Neurotoxoplasmosis in the Immunocompetent: A Rare Occurrence.

Cerebral toxoplasmosis is a rare condition that predominantly affects immunocompromised people and is relatively uncommon in immunocompetent individuals. Acute toxoplasmosis primarily presents with focal and diffuse neurological signs and symptoms depending on the site of the lesion, the degree of local damage, and the severity of inflammation. In this report, we present a case of cerebral toxoplasmosis in an immunocompetent adult female who presented with an altered level of consciousness, fever, headache, and shortness of breath. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges that may arise when dealing with patients who have a wide range of clinical manifestations.

Brain Abscess as a Complication of Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia: A Case Report.

An 18-year-old male, previously diagnosed with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), presented to the outpatient department with a complaint of generalized seizures and fever for the past five days. He had a history of recurrent epistaxis, progressive shortness of breath, and cyanosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed an abscess in the temporoparietal region. A computed angiogram of the pulmonary vasculature showed the presence of arteriovenous malformation (AVM). A four-weekly antibiotic regimen was initiated, which resulted in a profound improvement in symptoms. A brain abscess can arise as a complication of vascular malformation in a patient with HHT, providing a nidus for bacteria to migrate toward the brain. Early recognition of HHT is essential in these patients and their affected family members, as screening can help us prevent complications at an earlier stage.

Structure and evaluation of preventive medicine residency programs' websites: A cross sectional analysis.

The goal of this study was to analyze the content availability and accessibility of preventive medicine residency program websites. In COVID-related travel restrictions, the information provided on program websites has become increasingly crucial for residency applicants. A cross-sectional study was conducted by extracting the list of preventive medicine residency programs on the Fellowship and Residency Electronic and Interactive Database (FRIEDA). A 40-point criterion was used for the quality evaluation of residency programs. The study was conducted and analyzed in 2021. 82 preventive medicine residency programs were identified, and listed on FRIEDA, out of which 65 program websites were accessible. The median number of 40-point criteria met by the preventive medicine residency website was 25. The criteria fulfilled by the greatest number of program websites was research opportunity/facilities (94%). The majority of the preventive medicine residency program websites were not up to the mark regarding accessibility and quality. An updated preventive medicine residency program website is essential for the applicants. Programs with relevant and precise information on their websites have higher chances of attracting potential candidates and better chances of finding the match between applicants and programs.

The Effects of Voriconazole on Metabolism of All-Trans Retinoic Acid in the Treatment of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia: A Case Report.

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is a derivative of vitamin A and is the mainstay treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Hypercalcemia is a rare yet important side-effect of ATRA, especially when it is used concomitantly with a medication that impedes its metabolism by inhibiting cytochrome P-450 in the liver and thus increasing the duration of exposure to ATRA. Azole antifungal drugs such as voriconazole are frequently used in patients undergoing chemotherapy due to a high incidence of fungal infections. These medications inhibit two vital enzymes of cytochrome P-450, CYP2C9 and CYP3A4, potentiating the effects of ATRA on calcium metabolism. We present a case of a nine-year-old girl who underwent chemotherapy with all-trans retinoic acid for acute promyelocytic leukemia. The patient was given an anti-fungal cover with voriconazole for extensive fungal chest infection simultaneously. She was found to have asymptomatic hypercalcemia on routine follow-up during the consolidation phase. Both medications were stopped. Subsequently, she was admitted to the ward and managed conservatively with hydration. Serum calcium levels were returned to normal within six days after stopping the combination of ATRA and voriconazole. We underscore that the use of anti-fungal medications should be limited while using ATRA. However, strict monitoring must be done when a combination of these drugs is started, if necessary.

Patterns of Peripheral Nerve and Tendon Injury in Hand Trauma Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Pakistan.

Introduction Traumatic injury to peripheral nerves is a major medical problem worldwide. Moreover, injury to the hand and wrist can lead to extreme morbidity and disable the injured for life. In this study, we highlight the most commonly damaged nerves and tendons that get ruptured in different types of hand trauma patients. No recent study has been done to document the etiologies and quantify the patterns of nerve and tendon involvement in hand injuries to the best of our knowledge. Methodology This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the largest trauma center in the city and the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery ward of Civil Hospital, Karachi. A convenient sampling of 200 patients was done with the help of a preformed, well-structured questionnaire. Patients whose hand was injured solely were included in the study and those with the involvement of the whole limb or other parts of the body were excluded. Results We found that most males between the ages of 11 and 20 years presented predominantly with right-hand injury while working with machines. Nerve injury proved to be a rare occurrence. However, combined nerve injury of the ulnar, median, and radial nerve was seen in poly digit trauma. The median nerve was the most commonly damaged nerve in poly digit trauma. Among the tendon injuries, the incidence of combined tendon injury was the greatest. The flexor digitorum superficialis was the most common tendon injured overall. Conclusion This study significantly states that tendons are frequently injured in hand accidents. Plastic surgeons must also be aware of optimal nerve repair and reconstruction techniques to limit the physical disabilities and economic burden arising from nerve injury of the dominant hand.

Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Telemedicine Among Doctors in Karachi.

Background Telemedicine is an affordable use of information and communication technology (ICT) to enable long-distance patient care and health care services. While the developed world continues to take advantage of this technology, its concept remains new to Pakistan. This study aims to assess the knowledge and perceptions regarding telemedicine among health care professionals in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods  This cross-sectional study was carried out among doctors employed in the public health sector in Karachi from June 2018 to August 2018. Data were collected using a self-designed well-structured questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale, built after an extensive literature review. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 22. Categorical data were reported as frequencies and percentages. Results A total of 224 doctors, working in the Department of Internal Medicine (27.6%), Pediatrics (9.8%), Cardiology (6.6%), Gynecology (5.35%), Neurology (5.8%), and other specialties (44.6%), participated in the study. A total of 80.7 % of the doctors were aware of the definition of telemedicine. A total of 28.1% of them believed telemedicine to be effective in providing faster medical care while 23.2% thought of it as a means of reducing the white coat syndrome. A total of 42.9% believed that telemedicine disrupts the doctor-patient relationship and causes a breach of patient privacy. A total of 34.8% of the doctors favored the idea of introducing national standards for practicing telemedicine while 33.5% of doctors also agreed that providing a legal explanation of telemedicine to patients was of paramount importance. Poverty and lack of education (90.6%) was thought to be the biggest barrier to the practice of telemedicine in the developing world. Conclusions The knowledge regarding telemedicine among doctors in Karachi was found to be average. However, the perceptions about and attitude towards the introduction and implementation of this new technology were welcomed by the majority of participants with an emphasis on increasing awareness. Conferences and workshops are needed to increase knowledge about telemedicine in Pakistan.

Mal de Debarquement Syndrome: A Rare Entity.

Mal de debarquement syndrome (MdDS) is a bizarre sensation of continued movement after the termination of motion. It is accompanied by disequilibrium, usually experienced after voyage or travel, however, it is not associated with vertigo. Although most cases resolve spontaneously, middle-aged women sometimes particularly experience protracted symptoms following an ocean cruise, with the persistence of symptoms for many years. We present the case of a young female with no known comorbidities who was misdiagnosed quite a few times before the actual diagnosis of this rare disease was established.

Evaluation of Hyponatremia in Ischemic Stroke Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Karachi, Pakistan.

Introduction Electrolyte disturbances are commonly found in acute stroke settings. Hypernatremia, hyponatremia and hypokalemia are the commonest types of electrolyte disturbances. Data on electrolyte changes in neurological disorders like stroke is insufficient in Asia. This study aims to quantify the decrease in sodium levels in patients of ischemic stroke and to see whether the presence of co-morbidities like hypertension and diabetes result in decrement in the sodium level of the patients admitted. Methodology This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Ruth M Pfau Civil hospital Karachi on 132 consenting patients diagnosed with ischemic stroke on a clinical and radiological basis using a preformed questionnaire with all the necessary information to evaluate the objective like gender, level of sodium and co-morbidities. The data was analyzed using Chi­squared test using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) software version 22 (IBM, NY, USA). Result The study showed that the majority of the patients (25%) had mild hyponatremia (130-134 mMol/L), only a few (9.8%) had moderate (125-129 mMol/L) or profound (<125) hyponatremia (3.8%) and 17 out of 44 patients who were hypertensive had their sodium levels changed while only 10 out of 17 diabetics had fluctuating sodium levels (p-value = 0.00). We also found out that most of the patients with altered sodium levels were male in the age range of above 55. Conclusion Patients with ischemic stroke do develop hyponatremia, but only with a slight alteration in the sodium levels.

Intensive Care Units of a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Detailed Study of Patient Symptomatology.

Introduction Nosocomial infection (NI) is a factor of considerable significance in determining the morbidity and mortality of patients admitted to the intensive care units (ICUs). Our aim was to study the frequencies of various symptoms that might emerge due to nosocomial infection (NI) among ICU patients. Materials and methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted in intensive care units of General Medicine, General Surgery and Paediatric wards in Ruth M. Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, Pakistan, using well-structured questionnaire created after a thorough literature study. Patients who had an ICU admission for more than five days but less than two weeks were set as the inclusion criteria. The remaining patients were excluded from the study.  Results Among the patients who developed gastrointestinal disturbances while in the intensive units, loss of appetite had the highest ratio in the paediatric ICU, whereas vomiting was most prevalent in the surgical ICU and weight loss was the most recurring symptom in the medical ICU. With regard to the respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms, dyspnea stood out in medicine ICU while fatigue was the most evident symptom amidst the paediatrics and surgical ICU patients. Insomnia was the most common neuropsychiatric symptom in the surgical and paediatric ICUs. Insomnia also paralleled tremors frequently in the medical ICU. Conclusion Infections in patients under intensive care in a tertiary care setup are not restricted to a specific type but present variously, as indicated by the type of symptoms the patients develop during their stay.