Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Impact Of Ramadan Fasting On Thyroid Status And Quality Of Life In Patients With Primary Hypothyroidism: A Prospective Cohort Study From Karachi, Pakistan, Aisha Sheikh, Minaz Mawani, Saeed Ahmed Mahar

Section of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism

Objective: Ramadan is the ninth month in the lunar calendar, during which Muslims fast from predawn to sunset and major changes occur in their dietary, sleep, and physical activity patterns. Most patients with hypothyroidism are unable to comply with the proper timings of levothyroxine (LT4) administration. The objective of the study was to determine the change in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level and quality of life (QOL) before and after Ramadan in patients with primary hypothyroidism.
Methods: This prospective cohort study included adult patients on stable doses of LT4 who fasted for at least 20 days during the month of Ramadan …

Aggressive Fibromatosis In Pediatric Population: A Case Series, Masood Umer, Javeria Saeed, Nida Zahid

Section of Orthopaedic Surgery

Introduction: Aggressive fibromatosis or Desmoid fibromatosis is a benign tumor which originated form mesenchymal tissues of the body. This tumor has strong potential of recurrence and infiltration but it does not metastasize to other organs of the body. This case series is focused to determine the treatment outcomes for pediatric patients of aggressive fibromatosis.
Methodology: It is a retrospective case series conducted on 7 patients presented to section of Orthopedics, department of surgery of our institute in Karachi. We included all the cases of pediatric patients from 1 to 16 years, with biopsy proven fibromatosis from January 2000 to December …

Outcome Of Decompressive Craniectomy In Traumatic Closed Head Injury, Altaf Ali Laghari, Muhammad Ehsan Bari, Muhammad Waqas, Syed Ijlal Ahmed, Karim Rizwan Nathani, Wardah Moazzam

Section of Neurosurgery

Objective: The aim of the current study was to observe functional outcomes of patients undergoing decompressive craniectomy (DC) for raised intracranial pressure (ICP) after blunt head injury and to assess possible predictive factors.
Methodology: This study was a prospective cohort study which was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi over a period of 2 years (January 2015-December 2016). Adult patients, aged between 15 and 65 years of both genders undergoing DC during the study period were selected. Outcomes of DC were assessed at an interval of 3 months following injury using the Glasgow outcome score. The data were analyzed …

Tumour Treating Fields (Ttfs) For Recurrent And Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma Multiforme, Farhan Ahmed, Muhammad Shahzad Shamim

Section of Neurosurgery

In the last decade, significant advances have been made in Glioblastoma Multiforme treatment with the novel use of alternating electrical fields, also termed as tumour treating fields (TTFs). This modality has shown promising results in recurrent and newly diagnosed GBM patients, and according to some, may soon be considered an addition to the previously known 'trifecta' of GBM standard of care, i.e., surgery, chemo and radiation therapy.Here we review the existing data on TTF for both recurrent and newly diagnosed GBM. This review does not discuss the limitations of TTF, especially from compliance and cost point of view.

Comparison Of Undergraduate Educational Environment In Medical And Nursing Program Using The Dreem Tool, Salima Farooq, Rehana Rehman, Mehwish Hussain, Jacqueline Maria Dias

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Introduction: Educational environment (EE) in a health educational institute can bring about an enduring impact on the students' motivation, knowledge, critical thinking along with their social life. Therefore, identifying strengths and the need for change in the education environment is vital for the enhancement of the students' learning.
Objective: This study aimed to compare the perceptions of nursing and medical students about their EE in a private university, Karachi Pakistan.
Methodology: Data from two cross-sectional studies of 884 students from both medical and nursing schools of Aga Khan University was acquired and analyzed. EE was measured by …

Factors Associated With Substance Use Among Adolescents Living With Hiv In Kenya, Wambui Kagucia

Master of Medicine in Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Substance use is rife in our society and adolescents (10-19 years) do face this problem during this vulnerable period of growth and development. Use of substances is known to be associated with poor health choices and risky sexual behaviour. Since the advent of antiretroviral therapy (ART), significant progress has been made with reduced rates of mother to child transmission (MTCT) and a general downward global trend in acquired immunodeficiency disease (AIDS) related mortalities. However, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS is still a leading cause of mortality in adolescents living in Sub Saharan Africa, with an upward trend in new HIV …

Pseudomyxoma Pleurii And Peritonei Secondary To Sigmoid Colon Adenocarcinoma: A Rare Clinico-Pathologico-Radiological Presentation, Casmir Wambura, Ahmed Jusabani, Salim Surani

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare condition resulting from mucin-producing tumors that have disseminated intointraperitoneal implants and mucinous ascites. The extra-abdominal spread of PMP is exceptionally rare, with few reportedcases in the medical literature. Pseudomyxoma pleurii is an infrequently encountered clinical syndrome characterized bytransdiaphragmatic pleural extension and spread of PMP. The disease is highly fatal. We hereby report a case of 58 years oldwoman who presented with an abdominal distension and shortness of breath of 2 months duration. Histopathology confirmedthe diagnosis of large mucin-producing rectosigmoid adenomatous polypoid lesion with malignant transformation and PMPthat had spread to the right pleural space. …

Young Man With Severe Metabolic Acidosis After Transformer Oil Ingestion: A Case Report, Farah Gul Khan, Syed Muhammad Zubair

Section of Nephrology

Background: Transformer oil is used in oil-filled transformers for its insulating as well as coolant properties. Transformer oil ingestion for attempted suicide is seldom heard of. Our patient’s case presented us with a major diagnostic as well as treatment challenge because we encountered such a case for the first time and were totally unaware of the fact that methanol might make up the main component of an aged transformer oil.

Case presentation: A 19-year-old Pakistani/Asian man was brought to our hospital with altered sensorium. He was found to have elevated anion gap acidosis, increased osmolal gap, and acute kidney injury. …

Frequency Of Ocular Emergencies In A Tertiary Care Setting In Karachi, Pakistan: It Is Time To Reduce Unnecessary Visits, Rashid Baig, Khabir Ahmad, Sidra Zafar, Nadeem Ullah Khan, Areeb Ashfaq

Section of Ophthalmology

Objective: To examine the frequency of ocular emergencies received in a tertiary care setting..
Methods: This retrospective clinical audit was undertaken at the Emergency Department of the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised data of all individuals who presented between January and October 2016. The department's triage database was used to retrieve the data on patient's age, gender, presenting complaints, time and date of presentation. Data was analyzed using SPSS 19.
Results: Of the 74729 individuals who presented, 928 (1.2%) presented with ocular complaints. The age range with the highest total number of visits was 0-9 years followed by …

Integration Of Therapies In Autistic Children; A Survey Based In Karachi, Pakistan, Masnoon Akhter, Mussarat Ashraf, Adnan Ali, Irum Rizwan, Rehana Rehman

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2016 on autistic children at the Autism Unit of Dow University of Health Sciences to compare speech therapy, occupational therapy and combination of both for rehabilitation of autistic children in the selected population. A total of 55 children with autism age range from 1-12 years of both gender and all ethnic groups were recruited. All data was analysed in IBM-SPSS version 23.0. Pearson chi-square test was used to determine association of type of therapy with the diagnosed age of child, gender, mode of delivery, history of vaccination and parent's education. Educated …

Microbiological Testing Of Adults Hospitalised With Community-Acquired Pneumonia: An International Study, Manuela Carugati, Stefano Aliberti, Luis Felipe Reyes, Ricardo Franco Sadud, Muhammad Irfan

Section of Pulmonary & Critical Care

This study aimed to describe real-life microbiological testing of adults hospitalised with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and to assess concordance with the 2007 Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)/American Thoracic Society (ATS) and 2011 European Respiratory Society (ERS) CAP guidelines.

This was a cohort study based on the Global Initiative for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureusPneumonia (GLIMP) database, which contains point-prevalence data on adults hospitalised with CAP across 54 countries during 2015.

In total, 3702 patients were included. Testing was performed in 3217 patients, and included blood culture (71.1%), sputum culture (61.8%), Legionella urinary antigen test (30.1%), pneumococcal urinary antigen test (30.0%), …

Use Of Quantitative Molecular Diagnostic Methods To Investigate The Effect Of Enteropathogen Infections On Linear Growth In Children In Low-Resource Settings: Longitudinal Analysis Of Results From The Mal-Ed Cohort Study, Elizabeth T. Rogawsk, Jie Liu, James A. Platts-Mill, Furqan Kabir, Paphavee Lertsethtakarn, Adil Kalam, Fatima Aziz, Shahida Qureshi, Najeeha Talat Iqbal, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Enteropathogen infections in early childhood not only cause diarrhoea but contribute to poor growth. We used molecular diagnostics to assess whether particular enteropathogens were associated with linear growth across seven low-resource settings.
Methods: We used quantitative PCR to detect 29 enteropathogens in diarrhoeal and non-diarrhoeal stools collected from children in the first 2 years of life obtained during the Etiology, Risk Factors, and Interactions of Enteric Infections and Malnutrition and the Consequences for Child Health and Development (MAL-ED) multisite cohort study. Length was measured monthly. We estimated associations between aetiology-specific diarrhoea and subclinical enteropathogen infection and quantity and attained …

Reducing Micronutrient Deficiencies In Pakistani Children: Are Subsidies On Fortified Complementary Foods Cost-Effective?, Simon Wieser, Beatrice Brunner, Christina Tzogiou, Rafael Plessow, Michael B. Zimmermann, Jessica Farebrother, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Zaid Ahmad Bhatti, Imran Ahmed, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Objective: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of price subsidies on fortified packaged complementary foods (FPCF) in reducing iodine deficiency, iron-deficiency anaemia and vitamin A deficiency in Pakistani children.
Design: The study proceeded in three steps: (i) we determined the current lifetime costs of the three micronutrient deficiencies with a health economic model; (ii) we assessed the price sensitivity of demand for FPCF with a market survey in two Pakistani districts; (iii) we combined the findings of the first two steps with the results of a systematic review on the effectiveness of FPCF in reducing micronutrient deficiencies. The cost-effectiveness was estimated by …

A Curious Case Of Intermittent Left Bundle Branch Block Associated With Cough, Hunaina Shahab, Osman Faheem, Kumail Khandwala, Aamir Hameed

Section of Cardiology

A handful of cases of voluntary control of left bundle branch block (LBBB) have been described in the literature. We report the case of a middle-aged man who was found to have LBBB on baseline electrocardiogram (ECG) which disappeared on coughing and then reappeared with the same maneuver. Subsequent myocardial perfusion scan showed reduced count in the anteroseptal region likely attributed to LBBB. It is possible that the intermittent conduction changes may be due to the alteration in the vagal tone associated with cough as reflected in the change in the PR interval on the ECG.

Outcome Of Radioactive Iodine Therapy In Toxic Nodular Goiter In Pakistan, Tauseef Ahmad, Adeel Khoja, Naveed Rashid, Muhammad Areeb Ashfaq

Section of Cardiology

Objective: To determine the outcome of patients receiving radioactive iodine therapy for toxic nodular goiter coming to Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi.

Methods: A total of 89 patients who visited the outpatient department of Aga Khan University Hospital from January 2010 to August 2017 were recruited for the study. Toxic nodular goiter was diagnosed on the basis of having hot nodule on thyroid scan with low TSH and high FT4/T4. Other demographic and laboratory data were also recorded.

Results: Eighty nine patients with toxic nodular goiter received a dose range from 10 to 30mCi RAI. Six months after RAI, 36.2% …

Sleep Fainting: A Neurocardiogenic Entity, Hunaina Shahab, Ambreen A. Sonawalla, Maryam Khan, Aman Qureshi

Section of Cardiology

Fainting is a common clinical presentation, with vagally mediated (neurocardiogenic) causes being the most common for syncope presentation to the emergency room, and for hospital admissions. Classic teaching is that upright posture is a prerequisite for vagally mediated syncope (VMS) and that syncope in the supine position has more sinister causes. We present five patients, three males and two females, with a mean age of 44.4 (range 29-67) years, who presented with VMS in the supine position (sleep fainting). Four patients also had a history of classic upright syncope. Based on their clinical features and thorough investigations, we excluded other …

Cime Newsletter : October 2018, Cime

Centre for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME) Archives

-Healthcare Simulation Week 2018
-1st Clinical Simulation Educator Programme
-Train the Trainers Workshop by CIME
-Knee Arthroscopy Workshop
-1st Paediatric Airway Surgery Conference

Expanding Indications Of Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair, Zia Ur Rehman

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

No abstract provided.

Expanding Indications Of Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair, Zia Ur Rehman

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

No abstract provided.

Expanding Indications Of Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair, Zia Ur Rehman

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

No abstract provided.

Metachronous Second Primary Malignancy In Head And Neck Cancer Patients: Is Five Years Of Follow-Up Sufficient?, Muhammad Adeel, Moghira Siddiqui

Section of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and characteristics of second primary malignancy (SPM) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated at a tertiary care hospital.
Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 221 patients who underwent surgery with or without adjuvant treatment for head and neck cancer from 2000 to 2002. Data of age, sex, risk factors, sites of primary and SPM, TNM stage of primary tumor, incidence of SPM, and survival were collected from medical charts.
Results: Eighteen patients developed SPM during a median follow-up of 67 months, …

Integration Of Reflective Practice In Postgraduate Medical Education, Mohammad Irfan Akhtar

Department of Anaesthesia

No abstract provided.

Short-Term Association Between Black Carbon Exposure And Cardiovascular Diseases In Pakistan’S Largest Megacity, Daniel Malashock, Haider Khwaja, Zafar Fatmi, Azhar Siddique, Yi Lu, Shao Lin, David Carpenter

Community Health Sciences

This study investigated the association between black carbon (BC) exposure and hospital admissions (HAs) and outpatient department/emergency room (OPD/ER) visits for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among residents of Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan. We measured daily concentrations of BC in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and collected records of HAs and OPD/ER visits for CVD from 2 major tertiary care hospitals serving Karachi for 6 weeks continuously during each quarter over 1 year (August 2008–August 2009). We subsequently analyzed daily counts of hospital and BC data over 0–3 lag days. Daily mean BC concentrations varied from 1 to 32 µg/m3 . …

Assessing The Operational Feasibility And Acceptability Of An Inhalable Formulation Of Oxytocin For Improving Community-Based Prevention Of Postpartum Haemorrhage In Myanmar: A Qualitative Inquiry, Kyu Kyu Than, Victoria Oliver, Yasmin Mohamed, Thazin La, Pete Lambert, Michelle Mcintosh, Stanley Luchters

Population Health, East Africa

Objective: This study assessed the potential operational feasibility and acceptability of a heat-stable, inhaled oxytocin (IOT) product for community-based prevention of postpartum haemorrhage in Myanmar.

Methods: A qualitative inquiry was conducted between June 2015 and February 2016 through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. Research was conducted in South Dagon township (urban setting) and in Ngape and Thanlyin townships (rural settings) in Myanmar. Eleven focus group discussions and 16 in-depth interviews were conducted with mothers, healthcare providers and other key informants. All audio recordings were transcribed verbatim in Myanmar language and were translated into English. Thematic content analysis was done …

“I Should Have Started Earlier, But I Was Not Feeling Ill!” Perceptions Of Kalenjin Women On Antenatal Care And Its Implications On Initial Access And Differentials In Patterns Of Antenatal Care Utilization In Rural Uasin Gishu County Kenya, Roselyter Riang’A, Anne Nangulu, Jacqueline Broerse

Population Health, East Africa

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore how Kalenjin women in rural Uasing Gishu County in Kenya perceive antenatal care and how their perceptions impede or motivate earlier access and continuous use of antenatal care services.

Methods: A study was conducted among 188 pregnant and post-natal mothers seeking care in 23 rural public health facilities. Gestational age at the initial antenatal care booking was established from their medical cards. Further researcher-administered questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions was used. Key informant interviews with traditional birth attendants (n = 6) and maternal and child health nursing officers (n = …

Perceived Causes Of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes And Remedies Adopted By Kalenjin Women In Rural Kenya, Roselyter Riang’A, Anne Nangulu, Jacqueline Broerse

Population Health, East Africa

Background: There have been few studies about the basis on which women in developing regions evaluate and choose traditional rather than western maternal care. This qualitative study explores the socio-cultural perceptions of complications associated with pregnancy and childbirth and how these perceptions influence maternal health and care-seeking behaviours in Kenya.

Methods: Kalenjin women (n = 42) aged 18–45 years, who were pregnant or had given birth within the last 12 months, were interviewed. A semi-structured interview guide was used for data collection. A further nine key informant interviews with Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) who were also herbalists (n …

Prevalence Of Subarachnoid Haemorrhage Among Patients With Cranial Venous Sinus Thrombosis In The Presence And Absence Of Venous Infarcts, Muhammad Azeemuddin, Muhammad Awais, Fatima Mubarak, Noor Ul-Ain Baloch

Department of Radiology

Introduction: In patients with cranial venous sinus thrombosis, the occurrence of subarachnoid haemorrhage in association with haemorrhagic venous infarcts is a well described phenomenon. However, the presence of subarachnoid haemorrhage in patients with cranial venous sinus thrombosis in the absence of a haemorrhagic venous infarct is exceedingly rare.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed charts and scans of all patients who had cranial venous sinus thrombosis confirmed by magnetic resonance venography at our hospital between September 2004 and May 2015. The presence of subarachnoid haemorrhage was ascertained on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, susceptibility-weighted imaging and/or unenhanced computed tomography scans by a single experienced …

Intra-Tracheal Extension Of Hilar Mass Mimicking Severe Asthma: Anesthesiologist Perspective, Khalid M Siddiqui, Muhammad Faisal Khan, Muhammad A. Asghar, Syed S. Uddin

Department of Anaesthesia

No abstract provided.

Postoperative Pain Management Practices And Their Effectiveness After Major Gynecological Surgery: An Observational Study In A Tertiary Care Hospital, Samina Ismail, Sarfraz Siddiqui, Azhar Rehman

Department of Anaesthesia

Background and Aims: Despite advances in postoperative pain management, patients continue to experience moderate to severe pain. This study was designed to assess the strategy, effectiveness, and safety of postoperative pain management in patients undergoing major gynecological surgery.
Material and Methods: This observational study included postoperative patients having major gynecological surgery from February 2016 to July 2016. Data collected on a predesigned data collection sheet included patient's demographics, postoperative analgesia modality, patient satisfaction, acute pain service assessment of numeric rating scale (NRS), number of breakthrough pains, number of rescue boluses, time required for the pain relief after rescue analgesia, and …

Use Of Quantitative Molecular Diagnostic Methods To Assess The Aetiology, Burden, And Clinical Characteristics Of Diarrhoea In Children In Low-Resource Settings: A Reanalysis Of The Mal-Ed Cohort Study, James A. Platts-Mills Md, Jie Liu, Elizabeth T. Rogawski, Furqan Kabir, Paphavee Lertsethtakarn, Adil Kalam, Fatima Aziz, Shahida Qureshi, Najeeha Talat Iqbal, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Optimum management of childhood diarrhoea in low-resource settings has been hampered by insufficient data on aetiology, burden, and associated clinical characteristics. We used quantitative diagnostic methods to reassess and refine estimates of diarrhoea aetiology from the Etiology, Risk Factors, and Interactions of Enteric Infections and Malnutrition and the Consequences for Child Health and Development (MAL-ED) cohort study.
Methods: We re-analysed stool specimens from the multisite MAL-ED cohort study of children aged 0–2 years done at eight locations (Dhaka, Bangladesh; Vellore, India; Bhaktapur, Nepal; Naushero Feroze, Pakistan; Venda, South Africa; Haydom, Tanzania; Fortaleza, Brazil; and Loreto, Peru), which included active …