Medical Specialties Commons^™

The Distribution Of Cardiovascular Risk Factors And The Association With Cadre Amongst Healthcare Workers At A Tertiary University Hospital In Nairobi City, Kenya, Emma Andrea Khabure

Master of Medicine in Family Medicine

Introduction: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), non-communicable diseases such as stroke, contribute to about 70% of the top ten causes of mortality in the world. The growing burden of Cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors has also been noted to affect the health workforce. According to the Ministry of Health in Kenya employing the WHO STEPS survey, 27% of Kenyans are either overweight or obese. Few studies have been done in Kenya to highlight the prevalence and impact of cardiovascular risk factors amongst healthcare workers. The variety of findings and paucity of data bring about the need to evaluate this …

Psychology University Students’ Mental Health Status During Covid-19 Pandemic In Karachi, Pakistan, Aisha Noorullah, Mubarak Mansoor, Ayesha Zahid

Department of Psychiatry

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought challenges in various domains of life but for low and middle-income country university students very demanding situations have emerged. University students’ psychological well-being has always been an area of concern worldwide and higher rates of anxiety and depression have been extensively reported among this cohort.
Objective: To determine the frequency of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and quality of sleep and the association of sleep quality and personality traits with anxiety and depressive symptoms among university students in Karachi, Pakistan in the context of the pandemic COVID-19.
Method: This web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among …

Pediatric Malaria With Respiratory Distress: Prognostic Significance Of Point-Of-Care Lactate, Catherine Mitran, Robert Opoka, Andrea Conroy, Sophie Namasopo, Kevin Kain, Michael Hawkes

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Respiratory distress (RD) in pediatric malaria portends a grave prognosis. Lactic acidosis is a biomarker of severe disease. We investigated whether lactate, measured at admission using a handheld device among children hospitalized with malaria and RD, was predictive of subsequent mortality. We performed a pooled analysis of Ugandan children under five years of age hospitalized with malaria and RD from three past studies. In total, 1324 children with malaria and RD (median age 1.4 years, 46% female) from 21 health facilities were included. Median lactate level at admission was 4.6 mmol/L (IQR 2.6–8.5) and 586 patients (44%) had hyperlactatemia (lactate …

Acute Necrotizing Encephalopathy In An Infant: A Case Report, Elisamia Ngowi, Zeenat Juneja, Jacqueline Gabone, Maria Bulimba, Mohamedraza Ebrahim, Yaser Abdallah

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Background: Acute necrotizing encephalopathy is a rare, severe neurological condition, characterized by symmetrical necrotic brain lesions affecting the thalamus, cerebral white matter, brain stem, and cerebellum. Diagnosis relies on characteristic clinical and radiological features.

Methodology: We describe a 10-month-old female infant presenting with multiple seizures following a brief febrile upper respiratory illness.

Findings: MRI of the brain showed bilateral symmetrical abnormal signal intensities involving both thalami and caudate nucleus, consistent with ANE. Management of ANE is symptom-related but high-dose steroids and IVIG have been used.

Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of recognizing ANE beyond its …

Functional Status Among Patients With Established Copd Attending Tertiary Hospitals In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Peter M. Tumbo

Master of Medicine in Internal Medicine

Background Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common, preventable and treatable non communicable disease that is characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation that is due to airway and/or alveolar abnormalities usually caused by significant exposure to noxious particles or gases and influenced by host factors including abnormal lung development. It is associated with a lot of risk factors such as smoking, biomass fuel use for cooking and air pollutants in general. Objectives The primary objective of this research was to determine the functional status of patients with COPD. The secondary objectives were to determine the factors influencing …

Importance Of Clinical Practice Guidelines (Cpgs) In Anesthesia: Who Is Responsible For Implementing It?, Fazal Hameed Khan, Yamna Sohail

Department of Anaesthesia

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) incorporate and support clinical decisions. CPGs can improve clinicians’ and patients’ decision-making by explicitly describing and evaluating the scientific evidence, based on the potential benefits and risks underpinning clinical recommendations, making them relevant to the specific patient encounter. The number of clinical research publications have increased to the point that new medical knowledge is expected to be double every 72 days. Consequently, clinicians depend heavily on the available evidence that has been condensed into clinical CPGs by the representative institutions or societies. CPGs can have potential benefits and harms. Different groups have different opinions on whether …

Hiv Prevalence And Characteristics Among Patients With Aids-Defining And Non–Aids-Defining Cancers In A Tertiary Hospital In Kenya, Diana Muturi, Sitna Mwanzi, Felix Riunga, Jasmit Shah, Reena Shah

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Purpose: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has resulted in a higher life expectancy of persons living with HIV. This has led to an aging population at risk for both non–AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs) and AIDS-defining cancers (ADCs). HIV testing among patients with cancer in Kenya is not routinely performed, making its prevalence undefined. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of HIV and the spectrum of malignancies among HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients with cancer attending a tertiary hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.

Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study between February 2021 and September 2021. Patients with a …

Trends And Factors Associated With Declining Lifetime Fertility Among Married Women In Kenya Between 2003 And 2014: An Analysis Of Kenya Demographic Health Surveys, James Orwa, Samwel Maina Gatimu, Paulino Ariho, Marleen Temmerman, Stanley Luchters

Population Health, East Africa

Background Globally, fertility has declined in the last three decades. In sub-Saharan Africa Including Kenya, this decline started more recent and at a slower pace compared to other regions. Despite a significant fertility decline in Kenya, there are disparities in intra- and interregional fertility. Reduction in lifetime fertility has health benefits for both the mother and child, thus it is important to improve women and children health outcomes associated with high fertility. The study, therefore evaluated the factors associate with change in lifetime fertility among married women of reproductive age in Kenya between 2003 and 2014.

Methods The study used …

Tailoring Of Neurosurgical Practice During Covid-19 In A Developing Country: Insights Gained And A Way Forward, Mustafa Mushtaq Husaain, Syeda Alisha Ali Zaida, Mujtaba Khalil, Muhammad Waqas Saeed Baqai, Altaf Ali Laghari, Muhammad Ehsan Bari

Section of Neurosurgery

Background: The coronavirus disease-19 pandemic has aggravated the already neglected neurosurgical specialty in developing countries with a mounting shortage of specialists, long queues of operative patients, and a lack of adequate critical care units.
Methods: We have reviewed the innovative strategies adopted for maintaining an optimal surgical practice while ensuring team safety at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi Pakistan.
Results: There is already a scarcity of resources in developing countries. The international guidelines had to be tailored to the context of the developing world. A multimodal strategy that focused on infection control, continuum of care, and the well-being of …

Utility Of Hand‑Held Ultrasound For Image Acquisition And Interpretation By Trained Kenyan Providers, Grace Wanjiku, Lindsay Dreizler, Shirley Wu, Janette Baird, Benjamin Wachira

Emergency Medicine, East Africa

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) plays a prominent role in the timely recognition and management of multiple medical, surgical, and obstetric conditions. A POCUS training program for primary healthcare providers in rural Kenya was developed in 2013. A significant challenge to this program is the acquisition of reasonably priced ultrasound machines with adequate image quality and the ability to transmit images for remote review. The goal of this study is to compare the utility of a smartphone-connected, hand-held ultrasound with a traditional ultrasound device for image acquisition and interpretation by trained healthcare providers in Kenya.

Methods: This study took place …

Aspirin With Or Without Statin In Individuals Without Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Across Risk Categories, Safi U. Khan, Ahmad N. Lone, Neal S. Kleiman, Adeel Arshad, Vardhmaan Jain, Mahmoud Al Rifai, Hassaan B. Arshad, Sourbha S. Dani, Amit Khera, Salim S. Virani

Office of the Provost

Background: The effects of aspirin in adults without atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), stratified by statin use across different ASCVD risks, remain uncertain.
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of aspirin in adults without ASCVD, stratified by statin use across different ASCVD risks.
Methods: We searched databases through March 2022 and selected randomized controlled trials of aspirin without ASCVD and follow-up of ≥1 year. We used random-effects models and estimated relative and absolute risks for cardiovascular outcomes, major bleeding, and mortality over 5 years. We calculated absolute risk differences assuming constant relative risks (RRs) across statin …

Identification And Management Of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk In South Asian Populations In The U.S., Anandita Agarwala, Priyanka Satish, Mahmoud Al Rifai, Anurag Mehta, Miguel Cainzos-Achirica, Nilay S. Shah, Alka M. Kanaya, Garima V. Sharma, Dave L. Dixon, Salim S. Virani

Office of the Provost

South Asians (SAs, individuals with ancestry from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) are among the fastest growing ethnic subgroups in the United States. SAs typically experience a high prevalence of diabetes, abdominal obesity, and hypertension, among other cardiovascular disease risk factors, which are often under recognized and undermanaged. The excess coronary heart disease risk in this growing population must be critically assessed and managed with culturally appropriate preventive services. Accordingly, this scientific document prepared by a multidisciplinary group of clinicians and investigators in cardiology, internal medicine, pharmacy, and SA-centric researchers describes key characteristics of traditional and …

Barriers Of Iucd Uptake Among Sexually Active Nulliparous University Students In Dar Es Salaam Tanzania, Fatma Shaib Mohamed

Master of Medicine in Family Medicine

Background Family planning contributes an important role in prevention of unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, maternal and child mortality. One of the methods used is an IUCD that help in preventing unintended pregnancy. Un intended pregnancy is a public he alth concern worldwide among younger women, resulting into unsafe abortion. Preventing unintended pregnancies in youth is crucial yet challenging. Few studies have addressed the problem of the low utilization of IUCD among university students. This group is overwhelmed with physiological, social, and economic issues in relation to reproductive health especially on family planning accessibility and use. Gap of knowledge and skills …

Application Of Multiphase Ct Angiography In Acute Ischemic Stroke, Salman Mansoor

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

This article explores the use of multiphase CT angiography (CTA) as a valuable tool in acute stroke management. Unlike traditional imaging methods, multiphase CTA provides a more comprehensive view of the neurovascular system and can detect occlusions and aid in treatment decision-making. Recent studies have shown that multiphase CTA has high accuracy in identifying patients who are suitable for endovascular treatment. Furthermore, it has also been used to visualize intracranial aneurysms and track the development of collateral circulation during and after treatment. Despite concerns regarding radiation exposure and image interpretation, multiphase CTA remains an essential imaging modality in the management …

Mutational Analysis Among Patients With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Shumaila Rafique, Muhammad Asif Ibrahim, Natasha Ghani, Muhammad Athar Khalily, Syed Zubair Shah Shah, Tipu Sultan

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Background and objective: Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is caused by mutations in dystrophin gene that include deletion, duplication and small mutations. Introduction to newer drug therapies in DMD is based on the type of mutation. The objective of this study was to assess distribution and percentage of different mutations among DMD patients. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in Pediatric Neurology department of UCHS & Children Hospital Lahore. All the cases of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy confirmed through genetic analysis from January 2022 to June 2022 through MLPA method were enrolled in the study. Data was recorded on detailed history and …

Breast Cancer Molecular Subtype Classification According To Immunohistochemistry Markers And Its Association With Pathological Characteristics Among Women Attending Tertiary Hospitals In Tanzania., Allyzain Ismail

Master of Surgery

Background: Breast cancer immunohistochemistry is a biological characteristic of the tumour which has a role to diagnose molecular subtype, prognosticate and guide treatment and categorised into 4 subtypes, Luminal A, Luminal B, Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) enriched and Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). Objectives: To determine the prevalence of each molecular subtype of breast cancer and determine their association with pathological and demographic characteristics. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out at two tertiary referral hospitals on participants who were recruited from the cancer registries from 2015-2022 and had a breast tissue biopsy confirming primary breast …

Experiences Of Diverse Health Care Workers’ Providing Maternal Care During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study At Five Hospitals In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania., Fatma Zahran

Master of Family Medicine

Background There are drastic changes in patient care with respect to maternity due to the COVID-19 pandemic with negative impact to health care workers. With Interruption of everyday basic services, arose the need to redistribute the scanty health care workers across health care facilities in sub-Saharan Africa. Its effects and involvement on maternity practice in Sub-Saharan Africa are nevertheless to be analyzed. This study aims to explore the likely ramifications for obstetrics and gynecologic practice in Tanzania. At present there are limited studies looking at impacts of COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa and Tanzania. No study has been carried out to …

Long-Term Safety And Efficacy Of Non-Absorbable Abdominal Mesh For Apical Prolapse Surgery: A 10-Year Experience At Tertiary Care Hospital, Samia Aijaz, Novera G. Chughtai, Urooj Kashif, Summera Malik

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objectives: To evaluate the complications of apical prolapse correction with abdominally placed mesh and to assess the long-term efficacy of Sacrohysteropexy and Sacrocolpopexy.
Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Aga Khan University Hospital. All women who underwent apical prolapse surgery using abdominal mesh from January 2010 to December 2019 at AKUH were included. Patients with missing routine follow up visits and incomplete data up to one year post op were excluded. Patient notes were reviewed, and subjective and objective success and complications were analyzed. Safety was measured by incidence of intra, early …

Risk Factors For Seizure Recurrence After Initial Withdrawal Of Anti-Seizure Medications In Children With Epilepsy At Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya, Nicholas Odero, Katherine Oyieke, Sanson Gwer, Pauline Samia

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Objectives: We sought to determine risk factors associated with seizure recurrence following initial withdrawal of anti-seizure medications (ASM) among children with epilepsy.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of children aged between 2 and 18 years with a diagnosis of epilepsy who underwent withdrawal of anti-seizure medication following remission of seizures. All eligible medical records between January 2011 and December 2019 were included. Demographic, clinical, imaging and electroencephalography data of all eligible patients were analyzed against seizure remission within 24 months after withdrawal of ASM, using appropriate parametric and non-parametric tests.

Results: A total of 49 …

Assessment Of Social Media Addiction And Its Link To Psychological Distress: A Comparative Study On Undergraduate Students, Syeda Aqeela Zehra, Javeria Khan, Marium Rafiq, Kinza Ansari, Shabina Iqbal, Faizan Nafees Nafees, Syed Tafazzul Hyder Zaidi Zaidi

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

ABSTRACT

Background and objective: Addiction to social networking sites (SNSs) is their unhealthy use that interferes with daily functionality and results in unwanted outcomes. This study investigates the prevalence and intensity as well as the impact of SNSs addiction on the daily routine among young undergraduate students. In addition, it evaluates the relationship between psychological suffering and SNSs addiction. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students of Karachi, Pakistan from January to June 2022. Data was collected using non-probability convenience sampling technique. A self-administered questionnaire was used, compiled from two validated questionnaires, Young’s internet addiction (YIA) test …

Exploring The Relationship Between Egris And The Need For Mechanical Ventilation In Guillain Barré Syndrome, Bushra Khalid, Zaid Waqar, Soban Khan, Sajid Ali, Ijaz Ali, Muhammad Tariq, Anum Irfan, Waleed Malik, Samer Naik, Malik Adil, Hira Abbasi

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Background and objective: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an immune system-mediated polyradiculoneuropathy that accounts for approximately 100,000 new patients per year globally. GBS has also been linked to respiratory failure in 20% to 40% of cases. The objective of this study was to find an association between Erasmus GBS respiratory insufficiency score (EGRIS) and the need for mechanical ventilation. Methods: We conducted our cross-sectional study at department of Neurology, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences from November 2019 to February 2020. Sixty patients were selected for this study. Data including demographic profile, variant of GBS, and EGRIS was calculated from all the …

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Experience In Patients Presenting To A Tertiary Care Hospital: A Case Series, Zaid Waqar Waqar, Amina Sadiqa, Soban Khan, Muhammad Annas Farooq Farooq, Zeeshan Munawar, Maryam Khalil, Adil Awan

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare cause of rapidly progressive dementia, it is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the misfolding of prion proteins in the brain, and misfolded proteins further propagate by causing misfolding of other proteins. It presents with insidious onset of neurobehavioral symptoms that rapidly develop into cognitive and motor decline and uncontrolled seizures. The diagnosis is established with help of clinical signs and symptoms, and using imaging and lab investigations to rule out other treatable causes. Some imaging findings point to the diagnosis of CJD that will be viewed in the cases below. Diagnosis can be augmented …

World Health Organization Intersectoral Global Action Plan (Who-Igap); Implications And Impact On Neurological Care In Pakistan, Mohammad Wasay Wasay, Safa Younis, Abdul Malik, Akhtar Sherin

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Evidence Based Medicine Should Apply Equally To Resource-Limited Settings, Thirugnanam Umapathi

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Metallic Implant-Related Osteosarcoma, Frawa Mohsin, Mustafa Bin Ali Zubairi, Kulsoom Fatima, Muhammad Asad Diwan

Department of Radiology

Orthopedic metallic prostheses are commonly used in the current practice of orthopedic surgery. Although, biomaterials used in these implants are generally considered to be biologically inert, there have been consequences of foreign body reactions and potential carcinogenesis. Majority of implant-related malignancies are high grade, and develop in bone or soft tissue around the implant site. No clear association has been identified between the biomaterial implanted and the type of sarcoma. We report the case of a 36-year-old male who underwent intramedullary nailing of femur for mid-shaft fracture secondary to trauma and presented with osteogenic sarcoma of femur 14 months later.

Myositis As A Complication Of Dengue Viral Infection, Amina Sadiqa, Usama Hayyan, Zaid Waqar, Taha Pasha

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Dengue fever is a febrile illness caused by an arbovirus transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. It occurs as a seasonal epidemic every year in Pakistan. Apart from febrile illness and its associated hemorrhagic complication, dengue fever is associated with multi-system involvement and their respective complications, including myriad neurological complications. In this case report we describe two patients who developed acute viral myositis.

Clinical Spectrum, Risk Factors & Electrophysiological Evaluation Of Sciatic Nerve Injury In Patients Presenting To A Tertiary Care Hospital, Maryum Khadim Khadim, Safia Bano, Ahsan Numan

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Frequency Of Tension-Type Headache In Patients With Migraine: A Single-Center Cross-Sectional Study, Haris Majid Rajput, Zahid Hussain Mir, Muhammad Fateen Rashed, Fiza Batool Almosvi, Mazhar Badshah

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

ABSTRACT Background and objective: Migraine is a common headache disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of moderate to severe headaches which are usually unilateral. Migraine is the second most common headache disorder after tension-type headache. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of tension-type headache in patients with migraine. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad for a period of six months between 1st July 2018 and 31st December 2018. This study enrolled patients above the age of 12 years that were diagnosed with “Migraine without aura” or “Migraine with aura”. …

Measuring The Patient Safety Culture At A Tertiary Care Hospital In Pakistan Using The Hospital Survey On Patient Safety Culture (Hsopsc), Fasih Ali Ahmed, Fozia Asif, Tahir Munir, Sohail Haleem, Zehra Feroze Ali, Asim Belgaumi, Hasnain Zafar, Asad Latif

Department of Anaesthesia

Background: Patient safety is a top priority for many healthcare organisations worldwide. However, most of the initiatives aimed at the measurement and improvement of patient safety culture have been undertaken in developed countries. The purpose of this study was to measure the patient safety culture at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC).
Methods: The HSOPSC was used to measure the patient safety culture across 12 dimensions at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. 2,959 individuals, who had been working at the hospital, were administered the HSOPSC in paper form between June and …

Machine Learning For Accurate Estimation Of Fetal Gestational Age Based On Ultrasound Images, Lok Hin Lee, Elizabeth Bradburn, Rachel Craik, Mohammad Yaqub, Shane A. Norris, Leila Cheikh Ismail, Eric O. Ohuma, Fernando C. Barros, Maria Carvalho, Shama Munim, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Accurate estimation of gestational age is an essential component of good obstetric care and informs clinical decision-making throughout pregnancy. As the date of the last menstrual period is often unknown or uncertain, ultrasound measurement of fetal size is currently the best method for estimating gestational age. The calculation assumes an average fetal size at each gestational age. The method is accurate in the first trimester, but less so in the second and third trimesters as growth deviates from the average and variation in fetal size increases. Consequently, fetal ultrasound late in pregnancy has a wide margin of error of at …