11 research outputs found
Assessment of antibiotic prescribing pattern in pediatric patients: A cross-sectional hospital-based survey
No full textBackground: Irrational usage of antibiotics increases the risk for the antimicrobial resistance, leads to increase morbidity, mortality, and economic burden for health care. India is a lower-middle income developing country in south Asia that has high potential for overuse and misuse of antibiotics and has less public awareness of antimicrobial resistance. The World Health Organization (WHO) developed the prescribing indicators to measure the rational usage of drugs in primary care and to assess the prescribing pattern of antibiotics. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the prescribing pattern of antibiotics in pediatric patients of Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional and prospective study was carried out in private pediatric specialty hospitals in urban areas of Anantapur district. Sample size was calculated using single population proportion formula. A total number of 845 pediatric in-patients were included for the study. Patients' demographic characters, diagnosis, and drugs prescribed were recorded in a prestructured and validated data collection form. Results: An average of 3.53 drugs prescribed per patient encounter, which was higher than WHO prescribed indicator standard value 2. The present study reveals that the percentage of encounters with antibiotics was 50.05% (423), which was higher than WHO standard (20.0-26.8%). Among 423 antibiotic prescriptions, 23.43% (198) prescribed with generic names and 91.48% antibiotics were prescribed from essential drug formulary list. Conclusion: Prescription patterns and usage of antibiotics in this study was inappropriate in comparing our results with WHO prescribing indicators. Effective interventions are required to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions
Evaluation of role of Jasminum sambac against ulcerative colitis in rats
No full text755-760Current investigation is designed to find out the role of Jasminum sambac (JS) against Acetic Acid (AA)-induced ulcerative colitis in rats. 30 male albino Wistar rats were randomly separated into 5 batches (n=6): normal: admitted with distilled water for 7 days; negative: received the distilled water for 1- 3 days and from 4-7 days received the 2 mL of AA (4% v/v) rectally; test 1, 2 and standard group: orally received the ethanolic extract of leaves of Jasminum sambac (EEJS) at doses 250, 500 mg/kg and prednisolone 2 mg/kg from 1-3 days without AA and from 4-7 days received the 2 mL of 4% v/v AA rectally after 2 h administration of EEJS and prednisolone. On 8th day rats were sacrificed and colon tissues were examined. Rats with acetic acid-induced colitis exhibited significant decrease in body weight, colon length, superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione, significant rise in colon weight, oedema, disease activity index, macroscopic damage score, occult blood in stool, stool consistency and lipid peroxidation. Pre-treatment with EEJS at doses 250, 500 mg/kg orally significantly regularized the above-mentioned parameters in dose dependent manner. Ethanolic extract of Jasminum sambac could protect the AA-produced ulcerative colitis by attenuation of macroscopic damage, microscopic damage, and oxidative biomarkers
Comparison of Efficacy, Safety, and Humanistic Outcomes of Iron-Chelation Therapy in Pediatrics Suffering from Transfusion-Dependent β-Thalassemia Major
No full textIntroduction:
Beta-thalassemia major (β-TM) is a severe form of genetic disorder that affects the patient's quality of life. Iron-chelation therapy (ICT) is recommended in these patients to reduce the complications (iron overload) associated with repeated blood transfusion.
Objective:
The present study aims to compare the efficacy, safety, and Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) of the single and combinational ICT regimens in β-TM.
Materials and Methods:
This prospective, comparative study was conducted in the outpatient department of a daycare pediatric hospital located in South India. Patients diagnosed with β-TM, ages between 2 and 12 years, under ICT regimens were recruited. A suitable data collection form and PedsQL questionnaire was used to obtain demographics, blood transfusion, serum ferritin, hematological, biochemical, and PedsQL data of the study participants. One-way ANOVA and Chi-square test were used to compare the safety, efficacy, and PedsQL.
Results:
A total of 97 participants who met the study criteria were enrolled in the study and divided into three groups: Group I (n = 45) Deferasirox alone, Group II (n = 28) Deferasirox + Deferiprone, and Group III (n = 24) deferasirox + deferoxamine. The mean difference of ferritin concentration in Group III (695.3 ± 1252.4) was high compared to Group I (91.31 ± 702.6) and Group II (392.5 ± 1083.5) regimens with a P = 0.0053. In Group III, a significant reduction in physical and school functioning was observed.
Conclusion:
Oral Deferasirox combined with subcutaneous deferoxamine shows a great significant reduction in ferritin levels, but this combination is associated with a significant rise in hepatic enzymes, and poor physical and school functioning. An oral Deferasirox combined with oral Deferiprone is a safe and effective regimen in the treatment of β-TM, without affecting any domain of the Health-Related Quality of Life
Nipah Virus Disease: An Updated Review
Get PDFThe Nipah virus (NiV) is a member of the Paramyxoviridae family of zoonotic viruses that is extremely contagious and potentially fatal. The Nipah virus was first discovered in 1999 during an outbreak in Malaysia. Since then, it has periodically caused outbreaks throughout South and Southeast Asia, especially in Bangladesh and India, and it continues to be a serious public health concern. The virus is primarily transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected fruit bats, which serve as natural reservoir hosts for the Nipah virus. Human-to-human transmission can also happen when infected people\u27s body fluids come into close contact with one another. The Nipah virus has a high death rate that varies depending on the outbreak and can cause a variety of clinical presentations, including encephalitis, severe respiratory illnesses, and asymptomatic infections. Fever, headache, dizziness, drowsiness, and confusion are common signs of Nipah virus infections, which may lead to the rapid onset of coma in the patient. The Nipah virus does not presently have a specific antiviral treatment; instead, infection control methods and supportive care are the foundation of management to stop the virus from spreading. Nipah virus outbreaks must be stopped with an approach that includes community involvement, public health education, and surveillance of both human and animal populations. Additionally, efforts are directed toward developing vaccines as a more potent form of prevention. The Nipah virus is a clear reminder of the continuous threat that newly emerging infectious diseases pose, as well as the necessity of having strong surveillance systems and quick response times in place to lessen the effects that these outbreaks have on public health
Depression, Anxiety, and Stress among General Public of India During Post-COVID-19 Second Wave: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey
No full textBackground:
Evidence suggests that one-third of respondents had a significant psychological impact in the lockdown period of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This indicates a need for longitudinal assessment of the psychological needs of the public to plan holistic interventions.
Aim:
To investigate depression, anxiety, and stress (DAS) levels among the general public post-COVID-19 second wave.
Materials and Methods:
A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among the general public who were aged above 15 years. The data were collected through online mode by providing a link to fill Google Form. The survey tool was disseminated in various messenger groups and social media networks. The survey tool comprises demographics, COVID-19 stressors, and DAS Scale 21 (DASS-21). Multi and Univariate linear regression analysis was used to correlate patient characteristics and COVID-19 stressors with DASS-21 subscales.
Results:
A total of 2515 (males = 1274; females = 1241) people participated in this web-based survey. The mean age of the study respondents was 31.3 ± 13.4 years. The mean scores of depression, anxiety, and stress were 6.8 ± 8.6, 5.0 ± 7.3, and 7.3 ± 8.6, respectively. The majority of the participants are normal in all sub-scales of DASS-21. Very few are experiencing symptoms of severe or extremely severe depression (4.2%, 4.3%), anxiety (3.3%, 6.9%), and stress (3.0%, 2.3%). Geriatrics, females, health-care workers, homemakers/unemployed/retired people, rural residents, and people suffering from co-morbidities have a significant elevation of DAS scores with a P < 0.05.
Conclusion:
Even though most of the respondents are free from the DAS symptoms, few are still (post-COVID-19 second wave) experiencing symptoms of severe or extremely severe DAS subscales. More interview-based and probability sampling future studies are warranted to minimize the biases present in the study
Spatial Long-Term Memory Retention by Banana and Papaya Peel Extract: In silico and in vivo Evaluation
No full textDepression, anxiety, and stress among HIV-positive pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: a hospital-based cross-sectional study in India
No full textAbstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unparalleled increase in psychological distress among everyone and everywhere. Perinatal depression, anxiety, and stress (DAS) are more prominent among HIV-positive pregnant women and are associated with poor maternal and neonatal outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and explore the factors associated with DAS among HIV-positive pregnant women in India. Methods A multicentric, cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted among all HIV-positive pregnant women, aged more than 18 years, taking antiretroviral therapy, and attending antenatal care visits at two hospitals that are offering HIV care services in Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Women who were unable to communicate were mentally ill, and refused to give consent were excluded. The study was conducted for a period of eighteen months from April 2020 to September 2021. A validated and interview-based data collection form was used to capture sociodemographic, obstetric profiles, clinical and support-related profiles, and COVID-19 stressors among study participants. The DASS-21 scale was used to assess depression, anxiety, and stress among study participants. Univariable and multivariable Poisson regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with DAS among study participants. Results The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among HIV-positive pregnant women was found to be 50.3% (95% CI 23.6–76.4), 56.2% (95% CI 28.3–80.3), and 42.2% (95% CI 18.5–69.9), respectively. A multivariate Poisson regression analysis showed that participants living in a rural area (adj. PR 1.43,1.08–1.91), primigravidae (adj. PR 1.37, 1.09–1.72), less number of ANC visits (adj. PR 1.41, 1.12–1.76), identified HIV during pregnancy (adj. PR 1.42, 1.13–1.77), non-disclosure of HIV status with one’s partner (adj. PR 1.43, 1.11–1.83), no partner support (adj. PR 1.84, 1.31–2.59), and having a negative HIV status sexual partner (adj. PR 1.35, 1.02–1.79) were all significantly associated with depression. Factors such as lack of partner support (adj. PR 1.48, 1.09–1.99) and known HIV status during pregnancy (adj. PR 1.24, 1.01–1.52) were significantly associated with anxiety. Participants who had less ANC visits (adj. PR 1.50, 1.12–2.02), non-disclosure of HIV status with partner (adj. PR 1.47, 1.08–2.02), known HIV status during pregnancy (adj. PR 1.62, 1.23–2.15), negative HIV status of sexual partner (adj. PR 1.44, 1.02–2.02), and no partner’s support (adj. PR 1.85, 1.25–2.74) were significantly associated with stress. Conclusion The study concludes that about one-third of the HIV-positive pregnant women reported anxiety, and more than half of the women were feeling stressed and depressed during COVID-19. Factors such as residence and primigravidae were linked with antenatal depression. Whereas variables like ANC visits, knowing HIV status during pregnancy, non-disclosure of HIV status, no partner’s support, and sexual partner HIV negative status were associated with depression and stress. The anxiety symptoms are very high among women who are HIV positive during pregnancy, and not having a partner’s support. Demographic, clinical, and support-related determinants and COVID-19 stressors of DAS provide insights for interventions to reduce the burden of mental health problems among HIV-positive pregnant women
Organ Transplantation, Pros, Cons, and illustrations: A Basic Awareness to the Public
Get PDFSolid-organ transplantation saves the lives of patients affected by end-stage organ failure and enhances the quality of life. It has been developed in the last two decades and provides amazing results for children and young people and increases the growing number of elderly transplant patients with organ transplantation. Use of corticosteroids, vaccines, and other drugs to avoid infection in diseased patients. Several approaches have been developed to prolong organ obtainability, including living donor liver transplantation, split liver transplantation, and application of expanded criteria for donors and donation after circulatory death grafts. Unprincipled practices in many countries are due to the availability of organs. Organ transplantation requires screening and comparative contraindications in the recipient. The authors want to give a general awareness to the public, which is essential to know for donating and receiving organs from others
A Comprehensive Review on Scrub Typhus: Epidemiology, Transmission, Diagnosis and Management
Get PDFScrub typhus is a serious public health risk in areas where it is endemic. It is brought on by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi and is spread via the bite of infected chiggers. The epidemiology, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of scrub typhus are summarized in this overview, along with recent developments. The disease is most common in rural sections of Asia, the Pacific Islands, and portions of Australia, where chigger populations are encouraged by favorable environmental conditions.
The clinical signs of chigger bites can range in severity from mild to severe, presenting with symptoms like fever, headaches, and the distinctive Escher at the bite site. Severe cases may result in consequences such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and organ failure, which call for prompt identification and treatment. Molecular techniques and serological testing are used as diagnostic tools. Molecular assays are a quick and reliable way to identify Orientia tsutsugamushi.
Antibiotics are the cornerstone of treatment, and doxycycline is the drug of choice. Treatment must be started as soon as possible to avoid problems and enhance results. The importance of public health interventions, such as vector control and health education, is highlighted by issues like antibiotic resistance and restricted access to treatment in rural areas.
Personal protection is the main focus of preventive measures, which include donning proper attire and applying insect repellents. Managing the environment and involving the community are important strategies for lowering chigger populations. Additional research is being done to create effective scrub typhus vaccines, even if there isn\u27t one that is now generally authorized
