Zinc Supplementation Initiated Prior to or During Pregnancy Modestly Impacted Maternal Status and High Prevalence of Hypozincemia in Pregnancy and Lactation: The Women First Preconception Maternal Nutrition Trial.

BACKGROUND: Data regarding effects of small-quantity-lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) on maternal serum zinc concentrations (SZC) in pregnancy and lactation are limited. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of preconception compared with prenatal zinc supplementation (compared with control) on maternal SZC and hypozincemia during pregnancy and early lactation in women in low-resource settings, and assess associations with birth anthropometry. METHODS: From ∼100 women/arm at each of 3 sites (Guatemala, India, and Pakistan) of the Women First Preconception Maternal Nutrition trial, we compared SZC at 12- and 34-wk gestation (n = 651 and 838, respectively) and 3-mo postpartum (n = 742) in women randomly assigned to daily SQ-LNS containing 15 mg zinc from ≥3 mo before conception (preconception, arm 1), from ∼12 wk gestation through delivery (early pregnancy, arm 2) or not at all (control, arm 3). Birth anthropometry was examined for newborns with ultrasound-determined gestational age. Statistical analyses were performed separately for each time point. RESULTS: At 12-wk gestation and 3-mo postpartum, no statistical differences in mean SZC were observed among arms. At 34-wk, mean SZC for arms 1 and 2 were significantly higher than for arm 3 (50.3, 50.8, 47.8 µg/dL, respectively; P = 0.005). Results were not impacted by correction for inflammation or albumin concentrations. Prevalence of hypozincemia at 12-wk (<56 µg/dL) was 23% in Guatemala, 26% in India, and 65% in Pakistan; at 34 wk (<50 µg/dL), 36% in Guatemala, 48% in India, and 74% in Pakistan; and at 3-mo postpartum (<66 µg/dL) 79% in Guatemala, 91% in India, and 92% in Pakistan. Maternal hypozincemia at 34-wk was associated with lower birth length-for-age Z-scores (all sites P = 0.013, Pakistan P = 0.008) and weight-for-age Z-scores (all sites P = 0.017, Pakistan P = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS: Despite daily zinc supplementation for ≥7 mo, high rates of maternal hypozincemia were observed. The association of hypozincemia with impaired fetal growth suggests widespread zinc deficiency in these settings. This trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01883193.

Infant and young child feeding indicators are positively associated with length and family care indicators in the children of the Women First trial participants.

This research describes the proportion of children in four low- and middle-income countries with adequate dietary practices at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months of age and how these practices changed over time using the World Health Organisation and UNICEF's infant young child feeding (IYCF) indicators. The associations between the IYCF indicators and anthropometric z-scores from 6 to 24 months, and between the IYCF indicators and the family care indicators (FCIs) at 24 months are described. This was a longitudinal study of offspring from participants in the Women First Preconception Maternal Nutrition Trial conducted in Sud-Ubangi, Democratic Republic of Congo; Chimaltenango, Guatemala; Belagavi, North Karnataka, India; and Thatta, Sindh Province, Pakistan. The frequency of the minimum dietary diversity (MDD), minimum meal frequency (MMF), and minimum adequate diet (MAD) increased between 6 and 24 months, but even at 24 months MAD remained below 50% at all sites. MDD (ß = 0.12; 95% CI = 0.04-0.22) and MMF (ß = 0.10; 95% CI = 0.03-0.17) were positively associated with length-for-age z-score at 24 months. All IYCF indicators were positively associated with mean total FCI score: MDD (proportion ratio [PR] = 1.04; 95% CI = 1.02-1.07), MMF (PR = 1.02; 95% CI = 1.01-1.04), MAD (PR = 1.05; 95% CI = 1.02-1.08). Although there are multiple barriers to young children having an adequate diet, our results support a positive association between familial interactions and improved IYCF feeding practices.

Dynamic computed tomography for evaluation of tracheobronchomalacia in premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

INTRODUCTION: Dynamic computed tomography (dCT) gives real-time physiological information and objective descriptions of airway narrowing in tracheobronchomalacia (TBM). There is a paucity of literature in the evaluation of TBM by dCT in premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). The aim of this study is to describe the findings of dCT and resultant changes in management in premature infants with TBM. METHODS: A retrospective study of 70 infants was performed. Infants included were <32 weeks gestation without major anomalies. TBM was defined as ≥50% expiratory reduction in cross-sectional area with severity defined as mild (50%-75%), moderate (≥75%-90%), or severe (≥90%). RESULTS: Dynamic CT diagnosed malacia in 53% of infants. Tracheomalacia was identified in 49% of infants with severity as 76% mild, 18% moderate, and 6% severe. Bronchomalacia was identified in 43% of infants with varying severity (53% mild, 40% moderate, 7% severe). Resultant management changes included PEEP titration (44%), initiation of bethanechol (23%), planned tracheostomy (20%), extubation trial (13%), and inhaled ipratropium bromide (7%). CONCLUSION: Dynamic CT is a useful noninvasive diagnostic tool for airway evaluation of premature infants. Presence and severity of TBM can provide actionable information to guide more precise clinical decision making.

Associations between ambient temperature and pregnancy outcomes from three south Asian sites of the Global Network Maternal Newborn Health Registry: A retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Growing evidence suggests that environmental heat stress negatively influences fetal growth and pregnancy outcomes. However, few studies have examined the impact of heat stress on pregnancy outcomes in low-resource settings. We combined data from a large multi-country maternal-child health registry and meteorological data to assess the impacts of heat stress. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Three sites based in south Asia as part of the Global Network for Women's and Children's Health research in India (Belagavi and Nagpur) and Pakistan (Thatta). POPULATION OR SAMPLE: Data from women enrolled between 2014 and 2020 in the Global Network's Maternal Newborn Health Registry (MNHR), a prospective, population-based registry of pregnancies, were used. METHODS: A total of 126 273 pregnant women were included in this analysis. Daily maximal air temperatures (Tmax ) were acquired from local meteorological records. Associations between averages of daily maximal temperatures for each trimester and main outcomes were analysed using a modified Poisson regression approach. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Incidence of stillbirth, preterm birth, low birthweight (<2500 g) or evidence of pregnancy hypertension or pre-eclampsia. RESULTS: In the overall cohort, risk of preterm birth was positively associated with greater temperature in the second trimester (relative risk [RR] 1.05, 95% CI 1.02-1.07, p = 0.0002). Among individual sites, the risk of preterm birth was greatest in Nagpur (RR 1.07, 95% CI 1.03-1.11, p = 0.0005) and associated with second-trimester temperature. The overall risk of low birthweight was associated with ambient temperature in second trimester (RR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.04, p = 0.01). The risk for LBW was associated with first-trimester heat in Thatta and with second-trimester heat in Nagpur. Finally, the overall risk of gestational hypertensive disease was associated with greater temperature in the third trimester among all sites (RR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02-1.12, p = 0.005) and was particularly significant for Nagpur (RR 1.13, 95% CI 1.05-1.23, p = 0.002). These findings highlight the increased risk of detrimental obstetric and neonatal outcomes with greater temperature. CONCLUSION: In a multi-country, community-based study, greater risk of adverse outcomes was observed with increasing temperature. The study highlights the need for deeper understanding of covarying factors and intervention strategies, especially in regions where high temperatures are common.

Broadening the Understanding of Medical Students' Discussion of Radiology Online: A Social Listening Study of Reddit.

Reddit.com contains one of the largest online social forums for medical students, the 'r/medicalschool' subreddit. The platform provides an opportunity to share news and discuss a variety of topics including specialty choice and residency applications. In this study we analyze posts on the subreddit r/medicalschool with the aim of understanding how medical students perceive radiology as a career and what factors influence their decision to pursue radiology. Reddit posts to were collected from the r/medicalschool subreddit (2009-2022) and a randomized sample of the corpus was labeled to yield 2000 posts that discussed radiology as career and 1542 posts not discussing radiology. Sentiment analysis of the labeled corpus was conducted using the SiEBRT RoBERTa transformer sentiment pipeline, a machine trained English language text analyzer. Student's t-test was used to compare sentiment of posts discussing radiology to nonradiology posts by career keywords. Posts discussing radiology as a career had an overall positive sentiment but were lower than nonradiology posts' sentiment (p<.001). Key words associated with a positive sentiment score were "procedure", "lifestyle", "income", "fit", "personality", "anatomy", "tech", "physics", "research," and "match." Negative sentiment score included key words "AI", "burnout", "culture", "job market", "midlevel", "sue", "teleradiology." "Procedures" had the most positive sentiment score, while "AI" had the most negative score. Our study highlights aspects of radiology as a career that are discussed positively and negatively on Reddit. These posts are read by medical students around the world and may influence their choice of specialty.

Role of iron in the reduction of anemia among women of reproductive age in low-middle income countries: insights from systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency anemia is a common public health issue among women of reproductive age (WRA) because it can result in adverse maternal and birth outcomes. Although studies are undertaken to assess iron efficacy, some gaps and limitations in the existing literature need to be addressed. To fill the gaps, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the role of iron in reducing anemia among WRA in low-middle-income countries (LMICs). METHODS: A comprehensive search strategy was used to search Medline through PubMed, Embase, and Science Direct for RCTs published between 2000 and 2020. The primary outcome was the mean change in hemoglobin level. We used standardized mean differences and their respective 95% CI to estimate the pooled effect. We used I2 statistics and Egger's test to assess heterogeneity and publication bias, respectively. This review was carried out in accordance with revised guidelines based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. RESULTS: The findings showed that iron therapy improved hemoglobin and ferritin levels, though the results varied across studies. An overall pooled effect estimate for the role of iron therapy in improving the hemoglobin levels among WRA was -0.71 (95% CI: -1.27 to -0.14) (p = 0.008). Likewise, the overall pooled effect estimate for the role of iron therapy in improving the ferritin levels among WRA was -0.76 (95% CI: -1.56 to 0.04) (p = 0.04). The heterogeneity (I2) across included studies was found to be statistically significant for studies assessing hemoglobin (Q = 746.93, I2 = 97.59%, p = 0.000) and ferritin level (Q = 659.95, I2 = 97.88%, p = 0.000). CONCLUSION: Iron therapy in any form may reduce anemia's burden and improve hemoglobin and ferritin levels, indicating improvement in iron-deficiency anemia. More evidence is required, however, to assess the morbidity associated with iron consumption, such as side effects, work performance, economic outcomes, mental health, and adherence to the intervention, with a particular focus on married but non-pregnant women planning a pregnancy in the near future. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered with PROSPERO and ID is CRD42020185033.

Maternal nutritional status modifies heat-associated growth restriction in women with chronic malnutrition.

Rapid changes in the global climate are deepening existing health disparities from resource scarcity and malnutrition. Rising ambient temperatures represent an imminent risk to pregnant women and infants. Both maternal malnutrition and heat stress during pregnancy contribute to poor fetal growth, the leading cause of diminished child development in low-resource settings. However, studies explicitly examining interactions between these two important environmental factors are lacking. We leveraged maternal and neonatal anthropometry data from a randomized controlled trial focused on improving preconception maternal nutrition (Women First Preconception Nutrition trial) conducted in Thatta, Pakistan, where both nutritional deficits and heat stress are prevalent. Multiple linear regression of ambient temperature and neonatal anthropometry at birth (n = 459) showed a negative association between daily maximal temperatures in the first trimester and Z-scores of birth length and head circumference. Placental mRNA-sequencing and protein analysis showed transcriptomic changes in protein translation, ribosomal proteins, and mTORC1 signaling components in term placenta exposed to excessive heat in the first trimester. Targeted metabolomic analysis indicated ambient temperature associated alterations in maternal circulation with decreases in choline concentrations. Notably, negative impacts of heat on birth length were in part mitigated in women randomized to comprehensive maternal nutritional supplementation before pregnancy suggesting potential interactions between heat stress and nutritional status of the mother. Collectively, the findings bridge critical gaps in our current understanding of how maternal nutrition may provide resilience against adverse effects of heat stress in pregnancy.

Birth length is the strongest predictor of linear growth status and stunting in the first 2 years of life after a preconception maternal nutrition intervention: the children of the Women First trial.

BACKGROUND: The multicountry Women First trial demonstrated that nutritional supplementation initiated prior to conception (arm 1) or early pregnancy (arm 2) and continued until delivery resulted in significantly greater length at birth and 6 mo compared with infants in the control arm (arm 3). OBJECTIVES: We evaluated intervention effects on infants' longitudinal growth trajectory from birth through 24 mo and identified predictors of length status and stunting at 24 mo. METHODS: Infants' anthropometry was obtained at 6, 12, 18, and 24 mo after the Women First trial (registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01883193), which was conducted in low-resource settings: Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, India, and Pakistan. Longitudinal models evaluated intervention effects on infants' growth trajectory from birth to 24 mo, with additional modeling used to identify adjusted predictors for growth trajectories and outcomes at 24 mo. RESULTS: Data for 2337 (95% of original live births) infants were evaluated. At 24 mo, stunting rates were 62.8%, 64.8%, and 66.3% for arms 1, 2, and 3, respectively (NS). For the length-for-age z-score (LAZ) trajectory, treatment arm was a significant predictor, with adjusted mean differences of 0.19 SD (95% CI: 0.08, 0.30; P < 0.001) and 0.17 SD (95% CI: 0.07, 0.27; P < 0.001) for arms 1 and 2, respectively. The strongest predictors of LAZ at 24 mo were birth LAZ <-2 and <-1 to ≥-2, with adjusted mean differences of -0.76 SD (95% CI: -0.93, -0.58; P < 0.001) and -0.47 SD (95% CI: -0.56, -0.38; P < 0.001), respectively. For infants with ultrasound-determined gestational age (n = 1329), the strongest predictors of stunting were birth LAZ <-2 and <-1 to ≥- 2: adjusted relative risk of 1.62 (95% CI: 1.39, 1.88; P < 0.001) and 1.46 (95% CI: 1.31, 1.62; P < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial improvements in postnatal growth are likely to depend on improved intrauterine growth, especially during early pregnancy.

Quality of care assessment for small and sick newborns and young infants in Pakistan: findings from a cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Pakistan is facing a challenging situation in terms of high newborn mortality rate. Securing pregnancy and delivery care may not bring a substantial reduction in neonatal mortality, unless coupled with the provision of quality inpatient care for small and sick newborns and young infants (NYIs). We undertook this study to assess the availability and quality of newborn care services provided and the readiness of inpatient care for NYIs in Pakistan. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study across Pakistan from February to June 2019, using a purposive sample of 61% (23) of the 38 sick newborn care units at public sector health care facilities providing inpatient care for small and sick NYIs. We interviewed facility managers and health care providers by using structured questionnaires. We observed facility infrastructure and relevant metrics related to the quality of inpatient care such as types of infant care units and essential equipment, drugs, staffing cadre and facility management practices, quality assurance activities, essential services for small and sick NYI care, discharge planning, and support, quality of NYIs care record, and health information system. RESULTS: Of the 23 facilities assessed, 83% had newborn intensive care units (NICUs), 74% reported Special Care Units (SCUs), and only 44% had Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) Units. All facilities had at least one paediatrician, 13% had neonatologists and neonatal surgeons each. Around 61 and 13% of the facilities had staff trained in neonatal resuscitation and parental counseling, respectively. About 35% of the facilities monitored nosocomial infection rates, with management and interdisciplinary team meetings reported from 17 and 30% of the facilities respectively preceding the survey. Basic interventions for NYIs were available in 43% of the facilities, only 35% of facilities had system in place to monitor nosocomial infections for NYI care. Most (73%) of reviewed records of NYIs at 1-2 days had information on the birth weight, temperature recording (52%), while only a quarter (25%) of the observed records documented danger signs. Mechanism to support discharge care by having linkages with community workers was present in 13% of the facilities, while only 35% of the facilities have strategies to promote adherence after discharge. Majority (78%) of facilities reported monitoring any newborn/ neonatal care indicators, while none of the sub-units within facilities had consolidated information on stillbirths and neonatal deaths. CONCLUSION: The study has demonstrated important gaps in the quality of small and sick NYI inpatient care in the country. To avert neonatal mortality in the country, provincial and district governments have to take actions in improving the quality of inpatient care.

Desire to limiting child birth and the associated determinants among married females: Sukh Survey-Karachi, Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: High rates of population growth negatively influence the social and economic development of a country. This study aimed to determine the women's desire to limiting child birth in future (fertility intention) and its determinants among Pakistani women of reproductive age resident of Karachi. METHODS: A community-based, multistage cross-sectional study was carried out among residents of the squatter settlements in Karachi. The were 4,485 married residents, and currently non-pregnant females of 18 to 49 years old. Framework adapted has been based on "Pullum 1980" to operationalize the outcome of determining the desire to limiting childbearing and the factors related with controlling the family size. Multivariable logistic regression using SPSS 13.0 was used. RESULTS: The survey comprised of a total sample of 4485 females who participated and acquiring a median (interquartile range) age of 30 (25 to 35) years. Whereas, the living children count was found to be [median: 3 children; (IQR: 2 to 4)]. From the total, 2109 (47%) wanted to limit the future child birth. Multivariable logistic analysis showed that women who did not want to limit child birth significantly (p-value <0.05) belonged to age groups 18 to 27 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=0.25), and 28 - 37 years (aOR=0.39) compared to the women aged > 37 years (referent category), who belonged to poor wealth category (aOR=0.41), were ever contraceptive users (aOR=0.49), were currently not a contraceptive user (aOR=0.53), not educated (aOR=0.34), and having sons less than the daughters (aOR=0.74). Conversely, females with perceived family structure of ≤two children ideally (aOR=2.62), were autonomous (aOR=1.25) and who had equal daughters and sons (aOR=1.13) rather than more number of sons, had more probability to limiting child birth at a statistically significance (p-value) of less than 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: The survey highlights the strategic independent determinants and there is a need of devising behaviour modification modalities accordingly to expedite the use of contraceptive methods and to encourage fertility decline among women.

Quality of inpatient care of small and sick newborns in Pakistan: perceptions of key stakeholders.

BACKGROUND: In LMICs including Pakistan, neonatal health and survival is a critical challenge, and therefore improving the quality of facility-based newborn care services is instrumental in averting newborn mortality. This paper presents the perceptions of the key stakeholders in the public sector to explore factors influencing the care of small and sick newborns and young infants in inpatient care settings across Pakistan. METHODS: This exploratory study was part of a larger study assessing the situation of newborn and young infant in-patient care provided across all four provinces and administrative regions of Pakistan. We conducted 43 interviews. Thirty interviews were conducted with the public sector health care providers involved in newborn and young infant care and 13 interviews were carried out with health planners and managers working at the provincial level. A semi-structured interview guide was used to explore participants' perspectives on enablers and barriers to the quality of care provided to small and sick newborns at the facility level. The interviews were manually analyzed using thematic content analysis. FINDINGS: The study respondents identified multiple barriers contributing to the poor quality of small and sick newborn care at inpatient care settings. This includes an absence of neonatal care standards, inadequate infrastructure and equipment for the care of small and sick newborns, deficient workforce for neonatal case management, inadequate thermal care management for newborns, inadequate referral system, absence of multidisciplinary approach in neonatal case management and need to institute strong monitoring system to prevent neonatal deaths and stillbirths. The only potential enabling factor was the improved federal and provincial oversight for reproductive, maternal, and newborn care. CONCLUSION: This qualitative study was insightful in identifying the challenges that influence the quality of inpatient care for small and sick newborns and the resources needed to fix these. There is a need to equip Sick Newborn Care Units with needed supplies, equipment and medicines, deployment of specialist staff, strengthening of in-service training and staff supervision, liaison with the neonatal experts in customizing neonatal care guidelines for inpatient care settings and to inculcate the culture for inter-disciplinary team meetings at inpatient care settings across the country.

Improved first trimester maternal iodine status with preconception supplementation: The Women First Trial.

Maternal iodine (I) status is critical in embryonic and foetal development. We examined the effect of preconception iodine supplementation on maternal iodine status and on birth outcomes. Non-pregnant women in Guatemala, India and Pakistan (n ~ 100 per arm per site) were randomized ≥ 3 months prior to conception to one of three intervention arms: a multimicronutrient-fortified lipid-based nutrient supplement containing 250-µg I per day started immediately after randomization (Arm 1), the same supplement started at ~12 weeks gestation (Arm 2) and no intervention supplement (Arm 3). Urinary I (µg/L) to creatinine (mg/dl) ratios (I/Cr) were determined at 12 weeks for Arm 1 versus Arm 2 (before supplement started) and 34 weeks for all arms. Generalized linear models were used to assess the relationship of I/Cr with arm and with newborn anthropometry. At 12 weeks gestation, adjusted mean I/Cr (µg/g) for all sites combined was significantly higher for Arm 1 versus Arm 2: (203 [95% CI: 189, 217] vs. 163 [95% CI: 152, 175], p < 0.0001). Overall adjusted prevalence of I/Cr < 150 µg/g was also lower in Arm 1 versus Arm 2: 32% (95% CI: 26%, 38%) versus 43% (95% CI: 37%, 49%) (p = 0.0052). At 34 weeks, adjusted mean I/Cr for Arm 1 (235, 95% CI: 220, 252) and Arm 2 (254, 95% CI: 238, 272) did not differ significantly but were significantly higher than Arm 3 (200, 95% CI: 184, 218) (p < 0.0001). Nominally significant positive associations were observed between I/Cr at 12 weeks and birth length and head circumference z-scores (p = 0.028 and p = 0.005, respectively). These findings support the importance of first trimester iodine status and suggest need for preconception supplementation beyond salt iodization alone.

Predictors of iron consumption for at least 90 days during pregnancy: Findings from National Demographic Health Survey, Pakistan (2017-2018).

BACKGROUND: Iron supplementation is considered an imperative strategy for anemia prevention and control during pregnancy in Pakistan. Although there is some evidence on the predictors of iron deficiency anemia among Pakistani women, there is a very limited understanding of factors associated with iron consumption among Pakistani pregnant women. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the predictors of iron consumption for at least ≥90 days during pregnancy in Pakistan. METHODS: We analyzed dataset from the nationally representative Pakistan Demographic Health Survey 2017-2018. The primary outcome of the current study was the consumption of iron supplementation for ≥90 days during the pregnancy of the last birth. Women who had last childbirth 5 years before the survey and who responded to the question of iron intake were included in the final analysis (n = 6370). We analyzed the data that accounted for complex sampling design by including clusters, strata, and sampling weights. RESULTS: Around 30% of the women reported consumed iron tablets for ≥90 days during their last pregnancy. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, we found that factors such as women's age (≥ 25 years) (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.42-1.62)], wealth index (rich/richest) (aPR = 1.25; [95% CI: 1.18-1.33]), primary education (aPR = 1.33; [95% CI: 1.24-1.43), secondary education (aPR = 1.34; [95% CI: 1.26-1.43), higher education (aPR = 2.13; [95% CI: 1.97-2.30), women's say in choosing husband (aPR = 1.68; [95% CI: 1.57-1.80]), ≥ five antenatal care visits (aPR =2.65; [95% CI (2.43-2.89]), history of the last Caesarian-section (aPR = 1.29; [95% CI: 1.23-1.36]) were significantly associated with iron consumption for ≥90 days. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate complex predictors of iron consumption during pregnancy in Pakistan. There is a need to increase the number of ANC visits and the government should take necessary steps to improve access to iron supplements by targeting disadvantaged and vulnerable women who are younger, less educated, poor, and living in rural areas.

Perceptions of women, their husbands and healthcare providers about anemia in rural Pakistan: Findings from a qualitative exploratory study.

BACKGROUND: In Pakistan, there is a dearth of literature on the perceptions of anemia among women of reproductive age (WRA). This study was undertaken to explore the perceptions of women, their husbands, and healthcare providers about anemia, its possible causes, and how anemia impacts maternal and child health in Thatta, Pakistan. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted in Thatta, Pakistan from September to December 2018. Using a pre-tested semi-structured interview (SSI), we collected data to understand their definitions of anemia through ten focus group discussions (FGDs) with women and their partners and ten primary informant interviews (KIIs) with healthcare providers. We identified six major themes: (I) Knowledge and awareness of anemia, (II) Causes and consequences of Anemia, (III) Dietary practices, (IV) Knowledge and practices regarding the use of iron-folic acid supplements, (V) Factors influencing prevention and control of anemia and (VI) Women's health behavior. We analyzed the data through thematic analysis using NVivo 10 software. RESULTS: Most community members were not aware of the term anemia but described anemia as a condition characterized by 'blood deficiency' in the body. All study participants perceived anemia as an important health problem tending to cause adverse outcomes among WRA and their children. Study participants perceived gutka (chewable tobacco) consumption as an important cause of anemia. Healthcare providers identified short inter-pregnancy intervals, lack of family planning, poor health-seeking behavior, and consumption of unhealthy food as causes of anemia in the district. Consumption of unhealthy food might not be related to related to a poorer knowledge of iron-deficient foods, but economic constraints. This was further endorsed by the healthcare providers who mentioned that most women were too poor to afford iron-rich foods. All men and women were generally well versed with the sources of good nutrition to be consumed by WRA to prevent anemia. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the government should plan to develop strategies for poverty-stricken and vulnerable rural women and plan health awareness programs to improve dietary practices, compliance with supplements, and health-seeking behavior among women of reproductive age. There is a need to develop effective counseling strategies and context-specific health education sessions to improve the health-seeking behavior of women and men in the Thatta district of Pakistan. Besides, there is need to address social determinants of health such as poverty that pushes women of poorer socioeconomic strata to eat less nutritious foods and have more anaemia. Therefore, a comprehensive and robust strategic plan need to be adopted by government that focuses not only on the awareness programs, but also aim to reduce inequities that lead to pregnant women eat iron-poor foods, which, in turn, forces them to become anemic.

Sociodemographic, Clinical Characteristics, and Outcomes of Influenza Pneumonia Patients Admitted in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan: Findings from a Cross-sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of influenza pneumonia patients in tertiary care hospital, Karachi Pakistan. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: The Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi Pakistan from  January 2013 to December 2018.  Methodology: All adult patients who were older than 18 years and suspected to have viral pneumonia were included in the study. Data were abstracted on 105 patients and were entered on preformed proforma after reviewing the files of patients. RESULTS: Ninety-four (89.5%) patients were influenza positive and 15.2% (n=16) had been vaccinated. Around 92.4% (n=97), 81.9% (n=86) and 61.9% (n=65) patients had cough, fever and shortness of breath, respectively; and 63.8% (n=67), 16.2% (n=17), and 2.9% (n=3) patients had consolidation, nodules, and cavitation, respectively. Almost 91.4% (n=96) patients were given treatment and discharged home; however, 7.6% (n=8) died. Procalcitonin, creatinine, HCO3 , lactate, and bilirubin level were increased in 2nd group (mortality group) after 48 hours; however, the results were only significant for HCO3 (p = 0.035). CONCLUSION: Influenza pneumonia is very common in our population and older people are more likely to be affected by this disease. Patients can be prevented from adverse outcomes and complications, if diagnosed and treated in time. Key Words: Influenza, Clinical characteristics, Outcome, Patients.

Preconceptional Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplementation in 2 Low-Resource Countries Results in Distinctly Different IGF-1/mTOR Placental Responses.

BACKGROUND: Preconceptional maternal small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplementation (SQLNS) improved intrauterine linear growth in low-resource countries as demonstrated by the Women First Preconception Maternal Nutrition Trial (WF). Fetal growth is dependent on nutrient availability and regulated by insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) through changes in placental transfer capacity, mediated by the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to evaluate the role of placental mTOR and IGF-1 signaling on fetal growth in women from 2 low-resource countries with high rates of stunting after they received preconceptional SQLNS. METHODS: We studied 48 women from preconception through delivery who were from Guatemala and Pakistan and received SQLNS or not, as part of the WF study. Placental samples were obtained at delivery (control, n = 24; SQLNS, n = 24). Placental protein or mRNA expression of eukaryotic translation initiation factor binding protein-1 (4E-BP1), ribosomal protein S6 (rpS6), AMP-activated protein kinase α (AMPKA), IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R), and pregnancy associated plasma protein (PAPP)-A, and DNA methylation of the IGF1 promoter were determined. Maternal serum IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-3, IGFBP-4, IGFBP-5, PAPP-A, PAPP-A2, and zinc were measured. RESULTS: Mean ± SEM maternal prepregnancy BMI differed between participants in Guatemala (26.5 ± 1.3) and Pakistan (19.8 ± 0.7) (P < 0.001). In Pakistani participants, SQLNS increased the placental rpS6(T37/46):rpS6 ratio (1.5-fold) and decreased the AMPKA(T172):AMPKA ratio. Placental IGF1 mRNA expression was positively correlated with birth length and birth weight z-scores. Placental PAPP-A (30-fold) and maternal serum zinc (1.2-fold) increased with SQLNS. In Guatemalan participants SQLNS did not influence placental mTOR signaling. Placental IGF-1R protein expression was positively associated with birth length and birth weight z-scores. SQLNS increased placental PAPP-A (40-fold) and maternal serum IGFBP-4 (1.6-fold). CONCLUSIONS: In Pakistani pregnant women with poor nutritional status, preconceptional SQLNS activated placental mTOR and IGF-1 signaling and was associated with improved fetal growth. In contrast, in Guatemalan women SQLNS did not activate placental nutrient-sensing pathways. In populations experiencing childhood stunting, preconceptional SQLNS improves placental function and fetal growth only in the context of poor maternal nutrition. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01883193.

Growth from Birth Through Six Months for Infants of Mothers in the "Women First" Preconception Maternal Nutrition Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the fetal linear growth effects of maternal nutrition supplementation would be maintained through 6 months postnatal age. STUDY DESIGN: The Women First trial was a multicountry, individually randomized clinical trial that compared the impact of maternal nutrition supplementation initiated preconception (Arm 1) vs at ∼11 weeks of gestation (Arm 2), vs no supplement (Arm 3); the intervention was discontinued at delivery. Trial sites were in Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, India, and Pakistan. Analysis includes 2421 infants born to 2408 randomized women. Primary outcome was the trajectory of length-for-age z scores (LAZ) by arm, based on assessments at birth and 1, 3, and 6 months. We fitted longitudinal models on growth from birth to 6 months using generalized estimating equations; maternal intervention effects were evaluated, adjusting for site and baseline maternal covariates. RESULTS: Linear growth for Arms 1 and 2 was statistically greater than for Arm 3 in 3 of the 4 countries, with average pairwise mean differences in LAZ of 0.25 (95% CI 0.15-0.35; P < .001) and 0.19 (95% CI 0.09-0.28; P < .001), respectively. Compared with Arm 3, average overall adjusted relative risks (95% CI) for stunting (LAZ <-2) were lower for Arms 1 and 2: 0.76 (0.66-0.87; P < .001) and 0.77 (0.67-0.88; P < .001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Improved linear growth in early infancy observed for the 2 intervention arms supports the critical importance of maternal nutrition before conception and in the early phase of gestation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01883193.

Factors Influencing the Commitment of Students to Radiology as a Career Choice During Medical School Education.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to analyze the significance of specific factors in choosing radiology as a specialty compared to switching to/from a different specialty as reported in the Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) and Matriculating Student Questionnaire (MSQ) data provided by Association of American Medical Colleges. METHOD AND MATERIALS: The study cohort included students who completed both the MSQ and GQ questionnaires in the span of 3-5 years. The cohort was divided into three groups-"Committed" (students who chose radiology in both the first and final year of medical school), "Switched Away" (students who chose radiology on the MSQ but later switched to a different specialty, and "Switched-To" (students who chose radiology on GQ after initially selecting an alternate specialty on the MSQ). RESULTS: Of 1965 students who chose radiology between the years 2013 and 2016, 281 were Committed, 625 Switched-Away, and 1059 Switched-To. There were significant differences among the groups for salary, length of residency, and work-life balance factors. In the Switched-Away group, more students were influenced by length of residency (18% vs. 5%, p < 0.001) and fewer were influenced by salary (21% vs. 30%, p=0.004) or work-life balance (54% vs. 66%, p = 0.001) when compared to the Committed group. The Switched-To group did not significantly differ from the Committed group (all p > 0.05) for length of residency (6% vs. 5%), salary (30% vs. 30%) and work-life balance (69% vs. 66%). CONCLUSION: The data provide insight into factors that influence medical students to initially commit to, switch away from, and switch to radiology during medical school. Understanding these dynamics can inform mentors to guide medical students who are interested in a radiology career.

B-Vitamins and Choline in Human Milk Are Not Impacted by a Preconception Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplement, but Differ Among Three Low-to-Middle Income Settings-Findings From the Women First Trial.

Introduction: Optimal human milk (HM) B-vitamin concentrations remain undefined, especially in areas where undernutrition is prevalent. The impact of supplementation pre-conception through pregnancy on HM B-vitamin composition remains unknown. Methods: Human milk (HM) was collected at 2-weeks postpartum from 200 women in Guatemala, India, and Pakistan (the Women First Trial). The women were randomized to start a lipid-based nutrient supplement before conception, at end of the first trimester, or not at all; intervention continued until delivery. HM concentrations of eight B-vitamins and choline were assessed via ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Maternal diet was assessed in early pregnancy, and infant growth followed through 6 months post-delivery. Results: Despite supplement exposure averaging 15.7 (pre-conception arm) and 6.0 months (prenatal arm), HM B-vitamins did not differ between arms, but site differences were evident. Guatemala had higher HM concentrations of vitamin B3 than Pakistan and India. Pakistan had higher HM concentrations of thiamin and vitamin B6 than India and Guatemala. Cohort average HM vitamin B2 (162 ± 79 µg/L) and B6 (31.8 ± 24.6 µg/L) fell below values defined as deficient in 81.5 and 85.5% of samples, potentially reflecting sampling procedures and timing. Maternal dietary intakes of only vitamin B6 and choline were associated with the corresponding concentrations in HM (p < 0.005). No HM B-vitamin concentrations were associated with infant growth. Conclusion: Prenatal supplementation for at least 6 months had no impact on HM B-vitamin concentrations at 2-weeks postpartum. Results suggest that the adequacy of HM composition was generally maintained, with potential exceptions of vitamin B2 and B6.