Medical Specialties Commons^™

Psychotherapy As A Treatment Modality For Psychiatric Disorders: Perceptions Of General Public Of Karachi, Pakistan, Abdul Mueed Zafar, Ali Jawaid, Hiba Ashraf, Ambreena Fatima, Rubina Anjum, Salah U. Qureshi

Department of Psychiatry

Background: Psychiatric disorders affect about 450 million individuals worldwide. A number of treatment modalities such as psychotropic medications, psychotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy can be used to treat these disorders. Attitudes of general public play a pivotal role in effective utilization of mental health services. We explored the perceptions of general public of Karachi, Pakistan regarding psychotherapy. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Karachi, Pakistan during July-August, 2008. A three-step sampling strategy and a structured questionnaire were employed to survey knowledge and perceptions of adult general public about psychotherapy. Descriptive statistics were used for baseline characteristics. Logistic regression models were …

Ageing Population: Status, Challenges And Opportunities For Health Care Providers In Pakistan, Waris Qidwai Dr

Department of Family Medicine

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Urdu Version Of Strengths And Difficulties Questionnaire (Sdq) And The Child Behaviour Check List (Cbcl) Amongst Primary School Children In Karachi, Ehsan Ullah Syed, Sajida Abdul Hussein, Syed Iqbal Azam, Abdul Ghani Khan

Department of Psychiatry

OBJECTIVE: To compare CBCL (Child Behaviour Check Llist) Urdu, with the validated Urdu version of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) used as "gold standard" among school children in Karachi, Pakistan, and to develop local cutoffs for CBCL using SDQ as a gold standard.

STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Schools of Karachi metropolitan area from January to December 2006.

METHODOLOGY: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and Child Behaviour Check List (CBCL) was completed by parents of 5-11 years old primary school children in Karachi. Appropriate cutoff points for total problem, internalizing and externalizing scales were …

Benzodiazepine: Slow Sand Of Addiction, Haider Naqvi, Sajjad Hussan, Fatema Dossa

Department of Psychiatry

No abstract provided.

Chorioangioma Of The Placenta With Hydrops Foetalis, Gulnaz Shafqat, Farah Iqbal, Farhan Rizvi

Department of Radiology

Chorioangioma, the non trophoblastic tumour, constitutes the commonest benign growth of the placenta. Though benign, 30% rate of maternal or foetal complications are associated with large masses. Sonography including colour Doppler imaging provides the best modality not only for its diagnosis but also the foetal status. A case of large placental chorioangioma has been reported here resulting in dismal foetal outcome diagnosed on antenatal ultrasound.

Outbreak Of Dengue Fever In Karachi 2006: A Clinical Perspective, Muhammad Mehmood Riaz, Khalid Mumtaz, Muhammad Shoaib Khan, Junaid Patel, M. Tariq, Harith Hilal, Shaheryar Ahmed Siddiqui, Farrukh Shezad

Section of Internal Medicine

OBJECTIVE: This study reports clinical manifestations and spectrum of severity of dengue fever (DF), dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) in adult patients admitted during 2006 outbreak in Karachi. A rough estimation of cost of care was also calculated.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi from January to December 2006. Patients suspected of having DF with positive dengue IgM antibodies were included and records were reviewed. Patients were divided into DF, DHF and DSS as per WHO classification, and the severity of clinical manifestations was determined.

RESULTS: A total of …

The Frequency Of Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia In Patients Undergoing Elective Cardiac Bypass Surgeries, Natasha Bahadur Ali, Bushra Moiz, Yasmin Rehman, Mohammad Salman, Shahid Ahmed Sami

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: To determine the frequency of Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT) in patients undergoing elective cardiac bypass surgeries and to observe the platelets evolution post surgically in these patients.
Method: A prospective study was designed and 100 unselected consecutive patients undergoing elective cardiac bypass surgery were enrolled and evaluated. The clinical and laboratory details were noted before and after surgery. Their platelet counts were observed from day 0 (prior to surgery) to day 5 post operatively. Particle gel immunoassay was used to demonstrate the presence of antibodies against heparin-platelet factor 4 complexes.
Results: There were 86 males and 14 females with …

Oral Iron Chelation Therapy With Deferiprone In Patients With Thalassemia Major, Raihan Sajid, Farooq Ghani, Salman Adil, Mohammad Khurshid

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy and adverse effects of deferiprone in patients with Thalassemia Major.

METHODS: A prospective case series study was conducted at the Fatimid Foundation Blood Bank and Haematological Diseases center Lahore. A total of 87 patients entered into the study between September 2005 and November 2006. Deferiprone was given at subsidized rates at a dose of 75/mg/day for seven days. Physical examination and initial Laboratory investigations were done in all patients at the start of the study. Physical and laboratory data were filled on a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 10.0.

RESULTS: Eighty seven patients with …

Evaluation Of Two Elisa Assay Kits Against Rt-Pcr For Diagnosis Of Dengue Virus Infection In A Hospital Setting In Karachi, Pakistan, Erum Khan, Vikram Mehraj, Amna Nasir, Nabil Ahmad Khan, Bushra Billoo, Tariq Moatter, Rumina Hasan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate two commercially available ELISA-based kits against RT-PCR for the diagnosis of dengue virus infection in a Tertiary Care center in Karachi.METHODS: During the 2006 Dengue outbreak, sera were collected from patients clinically classified as dengue fever and graded according to WHO grading. Out of these, 83 samples were selected randomly and analyzed using two different commercial kits (PanBio versus Calbiotech) and were compared with RT-PCR. Clinical charts of the inpatients were also reviewed. Statistical significance was considered at P < or = 0.05.RESULTS: Clinically, a total of 29 (69%) in-patients were diagnosed with dengue haemorrhagic fever, the remaining 13 (30.9%) were diagnosed as dengue fever. Diagnostic PCR was positive in 73 (87.9%) of the total 83 patients. PanBio capture ELISA had a sensitivity of 83.5%. Calbiotech on the other hand, had a sensitivity of 50.7%. The association of PanBio assay with PCR was found to be statistically significant (p

Acetabular Morphometry And Prevalence Of Hip Dysplasia In The South Asian Population, Masood Umer, Yasir J. Sepah, Sharjeel Asif, Iqbal Azam Syed, Muhammad Umar Jawad

Section of Orthopaedic Surgery

We carried out a cross-sectional study to measure the association of the seven acetabular parameters with pelvic morphometry and prevalence of hip dysplasia in our population. Convenience sampling was carried out and 250 consecutive patients who came to AKUH for intravenous pyelogram and had no complaints in the region of the hip joint were enrolled in the study. Post-micturition standardized plain antero-posterior pelvic radiographs of 250 asymptomatic adults (500 hip joints) was studied. There were 136 males (54.4%) and 114 females (45.6%). Mean age of our study population was 38 years (15-78 years). The average center edge angle was 35.5±6.6° …

Frequency Of Preoperative Anxiety In Pakistani Surgical Patients, Mohammad Faisal Jafar, Fauzia Anis Khan

Department of Anaesthesia

OBJECTIVE: To measure the frequency of preoperative anxiety in patients coming to our hospital and to correlate Visual analogue scale (VAS) with State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire.

METHODS: This cross sectional study included 300 ASA I and II adult surgical in-patients admitted over a period of one year. STAI questionnaire and VAS was used as study tools. STAI score of > 44 or VAS score of > or = 50 were considered as significant anxiety. Enrolled patients were visited by primary investigator the day before surgery and patients were asked to fill the STAI questionnaire and VAS score.

RESULTS: Significant preoperative …

Wound Infiltration With Bupivacaine Versus Ketorolac For Postoperative Pain Relief In Minor To Moderate Surgeries, Mohammad Irfan Akhtar, Mohammad Saleem, Jawad Zaheer

Department of Anaesthesia

OBJECTIVE: To compare the analgesic efficacy of Bupivacaine 0.25% wound infiltration with Ketorolac incisional infiltration in relieving postoperative pain for first twenty-four hours.

METHODOLOGY: Analytical, interventional and comparative study was performed on seventy patients, of both sexes, with varied age groups. Patients underwent minor and moderate surgeries, confined to American Society of Anaesthesiologist ASA category 1-II. Patients were selected by convenience sampling and were divided into two groups i.e. Group I and Group II. Group-I comprised of thirty five patients and were infiltrated with Bupivacaine 0.25% at wound margins postoperatively. Group-II also comprised of thirty-five patients and were infiltrated with …

A Randomized, Phase Ii Trial Of Two Dose Schedules Of Carboplatin/Paclitaxel/Cetuximab In Stage Iiib/Iv Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (Nsclc), M.A. Socinski, Mansoor Saleh, D.F. Trent, T.W. Dobbs, L.M. Zehngebot, M.A. Levine, R. Bordoni, P.J. Stella

Haematology and Oncology, East Africa

Background: This trial investigated the efficacy and safety of weekly cetuximab combined with two different schedules of paclitaxel/carboplatin for stage IIIB/IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: A total of 168 patients with previously untreated stage IIIB/IV NSCLC were randomized to arm A, cetuximab (400 mg/m² day 1 followed by weekly 250 mg/m²) + paclitaxel (Taxol) (225 mg/m²)/carboplatin (AUC6) day 1 every 3 weeks or arm B, same cetuximab regimen plus paclitaxel (100 mg/m²) days 1, 8, and 15 every 3 weeks and carboplatin (AUC6) day 1 every 4 weeks. Treatment continued for a …

Old Disease, New Targets--Part-I, Solid Malignancies, Shiyam Kumar, Nehal Masood, Asim Jamal Shaikh

Department of Radiation Oncology

Targeted agents are now an integral part of treatment regimens for some cancers. Trastuzumab is established in treatment of human epidermal receptor 2 (Her2) positive breast cancers, with improvements in both, the disease free and over all survival. Monoclonal antibody (MoAB) against vascular growth factor receptor (VEGF), bevacizumab and cetuximab a MoAB against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are establishing their role in a many cancers after making their mark in colorectal cancer. Sorafenib and sunitinib have success stories in renal carcinoma. The Sorafenib Hepatocellular Carcinoma Assessment Randomized Protocol (SHARP) trial has established sorafenib role in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, while …

Classification And Clinical Features Of Headache Disorders In Pakistan: A Retrospective Review Of Clinical Data, Muhammed Murtaza, Mehreen Kisat, Haroon Daniel, Aziz Sonawalla

Department of Medicine

Background: Morbidity associated with primary headache disorders is a major public health problem with an overall prevalence of 46%. Tension-type headache and migraine are the two most prevalent causes. However, headache has not been sufficiently studied as a cause of morbidity in the developing world. Literature on prevalence and classification of these disorders in South Asia is scarce. The aim of this study is to describe the classification and clinical features of headache patients who seek medical advice in Pakistan.

Methods and Results: Medical records of 255 consecutive patients who presented to a headache clinic at a tertiary care hospital …

Clinical Characteristics, Management And Outcome Of Major Pulmonary Embolism: An Experience From A Tertiary Care Center In Pakistan, Shahid Javed Husain, Ali Bin Sarwar Zubairi, Kulsoom Fatima, Muhammad Irfan, Muhammad Atif, Muhammad Ammad Saeed

Department of Medicine

Objective: To evaluate the clinical characteristics, risk factors, management and outcome of major pulmonary embolism (PE) in a tertiary care center of Karachi.
Methods: Medical records of all patients who underwent a spiral CT scan of the chest for suspected pulmonary embolism were reviewed between January 2000 and June 2007 at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. Patients having evidence of major pulmonary embolism on spiral CT scan were selected.
Results: A total of 30 patients (10 males, 20 females) with mean age 52 ± 14.59 years were identified who fulfilled our predefined criteria for major pulmonary embolism. Risk factors …

Impact Of Infection Control Activities On The Rate Of Needle Stick Injuries At A Tertiary Care Hospital Of Pakistan Over A Period Of Six Years: An Observational Study., Afia Zafar, Faiza Habib, Roshan Hadwani, Muslima Ejaz, Khurshid Khowaja, Rozina Khowaja, Seema Irfan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background:Accidental exposure to blood and body fluids is frequent among health care workers. They are at high risk of nosocomial transmission of blood borne pathogens due to injuries caused by used sharps. We are reporting impact of surveillance and educational program on the rate of needle stick injuries among health care workers at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.

Methods:

At Aga Khan University Hospital sharp injuries are reported to infection control office. To reduce these incidents a quality improvement project was inducted in the year 2005. Health care workers were educated, surveillance data from 2002 to 2007 was …

Diffusion Weighted Image (Dwi) Findings In Methanol Intoxication., Humera Ahsan,, Muhammad Akbar, Aamir Hameed

Department of Medicine

Methanol is a toxic substance with extremely devastating effects upon exposure. The case described suffered from such kind of poisoning. MRI brain demonstrated necrosis bilaterally in the Putamen areas which is a classic hallmark finding. Additional Diffusion weighted imaging showed abnormal signal bilaterally in the putamen areas along with Diffusion positive bilateral lesions (possibly infarctions) in both the frontal and occipital lobes that were not evident on MRI with or without contrast.

Diffusion Weighted Image (Dwi) Findings In Methanol Intoxication, Humera Ahsan, Muhammad Akbar, Aamir Hameed

Department of Radiology

Methanol is a toxic substance with extremely devastating effects upon exposure. The case described suffered from such kind of poisoning. MRI brain demonstrated necrosis bilaterally in the Putamen areas which is a classic hallmark finding. Additional Diffusion weighted imaging showed abnormal signal bilaterally in the putamen areas along with Diffusion positive bilateral lesions (possibly infarctions) in both the frontal and occipital lobes that were not evident on MRI with or without contrast.

Labrad : Vol 34, Issue 2 - May 2009, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi

LABRAD - Departments of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Radiology Archives

• Acute Leukemia Immunophenotyping with Pakistani Perspective
• PAX5: Immunohistochemistry Marker for B cell Lymphoproliferative Disorders
• Understanding the Water Deprivation Test
• Gonadotropins Releasing Hormone (GnRH) Stimulation Test
• Haematology Quiz
• Red Cell Mass Study
• Semen Analysis: An Invaluable Tool for Infertility Work-up
• Foetal Anomaly Scan
• Diagnosis of Helicobacter Pylori Infection
• Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Genotyping
• Answer to Haematology Quiz

Primary Vesical Varices: A Cause Of Gross Haematuria, Fauzia Ahmad Bawany, Rajab Ali Ghirano, Syed Raziuddin Bayabani

Section of Urology

We report a case of isolated bladder varices that manifested with sudden onset, gross hematuria, in a 44-year-old male with no co-morbid conditions. Varicosities were discovered on cystoscopy. Conditions to look out for in such a situation are discussed.

Clinical And Quality-Of-Life (Qol) Outcomes In Women Treated By Tension Free Vaginal Tape (Tvt), Raheela Mohsin Rizvi

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objectives: To assess subjective success rates, complications and impact on quality of life (QoL) in women treated by Tension Free Vaginal Tape for urinary incontinence.

Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was made on 30 consecutive women undergoing TVT procedure alone or as concomitant to other pelvic surgical procedures, from June 2004 to October 2007. All the Patients were evaluated by history, clinical examination with POP-Q (pelvic organ prolapse-quantification) scoring for uterovaginal prolapse and urodynamic testing. Improvement of health-related QoL (quality of life) was assessed by incontinence impact questionnaire-short form (IIQ-7) and urogenital distress inventory-short form (UDI-6). The success of surgery …

Use Of Home Remedies And Traditional Medicines For The Treatment Of Common Eye Ailments In Pakistan: A Qualitative Study, Khabir Ahmad, Muhammad Aman Khan, Muhammad Babar Khan, Muhammad Daud Khan, Azam Ali, Clare Gilbert

Department of Surgery Docs

Purpose: Qualitative studies focusing on the use of home remedies and traditional medicines for eye health are lacking. We explored the use of eye remedies and traditional eye medicines (referred to hereafter as “eye remedies/TEM”) in Pakistan’s Abbottabad district.

Material and Methods: We conducted face-to-face key informant interviews with 16 teachers (8 men, 8 women). Participants were asked to list eye remedies/TEM used in their home or in areas where they lived. They were also asked to specify conditions for which each one of them is used. Their responses were noted manually and the interview scripts were translated from Urdu …

Antimicrobial Resistance Profile Of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcal Aureus From Skin And Soft Tissue Isolates, Faiza Idrees, Kauser Jabeen, Muhammad Shoaib Khan, Afia Zafar

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate resistance rates in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) against clindamycin, cotrimoxazole, tetracycline, fusidic acid, rifampicin and chloramphenicol isolated from skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI).

METHODS: Descriptive analysis of SSTI samples yielding MRSA in clinical laboratory of a tertiary care center; receiving specimens across Pakistan from January 2005 to June 2007.

MICROBIOLOGICAL METHODS: MRSA were identified using standard microbiological techniques. Susceptibility testing was performed by disc diffusion according to Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) against fusidic acid, tetracycline, cotrimoxazole, clindamycin, rifampicin and chloramphenicol. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of rifampicin were determined using agar dilution method according to …

Use Of Triple-Site Ventricular Pacing In A Patient With Severe Congestive Heart Failure And Atrial Fibrillation., Faizel Osman, Jeilan Mohamed, G. Andre' Ng

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has become an accepted treatment for selected patients with drug-resistant heart failure. Data for patients in atrial fibrillation (AF) remains limited but suggests benefit in these patients too. We report the case of an 82-year-old patient with heart failure, VVIR permanent pacemaker, and permanent AF who had an upgrade to triple-site CRT implantation with good clinical response. Triple-site ventricular pacing may enhance the chance of response and LV reverse remodeling and should be considered in AF patients undergoing CRT implantation.

Does Admission Hyperglycemia Predict Intracranial And Extracranial Vasculopathy?, Ather Mohammed Taqui, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal, Saqib Ali Gowani, Bhojo A Khealani, Shafquat Rozi

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To study the association between admission hyperglycaemia and the presence and pattern of intracranial and extracranial vascular disease.
Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at a major tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Patients who had presented with acute stroke and had undergone a carotid ultrasound doppler of the carotids and/or Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) of the brain were included in the study. A multiple logistic regression analysis of variables was done for an abnormal finding on each investigation.
Results: Out of the total of 216 patients, the age of majority of the patients (83.3%) was >50 years …

To Evaluate The Role Of Sonography As An Adjunct To Mammography In Women With Dense Breasts, Imrana Masroor, Mohammad Nadeem Ahmed, Sajida Pasha

Department of Radiology

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of sonography as an adjunct to mammography in women with dense breast tissue by determining yield and validity of sonography using histopathology/follow-up mammography as gold standard.

METHODS: It was a descriptive analytical study conducted at the Radiology Department of Aga Khan University Hospital, from September 2005 to April 2007. A total of 76, mammographically dense breasts were evaluated with ultrasound. Of these 32 had palpable lumps on mammography, and were excluded from the study. A total of 44 patients had either symptoms of vague nodularity, nipple discharge, mastalgia or had no symptoms and the mammograms …

Does Admission Hyperglycemia Predict Intracranial And Extracranial Vasculopathy?, Ather Mohammed Taqui, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal, Saqib Ali Gowani, Bhojo A. Khealani, Shafquat Rozi

Department of Medicine

Objective: To study the association between admission hyperglycaemia and the presence and pattern of intracranial and extracranial vascular disease.
Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at a major tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Patients who had presented with acute stroke and had undergone a carotid ultrasound doppler of the carotids and/or Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) of the brain were included in the study. A multiple logistic regression analysis of variables was done for an abnormal finding on each investigation.
Results: Out of the total of 216 patients, the age of majority of the patients (83.3%) was >50 years …

The Pakistan Risk Of Myocardial Infarction Study: A Resource For The Study Of Genetic, Lifestyle And Other Determinants Of Myocardial Infarction In South Asia, Danish Saleheen, Moazzam Zaidi, Asif Rasheed, Usman Ahmad, Abdul Hakeem, Muhammed Murtaza, Waleed Kayani, Rashid Jooma, Nadir Khan, Nabi Shah, Asad Ali Shah, Maria Samuel, Farina Hanif, Madiha Yameen, Sobia Naz, Aisha Sultana, Aisha Nazir, Shehzad Raza, Muhammad Shazad, Sana Nasim, Muhammad Ahsan Javed, Syed Saadat Ali, Mehmood Jafree, Muhammad Imran Nisar, Altaf Hussain, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal, Philippe M. Frossard

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

The burden of coronary heart disease (CHD) is increasing at a greater rate in South Asia than in any other region globally, but there is little direct evidence about its determinants. The Pakistan Risk of Myocardial Infarction Study (PROMIS) is an epidemiological resource to enable reliable study of genetic, lifestyle and other determinants of CHD in South Asia. By March 2009, PROMIS had recruited over 5,000 cases of first-ever confirmed acute myocardial infarction (MI) and over 5,000 matched controls aged 30-80 years. For each participant, information has been recorded on demographic factors, lifestyle, medical and family history, anthropometry, and a …

Pattern Of Benzodiazepine Use In Psychiatric Outpatients In Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Survey., Syed Ahmer, Sumera Salamat, Rashid Am Khan, Saleem Perwaiz Iqbal, Imran Ijaz Haider, Ayesha Shabaz Khan, Mohsan Zafar

Department of Psychiatry

Background: Benzodiazepines (BDZ) are the largest-selling drug group in the world. The potential of dependence with BDZ has been known for almost three decades now. In countries like Pakistan where laws against unlicensed sale of BDZ are not implemented vigorously the risk of misuse of and dependence on these drugs is even higher. Previous studies have shown that BDZ prevalence among Patients/visitors to general outPatient clinics in Pakistan may be as high as 30%. However, no research has been carried out on the prevalence of BDZ use in psychiatric Patients in Pakistan. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional survey over …