Impact of Laser Therapy on the Quality of Life in Women Living With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome-Associated Hirsutism: An Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to observe the impact of laser-assisted hair removal (LAHR) on the quality of life in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-associated hirsutism. METHODOLOGY: An observational study was conducted on 172 women living with PCOS at a specialized clinic. The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Ferriman-Gallwey (FG) score were employed to assess the quality of life and severity of hirsutism, respectively. Laser therapy was administered using ruby diode or alexandrite lasers. Follow-up on the DLQI and FG score assessment was done at 12-, 18-, and 24-week post-treatment. RESULTS: The number of cases that reported stress, anxiety, and depression reduced over time. However, there was no correlation between the patient-reported decrease and DLQI scores. The FG score was significantly related to mental health. The severity of the hirsutism impacted mental health. The regrowth of hair at six months indicated limited long-term efficacy LAHR. CONCLUSION:  LAHR significantly improves the quality of life in the short term for women living with PCOS. However, the short-term benefit of the therapy indicates a need for research to find new treatment strategies.

Correlation between allergic rhinitis or hay fever and lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The association between allergies and cancer is contradictory, whereas some forms of cancer have inverse associations with allergies. Allergic rhinitis (AR) is the most prevalent form of allergy, and lung cancer is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer with the highest mortality rate. Recent studies have reported a positive association between asthma and lung cancer; however, this association is inconclusive. Furthermore, AR is positively associated with asthma; therefore, our research question was to explore whether there is any correlation between AR and lung cancer epidemiologically. METHODS: After a rigorous search of PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect, 7 eligible articles were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis, including 4724 cases and 9059 controls, 5 from the USA, and one each from Canada and Germany. RESULTS: Pooled analysis (OR, 0.55; 95% CI: 0.45-0.68; P value < .00001) showed a strong inverse relationship between AR and lung cancer. CONCLUSION: The current meta-analysis suggests an inverse relationship between AR and lung cancer; however, new epidemiological studies are required to observe the current scenario more comprehensively.

Tuberculosis prevalence and demographic characteristics of population in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Pakistan): A retrospective study.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a serious problem for public health and a leading cause of death after COVID-19 and superior to even HIV/AIDS. It is a social health issue and can cause stigma and economic loss as the person cannot perform professionally due to lethargy caused by disease. It is a retrospective study done on data from National TB program Muzaffarabad chapter. The details were noted on SPSS and analysis was done to find important demographic characteristics. The total number of patients was 3441; among which 48.76% were males. Most of them (81.11%) belonged to the Muzaffarabad division of Azad Jammu and Kahmir (AJK). The microbiologically or culture positive cases were 440. Rifampicin resistance was present in 147 cases, further categorized as high (n = 143), very high (n = 3), or true positive (n = 1) resistance. Muti drug resistance was found in 19 cases. The microscopy culture is more sensitive (AUC = 0.511) than MTB/RIF or serology (AUC = 0.502) according to ROC. The rate of positive smear results is not very satisfactory in the present study as it cannot detect dormant or latent cases. There is a need to establish more sensitive tests for detection of cases and more research to combat the disease.

A Clinical Study of Intraoperative Perfusion Chemotherapy With Raltitrexed in Colon Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women and the third leading cause of cancer-associated mortality among men. Treatment of colon cancer is very crucial for a patient's survival. In this study, we assessed the reliability, efficacy, and safety of raltitrexed in intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy for colon cancer. METHODOLOGY: A total of 57 patients with clinical stages II and III of colon cancer were included in the study. R0 resection surgery + hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) procedure was done with raltitrexed. It was given in a dose of 3 mg/m2 in a 0.9% NS injection in a volume of 500 milliliters. Postoperative complications were observed. RESULT: The most common postoperative complication was nausea/vomiting, which was seen in 21 out of 57 patients (37%). The second most common complication was fever (18/57). None of the patients died or developed renal toxicity, hepatic toxicity, and intestinal obstruction. CONCLUSION: Raltitrexed is a reliable, efficient, and safe drug and can be used in intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy of colon cancer.

A Clinical Study of Intraoperative Perfusion Chemotherapy in Gastric Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Gastric cancer (GC) is the third largest cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with major geographic disparities in incidence and outcomes. Sociodemographic indicators, food habits, and genetic predispositions all add to the load. Despite advances in systemic treatments, peritoneal metastasis remains a concern, with intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) emerging as a promising treatment option. METHODS: A prospective cohort research was done, with 30 GC patients receiving cytoreductive surgery (CRS) followed by lobaplatin-based intraoperative chemotherapy. The study evaluated postoperative complications, survival rates, and disease recurrence using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0 (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY) for data analysis. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness, safety, and dependability of lobaplatin as an intraoperative chemotherapeutic agent in patients having gastric cancer surgery, with a particular emphasis on those patients who do not have distant metastases. RESULTS: The study population had a balanced gender distribution, with an average age of 44.83 years. Most patients had advanced-stage cancer (T3 and T4), and lobaplatin treatment resulted in a low frequency of serious postoperative sequelae. Preliminary studies suggest that lobaplatin is a safe and potentially effective IPC drug for GC, with few side effects and adequate survival rates. CONCLUSION: Lobaplatin shows promise as an intraoperative chemotherapeutic treatment for gastric cancer, necessitating more research in bigger, randomized controlled studies to determine its efficacy and safety profile. The study emphasizes the need for novel treatment strategies to enhance the prognosis of GC patients, particularly those with peritoneal involvement.

The Impact of Respiratory Function Training and Rehabilitation Nursing on the Recovery of Patients With Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Pneumonia.

Introduction The goal of this study was to see how people who had been diagnosed with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) responded to respiratory function training and rehabilitation (RFTR) nursing. Methodology A total of 122 patients (five to 12 years of age) diagnosed with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) and refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) using enzyme-linked immunoassay and PCR were included in this study. These patients were hospitalized at a tertiary care hospital from February 2022 to December 2022. Upon admission, they were assigned a numerical identifier based on the order of admission. Subsequently, they were randomly allocated into two equal groups: the observation (OG) and the control (CG), with each group consisting of 61 patients. Nano-acupoint sticking (NAS) therapy along with respiratory function training and rehabilitation (RFTR) nursing interventions were implemented for patients in the OG. Results The observed disparities in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and the ratio of FEV1 to FVC among the patients did not exhibit significant disparity prior to the commencement of treatment (p values of 0.700, 0.105, and 0.829, respectively). There was no significant difference observed in the range of inflammation in the right lung (p=0.523). Inflammation in the left lung and fluid volume in both lungs are statistically different in both groups (p values of 0.001 and 0.000, respectively). The patients in the observation group exhibited a shorter duration of cough and sputum, disappearance of lung sounds, and length of hospital stays (LOS) compared to the other groups, with statistical significance (p<0.05). Conclusion Nano-acupoint sticking (NAS) therapy with respiratory function training and rehabilitation (RFTR) in nursing practice has shown enhanced rehabilitation outcomes for individuals diagnosed with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP). The present study focuses on the application of NAS therapy in the context of RFTR for individuals diagnosed with MPP.

Risk Factors of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Events in Patients With Uraemia Complicated With Hypertension During Maintenance Haemodialysis Treatment.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the risk factors associated with major adverse cardiovascular (group of events that affect heart and blood vessels) and cerebrovascular (events affecting blood vessels supplying the brain) events (MACCE) in patients with uraemia complicated with hypertension who required maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) treatment. METHODOLOGY: Clinical data and laboratory indicators of 156 uraemia patients complicated with hypertension were collected and retrospectively analysed. The patients were admitted to a tertiary care hospital (Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences AIMS) in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, from February 2018 to February 2022. The data was collected through consecutive sampling and patients were recruited after following the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS: Eighty-one out of 156 patients were not complicated with MACCE, and 75 patients were complicated with MACCE during the MHD treatment cycle, with an incidence of 48.08%. Compared to the non-MACCE group, the MACCE group's diabetes, body mass growth rate, triglyceride (TG), NT-proBNP, standard deviation and coefficient of variance for systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP-SD, SBP-CV, DBP-SD, and DBP-CV) showed significant differences (P<0.05) between the groups. Diabetes, body mass growth rate, TG, NT-proBNP, SBP-SD, SBP-CV, DBP-SD, and DBP-CV with odds ratios of 3.074, 3.202, 2.188, 2.512, 2.357, 2.431, 2.299, and 2.062 respectively were risk factors for MACCE in uraemia patients with hypertension. CONCLUSION:  From the results of this study, we inferred that patients with uraemia and hypertension complicated by MACCE in the treatment cycle of MHD were related to diabetes, body mass growth rate, TG, NT-proBNP, SBP-SD, SBP-CV, DBP-SD, and DBP-CV.

Evaluation of the District Health Information System in District Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir: A Retrospective Analysis.

BACKGROUND: It is essential to implement a high-quality electronic database for keeping important information. The District Health Information System (DHIS) is an active data-keeping system in Pakistan. This study aimed to evaluate the patients' data from the DHIS dashboard for the District Headquarters Hospital, Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). METHODOLOGY: The data was requested from the hospital administration at District Headquarters Hospital, Kotli, AJK, and the data was analyzed after permission was granted. The data was given in two forms; one was a hard copy of the data for August and September and the other was a comma-separated values file for October and November, 2023. RESULTS: The highest frequency of patients was received in the department of emergency and trauma and the patient's median age was between 15 and 49 years. The second department was medicine with the >50 years of age. Common conditions that needed more attention were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute respiratory infection, diarrhea, pneumonia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease. CONCLUSION: For nations with constrained healthcare systems and funds, primary health care (PHC) is the only viable approach for managing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, PHC systems intended for infectious diseases have not sufficiently adapted to the growing requirement of chronic care for NCD. Research using health information databases offers numerous benefits, such as the evaluation of large data sets and unexpected prevalence of disease in certain populations, such as a higher prevalence of disease in one gender or age group. Health information system-based data analysis or studies are less expensive and faster but lack scientific control over data collection.

Exploring the Relationship of Comorbidities, Smoking Status, HRCT Findings With COVID-19 Disease Severity and Outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a serious illness that can affect multiple organs including the lungs. The COVID-mortality risk is attributed to the quick transmission of the virus, the severity of disease, and preclinical risk factors, such as the presence of comorbidities. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) can predict disease severity in COVID-19 patients. METHODOLOGY: This was a retrospective cohort study in which data were obtained from COVID centers at tertiary care hospitals in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Details of clinical characteristics and HRCT findings along with details of smoking and comorbid history were obtained. RESULTS: Fever at hospital admission, HRCT findings, and having a partner predicted disease severity showed a significant p-value of <0.05. Old age and living in a combined household were associated with severe outcomes (p<0.05). Symptoms of shortness of breath (SOB) on hospital admission could predict the need for ICU admission in COVID-19 patients. CONCLUSION: HRCT has a good predictive value for disease severity in patients with COVID-19, and old age is a risk factor. Although, limited associations were established in the analysis, in this study hyperlipidemia and hypertension significantly affected the course of disease. Further studies should be done to explore the relationship.

Brain natriuretic peptide in acute heart failure and its association with glomerular filtration rate: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acute heart failure (AHF) is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases. Early diagnosis and prognosis are essential, as they can eventually lead to a fatal condition. Recently, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) has been recognized as one of the most popular biomarkers for AHF. Changes in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are often observed in AHF. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect between March and June 2023. Original case control studies written in English that assessed levels oh BNP in AHF were included. Systematic reviews, letters to editor, correspondence, comprehensive reviews, and duplicated studies were excluded. Funnel plots were constructed to assess publication bias. RESULTS: A total of 9 studies were selected and we obtained the mean difference (MD) of BNP level to be 2.57 (95% CI: 1.35, 3.78), and GFR to be -15.52, (95% CI: -23.35, -7.70) in AHF patients. Sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of the outcome. CONCLUSION: Results indicated that BNP was a promising prognostic biomarker of AHF, whereas GFR was found to be negatively correlated with AHF.

Relationship Between Cardiometabolic Index in Early Pregnancy and Hypertensive Disorder Complicating Pregnancy.

Background This study aimed to examine the cardiometabolic index during early pregnancy in individuals with hypertension-complicating pregnancy, especially preeclampsia. Additionally, this study sought to determine the relationship between cardiometabolic index and the incidence of varying degrees of preeclampsia. Methodology This study included 289 pregnant women diagnosed with preeclampsia who were registered and delivered at our hospital. These women were assigned to the preeclampsia group. Additionally, a group of 289 healthy pregnant women of identical gestational ages within the same time frame was included for comparison. Clinical data on pregnancy, including body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, waistline, triglyceride levels, and cardiometabolic index, were compared between the two groups. An analysis was conducted to examine the association between early pregnancy cardiometabolic index and the occurrence of preeclampsia. Results There was a significant association between the quartile of cardiometabolic index and the proportion of preeclampsia patients (p < 0.001). Furthermore, after controlling for age and BMI, the risk of preeclampsia remained significantly elevated and was associated with the cardiometabolic index. Conclusions A positive correlation was observed between cardiometabolic index during early pregnancy and the occurrence of preeclampsia.

Unidentified Intracranial Foreign Body in an Epileptic Child: Infanticide or Child Abuse?

Although intracranial foreign bodies are typically associated with penetrating injuries or surgical interventions, they can also occur as a result of rare instances of child abuse. Enduring such abuse and neglect as an infant can lead to life-long neurological problems, developmental delays, and impairments. The present case involved a 14-year-old male adolescent who was brought to the emergency room due to recurrent generalized tonic seizures. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a ring-like metallic object within the right temporal lobe. The neurosurgeon declined the surgical removal of the object due to its position and orientation, as well as the patient's guardian's refusal to consent to surgery. Instead, drug treatment and care are advised. In infants, foreign objects are typically inserted through cranial sutures, fontanelles and less frequently into the orbits, often with the intention of harming unwanted children. However, no history of such an attempt is present in this case. The incidental discovery of intracranial foreign bodies typically occurs during investigations when patients present with neurological symptoms such as epileptic seizures (foreign body-induced epilepsy). The selection of an ideal treatment regimen is often challenging in such cases. If a patient can be effectively treated with drugs, surgical removal is usually avoided.

Association of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio with clinical, pathological, radiological, laboratory features and disease outcomes of invasive breast cancer patients: A retrospective observational cohort study.

Inflammatory conditions play part in the progression of malignancies, and markers signifying growth of these factors can indicate prognosis. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) is used as a marker of subclinical inflammation that may become an integral part of workup to indicate prognosis and associated pathology. This study aims to explore the association of NLR ratio with clinical characteristics, radiological assessment and staging, histopathology, and disease outcomes of breast cancer. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a tertiary care center to include breast cancer patients that were diagnosed between January 2001 and December 2020. Data including tumor size, lymph nodes, metastasis, histological grading, ER/PR/HER2-neu status, molecular subtypes, clinical staging); nodal findings (sentinel and axillary); pathology from frozen section; and disease outcomes were assessed. Multivariable regression and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were employed to indicate the association of NLR with breast cancer features and disease-free survival. A total of 2050 patients had a median age of 50 years, median NLR levels of 2.14, most common pathology ductal followed by lobular, and most common site of metastasis being lungs followed by bones. Disease-free rate was 7.6%, and a recurrence rate of 1.8%, while 1.6% deaths were reported. NLR was found associated with age, treatment outcomes, tumor size, lymph nodes, metastasis and clinical staging. Other positive correlations were with Ki67 proliferation index, molecular subtypes, and tumor size on frozen section (at transverse and craniocaudal dimensions). Negative correlations were seen with estrogen and progesterone receptors. However, NLR was not found predictable of disease-free survival (P = .160). Significant predictors of disease-free survival were histological grading, ER, PR status, molecular subtype, and Ki67 proliferation index. NLR being a readily available marker has shown novel findings in its association with tumor staging, disease outcomes and characteristics of breast malignancy.

Comparative study of wound infection between elective and emergency abdominal surgeries: a retrospective cohort study.

The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of wound infection among patients with abdominal surgeries and to compare the surgical site infection following elective versus emergency abdominal surgeries in a tertiary care hospital. Subjects and methods: All patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria in the Department of General Surgery were included in the study. After taking informed written consent history was taken, clinical examination and patients were divided into two groups: group A (elective abdominal surgery) and group B (emergency abdominal surgery), patients in both groups were compared for the outcome that is surgical site infection. Result: A total of 140 patients who underwent abdominal surgery were included. Wound infection in abdominal surgeries was noted in 26 patients (18.6%), in group A wound infection was noted in 7 (5%), while in group B wound infection was seen in 19 (13.6%). Conclusion: The rate of wound infection in patients with abdominal surgeries was not low among the study population and the rate of wound infection was higher in emergency abdominal surgeries as compared with elective abdominal surgeries.

Clinicopathological correlation of aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio (APRI) and aspartate aminotransferase-to-alanine aminotransferase ratio (AAR) with survival in esophageal carcinoma patients: a retrospective cohort analysis of 951 patients.

Esophageal cancer is the eighth most prevalent cancer globally. Previously, several biomarkers have been used to predict the prognosis, although with variable reliability. Interestingly, it is noted that changes in liver function tests levels before and after neoadjuvant treatment are predictive in terms of cancer recurrence. Objectives: The objectives of the current study were to associate novel markers, including aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio (APRI) and aspartate aminotransferase-to-alanine aminotransferase ratio (AAR) with survival in esophageal malignancy. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study in a tertiary care hospital (single-center) included 951 patients having diagnosed esophageal carcinoma of any age group. Results: The median (interquartile range) age of study participants were 50 (38-60) years, including 43% males and 57% female patients, while the median (interquartile range) levels of AAR and APRI were 0.97 (0.81-1.25) and 0.19 (0.13-0.29), respectively. AAR was found to be higher in dysphagia for solids only and dysphagia for both liquids and solids rather than liquids only (P=0.002), while other associations included well-differentiated tumor grade (P=0.011), finding of esophageal stricture on esophagogastroduodenoscopy (P=0.015), and characteristic of mass on computerized tomography scan being both circumferential and mural (P=0.005). APRI was found to be higher in adenocarcinoma (P=0.038), and finding of circumferential±ulcerated mass on esophagogastroduodenoscopy (P<0.001). On survival analysis, adenocarcinoma (P<0.001), luminal narrowing (P=0.002), AAR greater than 1.0 (P=0.006), and APRI greater than 0.2 (P=0.007) were found to be poor survival predictors. On Cox proportional hazards regression, APRI was found to be more associated with poor survival than AAR (Hazard ratio: 1.682, 1.208-2.340, P=0.002). Conclusion: This study correlated clinical and pathological features of esophageal malignancy with noninvasive markers of hepatic function.

Meta-Analysis on the Efficacy of High-Dose Statin Loading Before Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Reducing No-Reflow Phenomenon in Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Currently, guidelines recommend the uptake of high-dose statins before and after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute coronary syndrome. However, the association of high-dose statins with the incidence of the no-reflow phenomenon remains unclear. This study aimed to review the evidence of preprocedural high-dose statin therapy to reduce no-reflow incidence after PCI. PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched from inception until May 2022 for studies comparing high-dose statins with low-dose or no statin therapy before PCI. Studies reporting the no-reflow phenomenon were shortlisted. The National Institutes of Health tool for randomized and cohort studies was used to assess the quality of included studies. A random-effects model was used to derive odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 11 studies were included, with a population of 4,294 patients. The use of high-dose statins before PCI significantly reduced postprocedural no-reflow (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.74, p = 0.0005, I2 = 32%). A total of 7 studies included patients who underwent PCI without previous use of statins. A significant decrease in overall no-reflow events was observed with high-intensity statin treatment versus low-intensity statin/placebo (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.88, p = 0.01, I2 = 25%) among patients who were statin naive. Acute high-dose statin therapy before PCI significantly reduces the hazard of post-PCI no-reflow events in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Our results encourage the routine use of statins before PCI.

Disseminated hydatid cyst disease; a rare presentation in a tertiary care hospital of Azad Jammu Kashmir.

Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) is one of the many neglected animal-based diseases also called zoonotic, it has been highlighted by the World Health Organization. It is a human and animal health issue in numerous endemic regions around the globe. CE is caused by the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. We will discuss a case of a 36 years old female from a rural area who presented to the emergency department with abdominal distension, fever, and shortness of breath. History revealed that she reared sheep in her village so ELISA for anti-Echinococcus antibodies shows positive titers, and CT scan revealed type IIA and III hydatid cysts in the lungs, chest, liver, spleen, abdomen, and pelvis. An extensive exploratory laparotomy was performed and an effort was made to remove all cysts from the liver, pelvis, spleen, and abdomen. The patient remained in a vegetative state post-operatively on ventilator support. She passed away five days post-surgery. As per author's knowledge, there has not been a similar case reported as yet.