Relation of Serum Ferritin Level with Severity of Neurological Disability among Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Stroke is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Research is going on to find out the factors which are associated with the severity of acute ischemic stroke. One of the factors which has gained interest in the field of research in recent time is serum ferritin. Serum ferritin is an acute phase reactant. It is recently under research as a marker of severity and prognosis of acute ischemic stroke. The aim of this study was to assess the relation of serum ferritin level with the severity of acute ischemic stroke. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Medicine in Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh from June 2020 to March 2023. In this study, 323 patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled. The severity of neurological disability was evaluated in all participants using National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) within 48 hours of onset of stroke. Blood was taken for estimation of serum ferritin levels within 48 hours of admission. In this study, mean serum ferritin level was 208.3±161.1 ng/ml in patients with acute ischemic stroke. The study showed most of the participants with high serum ferritin level had severe stroke (n=57, 77.0%; p<0.001). A statistically significant correlation was found between NIHSS and serum ferritin levels in acute ischemic stroke patients (r=0.71). This study revealed that serum ferritin level is associated with severity of neurological disability among patients with acute ischemic stroke. Further studies are required to establish the role of serum ferritin as a prognostic marker of acute ischemic stroke.

Relation of Serum Magnesium Level in Adult Patients with Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Magnesium plays a vast role in the nervous system. In particular, high magnesium in cerebrospinal fluid appears to enhance the neural functions, while low magnesium induces neuronal diseases. The aim of the study was to find out the relation of serum magnesium with idiopathic generalized epilepsy attending in a tertiary care hospital. This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in the department of Neurology at Mymensingh Medical College and Hospital, Bangladesh from January 2019 to June 2020 following ethical approval. Total 110 purposively selected participants (55 with idiopathic generalized epilepsy and 55 non epileptic apparently healthy individuals) were enrolled in this study. Serum total Mg was measured by EMP-168 Biochemical Analyzer. Average age of epileptic individuals was 33.13±9.5 years and majority was female (60.0%). Mean serum magnesium level was lower in epileptic patients than controls (1.80±0.041 vs. 2.02±0.19 mg/dl; p<0.001). Patients with higher seizure attack (>3 per month) had significantly lower mean serum magnesium level than the patients with seizure attack three or less per month. Serum magnesium levels are reduced in epileptic patients compared to healthy age and gender matched controls. Studies involving larger numbers of patients are needed to confirm these results.

Thyroid Status in Children with Transfusion Dependent Thalassemia in a Tertiary Level Hospital.

Most of the thalassemic children of Bangladesh are receiving repeated blood transfusion. But they do not receive chelation therapy due to financial constraints. As a result, iron overload occurs in various organs of these children. Extra iron that is loaded in thyroid gland causes thyroid dysfunction. This study was undertaken to evaluate thyroid status in children with transfusion dependent Thalassemia patient. This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh from September 2016 to April 2018. Children having thalassemia diagnosed by Hb electrophoresis, aged 3-12 years of both sexes were included as study group. Children of same age and sex admitted in indoor of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital with minor illness and without thalassemia were taken as comparison group. Purposive Sampling technique was applied. Serum FT4, TSH and ferritin level were estimated in all children. Data analysis was done with Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21.0. A total of 60 patients were enrolled as study group and another 60 patients were compared as comparison group. Mean ages of study group was 7.88±2.55 years and comparison group were 7.22±2.48 years. The mean pre-transfusion hemoglobin, serum ferritin, serum FT4 and serum TSH level were found 6.23±0.60 gm/dl, 2658.33±879.39 ng/ml, 15.14±4.40 fmol/mL, 4.29±4.60 µIU/mL respectively in study group. The mean serum FT4 was found significantly lower and mean serum TSH was significantly higher in thalassemic children in comparison to non-thalassemic children (p= <0.05). Frequency of subclinical hypothyroidism was found significantly higher in study group (25.0%) compared to comparison group (3.3%) (p=0.001). Mean serum ferritin level was found significantly higher in hypothyroid cases. Mean FT4 level was significantly lower and mean TSH level was significantly higher in hypothyroid thalassemic patients (p= <0.001). Significant positive correlation between serum ferritin level and serum TSH level was found. Higher serum ferritin level was found significantly associated with the development of hypothyroidism in thalassemic patients.

Clinicopathological Evaluation of the Patients with Febrile Illness and Altered Consciousness Admitted in a Tertiary Level Hospital.

This is important to note that altered mental status is not a disease in itself, but rather a symptom with a wide range of potential diagnoses. But a structured approach to assessing the patients with this symptom frequently leads to helpful information and can rule out worst-case scenarios. In cases where fever is followed by changes in consciousness, quick assessment of the patient's level of consciousness and potential causes is decisive. A focused history and physical assessment can help differentiate between structural or medical causes. Asymmetrical neurological findings, such as a dilated and fixed pupil, dysconjugated extraocular movements and asymmetrical motor findings, suggest brainstem dysfunction due to a structural lesion, while symmetrical neurological findings usually indicate a medical disorder. A recent study aimed to identify features of different etiologies, demographic patterns, and common causes of both acute and prolonged febrile illness in patients. This cross-sectional type of observational study was conducted in the Department of Medicine, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh from April 2014 to October 2015. Over the study period patients admitted with satisfying the inclusion and exclusion criteria of study and purposively selected (non-probability) from the hospitalized patients. Total 100 cases with febrile illness and altered consciousness meeting the exclusion and inclusion criteria were examined and investigated to find out the actual etiology. Out of 100 patients, it was observed that 26(26.0%) of patients were suffering from pneumonia, 22(22.0%) urinary tract infection, 18(18.0%) meningitis, 14(14.0%) typhoid fever, 8(8.0%) meningo-encephalitis, 6(6.0%) cerebral malaria, 4(4.0%) tuberculosis and 2(2.0%) from tuberculoma. The result revealed that large number of patients with febrile illness and altered consciousness were suffering from pneumonia and urinary tract infection.

Outcomes of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Requiring Dialysis in a Tertiary Care Hospital of a Developing Country.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring dialysis (AKI-D) is an important health care burden and is associated with very high in-hospital mortality. Timely initiation of dialysis in AKI is fundamental to achieve treatment goals and to provide solute clearance and removal of excess fluid while awaiting the recovery of kidney function. The primary outcome of interest of the study was recovery of sufficient kidney function to discontinue haemodialysis therapy and complete recovery of renal function. This prospective observational study has been conducted in Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh from September 2019 to February 2021. All adult patients with AKI-D were included in the study. All patients were followed up till death or complete recovery or for a maximum period of six month. A total of 134 patients of AKI-D were included in the study with the mean age of 42.3±15.7 years. Male (54.5%) were slightly more than female with a male to female ratio of 1.2:1. Diabetes and hypertension were present in 16 (11.9%) and 47 (35.1%) patients respectively. The causes of AKI were sepsis (35.1%), urinary tract infection (34.3%), acute watery diarrhoea (9.7%), leptospirosis (11.2%), obstetric (10.4%), malignancy (8.2%), post renal obstruction (8.2%), drugs (7.5%), surgery (18.7%), rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (6%), COVID 19 (5.2%), rhabdomyolysis (4.5%), intestinal obstruction (3.7%), acute gastroenteritis (2.2%), wasp bite (2.2%), insecticide poisoning (1.5%), star fruit toxicity (1.5%), haemolytic uremic syndrome (0.7%) and unknown (1.5%). Mean number of dialysis requirement was 5.9±8.6 and length of hospital stay was 15.4±10.5 days. Out of 134 patients, 95(70.9%) were discharged from hospital and 39(29.1%) died in hospital. Total death of patients during the study period were 49(36.6%) including home death of 10(7.5%) patients. Complete recovery of kidney function was achieved in 70(52.2%) patients and partial recoveries of kidney function who can survive without dialysis were observed in 12(9%) patients. Three (2.2%) patients remain on dialysis and 85(63.4%) patients survived during the study period. Survival rate was significantly higher in patients with ≤40 years (72.6%) and significantly lower in patients with malignancy (18.2%) and post renal obstruction (27.3%). Outcomes of patients with AKI-D remain poor. Advanced stage of AKI, older age, late presentation, malignancy, nutritional deficiency and delay at initiation of dialysis were associated with high mortality and reduced survival.

Association of Body Mass Index, Blood Pressure with Fasting Serum Glucose in Female with Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Type-2 diabetes mellitus is a global pandemic with immense social, health and financial consequences. The pathophysiology of type-2 diabetes is significantly influenced by overweight and obesity. Type-2 diabetes often goes hand-in-hand with high blood pressure. One way to check type-2 diabetes is by measuring fasting blood glucose. This cross-sectional analytical study looked at how blood pressure, body mass index (BMI) and fasting serum glucose relate to each other in women with type-2 diabetes in the Mymensingh locality. The research took place at the Physiology Department of Mymensingh Medical College, Bangladesh from Octy 2023 to June 2024. We included 200 participants: 100 apparently healthy women of 30-65 years without diabetes as the control group and 100 women with diabetes of same age group as the study group. The data was analyzed using SPSS software. Weight and height were measured anthropometrically in kilograms and meters, respectively. Blood pressure was checked with an aneroid sphygmomanometer for both systolic and diastolic values. To see if there were significant differences between groups, we used the unpaired Students 't' test and shared results as mean±SD. For relationships among fasting serum glucose, blood pressure and BMI, we used Pearson's correlation coefficient test. The average BMI for those in the control group was 24.19±1.22 kg/m². In contrast, the study group's average BMI was higher at 28.04±1.66 kg/m². The study group also had a greater average systolic blood pressure of 130.65±6.06 mm Hg compared to 115.30±5.07 mm Hg for controls. For diastolic blood pressure, values were also higher in the study group: 85.65±5.71 mm Hg compared to the control's 75.65±5.25 mm Hg. Fasting serum glucose levels showed a positive correlation with both BMI and blood pressure. We recommended from this study that routine evaluation of these parameters is important for preventing complications associated with type-2 diabetes mellitus.

Evaluation of Results of Primary Repair of Open Tendo-Achilles Injury in the Department of Casualty, MMCH, Bangladesh.

Achilles tendon injury has been increasing over recent years due to a variety of causes. The injury of the Achilles tendon is a disabling condition, which is difficult to treat if there is a gap or defect between the two ends of the disrupted tendon. Patients with a rupture of the Achilles tendon should be operated without delay. Most of the people in our country use flat pan in the latrine, which are at a same level of the toilet floor. Surface of the toilet pan breaks down and cause sharp cut. Some of the cases of open tendon injuries occur due to road traffic accident, cut by broken glass and also assault. It is generally accepted that surgical repair of fresh ruptures of the Achilles tendon gives excellent results. Objective of the study was to find out the evaluation of the results of primary repair of Open tendo-achilles injury (OTAI). This prospective study was done in the department of Casualty of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh in the period of Octy 2021 to June 2022. Patients who came with OTAI in casualty department were selected randomly. All cases were selected as OTAI, without associated injury of other leg muscles, posterior tibial artery and nerve within 12 hours. All patients underwent primary end to end repair by Modified Kessler's method. Evaluation of the results of primary repair of OTAI were carried out and were find out the common causes of injury, age and sex incidence, level of injury and to proposed a protocol for treating such cases in comfortable, cheap and convenient way for the patients. Operations were done at Casualty operation theatre (COT). Then 48 patients were followed up at the Department of Casualty. Among them 43(89.58%) of patients were able to stand on tip toes, 4(08.33%) of patients were not stand on tip toes of affected foot unsupported but able to stand on tip toes supported, 1(02.08%) of patients failed to stand on affected foot unsupported due to severe infection and wound gap. Final result were Excellent - 29(60.0%), Good - 14(30.0%), Fair - 4(8.0%), Poor - 1(2.0%). Repair of OTAI is not difficult but early diagnosis, proper surgical toileting, meticulous repair; adequate post-operative management is the key of success. So, the result of this study, treatment protocol can be followed, which is easy for surgeon and convenient and cheap for the patients.

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia: Experience from Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital, Bangladesh.

There is a scarcity of data on congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) in Bangladesh. This study aimed to collect baseline information and identify relevant issues specific to the disease. We analyzed the retrospective analysis of medical records of pediatric patients attending Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital, Dhaka, for serum 17-Hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) measurement and documented to have CAH from December 2008 to December 2020. The diagnosis was supported by biochemical findings and confirmed by serum 17-OHP assay and karyotyping. The relevant clinical data were descriptively analyzed. A total of sixty (60) patients with the diagnosis of CAH were enrolled. Among them, 40(66.7%), 15(25.0%) and 5(8.3%) patients had salt-wasting (SW), simple virilizing (SV) and non-classical (NC) CAH, respectively. Karyotypically, 45(75.0%) were girls and 15(25.0%) were boys. At presentation, 30(50.0%) were initially assigned as female and 24(40.0%) were male and in 6(10.0%) cases, the sex was not assigned. All six cases of unassigned sex were proven to be female by karyotype, while ninecases assigned as males were proven to be females; overall, 15(25.0%) patients were incorrectly assigned sex at the initial presentation. Patients with SW form of disease presented at an earlier age (median age 1.0 months) than those with SV form (median age 12.0 months). Boys were diagnosed later than girls. CAH should be diagnosed earlier, irrespective of the sex of the child, to prevent death from the salt-losing crisis and proper gender assignment. In a resource-poor country like Bangladesh, we should emphasize building awareness among the general population and caregivers for early clinical identification of the cases and proper referral.

Reduction Mammaplasty: Experience in Context of Bangladesh.

There are many women in Bangladesh who suffer from chronic shoulder pain, back and neck pain, nerve pain, and other difficulties due to large breasts but most of them are not keen to get rid of their problems. Most women in this country are afraid from surgery and they are not even aware about their body shape and images. Recently, very few of them are coming to the door of surgeons with enlarged breast difficulties. A study was conducted on reduction mammaplasty regarding experience in the context of our country. Few of the patients were motivated among many who have problems of the huge breast and perform reduction mammaplasty. The paper addresses the experience of reduction mammaplasty. The study among 8 patients was performed in, Anower Khan Modern Medical College and Hospital and Care Medical College and Hospital during the period of Octy 2018 to January 2021. The patients underwent reduction mammaplasty over a 2.5 years period were identified and reviewed for patients satisfaction rate, religious issues, shyness, Family restrictions, socio economic condition, lack of awareness, risk factor, symptom relief, limitation and complication rate. Rate of complications was from 6.5% to 22% for reduction mammaplasty, whereas reported patient satisfaction rates range from 85.0% to 95.0%. In the study, reported rates of symptom improvement range from 80.8% to 94.6%, religious issues about 90.0% to 95.0%, Shyness 80.0% to 87.5%, family restrictions 80% to 87.5%, socio economic condition (High Class n=5, Upper Middle Class n=3), risk factor 70.0% to 80.0%, but in regard to psychological well-being there are tremendous outcomes. Reduction mammaplasty has had excellent patient satisfaction levels. However, a very few complications may occur even in the most suitable candidate. Skilled and experienced surgeons, enriched healthcare infrastructures, meticulous pre-operative planning, gentle tissue handling and anticipatory post-operative care will reduce the incidence of adverse results.

Outline and Medico-legal Drift of Asphyxial Deaths.

Cases of asphyxial death are frequently come across and the numbers are remarkable now-a-days. The study was aimed to estimate the frequency and to determine the socio-demographic pattern of the victims of asphyxial death. It was a cross-sectional variety of descriptive study and carried out in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Dhaka Medical College, Bangladesh from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2019. A predesigned proforma was made first, and then various data were assembled, tabulated and analyzed there. In the midst of 2199 medicolegal autopsies, there were 224 cases of asphyxial death. Male victims (62.05%) were mostly found and the most affected age group was 30-39 years (35.26%). Victims were predominantly married (53.57%) and were mainly from urban areas (38.39%). The Muslims (76.78%) were the major victims followed by the Hindus (17.41%), Christians (2.67%) and the Buddhists (1.78%). Maximum victims were unemployed (31.69%) followed by students, day laborers & cultivators. Hangings (54.01%) were mostly encountered followed by drowning (23.21%) and throttling (7.14%). Majority of the cases were suicidal (58.48%) followed by homicidal (24.55%) and accidental (16.96%). The main provoking factors in suicidal cases were unemployment (22.13%) followed by failure in examination (20.61%) and domestic violence (12.97%). Hangings were proven to be suicidal. In cases of drowning manner of death could not be given and throttling were homicidal by autopsy.

Pattern of ENT Diseases in Children: A Peripheral Military Hospital Based Study.

This study was aimed to find out the hospital based prevalence of paediatric ENT disorders in an ENT OPD of a peripheral military hospital of Bangladesh Armed Forces. This observational study was carried out at ENT out patient department of CMH Momenshahi, from 1st April 2017 to 31st March 2020. Irrespective of age and sex a total of 4612 children, between the ages of 0-14 years were included in this study. All types of ENT disorders were taken in to account. Data were obtained after ENT examination and necessary investigations. Total 4612 cases were studied. Male children (52.2%) were affected more and most of the children belongs the 6-10 years age group (44.4%).Throat related disorder (40.7%) were predominant followed by ear (34.8%). The most common ENT disorders were Chronic Tonsillitis (21.8%) followed by acute otitis media (16.1%) and pharyngitis (9.8%). Rate of Chronic otitis media (COM) was only 46(1%). ENT diseases are one of the major health problems among children. In addition to improved health education, socioeconomic status and better access to health care facilities; provision of early ENT specialist consultation may significantly reduce chronic or recurring symptoms and long term morbidities of common ENT disorders in children.

Proportion of Peripheral Arterial Disease in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

Among the different complications of chronic kidney diseases, peripheral arterial disease is not uncommon. Though it is an indicator of widespread atherosclerosis, sometimes it is neglected in CKD patients. Our study was done to evaluate the frequency and pattern of PAD in chronic kidney disease patients admitted in a tertiary care hospital of Bangladesh. One hundred (100) admitted patients of CKD were taken by nonrandom purposive sampling considering inclusion and exclusion criteria. After clinical evaluation and Ankle brachial index (ABI) measurement 5 cc venous blood was collected and sent to Clinical Pathology and Biochemistry department of CMCH. Data was collected in a structured proforma and analyzed. Among the 100 patients, 2.0% patient belonged to stage 3, 28.0% were in stage 4 and remaining 70.0% were in stage 5. We found the proportion of PAD in CKD were 18.0%. Among 18 PAD patients, 66.67% were in stage 5, 22.22% in stage 4 and 11.11% in stage 3. Regarding right lower limb 12 patients had some PAD, 3 patients had moderate PAD, 2 patients had borderline and 1 patient had calcified PAD. For left lower limb, 10 patients had some PAD, 4 patients had moderate PAD, 4 patients had borderline PAD. The mean AB) of the PAD patients for right limb was 0.87 and for left limb 0.84. 50.0-55.0% patients were asymptomatic. Among the PAD patients 38.9% had DM, 72.2% had HTN, 33.3% had both DM and HTN, 44.4% had other vascular events, 55.6% were smokers, 33.3% had dyslipidemia and 22.2% had family history of PAD. Renal diseases seem to have a strong association with vascular disease and PAD is not uncommon.

Evaluation of Triage System in a Dedicated Covid-19 Hospital.

The global health system faces a substantial burden from the Covid-19 pandemic. To prevent Covid-19 transmission an effective triage system is useful in resource-limited countries like Bangladesh. The purpose of the study was to determine the status of the triage system in a dedicated Covid-19 Hospital. This cross-sectional study was conducted among conveniently selected 150 respondents including 63 doctors, 72 nurses and 15 administrative staff. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire and observation checklist. The collected data were processed and analyzed with the help of SPSS (Version 26.0) and Xcel 2019. The study was conducted at Kurmitola General Hospital, Bangladesh from January 2020 to December 2020. Among study participants, 54.0% of the respondents belonged to the (31-40) age group and 74.0% were female. Half 50.7% of the respondents working duration was (0-4) years. Two-thirds 67.0% of the respondents had training on the triage system. All of the respondents mentioned the presence of a triage system in this hospital but there was no tele-triage. Regarding infrastructure facilities like triage room, sitting facilities with 1-meter distance in waiting area, one-way entrance, and exit, separated ticket counter and washroom, proper hand wash facilities, all were present in this hospital. All of the respondents mentioned the presence of available logistic support for the triage system in this dedicated Covid-19 hospital including a sufficient supply of PPE, thermometer, and pulse oximeter. All doctors and nurses wore PPE. Almost four-fifths 87.30% of the respondents mention that there was no training on donning and doffing procedure of PPE. There was a statistically significant association between training on triage with age group and occupation of the respondents (p<0.05). The ideal working time of healthcare providers was not maintained. There had no facilities of isolated accommodation and health checkups for staff. But RT-PCR for Covid-19 test was done for all staff when he/she returns to normal life after duty. Based on study findings it has been concluded that the infrastructure facilities and logistic supports are sufficient. But staff management has to be improved and the authority should pay special attention to an effective triage system.

Comparison of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Scoring Systems in Bangladeshi Population.

Risk stratification is an important initial step for primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. There are a number of scoring systems for this purpose worldwide. We tried to evaluate two most updated scoring systems. To assess which one is the better for Bangladeshi population residing in Bangladesh. This cross-sectional study was conducted in a secondary and a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh from January 2019 to June 2019. Total 274 patients were included in the study. They were evaluated using ASCVD scoring system and QRISK3 scoring system for the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular event (myocardial infarction and/or stroke) in next 10 years. Average age of the patients was 57.1±12.8 years and 192 of them were male and 92 of them were female. Half (50.4%) of the patients were smoker, half (51.1%) of them were hypertensive, 45.6% of them were diabetic, 29.6% of them had family history of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and 27.0% of them were overweight or obese. According to ASCVD scoring 36.5% patients were at high risk, 32.5% at intermediate risk, 16.4% at low risk of cardiovascular events in next 10 years and risk evaluation was not possible in 14.6% patients. According to QRISK3 scoring method 55.5% are at high risk, 20.8% at intermediate risk, 16.0% at low risk of cardiovascular events and evaluation was not possible in 7.7% patients. Predictive value of QRISK3 scoring system is better to detect more patients who are at high risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular events in next 10 years. QRISK3 can also evaluate the patients at a younger age. At present QRISK3 is better system to evaluate cardiovascular risk in Bangladeshi population. We need further study to evaluate its role in the form of clinical efficacy and cost effectiveness.

Sero-evidence of Rickettsia Infection by ELISA in the Northern-Central Area of Bangladesh.

Detection of rickettsia most commonly done by simple, economical Weil-Felix test which detects IgM antibody. This initial investigation provides limited sound guidance to clinical decisions because of its low specificity and sensitivity. An alternative test, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is faster, less complicated, can also be automated. Advancements in molecular method like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are highly specific, sensitive and rapid assays for detection of rickettsiales in many different samples including blood, tissue etc. This study was carried out to diagnose the rickettsial agent in the north-central (Mymensingh division) area of Bangladesh. In laboratory, we performed ELISA and PCR. The agent was diagnosed up to species level by molecular approach. A total of 150 febrile patients were included. All were clinically suspected cases of rickettsial fever attending inpatient and outpatient department of medicine and pediatrics of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital from Octy 2012 to January 2014. The laboratory tests were performed in Microbiology department of Mymensingh Medical College. Following universal safety precautions blood samples were collected, serum separated and both were stored at -20°C. IgM ELISA and Nested PCR were performed. Several genes by PCR were detected for confirmation of the presence of rickettsial agent in the blood. Among 150 clinically suspected cases 76(50.66%) were positive for ELISA, and 69(46.0%) were positive for PCR. The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA were 92.75% and 85.19% respectively taking PCR as gold standard. The prevalence of rickettsial infection found in this study was very much close to other countries of this Sub continent.

Clinical and Radiological Presentation of Patients with Smear Positive Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

Chest X-ray is an important diagnostic aid frequently used alongside microscopic smear of sputum for the confirmation of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). However, there is a dearth of literature investigating the clinical and radiological pattern of sputum positive pulmonary TB among adults in Bangladesh. The current study explored these patterns in presentation. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at outpatients in department of medicine of a tertiary care hospital. A total of 50 newly diagnosed adult cases of smear positive pulmonary TB attending at the Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) corners were consecutively included. Informed written consent was taken before inclusion. Data were collected through face-to-face interview. Radiological presentation was explored using chest X-ray. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 26.0. The average age of patients was 41.0±17.12 years and majority were male (78.0%). The most prevalent respiratory symptom was cough (80.0%) followed by constitutional symptom like fever (70.0%) and weight loss (72.0%). Wasting was the predominant sign (60.0%). Radiologically both lungs were involved in 32.0%, left lung were involved in 30.0% cases and right lung were involved in 26.0% of cases. Twelve percent (12.0%) of patients had normal chest X-ray. Upper zone involvement was commonly observed in this study's patients (66.0%). The predominant pattern was consolidation (46.0%) followed by fibrosis (26.0%), nodular opacity (12.0%), collapse (10.0%), cavity (6.0%), pleural effusion (2.0%) and bronchiectasis (2.0%). Findings of this study would help familiarize and identify the common clinical and radiological presentations of sputum positive pulmonary TB patients in day-to-day practice.

Traumatic Brain Injuries and its Outcome at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Northwest Part of Bangladesh.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability globally as well as in Bangladesh; its incidences are growing with an increasing number of high-speed motor vehicles, more movement of the public and mechanization in industry. The aim of the study was to analyze the causes, risk factors and treatment outcomes of traumatic brain injuries in victims reported to emergency and casualty departments following intensive care with or without surgical intervention in a tertiary care hospital. This prospective type of observational study was conducted at the Neurosurgery ward of Rangpur Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh from March 2022 to February 2024. A total of 360 head injury patients with TBI were assessed with gender, age, cause, and type of trauma, Glasgow Coma Scale on admission, associated other injuries, time lapsed from trauma to hospitalization and care given. A total of 360 Cases (n=360) of TBI, male 273(n=273) and female 87(n=87) were included most common group was 16-30 years (45%) and Males (75.83%) victims were more than female (24.16%). Frequency percentage cause is RTA 190(52.7%) and intra-cranial injury (42.77%), Intra and extra-cranial injury 206(57.22%), pathophysiological cause (n=360), SDH 122(33.88%), EDH (28.33%), concussion (15.83%), cerebral contusion (14.16%), diffuse axonal injury (05%) and subarachnoid haemorrhage (2.77%). Traumatic brain injury was common among young adult males and RTA was the leading cause. Many factors influence the better outcome of TBI with reduced mortality and morbidity including the patient's age, the injury's severity, the time between TBI and the start of definitive treatment associated with other major injuries and facilities available for resuscitative care.

Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Covid-19 Positive Cases: An Exploratory Retrospective Study in a Covid-19 Referral Hospital.

In late 2019, a novel coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China, causing an atypical pneumonia- like illness. Scientists subsequently isolated the virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), in January 2020. This highly contagious virus rapidly spread worldwide, triggering a global public health emergency. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic necessitates continuous evaluation of the characteristics of infected individuals. This study aimed to investigate the demographic and clinical features of patients diagnosed with Covid-19 at a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh. This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2023 and February 2024 at the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Uttara Adhunik Medical College Hospital (UAMCH), Dhaka, Bangladesh. The study involved collaboration with the departments of Virology and the hospital's Covid Unit. Data were collected from the medical records of 200 confirmed Covid-19-positive cases admitted upon arrival at the hospital. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. Of the 200 participants, the most frequent age group was 46-60 years old, representing 42% (84 patients). Males comprised the majority (73.0%, 145 patients), and most participants resided in urban areas of Bangladesh (86.5%, 173 patients). The socioeconomic analysis revealed that the upper-class category had the highest frequency (85.0%, 170 patients). Diabetes Mellitus (DM) emerged as the most prevalent co-morbidity (58.5%, 117 patients). Regarding clinical presentation, fever was the most frequent symptom (76.0%, 152 patients), followed by cough (47.5%, 95 patients), shortness of breath (SOB) (27.5%, 55 patients), and pneumonia (15.0%, 30 patients). Less frequent symptoms included acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), and chest pain. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings were 126.61±14.58 mmHg and 77.24±12.44 mmHg respectively. The mean oxygen saturation (SaO2) was 93.39±5.53%. This study investigated that the most frequent age group was (46-60) years. The male dominant in Covid-19-positive cases. Diabetes Mellitus (DM) was observed as the most frequent co-morbidity. The common symptoms of Covid-19-positive cases were fever, cough, SOB, pneumonia acute respiratory distress syndrome, lower respiratory tract infection, chest pain, high blood pressure and low oxygen saturation.

Spatial distribution of poultry farms using point pattern modelling: A method to address livestock environmental impacts and disease transmission risks.

The distribution of farm locations and sizes is paramount to characterize patterns of disease spread. With some regions undergoing rapid intensification of livestock production, resulting in increased clustering of farms in peri-urban areas, measuring changes in the spatial distribution of farms is crucial to design effective interventions. However, those data are not available in many countries, their generation being resource-intensive. Here, we develop a farm distribution model (FDM), which allows the prediction of locations and sizes of poultry farms in countries with scarce data. The model combines (i) a Log-Gaussian Cox process model to simulate the farm distribution as a spatial Poisson point process, and (ii) a random forest model to simulate farm sizes (i.e. the number of animals per farm). Spatial predictors were used to calibrate the FDM on intensive broiler and layer farm distributions in Bangladesh, Gujarat (Indian state) and Thailand. The FDM yielded realistic farm distributions in terms of spatial clustering, farm locations and sizes, while providing insights on the factors influencing these distributions. Finally, we illustrate the relevance of modelling realistic farm distributions in the context of epidemic spread by simulating pathogen transmission on an array of spatial distributions of farms. We found that farm distributions generated from the FDM yielded spreading patterns consistent with simulations using observed data, while random point patterns underestimated the probability of large outbreaks. Indeed, spatial clustering increases vulnerability to epidemics, highlighting the need to account for it in epidemiological modelling studies. As the FDM maintains a realistic distribution of farm location and sizes, its use to inform mathematical models of disease transmission is particularly relevant for regions where these data are not available.

Night Eating Syndrome Among University Students in Bangladesh: Investigation of Prevalence and Associated Factors.

OBJECTIVE: Night eating syndrome (NES) has been associated with psychological issues and academic performance among university students in several countries, yet research on NES in Bangladesh remains limited. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to examine the prevalence and factors associated with NES among university students in the country. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 500 students from five public universities in Bangladesh. A validated 14-item night eating questionnaire was used to assess NES as the outcome variable. Demographic factors, depressive symptoms measured via the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and internet addiction levels measured via Orman's Internet Addiction Survey (OIAS) were explored as predictor variables. A multiple binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify the correlation of NES and its associated factors, with results presented as adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and level of significance set at p values < 0.05. RESULTS: The prevalence of NES among participants was 16.6% (mean age = 21.6 years, 53.6% male). Adjusted binary logistic regression revealed that male participants (AOR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.09-3.74, p = 0.024), smoking (AOR = 1.92, 95% CI = 1.02-4.44, p = 0.044), depressive symptoms (AOR = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.26-3.72, p = 0.005), and severe internet addiction (AOR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.28-5.62, p = 0.009) were significantly associated with increased odds of experiencing NES. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the need for heightened healthy eating awareness programs along with targeted mental health interventions with students attending Bangladeshi universities. Further research that explores longitudinal patterns of NES and the risk factors addressed in this study is warranted to better understand and inform the development of future interventions to benefit the Bangladeshi university student population.