International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences
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Exploring relationships between psychological factors and coping mechanisms in doctors of Delhi NCR: a correlational study
Get PDFBackground: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed substantial mental health challenges for healthcare professionals. While pandemic-related anxiety and fear of COVID-19 have been studied, less is known about how these factors relate to general psychological distress and coping styles among physicians in real-world settings.
Methods: This study is an observational, cross-sectional analysis involving N=100 physicians. Participants completed the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) to assess general psychological distress and overall health status, the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) to measure coronavirus-specific anxiety, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) to evaluate fear related to COVID-19 and the Coping Inventory to assess coping styles. Pearson correlations were computed to examine the inter-correlations among these variables.
Results: Coronavirus anxiety was strongly negatively correlated with perceived general health (r=-0.613, p<0.001), indicating that higher anxiety is linked to poorer health perception. Fear of COVID-19 showed a weak but significant positive correlation with general health (r=0.169, p=0.047), suggesting a nuanced relationship between health status and fear. No significant correlations were found between anxiety and coping strategies, nor between coping strategies and overall health, highlighting the complexity of coping mechanisms in this context.
Conclusions: The strong negative link between coronavirus-specific anxiety and perceived general health underscores the need for targeted mental health resources within healthcare settings to safeguard physicians’ overall well-being and job performance. Our findings support implementing balanced psychoeducational and resilience-building programs that promote vigilant but non-dysregulated emotional responses, thereby sustaining both physician health and quality of patient care in ongoing and future health crises
Linguistic malady in medical literature: sinister synonyms
Get PDFSemantics (i.e. the science of “word versus meaning”) is overlooked during training as a medical student and/or as a medical teacher. In a seasoned teacher, repeated clarifications are ingrained enough to obviate any confusion. But as a student, if we recall our own situation in the past, or as a teacher, if we visualize current students’ viva outcomes or classroom experiences-the problem is immense.
Induction of labour: a comparative study of dinoprostone gel versus vaginal misoprostol versus sequential intracervical Foley’s catheter followed by vaginal misoprostol versus concurrent intracervical Foley’s and dinoprostone gel
Get PDFBackground: Induction refers to the stimulation of contractions prior to the spontaneous commencement of labour, whether or not the membranes have already ruptured. Induction of labour is needed when risks outweigh the benefits of pregnancy continuation and there is no contraindication for vaginal delivery.
Methods: This was a randomized control trial which included low risk pregnant women at term gestation. Eligible patients were divided into 4 groups by randomisation in ratio of 1:1:1:1 with 25 patients in each group i.e. vaginal misoprostol (25 µgm) (group A) versus intracervical dinoprostone gel (group B) versus sequential intracervical Foley’s catheter followed by vaginal misoprostol (group C) versus concurrent intracervical Foley’s and dinoprostone gel.
Results: Use of dinoprostone gel for cervical priming is a more efficacious method among women needing labour induction with bishop score <6 compared to vaginal misoprostol, concurrent intracervical foley’s as well as sequential intracervical Foley’s and vaginal misoprostol. It is associated with higher rates of vaginal delivery (84%, p value 0.001), shortened induction delivery interval (14.38±7.16 hours, p value 0.178) and least risk of fetal distress/MSL.
Conclusions: Use of dinoprostone gel for cervical priming is a more efficacious method as it is associated with higher rates of vaginal delivery, more predictable response, shortened IDI and least risk of fetal distress/MSL. It should be preferred over tablet vaginal misoprostol especially for nulliparous women
Association of sensorineural hearing loss in pediatric patients with CMV and Rubella infection
Get PDFBackground: Sensorineural hearing loss handicaps a child and delays emotional, speech, behavioural and social development, if not diagnosed early. Among manifold causes of SNHL, CMV and Rubella infections are important for a significant prognostic and future planning for the child. Aim to find out the association of paediatric SNHL with Cytomegalovirus and Rubella infection. To evaluate other risk factors for paediatric sensorineural hearing loss.
Methods: This is a case-control study of one year with 74 Patients from birth to 12 years of age attending ENT department for audiological assessment. Sample was divided into 2 groups (37 with SNHL, 37 with normal hearing) based on relevant tests like Oto Acoustic Emission (OAE) and Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA). History of CMV and Rubella infection and also prematurity, low birth weight, birth asphyxia was recorded followed by analyses of their association with SNHL.
Results: There is a strong and significant association of CMV (OR=11.93) and Rubella (OR=28.75) with paediatric SNHL. Around 56.5% cases of Rubella infected kids had Profound SNHL and 40% of CMV infected kids had moderately severe SNHL. There is mild to moderate association of low birth weight (OR=1.81), prematurity (OR=1.44) and neonatal asphyxia (OR=3.08) with paediatric SNHL.
Conclusions: Based on the analysis, CMV and Rubella infection has statistically significant and strong association with SNHL in children. Cochlear implantation can be planned in Children with severe to profound SNHL if diagnosed timely preventing the child from being handicapped. Early screening for CMV and rubella infection with audiological evaluation is thus highly recommended
Juvenile dermatomyositis in an eleven-year-old boy: a case report and review of literature
Get PDFJuvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare chronic autoimmune inflammatory condition characterized by systemic capillary vasculopathy and idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) that primarily affects the skin and musculoskeletal system, resulting in a characteristic rash and symmetric muscle weakness of the upper and lower proximal muscles, increased levels of serum muscle enzymes and myopathic electromyography. Dysphagia, respiratory problems, and aspiration pneumonia can occur due to the involvement of respiratory and oropharyngeal muscles in severe cases. Both immune dysfunction and environmental factors are thought to contribute to etiopathogenesis. It could be linked to genetics, an immune response to a virus, an adverse drug reaction, exposure to sunlight or internal malignancy. JDM is characterized by two periods of peak occurrence: one during infancy which is called juvenile DM (JDM), typically between the ages of 5 and 15, and another during maturity, typically between the ages of 40 and 60. Histologically, it is characterized by the presence of lymphocytic vascular inflammation and endothelial swelling. Management of JDM is complex and warrants a multidisciplinary approach including physiotherapists, dermatologists, specialist nurses and pediatric rheumatologists, with other specialists like cardiologist/pulmonologist. The long-term complications of JDM include prolonged and severe muscle weakness with muscle atrophy, cutaneous calcifications, scarring or atrophy, and lipodystrophy. Calcinosis cutis, a form of dystrophic calcification, is a late sequel of the disease and occurs in up to 40% of patients with this disorder, a major cause of morbidity. JDM has poor prognosis with one third of patients recovering without complication, one third develop disability and one third die. Herein, we reported a case of an 11-year-old boy who presented to us with facial puffiness & weakness in both limbs, classic clinical and histopathological features of Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM). As early diagnosis and timely aggressive treatment are associated with better outcomes
Global prevalence and etio-pathogenesis of autism: a review
Get PDFAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complicated neurobehavioral disorder, characterized by lack of social communication, presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors and lack of verbal development. The condition is believed to stem from cerebral malfunctioning resulting from a complex interplay of environmental, genetic and epigenetic variables. The level and number of symptoms vary from individual to individual and hence the clinical findings cannot be generalized. Prevalence of ASD has risen over the years which is possibly due to increased diagnosis, reporting and awareness. Autistic individuals are observed to have certain physiological challenges as abnormalities in the gut-brain axis with a focus on gut dysbiosis. This current review was prepared using PubMed, Google Scholar and other sources. It presents data on the primary streams about the etio-pathogenesis and global prevalence of ASD. However, it is observed that there is no specific cure for ASD. Timely intervention results in significant enhancements in social communication abilities, cognitive and adaptive functions
Redefining quality of life in renal replacement therapy: a patient centered perspective
Get PDFRenal replacement therapy (RRT), encompassing hemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD) and kidney transplantation is essential for managing end stage renal disease (ESRD). As survival outcomes have improved, there is increasing recognition of the need to enhance quality of life (QoL) among patients undergoing RRT. However, widely used QoL assessment tools like ED-5D, SF-36 and KDQOL-SF often fail to capture the multifaceted psychosocial, emotional and existential dimensions of patients lived experiences. To better understand these limitations, we conducted a comprehensive review of PubMed indexed articles addressing QoL in RRT patients across different modalities. Our findings reveal that current tools inadequately reflect psychological distress, social role distribution and loss of autonomy and are inconsistently responsive across patient populations. Challenges such as fatigue, depression, physical decline and economic burden vary significantly and are often overlooked in standard metric. We propose a patient centered reframing of QoL assessment that includes domains such as purpose and identity, emotional and spiritual resilience, social integration, economic participation and digital empowerment. Incorporating these domains into clinical care and research design offers a more holistic approach to RRT, improving patient satisfaction, engagement and long term outcomes. This shift towards human centered metrics is essential for advancing patient centered nephrology care
Enteric opportunistic parasites in HIV positive patients and associated risk factors
Get PDFBackground: Depletion of CD4+ T-cells following HIV infection leads to immune system collapse, leaving patients susceptible to opportunistic infections. In developing countries like India, parasites cause diarrhoea in over 90% of HIV patients. This study was conducted to identify the enteric opportunistic parasitic diseases that affect HIV-positive patients and associated risk factors. This study also focuses on the identification of Cryptosporidium species by conventional methods and comparing them with ELISA.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Department of Microbiology, GMCH, Aurangabad, from January 2023 to June 2024. Total 104 stool samples of HIV-positive patients were collected. Proper history was obtained to identify the risk factors. The samples were subjected to direct wet mount, concentrated using formalin-ether method, followed by modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining, Auramine O fluorescent staining, and ELISA.
Results: The parasites identified include Cryptosporidium (34), Cyclospora cayetanensis (1), Strongyloides stercoralis (1), and Entamoeba (1). The risk factors associated with opportunistic infections were high HIV viral load, low CD4 count, shorter duration of ART, chronic diarrhea, and occupation. Auramine O staining was identified as superior to wet mount and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining for identification of Cryptosporidium spp.
Conclusions: Clinicians can fight AIDS more successfully with proper knowledge about opportunistic infections. Since the spectrum of opportunistic infections varies with geography, their pattern in a particular area is of utmost importance. Understanding the risk factors and optimal diagnostic techniques for opportunistic infections helps in prompt treatment, contributing to delaying the progression to AIDS
Trends analysis of birth weight of newborn babies born to mothers of different ethnicities of Tripura: a facility-based observational study
Get PDFBackground: There is little known about the ethnic disparity, which is one of the social determinants of low birth weight in India. This issue was not extensively studied, especially in North-east India. The study aimed to analyse the birth weight trends of newborn babies born to different ethnicities in Tripura.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the West Tripura District of Tripura, capturing birth records from 2017 to 2022 among mothers who went through institutional normal vaginal delivery. A 1520 delivery case record form was used to record all birth events, and they were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Ethics Committee, AGMC, Tripura.
Results: In total, 1520 delivery cases were recorded as normal vaginal delivery. The mean birth weight (kilogram) of newborn babies among Tribal mothers is 3.14±0.46 kgs, Bengali communities’ mothers is 2.83±0.38 kgs, and Tea tribe mothers is 2.76±0.42 kgs. The difference in the mean birth weight of newborns among different ethnicities is found to be statistically significant (p-value 0.008). There was a declining trend in the year 2020-2021 (post-COVID era). The low-birth-weight rate was higher among the tea tribe and the Bengali communities than among Tribal babies (p-value 0.000).
Conclusions: The low birth weight was comparatively lower among the tribal community than the tea tribe and the Bengali community. The study suggested taking specific interventions against low birth weight, targeting the marginalized population
Chronic microplastic exposure: a growing threat to metabolic health in India
Get PDFMicroplastics have emerged as widespread environmental contaminants. These particles originate from the breakdown of larger plastic waste, which is now prevalent in ecosystems, including water, soil, air, and food sources, making human exposure inevitable. If current trends continue, global plastic pollution will reach alarming levels by 2050. Microplastics primarily enter the human body via ingestion, inhalation, as well as dermal contact, along with significant exposure occurring through contaminated water, food, and urban air pollution. Various studies indicate that microplastics can disturb gut microbiota, trigger systemic inflammation, hinder lipid metabolism, and encourage issues such as insulin resistance, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. They also serve as vehicles for toxic substances, increasing their harmful effects. This review synthesizes current evidence by searching PubMed, PubMed Central, Scopus, and Google Scholar for studies published between 2010-2025 on microplastic exposure and metabolic health, focusing on India. The scenario in India is especially concerning due to high plastic consumption, poor waste management, and a significant rate of metabolic disorders; thus, further research in this field is crucial. This review highlights the pathways of microplastic exposure to humans, along with their potential to disrupt metabolic health, emphasizing the vulnerability among the Indian population. It calls for urgent, region-specific research to explore these health risks and advocates for stricter policies on plastic waste management to mitigate the growing public health crisis