Vocal health of parents of children with hearing assistive devices.

Background & Objectives: VH (Vocal health) is the need of the hour. VH of parents of children with hearing assistive devices (HAD) reveals a literature gap, during the habilitation process of their children. To explore the vocal health of parents of children with hearing assistive devices. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Riphah International University from September to December 2021. Study recruited N=384 parents of Hearing Impaired children (HIC) using HAD for at least two years, of both genders and aged 2-9 years using convenience sampling. Voice-related quality of life (V-RQOL), and vocal health Index (VHI) -10 were used for data collection. Data was analyzed on SPSS Version 25. Descriptive statistics, Anova and t-test were utilized to see difference between means of groups. P<0.05 shows significant-results. Results: Parents of children using hearing assistive devices had excellent V-RQOL score in 350(91.14%) parents. There was no significant difference in V=RQOL as regards type of hearing assistive device use (p=0.102), laterality of device use (p=0.918) and degree of hearing loss (p=0.143). However, type of hearing loss revealed significant difference (p=0.021). Also VHI score revealed significantly (p=0.008) lower means in parents of children with cochlear implants. Conclusion: Current study concludes that the parents raising hearing impaired children with hearing assistive devices, possess good vocal health as determined by VHI and V-RQOL scores with only a very small number of parents reporting vocal symptoms.

Comparison Of Efficacy Of High Dose Dexamethasone With Conventional Prednisolone In The Treatment Of Newly Diagnosed Adult Patients Of Immunthrombocytopenic Purpura.

BACKGROUND: Immune thrombocytopenic purpura with multimodal incidence having peaks in each age groups is a chronic clinical syndrome in adults, with disease more predominant in females in adults. The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy (response rate) of high dose dexamethasone with conventional prednisolone in the treatment of newly diagnosed adult patients of Immune thrombocytopenic purpura. It was a prospective quasi-experimental study, conducted at the Department of Medicine of a tertiary care hospital from Jan to Dec 2019. METHODS: The sample population comprised of 130 cases of newly diagnosed ITP patients, having platelet count <30,000/ul with or without bleeding symptoms who received either dexamethasone (40 mg/day for 04 days) or prednisolone (0.5-1 mg/kg PSL for 01 week). Treatment response was measured at day 7. RESULTS: Out of 130 patients 65 patients were treated with dexamethasone and 65 patients with prednisolone .83.08% (n=54) cases in Group-A and 33.85% (n=22) in Group-B had response while remaining 16.92% (n=11) in Group-A and 66.15% (n=43) in Group-B had no response. The p value was calculated as 0.000 which shows a significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that high dose of dexamethasone shows a significantly higher response when compared with conventional prednisolone in the treatment of newly diagnosed adult patients of Immune thrombocytopenia purpura.

Mediastinal Lymphadenopathy As A Predictor Of Worse Outcome In Severe Covid-19 Cases.

BACKGROUND: This cross-sectional study is aimed at evaluating the association of mediastinal lymphadenopathy with COVID-19 prognosis in severe cases. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medicine, Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Pakistan, from June to July 2020. METHODS: One hundred and fifty (150) laboratory-confirmed SARS CoV-2 infected, severe cases in Intensive Care Unit/ High Dependency Unit were included. These cases were divided into two categories, i.e., with and without mediastinal lymphadenopathy on High Resolution Computed Tomography chest. The two categories were compared on the basis of data obtained including age, gender, comorbid, White Blood Cell count, lymphocyte count, median days of hospitalization, need for invasive ventilation, Intensive Care Unit admission, clinical outcome and High-Resolution Computed Tomography chest findings. The data was compiled on a questionnaire and analysed on SPSS 24. RESULTS: Total 155 severe COVID-19 patients were reviewed, out of which 36 (23.2%) had mediastinal lymphadenopathy (category 1) and 119 (76.8%) had no mediastinal lymphadenopathy (category 2). Laboratory findings including median of white blood cells and lymphocyte percentage had no significant change in both categories. Intensive care unit admissions were 12 (33.3%) and 56 (47.1%) in category 1 and 2 respectively. Median days of hospitalization (8 days) and mortality rate (16%) were almost the same in both categories. CONCLUSIONS: Our study concludes that presence of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in severe COVID-19 cases is not associated with worse outcome. However, overall prevalence of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in severe cases is high (23.2%).