Association of follistatin and cytochrome p450 side-chain cleavage enzyme with polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Objectives: Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a complex disorder commonly found in women in their reproductive age around the globe. Due to its higher clinical implications and communicability, this research article describes epidemiological studies and the association of known microsatellite markers with PCOS in the Pakistani population. Methods: Data were collected from 62 Pakistani women. The study involved pedigree analysis which revealed recessive mode of inheritance in all of them. The mendelian ratio in marriages between non-PCOS (male) and PCOS (female) individuals remained 1:1 while between non-PCOS (male) and non-PCOS (female) remained 3:1, respectively. Results: The result showed that there was an association of marker D15S519 (CYP11A, 10q24.3) with family 5 with an X2 value of 7.78 (P < 0.01) while a strong association of marker D5S822 (FS, 5p14) with an X2 value of 4.89 (P < 0.05) was observed in family 2. In the case of family 1, a weak association of allele 1 with marker D19S212 (INSL3, 19p13.1) was observed with an X2 value of 2.25 (P > 0.10), While family 6 also presented a very weak association of homozygosity with marker D19S391 (INS receptor, 19p13.2) with X2 value of 3.45 (P ≥ 0.05). Conclusion: Findings indicated a higher prevalence of PCOS and highlights the emergence of more interventions to minimize the level of complications in women. Our intrusions intended to describe the genetic basis of PCOS in Pakistani population with special emphasis on large families in current study. Moreover, association of known loci for PCOS with our families.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2-specific anti-spike IgM, IgG, and anti-nucleocapsid IgG antibodies during the second wave of the pandemic: A population-based cross-sectional survey across Kashmir, India.

Background: Within Kashmir, which is one of the topographically distinct areas in the Himalayan belt of India, a total of 2,236 cumulative deaths occurred by the end of the second wave. We aimed to conduct this population-based study in the age group of 7 years and above to estimate the seropositivity and its attributes in Kashmir valley. Methods: We conducted a community-based household-level cross-sectional study, with a multistage, population-stratified, probability-proportionate-to-size, cluster sampling method to select 400 participants from each of the 10 districts of Kashmir. We also selected a quota of healthcare workers, police personnel, and antenatal women from each of the districts. Households were selected from each cluster and all family members with age 7 years or more were invited to participate. Information was collected through a standardized questionnaire and entered into Epicollect 5 software. Trained healthcare personnel were assigned for collecting venous blood samples from each of the participants which were transferred and processed for immunological testing. Testing was done for the presence of SARS-CoV-2-specific anti-spike IgM, IgG antibodies, and anti-nucleocapsid IgG antibodies. Weighted seropositivity was estimated along with the adjustment done for the sensitivity and specificity of the test used. Findings: The data were collected from a total of 4,229 participants from the general population within the 10 districts of Kashmir. Our results showed that 84.84% (95% CI 84.51-85.18%) of the participants were seropositive in the weighted imputed data among the general population. In multiple logistic regression, the variables significantly affecting the seroprevalence were the age group 45-59 years (odds ratio of 0.73; 95% CI 0.67-0.78), self-reported history of comorbidity (odds ratio of 1.47; 95% CI 1.33-1.61), and positive vaccination history (odds ratio of 0.85; 95% CI 0.79-0.90) for anti-nucleocapsid IgG antibodies. The entire assessed variables showed a significant role during multiple logistic regression analysis for affecting IgM anti-spike antibodies with an odds ratio of 1.45 (95% CI 1.32-1.57) for age more than 60 years, 1.21 (95% CI 1.15-1.27) for the female gender, 0.87 (95% CI 0.82-0.92) for urban residents, 0.86 (95% CI 0.76-0.92) for self-reported comorbidity, and an odds ratio of 1.16 (95% CI 1.08-1.24) for a positive history of vaccination. The estimated infection fatality ratio was 0.033% (95% CI: 0.034-0.032%) between 22 May and 31 July 2021 against the seropositivity for IgM antibodies. Interpretation: During the second wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, 84.84% (95% CI 84.51-85.18%) of participants from this population-based cross-sectional sample were seropositive against SARS-CoV-2. Despite a comparatively lower number of cases reported and lower vaccination coverage in the region, our study found such high seropositivity across all age groups, which indicates the higher number of subclinical and less severe unnoticed caseload in the community.

Polycystic ovaries in adolescent girls from Rawalpindi.

OBJECTIVES: To review different clinical endocrine manifestation of polycystic ovarian syndrome in adolescent girls. METHODS: A descriptive study was conducted in Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan from Nov 2001 to Oct 2002. Adolescent girls diagnosed with polycystic ovaries on ultrasound seen in the out patients department for menstrual problems were included in the study. Their body mass index, waist hip ratio, hirsutism scoring was done. Serum FSH and LH were estimated to see the ratio. Descriptive analysis was done using SPSS v.10. RESULTS: A total of 52 unmarried girls between 15 to 25 years of age were included. Most of the girls were having oligomenorrhea (88%). While overweight girls were 34 (65%) and mild to moderate hirsutism was seen in 46 (88%). Serum FSH:LH ratio was normal in 25 (48%) and raised in 27 (52%). Earliest manifestation was hirsutism, and as body weight increased, there was linear increase in hirsutism and menstrual disturbances. CONCLUSION: Polycystic ovarian syndrome is affecting the lives of young unmarried girls. The clinical manifestations are variable with obesity playing the key role.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG antibodies in Kashmir, India, 7 months after the first reported local COVID-19 case: results of a population-based seroprevalence survey from October to November 2020.

OBJECTIVES: We designed a population-based survey in Kashmir to estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG antibodies in the general population aged 18 years and above. SETTING: The survey was conducted among 110 villages and urban wards across 10 districts in Kashmir from 17 October 2020 to 4 November 2020. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 18 years and above were eligible to be included in the survey. Serum samples were tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG antibodies using the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: We labelled assay results equal to or above the cut-off index value of 1.4 as positive for SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG antibodies. Seroprevalence estimates were adjusted for the sampling design and assay characteristics. RESULTS: Out of 6397 eligible individuals enumerated, 6315 (98.7%) agreed to participate. The final analysis was done on 6230 participants. Seroprevalence adjusted for the sampling design and assay characteristics was 36.7% (95% CI 34.3% to 39.2%). Seroprevalence was higher among the older population. Among seropositive individuals, 10.2% (247/2415) reported a history of COVID-19-like symptoms. Out of 474 symptomatic individuals, 233 (49.2%) reported having been tested. We estimated an infection fatality rate of 0.034%. CONCLUSIONS: During the first 7 months of the COVID-19 epidemic in Kashmir Valley, approximately 37% of individuals were infected. The reported number of COVID-19 cases was only a small fraction of the estimated number of infections. A more efficient surveillance system with strengthened reporting of COVID-19 cases and deaths is warranted.