Increasing failure of miltefosine in the treatment of Kala-azar in Nepal and the potential role of parasite drug resistance, reinfection, or noncompliance.

BACKGROUND: Miltefosine (MIL), the only oral drug for visceral leishmaniasis (VL), is currently the first-line therapy in the VL elimination program of the Indian subcontinent. Given the paucity of anti-VL drugs and the looming threat of resistance, there is an obvious need for close monitoring of clinical efficacy of MIL. METHODS: In a cohort study of 120 VL patients treated with MIL in Nepal, we monitored the clinical outcomes up to 12 months after completion of therapy and explored the potential role of drug compliance, parasite drug resistance, and reinfection. RESULTS: The initial cure rate was 95.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 92.2-99.4) and the relapse rate at 6 and 12 months was 10.8% (95% CI, 5.2-16.4) and 20.0% (95% CI, 12.8-27.2) , respectively. No significant clinical risk factors of relapse apart from age <12 years were found. Parasite fingerprints of pretreatment and relapse bone marrow isolates within 8 patients were similar, suggesting that clinical relapses were not due to reinfection with a new strain. The mean promastigote MIL susceptibility (50% inhibitory concentration) of isolates from definite cures was similar to that of relapses. Although more tolerant strains were observed, parasite resistance, as currently measured, is thus not likely involved in MIL treatment failure. Moreover, MIL blood levels at the end of treatment were similar in cured and relapsed patients. CONCLUSIONS: Relapse in one-fifth of the MIL-treated patients observed in our study is an alarming signal for the VL elimination campaign, urging for further review and cohort monitoring.

Comparison of outcomes of laparoscopic hernioplasty with and without fascial repair (IPOM-Plus vs IPOM) for ventral hernia: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Intra-peritoneal onlay mesh (IPOM) repair, a type of Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair (LVHR), comprises bridging the defect from the peritoneal side with a composite mesh. Recently, IPOM-Plus has become the recommended type of LVHR in which the defect in the fascia is sutured before placing the mesh. Materials and methods: This study is a retrospective cohort study conducted at Shree Birendra Hospital (SBH), Nepal. Patients who had undergone IPOM-Plus or IPOM during the past five years (Aug 2016 to Aug 2021) were selected. Data regarding demographics, intraoperative and post-operative outcomes were collected from individual case sheets. Recurrence of hernia was checked at six-month follow-up. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25 taking a p-value of <0.05 as statistically significant. Results: A total of 130 patients were included in this study, out of which 73 patients had undergone IPOM (Group I) and 57 patients underwent IPOM-Plus (Group II). In both the groups, there were no statistical difference in age, sex and Body Mass Index (BMI) of the patients. Hernia defect size among Group I and II varied significantly (p-value < 0.001). The mean operative time for Group II (111.05 ± 28.14 min) was significantly higher than Group I (80.00 ± 27.96 min) (p-value < 0.001). Hernia recurrence within six months was higher in Group I (15.1%) than Group II (3.5%) (p-value = 0.029). The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for six-month recurrence after IPOM repair was 14.86 (95% CI: 2.51-87.85, p-value = 0.003) times higher than that after IPOM-Plus repair. Conclusions: Although the operative time and length of hospital stay is longer, IPOM-Plus repair has shown better outcomes regarding six-month recurrence compared to IPOM repair.

Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome in a young adult - A surgeon's dilemma with rectal carcinoma.

The presentation of solitary rectal ulcer syndrome is very similar to a wide variety of conditions including inflammatory bowel diseases, ischemic colitis and rectal carcinoma. Histopathological examination comes as an important tool for its diagnosis. Hence, high index of suspicion is required for early diagnosis of this rare condition.

An audit of patients admitted to hospital in Nepal for COPD exacerbation.

Objectives: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a large and increasing problem in low- and middle-income countries; Nepal is no exception. We aimed to obtain information on patient characteristics and the level of care provided to patients admitted for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in two Nepalese hospitals and to compare the given care with the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease guidelines. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational, descriptive study. All patients admitted to two Nepalese hospitals due to acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease between 18 February and 5 April 2019 were asked to participate. Results: In total, 108 patients with a median age of 70 years participated. Fifty-three (42.7%) were male, 80 (74.8%) were former smokers, and 46 (45.1%) were farmers. Using the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease A-D classification, 97 (90.6%) of the patients were classified in group D. All the patients received supplementary oxygen treatment and 103 (95.4%) were treated with short-acting beta2 agonists. A total of 105 (97.2%) patients received antibiotics, and 80 (74.5%) received systemic corticosteroids. The majority was discharged with triple therapy including long-acting muscarinic antagonist, long-acting beta2 agonist, and inhaled corticosteroids, and 72 (75.8%) were discharged with long-term oxygen treatment. Conclusion: All elements of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease guidelines were applied. However, due to a lack of information, it cannot be concluded whether the treatment was provided on the correct indications. The average patient received almost all the treatment alternatives available. This might indicate a very sick population or over-treatment.

Rouviere's sulcus - An anatomical landmark for safe laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has been established as the gold standard treatment for symptomatic gallstones, however surgeons face the risk of injuring bile ducts and vessels due to the inherent limitations of laparoscopy. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study done in the Department of Surgery, Shree Birendra Hospital (SBH) on patients who were posted for LC. The study period was through April 2021 to September 2021. During LC, the anatomy of RS was noted and classified into Group A (RS present) or Group B (RS absent). Data analyses were performed considering a p-value of <0.05 as statistically significant. Results: RS was present in 169 (93.9%) out of 180 cases. The open sulcus type was found in 114 cases (67.5%), followed by closed type in 26 (15.4%), slit sulcus type in 22 (13.0%), and scar type in 7 (4.1%) cases. Injury to cystic artery occurred in one case (0.15%) of Group A while in two cases (18.18%) of Group B (p-value = 0.001). The adjusted operative time in Group A and Group B were 50.61 ± 10.33 min and 69.86 ± 15.28 min respectively (p-value = 0.005). There was significant difference between Group A and Group B in conversion to open surgery - 01 (0.59%) and 04 (36%) respectively (p-value < 0.001). Surgical Site Infection (SSI) was detected in nine (5.33%) cases among Group A and in three (27.2%) cases among Group B (p-value = 0.028). Conclusion: RS can be considered as an important anatomical landmark for safer LC with fewer injuries to cystic artery, SSI, conversion to open surgery and shorter operative time.

Status of self-esteem in medical students at a college in Kathmandu: A descriptive cross-sectional study.

Background: Self-esteem is vital to living a happy, confident and content life. Medical students experience various forms of stress due to academic, financial and social pressures which could affect their levels of self-esteem. This study aims to study the status of self-esteem among undergraduates of a medical college at Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Methods: After receiving the ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee (IRC) of NAIHS; we conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study among the first- to fifth-year medical students from December 2020 to April 2021. 190 were selected for the study using a stratified random sampling technique. This study used the Rosenberg self-esteem scale to measure self-esteem of the participants. A Google Forms questionnaire was sent to the participants via email. Then, the data obtained were entered in the Google sheet and later analyzed using SPSS 27. A Chi-square test was used to identify potential differences in self-esteem scores among different variables. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.  Results: This study included a total of 180 participants, among which, 18.9% (13.19% to 24.61%; at 95% CI) students showed low self -esteem. 74.4% (68.02% to 80.78%; at 95% CI) students had normal self-esteem and 6.7% (3.05% to 10.35%; at 95% CI) students had high self-esteem. The mean self-esteem score was 19.19 (15.01 to 23.37; at 95% CI). Female participants suffered more than males from low self-esteem, and third-year students had the highest percentage of low self-esteem (30.77%). Conclusion: The majority (74.4%) of medical students had normal self-esteem. However, 18.9% students had low self-esteem, among which, third-year students suffered the most (30.77%). Likewise, females exhibited higher prevalence of low self-esteem compared to males. Interventions to boost the level of self-esteem should be carried out to help medical students become confident and efficient doctors.

Willingness of Nepalese medical and nursing students to volunteer during COVID-19 pandemic: A single-centered cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Medical students, being more familiar with medical situations, can play a vital role as volunteers during medical crises like mass casualty emergencies and epidemics. This study was conducted to know the willingness of medical and nursing students to volunteer during the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical and nursing students of a medical college in Kathmandu. A proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used. A pretested, self-administered questionnaire was emailed to participants and the data were collected from 8th July to July 29, 2021 via the Google forms, extracted to the Google sheets, and then analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16. RESULTS: Out of 288 randomly selected participants, a total of 261 valid responses were obtained, giving a response rate of 90.6%. The majority (n = 203, 77.8%) of the participants were willing to volunteer. The most preferred area of work during volunteering was clinical care of the COVID-19 patients (n = 74, 36.5%), followed by involvement in health education and awareness-raising activities (n = 63, 31%). Among those not willing to volunteer (n = 58, 22.2%), the most commonly reported reason was the lack of adequate training and skills (n = 23, 40%). CONCLUSION: Since the majority of medical and nursing students were willing to volunteer during the times of COVID-19, they can be of great help as a human resource in case of shortage of healthcare professionals. As lack of training and adequate skills was the main reason for those not willing to volunteer, we recommend the provision of adequate training and skills before deploying students as volunteers during health crises like COVID-19.

Vitamin D Deficiency among Patients Visiting a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D deficiency is a common condition prevalent among both developed and developing countries where it is seen mostly in females. It has been linked to various skeletal and non-skeletal diseases. This study was done to find out the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency and clinical features of deficient patients attending the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was done among the patients attending the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal. The study was conducted from May 2019 to July 2019. The ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Review Committee (ref no. 310520113). Convenient sampling was done. The collected data was entered in Microsoft Excel and was analyzed in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. RESULTS: Out of 481 participants, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 335 (69.6%). Severe vitamin D deficiency was seen in 78 (16.2%) and insufficient vitamin D in 77 (16%) of the patients. The mean serum vitamin D concentration by gender was 22.38±17.07 ng/ml in males and 18.89±15.25 ng/ml in females. A total of 263 (54.6%) females and 72 (14.97%) males had vitamin D deficiency. The most common symptoms found in vitamin D deficiency patients were fatigue 187(55.8%), muscle cramps 131(39.1%), generalized myalgia 125(37.31%), bone and joint pain 111(33.13%). CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency was prevalent especially in females and elderly people. Fatigability was present in more than half of the vitamin D deficient patients.

Prevalence of Atrial Fibrillation in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients in a Tertiary Care Center.

INTRODUCTION: Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained arrhythmias.Recently there has been evidence of higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation in obstructive sleep apnea patients compared to the general population. The aim of this study was to find the prevalence of atrial fibrillation in patients of obstructive sleep apnea in a tertiary care center. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was done in Om Hospital and Research Centre from January 2016 to 2018 March after ethical clearance. Convenience sampling was done. Data was collected and entry was done in microsoft excel, point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and proportion for binary data. RESULTS: The prevalence of atrial fibrillation in patients with obstructive sleep apnea is 7 (10.44%) at 95% Confidence Interval (6.70-14.17%). Apnoea-Hypopnoea Index of more than 30was present in 3 (42.8%) patients of atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation was seen highest, 3 (42.8%) in patients with BMI more than 30 and lowest, 1 (14.28%) patients with BMI less than 23.5. Prevalence of atrial fibrillation was seen 5 (71.4%) in male patients and 2 (28.57%) in female patients. Sixty seven (75.28%) patients had obstructive sleep apnea in which male patients was predominant 48 (71.64%). CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence ofatrial fibrillation in patients of obstructive sleep apnea was found to higher than the similar studies done. It is important to obtain detail cardiac history in any patients with obstructive sleep apnea and look for arrhythmias speciallyatrial fibrillation.

Topical nitroglycerin for management of peripheral extravasation of vasopressors: a case report.

Peripheral route for administration of vasopressors is often opted due to resource limitations or as a rescue until central venous access is established. This, however, is not devoid of complications, the most common being extravasation and tissue injury. Phentolamine is the only drug approved for management of vasopressor extravasation; however, successful use of other agents has been reported. Here we report a case of peripheral extravasation of vasopressors, successfully managed with topical nitroglycerin in intensive care unit in Kathmandu. To our knowledge, this is the first report of such kind from Nepal.

Acupuncture induced pneumothorax: A case report.

Various forms of alternative medicinal practices are gaining popularity. With this, there will be rise in the complications arising from these practices. Acupuncture is also such practice which though safe can rarely cause life-threatening complications.

Diffuse Systemic Sclerosis with Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction: A Case Report.

Systemic sclerosis is a connective tissue disease characterized by wide-spread vascular lesions and fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. It is an immune mediated rheumatic disease with the presence of an immunological dysfunction of T lymphocytes, especially Th1 and Th17 subtypes. It affects gastrointestinal, pulmonary, vascular, musculoskeletal, cardiac and various other systems. This disease is rare but has high morbidity and mortality with less known effective management. We report a case of 70-year-old female with systemic sclerosis presented with pain along with swelling over multiple joints since 18 months which exacerbated since last 6 months and wound over finger tips since last 2 weeks. We present here other various signs, investigations and management of this uncommon disease systemic sclerosis, also known as scleroderma. Various systems are evident to be involved including cardiac (left ventricular diastolic dysfunction) and peripheral vascular system (Raynaud's phenomenon). Keywords: connective tissue disease; immune-mediated; rheumatic disease; scleroderma; systemic sclerosis.

Oxidative stress and nutritional status in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress and malnutrition are shown to have pathogenic effect in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). AIM: This study was done to assess the burden of oxidative stress in COPD and to determine its relation to their nutritional status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 100 COPD cases from emergency and medical ward and meeting inclusion criteria, along with age, sex and occupation (mainly farmers, housewives and drivers) matched 100 controls without COPD and meeting inclusion criteria were enrolled. Oxidative stress was assessed by measuring lipid peroxidation product, Malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidants, like Vitamin C, E and Red Blood Cell Catalase (RBCC). Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) tool and Body Mass Index (BMI) were used to assess nutritional status. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Chi-square test was applied for categorical variable. Student t-test was applied for comparison of means. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was applied for comparison between groups followed by Bonferroni post hoc analysis. Pearson correlation method was used for quantitative variables. Statistical significance was defined as p< 0.05 (two tailed). RESULTS: COPD cases had significantly high MDA level with low level of Vitamin E and catalase as compared to controls (p < 0.001). Most of the COPD cases were underweight (BMI ≤ 18.5 Kg/m(2)) and malnourished (MNA score less than 7). Bonferroni post-hoc analysis, showed significantly high burden of oxidative stress in underweight and malnourished cases as compared to normal weight (p < 0.05) among COPD cases. Highly significant correlation was seen between BMI and plasma MDA level (r = -0.27, p = 0.008) in COPD cases. CONCLUSION: This study shows impaired oxidant/antioxidant balance along with malnutrition and underweight in COPD, which signals for considering antioxidant therapy along with nutritional management.

Systemic lupus erythematosus in males: a case series.

The reported prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the general population is 20-150 cases per 100,000 population. The female to male ratio ranges from 7-15:1. An estrogen effect has been suggested by a number of observations for this difference. In children, sex hormonal effects are presumably minimal and, thus, the female to male ratio is 3:1. We report a series of three male patients who presented at the B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences and were diagnosed to have lupus nephritis (LN). This is probably the first case series from Nepal on adult male LN. Male patients with SLE present mainly with renal involvement and seizures rather than photophobia and skin manifestations. The outcome also seems to be more serious in males. Thus, we believe that although male patients with lupus are not commonly seen, the manifestations are life threatening and early detection of the disease will lead to better outcome of these patients.

Community-based screening for chronic kidney disease, hypertension and diabetes in Dharan.

INTRODUCTION: Nepal cannot afford renal replacement therapy for End Stage Renal Disease due to lack of resources. Early diagnosis of Chronic Kidney Disease and its risk factors may reduce the need of renal replacement therapy. METHODS: A community-based screening on, 3218 people ≥20 years were assessed by door-to-door survey in Dharan, Nepal. Health status, lifestyle habit, physical examination and blood pressure were evaluated. Spot urine was examined for proteins and glucose by dipstick. Fasting blood glucose and serum creatinine were measured in a subset of 1000 people and the prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease was evaluated. RESULTS: Overweight, obesity, hypertension, diabetes and proteinuria were found in 20%, 5.0%, 38.6%, 7.5%, and 5.1% respectively. In the subset group, Chronic Kidney Disease was detected in 10.6%. Multivariate analysis indicated age (P <0.0001) and diabetes (P = 0.027) as statistically significant predictors for Chronic Kidney Disease. Total of 848 patients entered the management program of lifestyle modification and pharmacologic intervention. Glycemic and blood pressure control was achieved in 60% and 72%, respectively. Regression or stabilization of proteinuria was reported in 52% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Burden of Chronic Kidney Disease and cardiovascular risk factors are high in Dharan. Reasonable control of blood sugar, hypertension and proteinuria was achieved in this program. Findings indicate that activation a large prevention and intervention program to tackle Chronic Kidney Disease and Cardiovascular Disease in Nepal is needed.

Rheumatic heart disease revisited: patterns of valvular involvement from a consecutive cohort in eastern Nepal.

BACKGROUND: The burden of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) continues to be a major contributor to morbidity and premature death in poor and developing countries. We investigated patterns of valvular involvement in patients with RHD as observed in a large tertiary care hospital in eastern Nepal. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed transthoracic echocardiography reports from patients diagnosed with RHD between June 1999 and February 2011. RESULTS: Among 10 860 transthoracic echocardiography studies, 1055 female and 658 male patients were diagnosed with RHD, 25.7% of the patients being below 20 years of age. Mitral regurgitation was the most common valvular lesion across all age groups irrespective of sex (n = 1321, 77.1%). Female patients were significantly older as compared to male patients at the time of presentation (32.8 ±â€Š15.2 versus 28.5 ±â€Š15.4 years; P < 0.001) and more commonly presented with mitral stenosis as compared to male patients (62.8 versus 51.5%; P < 0.001), with a peak between the age of 30 and 49 years. Conversely, aortic regurgitation was more common in men as compared to women (55.6 versus 48.9%; P = 0.007). Involvement of both the mitral and the aortic valve was observed in 49.8% of the patients and was more common in men as compared to women (52.7 versus 47.8%; P = 0.047). CONCLUSION: In this consecutive cohort of patients with RHD in Nepal differential patterns of valvular involvement are observed across sex and age categories.

Clinical features and histological patterns of lupus nephritis in Eastern Nepal.

To determine the clinical profile and patterns of lupus nephritis patients in Eastern Nepal, we studied 38 patients fulfilling the 1982 revised criteria of American College of Rheumatology for systemic lupus erythematous (SLE), followed up from January 2004 to January 2008. Arthritis was a common initial feature in addition to variable cutaneous, cardiac, pulmonary and neuropsychiatric manifestations. Renal biopsy showed grade 1 changes in 5 (13.5%) patients, grade 2 changes in 13 (35.1%) patients, grade 3 changes in 9 (24.3%) patients, grade 4 changes in 7 (18.9%) patients, grade 5 changes in 2 (5.4%) patients, and grade 6 changes in 2.7% patients. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) assay and anti-ds DNA were positive in 78.4 and 81.1%, respectively. We conclude that mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (grade 2) was the most common pattern of lupus nephritis encountered in our study. Timely diagnosis and treatment may improve the overall patients' survival.

Melioidosis imported into Nepal.

This is a report of the first recognized case of melioidosis in Nepal. Illness began 1 month after returning from Malaysia after a 1 y stay. The case highlights the importance of ascertaining the travel history in any patient with a suspected infectious disease in this age of global travel.

Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

This report describes a case of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. No specific exposure was identified. Treatment with intravenous amphotericin B was associated with marked clinical improvement, but subsequent fatal relapse while still on therapy.