Radiology as a career among medical students of Pakistan: A cross-sectional study.

Radiology has become a fundamental constituent of the modern medicine. However, it has been observed that medical students in Pakistan often lack sufficient guidance and education in this field. This study aims to establish whether Pakistani medical students possess the requisite basic knowledge required in radiology and their attitude and perception toward radiology as a potential career path. This cross-sectional study conducted a survey among 530 medical students of Pakistan via a self-reported online questionnaire from August 01, 2021 to September 01, 2021. The data collected were analyzed using the SPSS software, along with logistic regression analyses to identify factors associated with interest in pursuing radiology as a career and possessing a comprehensive understanding of radiology among medical students. Of the 530 participants, 44.2% rated their understanding of radiology as "poor" with only 17% indicating interest to pursue a career in radiology. Logistic regression model showed significantly higher odds of radiology as a career among males (Crude odds ratio [COR] = 1.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17-2.72, P = .007), medical students of Punjab (COR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.01-2.40, P = .048), and those, who self-reported their knowledge of radiology as excellent (COR = 14.35, 95% CI = 5.13-40.12, P < .001). In contrast, medical students from Punjab (COR = 0.504, 95% CI = 0.344-0.737, P < .001) and second-year medical students (COR = 0.046, 95% CI = 0.019-0.107, P < .001) had lower odds of good knowledge. Our study suggests that the medical student's knowledge of radiology is deficient. Thus, it is advised that radiological societies work with medical school boards to integrate thorough and early radiology exposure into the undergraduate curriculum.

Sydenham Chorea in Sudan; Presentation Panorama.

Introduction: Sydenham's chorea (SC) is the most common form of acquired chorea in childhood, it is considered a neurological complication of streptococcal pharyngitis. In this study, we aimed to determine the clinical pattern, association of Sydenham's chorea with other manifestations of acute rheumatic fever, and the laboratory findings of Sydenham's chorea among Sudanese patients. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study involving fifty patients of various ages diagnosed with Sydenham's chorea and followed up at The National Center for Neurological Sciences from January 2017 to November 2019. Data were obtained after patients' consent through personal interviews or personal review of patients' records via a structured questionnaire composed of demographic data, symptoms, co-morbid illness, risk factors, physical examination, and related investigations. Results: About 50 patient was enrolled in this study with a median age of 13.7 years. Females were (n=35) (70%) and (30%) (n=15) s were males. Generalized chorea was seen in 33 (66%) and hemichorea in 17 (34%) patients. Weakness (38%) and hypotonia (46%) were common, such as behavior change (44%), dysarthria (70%), gait change (18%), and deterioration of handwriting (12%). Arthritis occurred in (36%), carditis in 30 (60%), both arthritis and carditis in 18 (36%), and pure chorea in 14 (28%). Erythema marginatum and subcutaneous nodules were not observed in our patients. Only 13 patients (26%) gave a history of pharyngitis. Conclusion: Sydenham chorea is more common in young female Sudanese, with a familial predominance and a tendency towards mitral valve disease. All pediatric Patients with chorea should be screened for Sydenham's chorea.

Delayed intestinal obstruction from an unintentionally retained surgical gauze in a 24-year old woman two years after caesarean section: a case report.

BACKGROUND: One of the most common surgical emergencies, intestinal obstruction is rarely the result of an inadvertently retained foreign object (also known as a gossypiboma), which may not present symptoms for a lifetime. It also carries additional legal burdens, which may account for the rarity of its reports. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a 24-year-old Sudanese female with a history of emergency Caesarean section two years before the admission presented with abdominal distension and absolute constipation, which was diagnosed as intestinal obstruction with a retained gauzed found within the small intestine. Moreover, a review of recent African-reported cases was done to find relatively similar cases. CONCLUSION: Adhering to the standard of care in surgical theaters and integrating new methods of prevention like tagged gauze could help to decrease the rate of such cases in the future.

Knowledge, attitude, and ethical concepts of Sudanese medical students regarding stem cells and its application.

One of the major challenges that stem cell transplantation faces is a lack of donors due to a lack of knowledge and awareness of the importance of stem cell transplantation, this implies that health care providers should arm themselves with sufficient knowledge to contribute positively to raising awareness. This is an analytical cross-sectional study of 1040 medical students from 10 universities from various Sudanese states, through an online self-administered pre-tested and structured questionnaire formulated by the authors with a particular focus and/or reflection on the knowledge and attitudes of medical students. The median knowledge score among all students was 8.0 (6-9) with the majority of students confirming that stem cells are capable of dividing and can self-renew for a long period (88.6%). Regarding attitude, the median score among the participants was 23 (17-27) with (47.9%) agreeing that competency in stem cell knowledge is important for them as future health care providers. In terms of ethical attitude; the majority of the students (59, 2%) think there's a need to obtain ethical approval before conducting research. Moreover, (45.9%) of students believe that health practitioners have the right to use stem cells in treatments if those treatments have been scientifically proven to be effective on animals and on human cells in the laboratory. It is important to promote educational programs that inform medical students about the full range of possibilities offered by stem cell research. Furthermore, more studies is required to determine how society and religion affect medical students' attitudes toward stem cells.

Adverse events following COVID-19 mRNA vaccines: A systematic review of cardiovascular complication, thrombosis, and thrombocytopenia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Since publishing successful clinical trial results of mRNA coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in December 2020, multiple reports have arisen about cardiovascular complications following the mRNA vaccination. This study provides an in-depth account of various cardiovascular adverse events reported after the mRNA vaccines' first or second dose including pericarditis/myopericarditis, myocarditis, hypotension, hypertension, arrhythmia, cardiogenic shock, stroke, myocardial infarction/STEMI, intracranial hemorrhage, thrombosis (deep vein thrombosis, cerebral venous thrombosis, arterial or venous thrombotic events, portal vein thrombosis, coronary thrombosis, microvascular small bowel thrombosis), and pulmonary embolism. METHODS: A systematic review of original studies reporting confirmed cardiovascular manifestations post-mRNA COVID-19 vaccination was performed. Following the PRISMA guidelines, electronic databases (PubMed, PMC NCBI, and Cochrane Library) were searched until January 2022. Baseline characteristics of patients and disease outcomes were extracted from relevant studies. RESULTS: A total of 81 articles analyzed confirmed cardiovascular complications post-COVID-19 mRNA vaccines in 17,636 individuals and reported 284 deaths with any mRNA vaccine. Of 17,636 cardiovascular events with any mRNA vaccine, 17,192 were observed with the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) vaccine, 444 events with mRNA-1273 (Moderna). Thrombosis was frequently reported with any mRNA vaccine (n = 13,936), followed by stroke (n = 758), myocarditis (n = 511), myocardial infarction (n = 377), pulmonary embolism (n = 301), and arrhythmia (n = 254). Stratifying the results by vaccine type showed that thrombosis (80.8%) was common in the BNT162b2 cohort, while stroke (39.9%) was common with mRNA-1273 for any dose. The time between the vaccination dosage and the first symptom onset averaged 5.6 and 4.8 days with the mRNA-1273 vaccine and BNT162b2, respectively. The mRNA-1273 cohort reported 56 deaths compared to the 228 with BNT162b2, while the rest were discharged or transferred to the ICU. CONCLUSION: Available literature includes more studies with the BNT162b2 vaccine than mRNA-1273. Future studies must report mortality and adverse cardiovascular events by vaccine types.

Extensive myocardial infarction complicated with stroke as the first presentation of HIV in A young sudanese male: A case report.

Introduction: As it is a disseminated disease, HIV infection can be associated with significant cardiovascular and neurological complications; however, this commonly occurs late. Here, we highlight the unusual initial presentation of HIV infection, which is myocardial infarction complicated by stroke. Case presentation: A 30 years old male with a clear medical background presented with severe chest pain with evidence of ischemia on ECG and positive serum troponin. he received anti-ischemic drugs, and was prepared for coronary angiography with routine investigations tested positive for HIV; however, his condition was later complicated by stroke. Discussion: Antiretroviral medication, HIV disease characteristics, female gender, and HCV co-infection are risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) in HIV patients. Patients living with HIV are also at risk of developing stroke, which can be caused by atherosclerosis of the major arteries, small artery disease, cardiac embolism, CNS infections, coagulation issues, and non-atherosclerotic vasculopathy. Conclusion: The presentation of an acute coronary syndrome in a young patient should raise suspicion of uncommon causes and needs a prompt evaluation from digging up in history, detailed examination, and investigations with close follow-up to prevent the complications that may occur. on the other hand, known HIV Patients should be screened periodically with an electrocardiogram.

Medical Students' Perceptions of the Implemented Curriculum at Sinnar Medical School: A Cross-Sectional Study from Sudan.

Introduction: Medical school curriculum evaluation is necessary to document outcomes, determine the effectiveness of educational programs, and meet accreditation requirements. This has become more difficult over the last decade, and it is critical to carefully assess the conclusion. The purpose of this research was to gather information from Sinnar medical students regarding their perceptions of the curriculum, learning, teachers, and academic self-perception. Methodology: A cross-sectional analytic quantitative study including under and freshly graduated students was conducted in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Sinnar, Sudan, between the 18th of January 2021 and the 2nd of February 2022. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire including student perception of learning, student perception of teachers, academic self-perception, and student self-perception. Results: A total of 705 students participated in this study. Of them, 443 (63.1%) were females, with the majority from second years (35.8%) followed by fourth-year (21.6%). A 433 (64.5%) agreed that the teaching is students centred, and teaching helped them in their development (68.0%). In addition, nearly half of the participants (58.1%) stated that the teacher communicated clearly and understandably. Unfortunately, 44.6% said that the exam did not achieve all the course objectives. The most tension-induced places were the dissection room (DR) accounting (70.3%) followed by lecture halls (55.6%). The most common reason for not enhancing research skills is the unavailability of the research department (72.8%), along with the stress associated with the curriculum due to a lack of enough time for different activities (63.8%). Significant differences between males and females were found when answering questions regarding research skills and students' involvement in curriculum time management. Conclusion: Most students have a positive impression towards the local curriculum, learning, and engaged teachers. More studies with more standardization and specification regarding curriculum content, Curriculum structure and strategies, should be conducted in the future.

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.

Prevalence and risk factors of functional seizures among adult Sudanese patients with epilepsy, a cross-sectional clinic-based study.

Background: Epilepsy can be associated with functional seizures. Our main aim is to assess functional seizures' prevalence and risk factors among adult Sudanese patients with epilepsy. Methods: This cross-sectional clinic-based study was conducted from January to February 2021 at Daoud Charity Clinic in Omdurman city, Sudan. Ninety-nine adult Sudanese patients with epilepsy were included. Data were collected using a validated interview-based semi-structured questionnaire. A senior consultant neurologist and a consultant psychiatrist diagnosed the functional seizures based on full clinical history and investigations. The diagnosis was performed according to International League against epilepsy (ILAE) classification. Results: This study included 99 patients with epilepsy, 57% were females, 79% reside in Khartoum state, and 32% reached secondary school. The main types of epilepsy were generalized tonic-clonic (68%), followed by focal seizures with impaired awareness (11%). The majority of the patients have been diagnosed with epilepsy for over three years (65%). Comorbid epilepsy and functional seizures were found in 29% of the patients, with a significantly higher prevalence in patients with social problems and depression (p = 0.005 and p < 0.01, respectively). Patients with depression had a 14 times higher risk of functional seizures than those without depression, 95% CI [3.8, 52.3]. Conclusion: A remarkably high prevalence of functional seizures was found among adult patients with epilepsy. Patients suffering from social problems and/or depression and poor economic status had a higher tendency to develop functional seizures, especially after two to three years of treatment and above.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of medical students towards COVID19 in Sudan: A cross sectional study among 19 universities.

Background: Since December 2019, an outbreak of severe respiratory infection (COVID-19) emerged in the city of Wuhan in China. The knowledge, awareness and practice of medical students toward COVID-19 pandemic is of most importance as it demonstrates their preparedness to deal with this pandemic. The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge, awareness and practice of medical students in Sudan universities about COVID 19. Methodogy: This is a cross-sectional study conducted on 19 universities that have medical schools in Sudan. Data from at least 100 medical students from each university were included in the study. Data were collected using an online questionnaire in April 2020. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Science software, version 25. Results: About 2603 medical students from 19 universities were included. Overall good knowledge and practice were demonstrated by the medical students (88.9%) and (78.6%), respectively. Respondents who answered that the most common clinical symptoms of COVID-19 were the main combination of dry cough, fatigue and fever were (27.7%), and the first initial symptom was headache were (48.3%.). (60.2%) Wear medical masks, (95%) said that avoiding crowded places protects against the spread of COVID-19, and (50.7%) have confidence that Sudan can win the battle against the COVID-19. Finally, (68.8%) agreed that COVID-19 will finally be successfully controlled. Conclusion: This study has found that medical students in Sudan demonstrated good knowledge and good practice toward Covid19.