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1.
Cureus ; 16(3): e56704, 2024 Mar.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38646383

This systematic review aims to compare the efficacy and safety of a novel immunotherapy with low-dose interleukin 2 (IL2) across two of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases i.e. systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Contemporary therapeutic practices have not been able to achieve complete remission from these autoimmune disorders. In contrast, low-dose IL2 has shown promise in achieving this therapeutic goal via inducing self-tolerance in patients with autoimmune diseases; however, due to variable irregularities among autoimmune processes of variable diseases, the benefit of low-dose IL2 could not be determined among different autoimmune diseases. Therefore, we conducted a study to compare low-dose IL2 therapy effects on SLE and RA. We systematically screened four databases: PubMed, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), PubMed Central (PMC), and Google Scholar. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were implemented. Quality appraisal of studies chosen for the review was done using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias (RoB) assessment tool for randomized controlled trials, and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and JBI critical appraisal tool for non-randomized clinical trials. Information was gathered from seven articles: three randomized controlled trials and four non-randomized clinical trials. Our review concluded that low-dose IL2 therapy in conjunction with respective standard therapies for SLE and RA has a higher efficacy and safety profile as compared to standard therapy alone and the therapeutic effects were comparable in both SLE and RA patients treated with low-dose IL2; however, this novel intervention does not seem to have a significant corrective effect on the biomarkers of RA as it does for SLE biomarkers.

2.
Cureus ; 16(3): e56833, 2024 Mar.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38654766

Limb fractures are a common cause of pediatric hospital admissions and surgeries, with a significant prevalence in the United Kingdom across all injury categories. Among psychiatric conditions in children, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) stands out as frequently associated with fractures, particularly those involving extremities. ADHD, with diagnoses prevalent among a significant proportion of school-age children and adolescents, has witnessed a growing global incidence. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 checklist for our systematic literature search, using various databases and specific search terms related to ADHD and fractures. We considered articles from 2018 to 2023, focusing on English language papers with free full-text access. Our selection process used the PRISMA flowchart. We began with 1,890 articles and, after deduplication, title screening, abstract assessment, and quality evaluation included nine research papers in our review. Our primary focus was on examining fracture-related outcomes in individuals with ADHD compared to those without, considering medication status. These studies encompassed various designs, with a focus on the ADHD-fracture relationship and methylphenidate's (MPH) impact. Our study confirms that ADHD increases fracture risk and suggests that MPH may help mitigate this risk. Early ADHD detection is vital for nonpharmacological interventions. Orthopedic surgeons should proactively identify ADHD, while healthcare professionals should offer injury prevention guidance, particularly for at-risk groups.

3.
Cureus ; 16(3): e55980, 2024 Mar.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38606271

As the global incidence of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is on the rise, there is a need for better diagnostic criteria, better treatment options, early and appropriate diagnosis, adequate care, and a multidisciplinary approach to the management of patients. This systematic review explores the role of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in IPF and answers the question, "Does proton pump inhibitor improve only the prognosis of gastroesophageal associated idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or for other types of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis too?" We used PubMed (PMC) and Google Scholar for data collection for this systematic review and followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for conducting this review. After in-depth literature screening and quality appraisal, 12 articles were selected for this systematic review. On the one hand, the efficacy of PPI therapy is supported by research such as the CAPACITY and ASCEND trials, a pilot randomized control trial (RCT) investigating the role of omeprazole in IPF and a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study, respectively. On the other hand, a systematic review and meta-analysis on antacid and antireflux surgery in IPF negate these results and show no statistical significance. Questions regarding the efficacy of PPI therapy must be dealt with in an adequately powered multicenter and double-blinded randomized control trial. The anti-inflammatory properties of antacids can serve as the cornerstone for future trials. In the following systematic review, antacid, antireflux therapy, omeprazole, and proton pump therapy are synonymous with stomach acid suppression therapy.

4.
Org Biomol Chem ; 22(18): 3708-3724, 2024 05 08.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38639206

Despite the high global prevalence, rheumatoid arthritis lacks a satisfactory treatment. Hence, the present study is undertaken to design and synthesize novel anti-inflammatory compounds. For this, quinoline and anthranilic acid, two medicinally-privileged moieties, were linked by pharmacophore hybridization, and following their computational assessments, three hybrids 5a-c were synthesized in good over all yields. The in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory potential of these hybrids was determined by anti-denaturation and anti-proteinase, and carrageenan-induced paw edema models. The computational studies of these hybrids revealed their drug-likeness, optimum pharmacokinetics, and less toxicity. Moreover, they demonstrated high binding affinity (-9.4 to -10.6 kcal mol-1) and suitable binding interactions for TNF-α, FLAP, and COX-II. A three-step synthetic route resulted in the hybrids 5a-c with 83-86% yield of final step. At 50 µg mL-1, the antiprotease and anti-denaturation activity of compound 5b was significantly higher than 5a and 5c. Furthermore, 5b significantly reduced the edema in the right paw of the rats that received carrageenan. The results of this study indicate the medicinal worth of the novel hybrids in treating inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.


Drug Design , Edema , Molecular Docking Simulation , Quinolines , ortho-Aminobenzoates , Quinolines/chemistry , Quinolines/pharmacology , Quinolines/chemical synthesis , Animals , Edema/drug therapy , Edema/chemically induced , ortho-Aminobenzoates/chemistry , ortho-Aminobenzoates/pharmacology , ortho-Aminobenzoates/chemical synthesis , Rats , Carrageenan , Male , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/chemistry , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/chemical synthesis , Molecular Structure , Rats, Wistar , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/chemistry , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/chemical synthesis , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Structure-Activity Relationship , Cyclooxygenase 2/metabolism , Cyclooxygenase 2/chemistry
5.
Front Neurol ; 14: 1265789, 2023.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37881313

Objective: Since its discovery as an antioxidant, melatonin has been increasingly recognized for its therapeutic potential beyond sleep disturbances in neurodegenerative disorders. This study aims to evaluate efficacy of various melatonin doses, treatment durations, and formulations, in alleviating motor symptoms and sleep disturbances in Parkinson's disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov and other databases were systematically searched to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) administrating melatonin to Parkinson's disease patients until June 10th, 2023. Outcomes including Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) scores and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores, were pooled and reported as mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Meta-analysis was performed using an inverse variance random-effects model in Review Manager 5.4 software. Trial Sequential Analysis was performed to avoid false-positive results from random errors. Results: Five RCTs with a total of 155 patients were included. Statistically significant reductions in UPDRS total scores were observed in groups receiving Melatonin ≥10 mg/day (MD = -11.35, 95% CI: -22.35 to -0.35, I2 = 0%, p = 0.04) and immediate release formulations (MD = -11.35, 95% CI: -22.35 to -0.35, I2 = 0%, p = 0.04). No significant effects on individual UPDRS II, III, and IV scores were observed, regardless of melatonin dosage and treatment duration. Moreover, significant improvements in PSQI scores were observed with only immediate-release melatonin formulations (MD = -2.86, 95% CI: -4.74 to -0.97, I2 = 0%, p = 0.003). Conclusion: Melatonin ≥10 mg/day for a minimum duration of ≥12 weeks in immediate-release formulations consistently demonstrated significant therapeutic potential in improving motor symptom and sleep disturbances in Parkinson disease. However, further trials are warranted to investigate its impact when initiated early in the disease course to fully explore its true therapeutic potential. Systematic review registration: Unique identifier: CRD42023427491 (PROSPERO).

6.
Pak J Pharm Sci ; 36(4(Special)): 1361-1365, 2023 Jul.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37606029

The study examined the efficacy of various immunosuppressants in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. We compared the efficacy of Azathioprine and Methotrexate in the treatment of CIDP. Patients of either gender aged ≥18 years having chronic polyneuropathy progressive for at least 8 weeks having no serum para protein or any genetic abnormality and fulfilling the Koski criteria. To measure the efficacy, Overall Neuropathy Limitation Scale (ONLS) was used. Group 1 was treated with a combination of oral steroids i.e., Prednisolone and Azathioprine while group 2 was treated with a combination of Prednisolone and Methotrexate. ONLS was statistically insignificant in the patient groups (AZA versus MTX) at the beginning of the therapy (from 1-3 months) in both groups. However, in the 4th month, the AZA group performed better than the MTX group. At the 12th month, the mean ONLS score of the patients in the AZA group was 3.69, while the mean ONLS score of the patients in the MTX group was 5.30 (p-value=0.001). We concluded that Azathioprine was more efficacious as compared to Methotrexate in the treatment of CIDP based on ONLS and should be considered as a first-line immunosuppressant in the treatment of CIDP in low-income countries like Pakistan.


Azathioprine , Polyradiculoneuropathy, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating , Humans , Adolescent , Adult , Azathioprine/therapeutic use , Methotrexate/therapeutic use , Polyradiculoneuropathy, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating/drug therapy , Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use , Prednisolone
7.
J Pak Med Assoc ; 73(3): 471-475, 2023 Mar.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36932744

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of restless leg syndrome in patients with spinal cord injury using a consensus criterion. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted from November 29, 2018, to February 28, 2021 at the departments of Neurology and Orthopaedic Surgery, King Edward Medical University, Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, and comprised patients of either gender aged 18-80 years having spinal cord injuries. All the patients were interviewed using a 10-item questionnaire, and were assessed using the five-point consensus criteria of the International Restless Leg Syndrome Study Group. Data was analysed using SPSS 20. RESULTS: Of the 253 patients, 128(50.6%) were males and 125(49.4%) were females. The overall mean age was 38.6±14.2 years. Restless leg syndrome was present in 116(45.8%) patients, and 64(55.2%) of them were males (p>0.05). The mean duration of the symptoms was 18.9±16.9 months. Causes of spinal cord injury included metastasis 28(11.1%) multiple sclerosis 32(12.6%), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders 68(26.9%), tuberculous spondylitis 85(33.6%), trauma 24(9.5%) and viral myelitis 16(6.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Restless leg syndrome was prevalent in less than half the patients having spinal cord injury. It was more prevalent in males compared to females, but the difference was not significant.


Neuromyelitis Optica , Restless Legs Syndrome , Spinal Cord Injuries , Male , Female , Humans , Young Adult , Adult , Middle Aged , Restless Legs Syndrome/epidemiology , Prevalence , Cross-Sectional Studies , Spinal Cord Injuries/complications , Spinal Cord Injuries/epidemiology , Neuromyelitis Optica/complications , Spinal Cord
8.
eNeurologicalSci ; 29: 100429, 2022 Dec.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36281347

Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease (KFD) is a rare disease marked by necrotizing lymphadenitis, often presenting as unilateral cervical lymphadenopathy, along with various extranodal manifestations such as fever, skin rash, hepatosplenomegaly, and arthritis, etc. KFD is thought to be secondary to either a viral infection or an autoimmune process, however, evidence in favor of both models is scarce and non-definitive. We report a case of a young female who presented with persistent high-grade fever, bilateral cervical and axillary lymphadenopathy, and leukopenia. Excisional biopsy of affected lymph nodes revealed well-circumscribed foci of necrosis with karyorrhectic debris and scattered fibrin deposits characteristic of KFD. The patient was promptly initiated on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), however, despite an early improvement in symptoms, the patient soon developed aseptic meningitis, a rare neurological complication of KFD. Intravenous followed by oral corticosteroid therapy reported a good prognosis, with no observable residual neurological deficits. Knowledge of the disease and its complications significantly helped in the avoidance of unnecessary investigations and a delay in treatment.

9.
Pak J Pharm Sci ; 35(2(Special)): 685-694, 2022 Mar.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35668571

Microscopic, phytochemical and pharmacological profiles are required for correct identification of a plant material to ensure consistent efficacy and safety. But such data are not available for the leaf of an important medicinal plant, Zizyphus oxyphylla Edgew. (Family: Rhamnaceae). Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate leaves of the plant for microscopic, phytochemical and antibacterial studies. Powdered material was subjected to microscopy, proximate analyses and estimation of total primary metabolites. Then, different types of extracts prepared using various solvents in order of increasing polarity were screened for antibacterial activity against seven standard strains. The most active extract was hydrolyzed and aglycone enriched fraction was extracted and screened for antibacterial activity. The powder microscopy indicated the presence of vascular bundles filled with cuboidal calcium oxalate crystals, anisocytic stomata and xylary vessels with reticulate and scalariform thickenings. Proximate features and primary metabolites provided characteristic identifying patterns. The most active extract (methanol) upon acidic hydrolysis exhibited higher activity against B. bronchiseptica (26.01±0.01 mm), S. aureus (26.00±0.00 mm), P. aeruginosa (24.03±0.02 mm) and M. luteus (24.02± 0.00 mm). The results of the current study provide identifying microscopic and phytochemical profiles that may be useful for correct identification of leaves of the plant. Aglycone enriched extract is having remarkable antibacterial activity hence may be used for activity-guided isolation.


Ziziphus , Anti-Bacterial Agents , Phytochemicals , Plant Extracts , Plant Leaves/chemistry , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Staphylococcus aureus
10.
Ann Med Surg (Lond) ; 75: 103351, 2022 Mar.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35198188

INTRODUCTION: and importance: Heroin-induced leukoencephalopathy (HLE) is a rare illness that causes diffuse white matter destruction, leading to acute or subacute development of neurological signs and symptoms. Physicians must be aware of the likely clinical presentation to properly evaluate and diagnose this clinical entity. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a young gentleman who presented with acute stupor following his first instance of heroin vapor inhalation. He later confessed to trans-conjunctival application of the drug as well. His Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score improved within four days of admission, however, the neurologic sequalae such as cognitive impairment, spastic paraparesis and urge incontinence only partially resolved at three months. Abnormal white matter hyperintensities with restricted diffusion on brain magnetic resonance imaging and history of heroin abuse led to diagnosis of toxic leukoencephalopathy. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Leukoencephalopathy with heroin is mostly observed after inhalation (i.e., "chasing the dragon") but other routes of abuse have also been reported. Although a large spectrum of presentations exists, altered mental status, cerebellar dysfunction and fecal/urinary incontinence are the most commonly seen presenting features. Anti-oxidant therapy has shown promising results in terms of treatment. CONCLUSION: The growing rates of opioid use disorders require physicians to be aware of and counsel the patients regarding dangerous neurological sequelae of these drugs.

11.
Curr Med Res Opin ; 38(5): 687-696, 2022 05.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35175879

OBJECTIVE: Neuropsychiatric disorders in brain tumor patients are commonly observed. It is difficult to anticipate these disorders in different types of brain tumors. The goal of the study was to see how well machine learning (ML)-based decision algorithms might predict neuropsychiatric problems in different types of brain tumors. METHODS: 145 histopathologically-confirmed primary brain tumors of both gender aged 25-65 years of age, were included for neuropsychiatric assessments. The datasets of brain tumor patients were employed for building the models. Four different decision ML classification trees/models (J48, Random Forest, Random Tree & Hoeffding Tree) with supervised learning were trained, tested, and validated on class labeled data of brain tumor patients. The models were compared in order to determine the best accurate classifier in predicting neuropsychiatric problems in various brain tumors. Following categorical attributes as independent variables (predictors) were included from the data of brain tumor patients: age, gender, depression, dementia, and brain tumor types. With the machine learning decision tree/model techniques, a multi-target classification was performed with classes of neuropsychiatric diseases that were predicted from the selected attributes. RESULTS: 86 percent of patients were depressed, and 55 percent were suffering from dementia. Anger was the most often reported neuropsychiatric condition in brain tumor patients (92.41%), followed by sleep disorders (83%), apathy (80%), and mood swings (76.55%). When compared to other tumor types, glioblastoma patients had a higher rate of depression (20%) and dementia (20.25%). The developed models Random Forest and Random Tree were found successful with an accuracy of up to 94% (10-folds) for the prediction of neuropsychiatric disorders in brain tumor patients. The multiclass target (neuropsychiatric ailments) accuracies were having good measures of precision (0.9-1.0), recall (0.9-1.0), F-measure (0.9-1.0), and ROC area (0.9-1.0) in decision models. CONCLUSION: Random Forest Trees can be used to accurately predict neuropsychiatric illnesses. Based on the model output, the ML-decision trees will aid the physician in pre-diagnosing the mental issue and deciding on the best therapeutic approach to avoid subsequent neuropsychiatric issues in brain tumor patients.


Brain Neoplasms , Dementia , Sleep Wake Disorders , Algorithms , Brain Neoplasms/complications , Brain Neoplasms/diagnosis , Humans , Machine Learning
12.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak ; 32(12): SS187-SS189, 2022 12.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36597334

Myotonic dystrophy is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder primarily affecting muscle function. Myotonia, progressive muscle weakness and wasting, and associated systemic involvement, i.e., cataracts, cardiac conduction defects and endocrine abnormalities especially insulin resistance, are the characteristic features. Recent evidence has shown an increased risk of developing benign as well as malignant tumours in such patients. We report a 39-year male of myotonic dystrophy who presented with multiple cerebral cavernous malformations in addition to pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland. Though the association of myotonic dystrophy with salivary gland neoplasms has been sparsely documented in the literature, but the co-existence with multiple cerebral cavernous malformations has not been reported so far. Our case is the first of its kind. Key Words: Cerebral cavernous malformations, Myotonic dystrophy, Parotid gland, Pleomorphic adenoma.


Adenoma, Pleomorphic , Hemangioma, Cavernous, Central Nervous System , Myotonic Dystrophy , Parotid Neoplasms , Humans , Male , Parotid Gland , Myotonic Dystrophy/complications , Myotonic Dystrophy/pathology , Parotid Neoplasms/complications , Parotid Neoplasms/pathology , Adenoma, Pleomorphic/complications , Adenoma, Pleomorphic/pathology , Hemangioma, Cavernous, Central Nervous System/complications
13.
Ann Med Surg (Lond) ; 72: 103080, 2021 Dec.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34840779

The rise in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases is revealing its unique neurological manifestations. In light of the emerging evidence, a possible association with Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) is being consistently reported. We conducted a systematic literature search on four databases namely Pubmed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. After rigorous screening as per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a total of 34 articles describing 56 cases were selected as a part of this review. The mean age of the patients was 56.6 ± 15.3 years. The most common clinical presentation of PRES was altered mental status (58.9%) followed by seizures (46.4%) and visual disturbances (23.2%) while hypertension and diabetes mellitus were the most commonly reported comorbidities. 91.1% of the cases reported Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or Computed Tomography (CT) findings suggestive of PRES in the brain. Symptomatic management was employed in most of the cases to control seizures and blood pressure, and 44 patients (78.5%) fully or partially recovered. The most likely underlying mechanism involves COVID-19 mediated cytokine storm syndrome that leads to endothelial damage and increased permeability of the cerebral vessels, thus causing the characteristic edema of PRES. High neuronal and glial cell expression of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptors also suggests the possibility of direct viral damage. Since timely diagnosis and treatment reports a good prognosis, it is vital for physicians and neurologists to be well-versed with this association.

14.
Pak J Pharm Sci ; 34(1(Supplementary)): 275-281, 2021 Jan.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34275851

This study investigated the significance of difference between presence and absence of different neurological findings in COVID-19, in relation with the biochemistry. Various significant correlations in connection with the disease severity and clinical factors were also identified. 351 COVID-19 patients were included. Different laboratory/ clinical findings were investigated. Correlations Kendall's tau and Pearson Chi-Square were applied to find the correlations between severity and clinical findings. The Mann-Whitney Test was applied for a comparison between two types of neurological groups for each biochemistry parameter. Headache was reported in 28% and dizziness in 13% patients. The impaired smell and impaired taste were reported in 28.5% and 36.2% patients, respectively. The muscle pain was present in 39% patients. 80% patients had low lymphocytes & 70% had high neutrophils. 54.5% were found with high ALP. LDH was elevated in 73%. Severity was found significantly correlated with decreased oxygen saturation, age and raised levels of urea, creatinine and LDH. The groups (with/without CNS involvement) were statistically different in ALP, groups (with/without PNS involvement) in WBC, lymphocytes, neutrophils, ALP, urea, creatinine, CK, CKMB and LDH and groups (with/without MSK involvement) in WBC. Oxygen saturation, age, urea, creatinine and LDH are significant indicators of disease severity in COVID-19. The altered levels of different biochemistry can impact the neurological states of COVID-19 patients.


COVID-19/blood , COVID-19/etiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Alkaline Phosphatase/blood , Biomarkers/blood , Blood Chemical Analysis , COVID-19/diagnostic imaging , COVID-19/epidemiology , Comorbidity , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neutrophils/pathology , Pakistan , Prospective Studies , Severity of Illness Index , Young Adult
15.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak ; 31(8): 965-968, 2021 Aug.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34320716

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of low and high anti-AChR (acetylcholine receptor) antibody titers and to evaluate their relationship with clinical severity in myasthenia gravis. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional, observational study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Neurology, King Edward Medical University/Mayo Hospital, Lahore from April 2017 to March 2018. METHODOLOGY: Fifty-six seropositive patients, aged between 18-75 years, were included. A blood sample was obtained from each patient to assess for the anti-AChR antibody titers by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique and classified as low (0.4-<50 nmol/L) and high AChR antibody titers (>50 nmol/L). Clinical severity was graded according to the Osserman's classification. RESULTS: Out of 56 patients, 51.79% (n=29) were males and 48.21% (n=27) were females, and mean age was 32.73 +8.48 years. Mean anti-AChR antibody titer was found 40.45 + 13.54; 60.71% (n=34) had low and 39.29% (n=22) had high titers. Upon grading the severity, 1.79% (n=1) had grade I, 25% (n=14) had grade IIa, 26.79% (n=15) had grade IIb, 37.5% (n=21) had grade III, and 8.93% (n=5) had grade IV. These grades were significantly associated with high/low titers of anti-AChR antibody (p<0.001) but no significant association was found with age and gender (p=0.39 and 0.19 respectively). CONCLUSION: Serum concentration of anti-AChR antibodies has significant association with the clinical severity in myasthenia gravis. Key Words: Anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody, Myasthenia gravis, Neuromuscular junction diseases.


Myasthenia Gravis , Receptors, Cholinergic , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Autoantibodies , Cross-Sectional Studies , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Myasthenia Gravis/epidemiology , Young Adult
16.
J Pak Med Assoc ; 70(11): 1952-1955, 2020 Nov.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33341838

OBJECTIVE: To examine and contrast the levels of perceived non-specific and work-related stress and sources of work-related stress between medical and psychiatric nurses. METHODS: The comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at one psychiatric and three general hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan, from November 2014 to February 2015. Data was collected using a self-report survey administered to psychiatric and medical nurses. Instruments used to collect data comprised a demographic sheet, the perceived stress scale and the Devilliers, Carson and Leary stress scale. Data was analysed using SPSS 17. RESULTS: Of the 134 subjects, 49(44%) were psychiatric nurses and 85(63.43%) were medical nurses. The two groups were significantly different in terms of age, marital status and years of experience (p<0.05). Medical nurses reported higher perceived stress than psychiatric nurses (p=0.001). Age was positively associated with non-specific perceived stress (p=0.006). Nurses with more work experience reported lower scores (p=0.002). Single nurses had higher perceived stress (p=0.014) and non-mothers reported higher stress levels (p=0.036). With regard to work-related stress, medical nurses reported significantly higher scores in the domains of staff-related issues (p=0.009), future prospects (p=0.026) and job satisfaction (p=0.029). CONCLUSIONS: Medical nurses experienced higher non-specific and work related stress than nurses working in mental health facilities.


Nursing Staff, Hospital , Psychiatric Department, Hospital , Cross-Sectional Studies , Humans , Job Satisfaction , Pakistan , Surveys and Questionnaires
17.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak ; 30(8): 853-856, 2020 Aug.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32893799

OBJECTIVE:  To find the association between hyperuricemia and ischemic stroke. STUDY DESIGN:  Case-control study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY:  Departments of Medicine and Neurology, Mayo Hospital, Lahore, from October 2015 to September 2016. METHODOLOGY:  A total of 100 patients were recruited in the study. Fifty cases were of acute ischemic stroke and fifty were age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Serum uric acid level was estimted by photometry method at the time of admission. Hyperuricemia was defined as the serum uric acid level of more than 6 mg/dl. RESULTS:  Mean serum uric acid levels in cases and controls were 5.996 ±1.99 mg/dl and 5.042 ±0.91 mg/dl, respectively. Hyperuricemia was present in 23 (46%) patients with ischemic stroke and in 10 (20%) controls. Among ischemic stroke patients, the frequency of hyperuricemia was significantly higher than in controls (p-value =0.006, Odds Ratio (OR) =3.41.) Conclusion: Serum uric acid was found significantly elevated in ischemic stroke patients versus controls with 3.41 times more risk of having hyperuricemia in ischemic stroke patients. Key Words: Hyperuricemia, Ischemic stroke, Serum uric acid (SUA).


Brain Ischemia , Hyperuricemia , Ischemic Stroke , Stroke , Brain Ischemia/epidemiology , Brain Ischemia/etiology , Case-Control Studies , Humans , Hyperuricemia/complications , Hyperuricemia/epidemiology , Risk Factors , Stroke/epidemiology , Uric Acid
18.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak ; 30(3): 321-323, 2020 Mar.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32169145

Aquaporin-4 antibodies are hallmark of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) that are distinct disease entities. We report a 24-year male with NMO, who presented with Brown-Sequard syndrome. Clinical and laboratory parameters confirmed the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Involvement of sympathetic trunk causing Horner's syndrome and a wide time lapse of 13 years from the occurrence of optic neuritis to myelitis with no relapses in between is a rarity to be seen in NMO associated with SLE.


Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/complications , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/diagnosis , Neuromyelitis Optica/diagnosis , Neuromyelitis Optica/etiology , Humans , Male , Young Adult
19.
Pak J Pharm Sci ; 33(5(Special)): 2399-2403, 2020 Sep.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33832881

This study aimed to diagnose the incidence of restless leg syndrome (RLS) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) type-2, thorough artificial intelligence based multilayer perceptron (MLP). 300 cases of diabetes mellitus type-2, of age between 18-80 years were included. Point-biserial correlation/Pearson Chi-Square correlations were conducted between RLS and risk factors. We trained a backpropagation MLP via. supervised learning algorithm to predict clinical outcome for RLS. Majority of the patients were having hypertension (63%) and with peripheral neuropathy (69%). Two mostly reported scaled parameters were: 18% 'tiredness' and 14%, 'impact on mood'. A significant correlation was found in RLS with smoking, hypertension and chronic renal failure (CRF). MLP model achieved more than 95% accuracy in predicting the outcome with cross entropy error 0.5%. Following scaled symptomatic variables: 'need/urge to move' (100%) achieved the highest normalized importance, followed by 'relief by moving' (85.7%), 'sleep disturbance' (62%) and 'impact on mood' (51.3%). Artificial intelligence based models can help physicians to identify the pre diagnose RLS, so that active measures can be taken in time to avoid further complications.


Artificial Intelligence , Decision Support Techniques , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology , Restless Legs Syndrome/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Algorithms , Cross-Sectional Studies , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/diagnosis , Female , Humans , Incidence , Male , Middle Aged , Neural Networks, Computer , Pakistan/epidemiology , Predictive Value of Tests , Prevalence , Restless Legs Syndrome/diagnosis , Risk Assessment , Risk Factors , Young Adult
20.
Pak J Pharm Sci ; 32(4(Supplementary)): 1767-1772, 2019 Jul.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31680071

A chemically preserved food has raised mental health issues. Abnormalities in liver and kidney functions have been reported from mentally imbalanced individuals. This study was focused on finding anxiety issues and biochemistry alterations in brain tumor patients and in controls. The levels of liver & kidney enzymes were compared in both groups through Mann-Whitney U test. Kendall's tau-b correlation was conducted to determine that is there any relationship between anxiety levels and biochemistry parameters in both groups. There was more occurrence of severe anxiety levels (58%) in brain tumor patients. There were more mood swings in CG (64%) as compared to BP (48%). Less sleeping pattern was found in CG (42%) as compared to BP (37%). More patients (58%) were having severe anxiety levels as compared to CG (52%). 73% patients were having low levels of alkaline phosphatase (AP). 52% individuals in CG were having low levels of AP. AP was found significantly associated with anxiety levels in brain tumor patients only. A nutrient deprived food from preservation can reduce levels of alkaline phosphatase. This can impact metabolism of necessary minerals for proper brain function. This epidemiological study reports a significant association between anxiety and reduced AP levels.


Antipsychotic Agents/adverse effects , Brain Neoplasms/physiopathology , Food Additives/adverse effects , Kidney/drug effects , Liver/drug effects , Water/adverse effects , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Alkaline Phosphatase/metabolism , Anxiety/chemically induced , Brain Neoplasms/metabolism , Case-Control Studies , Child , Epidemiologic Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult
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