The Spectrum of Extra-intestinal Manifestation of Crohn's Disease.

Introduction Extra-intestinal manifestations (EIM) play an important role in the mortality, morbidity, and quality of life in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Understanding the prevalence and clinical course of these manifestations is important to understand and manage CD. Materials and methods The hospital records of 103 patients diagnosed with CD between July 2016 and December 2019 at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan were reviewed retrospectively. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics including sex, age, follow-up duration, CD phenotype at diagnosis, clinical features, and course of EIMs were noted. The diagnosis of CD was based on clinical features in combination with endoscopic and radiologic findings. CD phenotype at diagnosis was assessed using the Montreal Classification by the World Congress of Gastroenterology (WCOG). Results The mean age at diagnosis of CD was 31 ±8 years. The most common age group as per the Montreal classification at diagnosis was 17-40 years (68.93%). The most common localization of disease was ileocolonic (70.87%), and the most common disease behavior was non-stricturing and non-penetrating (82.52%). In this study, 41 (39.8%) patients had a minimum of one EIM. The most common EIM was anal skin tags (29.12%), while 24 (23.30%) patients had elevated liver function tests (LFTs), three (2.91%) had peripheral arthritis, and 12 (11.65%) had cutaneous manifestations, the most common being erythema nodosum (7.76%). The most common ophthalmological manifestation was anterior uveitis (3.88%). Conclusions EIMs are prevalent in CD patients in Pakistan, yet very little is known about them. Further large-scale studies are needed to assess the frequency and impact of EIMs on patients with CD.

Comparison of Atorvastatin and Rosuvastatin in Reduction of Inflammatory Biomarkers in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Introduction High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) has emerged to be a very useful and reliable clinical marker of primary as well as secondary cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Elevated hs-CRP contributes to underlying atherogenesis and worsens disease prognosis. Along with their lipid-lowering properties, statins also contribute to the alleviation of micro-inflammation and reduces pro-inflammatory markers. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of rosuvastatin and atorvastatin in lowering hs-CRP levels in statin-naive patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods In this prospective, open-label randomized trial, group A was given rosuvastatin 40 mg daily and group B was given atorvastatin 20 mg daily along with standard post-ACS therapy. Lipid profile (mg/dL), hs-CRP (mg/L) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (mm/Hr) were recorded and measured as the baseline (before starting therapy) and then again after four weeks. The data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows version 22.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results With four weeks of treatment, both group A and B showed statistically significant reduction in serum hs-CRP levels (p<0.0001). In group A, there was a mean 51% decrease in hs-CRP levels, and in group B, a 35% reduction was seen. Group A showed markedly low hs-CRP levels than group B after four weeks of therapy (18.46 ± 6.35 vs. 24.67 ± 8.45) (p<0.0001). Group A showed mean 16% decrease in ESR levels as compared to 14% decrease in group B. Group A showed lower ESR levels than group B after four weeks of therapy (19.59 ± 11.83 vs. 20.52 ± 12.13) (p<0.0001). Conclusion Rosuvastatin showed a 50% decrease and atorvastatin showed a 35% reduction in serum hs-CRP levels in statin-naive ACS patients. Rosuvastatin has a more effective role in reducing micro-inflammation in ACS patients.

Frequency of Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Introduction More than its motor symptoms, cognitive impairment is being increasingly identified as a cause of worse functional outcome, morbidity and mortality, and caregiver dependence in Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this study was to identify the frequency of cognitive decline and evaluate the factors associated with it. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 124 PD patients fulfilling the United Kingdom Parkinson's Disease Society Brain Bank Clinical Diagnostic Criteria were included. Motor and non-motor symptoms were recorded. Disease duration, age at the time of onset, and severity of disease on Hoehn and Yahr Scale (HY scale) were recorded. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSSs v. 22.0. Results The ratio of men to women was 7.2:1. The mean age of the participants was 64 ± 10 years (range: 38-82 years). Rigidity (n = 121; 97.5%), bradykinesia (n = 119; 95.9%), and tremor (n = 11; 90.3%) were the three most common symptoms. Cognitive impairment was present in 45 (36.3%) patients. Cognitive decline was more frequent in patients of age less than 50 years at the time of disease onset (p < 0.00001) and in those with disease duration more than 10 years (p = 0.00001). Patients with longer disease duration had more severe disease (stage III or above on HY scale; p = 0.008). Conclusion Motor symptoms such as rigidity, bradykinesia, and tremor remain the most frequent clinical presentation among Pakistani Parkinson's patients. One-third of these patients have cognitive dysfunction. Early age at the time of disease onset and longer duration of disease were associated with cognitive impairment.

Comparison of the Status of Sleep Quality in Basic and Clinical Medical Students.

Introduction Academic pressure and its associated stress are responsible for disturbances in the circadian cycle of the students. Adequate sleep has crucial role in enhancing cognitive skills especially memory retention. Poor night time sleep quality and consequent daytime sleepiness affects physical and cognitive health of the students. In this study, sleep quality among medical students is evaluated. Methods It was an observational, cross-sectional study conducted with undergraduate medical students. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess the sleep quality. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 22.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results Of 281 students, 155 (55.16%) were pre-clinical students and 126 (44.83%) were clinical students; 207 (73.66%) were female students and 74 (26.33%) were male. The overall frequency of poor sleepers was 172 (61.2%); 95 (55.2%) of these were clinical sciences and 77 (44.8%) were basic sciences students. Sleep latency, duration, and efficiency were more impaired in clinical students (p-value ≤ 0.05). Use of sleep medications and daytime dysfunction was more common in clinical students (p-value ≤ 0.05). Conclusion Medical students are continuously under high academic stress and pressure. Adequate sleep is essential for them to refresh them every day and help in learning and memory processing. Medical students in advance years of education have worse sleep quality than those in early years. Efforts should be taken to improve their sleep quality in order to protect the psychological and emotional health of future doctors.

Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among Final-year Medical Students.

Introduction The overall environment of the medical school is often considered very stressful. It projects negative effects not only on the academic performances of medical students but also deteriorate their physical health and psychosocial wellbeing. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of depression, stress, and anxiety among final year medical students. Methods This observational study was conducted in public and private medical colleges in February 2019. The instrument utilized in this study was Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Factors predisposing to depression, stress, and anxiety were also recorded. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS v. 21. Results The mean scores of depression, anxiety, and stress were 18.00 ± 11.5, 19.15 ± 11.2, and 20.92 ± 11.2, respectively. The mean score of anxiety and stress was higher in private college students, while that of depression was higher in public college students. Overall, 57.6% of the students suffered from moderate to extremely severe depression, 74% of the students suffered from moderate to extremely severe anxiety, and 57.7% students had moderate to extremely severe stress. The common reasons to high stress and anxiety included the pressure of passing exams, the pressure of living up to family's expectations, fear of stepping into the real world of medicine, and dissatisfaction with the administration. Conclusion The incidence of psychological illnesses including anxiety, stress, and depression is high among the medical students of Pakistan. Reasons predisposing the students to these illnesses must be efficiently tackled.