Of Cardioplegic Arrest And Cardiopulmonary Bypass, Naseer Ahmed, Adeela Mehmood, Daniele Linardi, Soban Sadiq Sadiq, Maddalena Tessari, Sultan Ayoub Meo, Rehana Rehman, Waseem M. Hajjar, Nazeer Muhammad, Mohammad Iqbal, Anwar Gilani, Giuseppe Faggian, Alessio Rungatscher

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Objective: FTY720, an immunomodulator derived from sphingosine-1-phosphate, has recently demonstrated its immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, FTY720 might be a key pharmacological target for preconditioning. In this preclinical model, we have investigated the effects of FTY720 on myocardium during reperfusion in an experimental model of cardioplegic arrest (CPA) and cardiopulmonary bypass.
Methods: 30 Sprague-Dawley rats (300-350 g) were randomized into two groups: Group-A, treated with FTY720 1 mg/kg via intravenous cannulation, and Group-B, as control. After 15 min of treatment, rats underwent CPA for 30 min followed by initiation of extracorporeal life support for 2 h. Support …

Challenges Of Implementing An Individual Randomized Controlled Trial (Women First: Preconception Maternal Nutrition Study) In A Rural Study Site: A Case Study From Pakistan, Sumera Aziz Ali, Umber S. Khan, Farina Abrejo, Sarah Saleem, Michael K. Hambidge, Nancy F. Krebs, Jamie E. Westcott, Robert L. Goldenberg, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Omrana Pasha

Community Health Sciences

Persistent global disparities in maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with poor maternal nutrition provided the genesis of the Women First (WF) study, an individually randomized controlled trial on preconceptional maternal nutrition. This article describes the challenges that arose in implementing this trial related to nutrition or diet of the mother, in District Thatta-Pakistan. During different phases of the study, we encountered problems in identifying the eligible participants, taking consent from couples, randomizing participants in different arms, conducting biweekly follow-up visits on time, ensuring compliance to the intervention, and measuring the primary outcome within the 24 hours of birth. Each challenge …

Provider-Level Variation In Smoking Cessation Assistance Provided In The Cardiology Clinics: Insights From The Ncdr Pinnacle Registry, Mayank Sardana, Yuanyuan Tang, Jared W. Magnani, Ira S. Ockene, Jeroan J. Allison, Suzanne V. Arnold, Phillip G. Jones, Thomas M. Maddox, Salim S. Virani, David D. Mcmanus

Office of the Provost

Background: Studies show suboptimal provision of smoking cessation assistance (counseling or pharmacotherapy) for current smokers attempting to quit. We aimed to identify smoking cessation assistance patterns in US cardiology practices.
Methods and Results: Among 328 749 current smokers seen between January 1, 2013, and March 31, 2016, in 348 NCDR (National Cardiovascular Data Registry) PINNACLE (Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence)‐affiliated cardiology practices, we measured the rates of cessation assistance. We used multivariable hierarchical logistic regression models to determine provider‐, practice‐, and patient‐level predictors of cessation assistance. We measured provider variation in cessation assistance using median rate ratio (the likelihood that …

Clinical Emergency Care Research In Low-Income And Middle-Income Countries: Opportunities And Challenges, Adam R. Aluisio, Shahan Waheed, Peter Cameron, Jermey Hess, Shevin Jacob, Niranjan Kissoon, Adam C. Levine, Asad Mian, Shammi Ramlakhan, Hendry R. Sawe, Junaid Razzak

Department of Emergency Medicine

Disease processes that frequently require emergency care constitute approximately 50% of the total disease burden in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Many LMICs continue to deal with emergencies caused by communicable disease states such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria and meningitis, while also experiencing a marked increase in non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and trauma. For many of these states, emergency care interventions have been developed through research in high-income countries (HICs) and advances in care have been achieved. However, in LMICs, clinical research, especially interventional trials, in emergency care are rare. Furthermore, there exists minimal research on …

Perianal Necrotizing Fasciitis With Retroperitoneal Extension: A Case Report From Pakistan, Mirza Zain Baig, Abeer Aziz, Umme E Hani Abdullah, Muhammad Salman Khalil, Sumiya Abbasi

Section of Neurosurgery

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare but potentially fatal condition. It is defined as a rapidly spreading infection of the subcutaneous soft tissue. Extension into the retroperitoneum may further complicate this deadly condition. We report a case of a 45-year-old gentleman who presented to our institute with perianal necrotizing fasciitis with extension into the retroperitoneum. He was managed with antibiotics and prompt surgical debridement. Our patient had a positive outcome which may be due to the fact that we had a high clinical suspicion, on the basis of which we opted for early operative management rather than delaying definitive treatment by …

A Neonate With Upper Gi Bleeding, Suneeta Khemani, Huma Ghulam Qadir, Mumtaz Malik, Faiqa Hassan

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Bleeding in the newborn is often a serious problem because of cardiovascular effects associated with a loss of blood and/or the damaging effects of bleeding on neonatal tissues, especially the brain. Gastric polyps are described as abnormal lesions that originate in the gastric epithelium or submucosa and protrude into the stomach lumen. Clinical presentation of gastric polyps in children varies widely, from incidental endoscopic finding to massive gastrointestinal bleeding. However, acute gastrointestinal bleeding in association with hyperplastic gastric polyps has been reported very rarely. We report a case of unusual upper gastrointestinal bleeding in newborn baby on 2nd day of …

Socioeconomic Status And Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease In 20 Low-Income, Middle-Income, And High-Income Countries: The Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiologic (Pure) Study, Annika Rosengren, Andrew Smyth, Sumathy Rangarajan, Chinthanie Ramasundarahettige, Shrikant I. Bangdiwala, Khalid F. Alhabib, Alvaro Avezum, Kristina Bengtsson Boström, Jephat Chifamba, Romaina Iqbal

Community Health Sciences

Background: Socioeconomic status is associated with differences in risk factors for cardiovascular disease incidence and outcomes, including mortality. However, it is unclear whether the associations between cardiovascular disease and common measures of socioeconomic status-wealth and education-differ among high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries, and, if so, why these differences exist. We explored the association between education and household wealth and cardiovascular disease and mortality to assess which marker is the stronger predictor of outcomes, and examined whether any differences in cardiovascular disease by socioeconomic status parallel differences in risk factor levels or differences in management.
Methods: In this large-scale prospective cohort …

Cardio-Metabolic Disease Risk Factors Among South Asian Labour Migrants To The Middle East: A Scoping Review And Policy Analysis, Shiva Raj Mishra, Saruna Ghimire, Chandni Joshi, Bishal Gyawali, Archana Shrestha, Dinesh Neupane, Sudesh Raj Sharma, Yashashwi Pokharel, Salim S. Virani

Office of the Provost

This paper aims to explore the burgeoning burden of cardiovascular and metabolic disease (CMD) risk factors among South Asian labor migrants to the Middle East. We conducted a qualitative synthesis of literature using PubMed/Medline and grey literature searches, supplemented by a policy review of policies from the South Asian countries. We found a high burden of cardio-metabolic risk factors among the migrants as well as among the populations in the home and the host countries. For example, two studies reported the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) ranging between 9 and 17% among South Asian migrants. Overweight and obesity were highly …

The Incidence, Aetiology, And Adverse Clinical Consequences Of Less Severe Diarrhoeal Episodes Among Infants And Children Residing In Low-Income And Middle-Income Countries: A 12-Month Case-Control Study As A Follow-On To The Global Enteric Multicenter Study (Gems), Karen L. Kotloff, Dilruba Nasrin, William C. Blackwelder, Yukun Wu, Tamer Farag, Sandra Panchalingham, Samba O. Sow, Anita K. M. Zaidi, Shahida Qureshi, Farheen Quadri

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Diarrheal diseases remain a leading cause of illness and death among children younger than 5 years in low-income and middle-income countries. The Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) has described the incidence, aetiology, and sequelae of medically attended moderate-to-severe diarrhoea (MSD) among children aged 0-59 months residing in censused populations in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia, where most child deaths occur. To further characterise this disease burden and guide interventions, we extended this study to include children with episodes of less-severe diarrhoea (LSD) seeking care at health centres serving six GEMS sites.
Methods: We report a 1-year, multisite, age-stratified, matched …

Childhood Oral Infections And Subclinical Atherosclerosis In Adulthood: Should We Wait For Causality Or Just Treat?, Anwar T. Merchant, Salim S. Virani

Office of the Provost

No abstract provided.

Subsequent Event Risk In Individuals With Established Coronary Heart Disease, Riyaz S. Patel, Vinicius Tragante, Amand F. Schmidt, Raymond O. Mccubrey, Michael V. Holmes, Laurence J. Howe, Kenan Direk, Axel Åkerblom, Karin Leander, Salim S. Virani

Office of the Provost

Background: The Genetics of Subsequent Coronary Heart Disease (GENIUS-CHD) consortium was established to facilitate discovery and validation of genetic variants and biomarkers for risk of subsequent CHD events, in individuals with established CHD.
Methods: The consortium currently includes 57 studies from 18 countries, recruiting 185 614 participants with either acute coronary syndrome, stable CHD, or a mixture of both at baseline. All studies collected biological samples and followed-up study participants prospectively for subsequent events.
Results: Enrollment into the individual studies took place between 1985 to present day with a duration of follow-up ranging from 9 months to 15 years. Within …

Operationalization Of Bi-Directional Screening For Tuberculosis And Diabetes In Private Sector Healthcare Clinics In Karachi, Pakistan, Mashal S. Basir, Shifa Salman Habib, Syed M A. Zaidi, Saira Khowaja, Hamidah Hussain, Rashida A. Ferrand, Aamir J. Khan

Community Health Sciences

Background: Many countries are facing overlapping epidemics of tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM). Diabetes increases the overall risk of developing Tuberculosis (TB) and contributes to adverse treatment outcomes. Active screening for both diseases can reduce TB transmission and prevent the development of complications of DM. We investigated bi-directional TB-DM screening in Karachi, Pakistan, a country that ranks fifth among high TB burden countries, and has the seventh highest country burden for DM.
Methods: Between February to November 2014, community-based screeners identified presumptive TB and DM through verbal screening at private health clinics. Individuals with presumptive TB were referred for …

Femoral Vein Transposition Arteriovenous Fistula Is A Feasible Option In "Selected" Patients As Hemodialysis Access, Zia Ur Rehman, Asfia Arham, Ziad Sophie

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Introduction: Lower extremity hemodialysis access is offered to the patients who have severe central venous stenosis. Femoral vein transposition arteriovenous fistula (FV tAVF) is an alternative to lower leg arteriovenous prosthetic grafts. Its safety and patency is under observation.
Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective review of patients who had FV tAVF between January 2011 and March 2016. Preoperative clinical findings, intraoperative findings, postoperative complications, and patency of the AVF were noted and analyzed.
Results: There were 7 patients who underwent FV tAVF during this study period. Most patients were female (6 : 1), with mean …

Joint Association Of Urinary Sodium And Potassium Excretion With Cardiovascular Events And Mortality: Prospective Cohort Study, Martin O'Donnell, Andrew Mente, Sumathy Rangarajan, Matthew J. Mcqueen, Neil O'Leary, Lu Yin, Xiaoyun Liu, Sumathi Swaminathan, Rasha Khatib, Romaina Iqbal

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To evaluate the joint association of sodium and potassium urinary excretion (as surrogate measures of intake) with cardiovascular events and mortality, in the context of current World Health Organization recommendations for daily intake (<2.0 g sodium, >3.5 g potassium) in adults.
Design: International prospective cohort study.
Setting: 18 high, middle, and low income countries, sampled from urban and rural communities.
Participants: 103 570 people who provided morning fasting urine samples.
Main outcome measures: Association of estimated 24 hour urinary sodium and potassium excretion (surrogates for intake) with all cause mortality and major cardiovascular events, using multivariable Cox regression. A six category …