Tag: nevin manimala

Niger J Clin Pract. 2021 Aug;24(8):1188-1193. doi: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_687_20.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a gram-negative ubiquitous bacterium affecting over half of the world’s population. Most infections are acquired in early childhood with highest prevalence in Africa and Asia. Infected individuals develop antibodies against H. pylori which persist up to 6 months after eradication. Low socioeconomic status, poor sanitation, poor personal hygiene, and absence of potable household water supply are prevalent in our environment and also linked with increased frequency of the disease with attendant health consequences.

AIMS: The aim of the study was to determine the seroprevalence of H. pylori infection and potential sociodemographic factors among children in Owerri.

METHODS: One hundred and twenty children aged 6 months to 15 years were studied from March to June 2016. Sociodemographic data was documented in a pretested structured questionnaire while rapid test kit that detects antibody to H. pylori by chromatographic flow was used to identify subjects with infection. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 with level of statistical significance at P < 0.05.

RESULTS: H. pylori infection prevalence was 20.0%, increased with age and highest in the 10-15 years age group (P = 0.001). Increasing age and low socioeconomic class (SEC) were found to be significant risk factors of H. pylori seropositivity among study subjects.

CONCLUSION: Prevalence of H. pylori infection was high, increased with age and lower SEC as well as highest among children aged 10 years and older. Efforts should be made to exclude H. pylori infection in children with suspected symptoms considering the high burden of the disease in our setting.

PMID:34397029 | DOI:10.4103/njcp.njcp_687_20

Niger J Clin Pract. 2021 Aug;24(8):1234-1239. doi: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_553_20.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: The aim of this study is to evaluate the multidisciplinary treatment relationship between the two specialties of Dentistry, Departments of Periodontology and Orthodontics, by examining consultation request notes between the two departments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The consultation request notes of 1685 patients who were treated at Erciyes University Faculty of Dentistry were included in the study. All notes were analyzed retrospectively and divided into categories. While the consultation request notes of 446 patients from the Department of Periodontology (DP) to the Department of Orthodontics (DO) were evaluated, the consultation request notes of 1239 patients from DO to DP were evaluated. Pearson’s Chi-Squared test was used in the cloud-based TURCOSA statistical software for the statistical analysis of the obtained data.

RESULTS: The highest number of requests for consultation from DP to DO was due to “Evaluation of the patient for orthodontic treatment (n = 203; 45.5%),” and the highest number of requests from DO to DP was “Gingival/Periodontal Treatment and Providing Motivation of Oral Hygiene (n = 558; 45.0%)”. It was observed that most patients for whom consultation was requested were women (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: This study determined the most common reasons for consultation requests between DP and DO and the sex which was the most prevalent. It was concluded that requests were made for the expertise of the other department for problems that could not be solved by the first department.

PMID:34397036 | DOI:10.4103/njcp.njcp_553_20

Natl Med J India. 2021 Jan-Feb;34(1):4-9. doi: 10.4103/0970-258X.323446.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: . Diabetes-related health education promotes patient efficacy for diabetes self-management. However, sub-optimal knowledge of diabetes in people with diabetes is recognized as a challenge in overcrowded public health facilities in India. We aimed to determine the effect of health education through mobile phone text messages (short messaging service [SMS]) on diabetes-related knowledge of patients with diabetes.

METHODS: . From February 2016 to February 2017, we recruited adult patients with diabetes for this quasi-experimental study done in the outpatient setting of a major tertiary care government hospital in Delhi, India. Participants in the intervention group received a text message on diabetes self-care practices every alternate day for 90 days. We evaluated the patients’ knowledge of diabetes using the Spoken Knowledge in Low Literacy in Diabetes (SKILL-D) questionnaire and a self-designed diabetes knowledge questionnaire.

RESULTS: . We enrolled 190 men and 160 women, of whom 52 (13.7%) were lost to follow-up. At baseline, mean diabetes knowledge scores were higher in the intervention group compared to the control group. After the intervention period of 3 months, the diabetes knowledge scores for SKILL-D and the patient diabetes knowledge questionnaire showed a statistically significant increase in the intervention group (mean difference 0.7 and 0.5, respectively; p<0.001, but there was no increase in the control group).

CONCLUSION: . The use of mobile phone technology for diabetes-related health education through mobile text-message (SMS) technology is an effective method for health promotion.

PMID:34396996 | DOI:10.4103/0970-258X.323446

Niger J Clin Pract. 2021 Aug;24(8):1159-1163. doi: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_574_19.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to compare the efficacy of two triggering method one with dual triggering with gonadotropin-realising hormon (GnRH) agonist plus standard dosage human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and the other with hCG only for final oocyte maturation on oocyte/follicle ratio and pregnancy rates in normoresponders in GnRH antagonist cycles in invitro fertilization-intrastoplasmic sperm injection (IVF-ICSI).

MATERIAL METHODS: In this retrospective study, all patients underwent GnRH antagonist protocol. When at least ≥3 follicles reached ≥17 mm diameter, 116 patients received dual trigger with GnRH agonist plus hCG (1mg Leuprolide acetate plus 10.000 IU uhCG) and 178 patients received uhCG (10.000 IU u hCG) for final oocyte maturation. All follicles ≥10 mm diameter were aspirated. Number of oocytes and metaphase II oocytes retrieved per aspirated follicles, implantation rate, and clinical pregnancy rate per cycle was recorded.

RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in terms of metaphase II oocyte ratio per aspirated follicle, implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate between the dual trigger group and hCG only group (45.7% vs. 51%; 35.4% vs.30.3% and 45%vs. 40% respectively). Oocyte/ follicle ratio was significantly higher in dual trigger group (68.2%vs 63.8% p=0,028).

CONCLUSIONS: Dual triggering in normal responders with a GnRH-agonist and a standard dosage of hCG is superior to hCG only protocol in terms of oocyte/follicle ratio but does not improve metaphase II oocyte, implantation and clinical pregnancy rates in GnRH-antagonist cycles. Dual triggering method may be beneficial in patients with immature oocytes and emty follicle syndrome.

PMID:34397024 | DOI:10.4103/njcp.njcp_574_19

Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2021 Aug 16:1-6. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2021.193. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess the impact that natural disaster response has on local health departments’ (LHD) ability to continue to provide essential public health services.

METHODS: A web-based survey was sent to all North Carolina Local Health Directors. The survey asked respondents to report on LHD functioning following Hurricanes Florence (2018) and Dorian (2019).

RESULTS: After Hurricane Florence, the positions who most frequently had regular duties postponed or interrupted were leadership (15 of 48; 31.3%), and professional staff (e.g., nursing and epidemiology: 11 of 48; 22.9%). Staffing shelters for all phases – from disaster response through long-term recovery – was identified as a burden by LHDs, particularly for nursing staff. Approximately 66.6% of LHD jurisdictions opened an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) or activated Incident Command System in response to both hurricanes. If an EOC was activated, the LHD was statistically, significantly more likely to report that normal duties had been interrupted across every domain assessed.

CONCLUSIONS: The ability of LHDs to perform regular activities and provide essential public health services is impacted by their obligations to support disaster response. Better metrics are needed to measure the impacts to estimate indirect public health impacts of disasters.

PMID:34396948 | DOI:10.1017/dmp.2021.193

Am J Clin Nutr. 2021 Aug 16:nqab262. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab262. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

A double-blind controlled trial initiated in 1944 has led to the common narrative that a 10-mg daily vitamin C intake is adequate to prevent and treat impaired wound healing, and by inference, other collagen-related diseases such as heart disease or stroke. The WHO relies on this narrative to set the recommended nutrient intake for vitamin C. This narrative, however, is based on what is known as the eyeball method of data assessment. The 1944 trial published individual participant data on scar strength providing an opportunity to statistically probe the validity of the 10-mg narrative, something which has not yet been done. The findings show that a vitamin C intake that averages to 10 mg/d over a mean follow-up of 11.5 mo was associated with a 42% weakened scar strength when compared with 80 mg vitamin C intake/d (P < 0.001). The observed dose-response curve between scar strength and vitamin C intake suggests that the daily vitamin C intake needed to prevent collagen-related pathologies is in the range recommended by the National Academy of Medicine and the European Food Safety Authority (75 to 110 mg/d), not the WHO recommendation (45 mg/d). The findings also show that a vitamin C intake that averages to 65 mg/d over a mean follow-up of 6.5 mo failed to restore the normal wound-healing capacity of vitamin C-depleted tissues; such tissues had a 49% weaker scar strength when compared with nondepleted tissues (P < 0.05). Thus, average daily vitamin C intakes ∼50% higher than the WHO recommends may fail to treat existing collagen-related pathologies. It is concluded that the prior lack of statistical analyses of a landmark trial may have led to a misleading narrative on the vitamin C needs for the prevention and treatment of collagen-related pathologies.

PMID:34396385 | DOI:10.1093/ajcn/nqab262

J Infect Dis. 2021 Aug 16;224(Supplement_2):S64-S71. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiab149.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infection ascending to the upper genital tract can cause infertility. Direct association of genetic variants as contributors is challenging because infertility may not be diagnosed until years after infection. Investigating the intermediate trait of ascension bridges this gap.

METHODS: We identified infertility genome-wide association study (GWAS) loci using deoxyribonucleic acid from Ct-seropositive cisgender women in a tubal factor infertility study and Ct-infected cisgender women from a longitudinal pelvic inflammatory disease cohort with known fertility status. Deoxyribonucleic acid and blood messenger ribonucleic acid from 2 additional female cohorts with active Ct infection and known endometrial infection status were used to investigate the impact of infertility single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on Ct ascension. A statistical mediation test examined whether multiple infertility SNPs jointly influenced ascension risk by modulating expression of mediator genes.

RESULTS: We identified 112 candidate infertility GWAS loci, and 31 associated with Ct ascension. The SNPs altered chlamydial ascension by modulating expression of 40 mediator genes. Mediator genes identified are involved in innate immune responses including type I interferon production, T-cell function, fibrosis, female reproductive tract health, and protein synthesis and degradation.

CONCLUSIONS: We identified Ct-related infertility loci and their potential functional effects on Ct ascension.

PMID:34396400 | DOI:10.1093/infdis/jiab149

Lancet Reg Health Eur. 2021 Jun;5:100086. doi: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100086. Epub 2021 Mar 23.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The role of schools in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is much debated. We aimed to quantify reliably the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections at schools detected with reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-qPCR).

METHODS: This nationwide prospective cohort study monitors a representative sample of pupils (grade 1-8) and teachers at Austrian schools throughout the school year 2020/2021. We repeatedly test participants for SARS-CoV-2 infection using a gargling solution and RT-qPCR. We herein report on the first two rounds of examinations. We used mixed-effects logistic regression to estimate odds ratios and robust 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

FINDINGS: We analysed data on 10,734 participants from 245 schools (9465 pupils, 1269 teachers). Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection increased from 0·39% at round 1 (95% CI 028-0·55%, 28 September-22 October 2020) to 1·39% at round 2 (95% CI 1·04-1·85%, 10-16 November). Odds ratios for SARS-CoV-2 infection were 2·26 (95% CI 1·25-4·12, P = 0·007) in regions with >500 vs. ≤500 inhabitants/km², 1·67 (95% CI 1·42-1·97, P<0·001) per two-fold higher regional 7-day community incidence, and 2·78 (95% CI 1·73-4·48, P<0·001) in pupils at schools with high/very high vs. low/moderate social deprivation. Associations of regional community incidence and social deprivation persisted in a multivariable adjusted model. Prevalence did not differ by average number of pupils per class nor between age groups, sexes, pupils vs. teachers, or primary (grade 1-4) vs. secondary schools (grade 5-8).

INTERPRETATION: This monitoring study in Austrian schools revealed SARS-CoV-2 infection in 0·39%-1·39% of participants and identified associations of regional community incidence and social deprivation with higher prevalence.

FUNDING: BMBWF Austria.

PMID:34396360 | PMC:PMC8350968 | DOI:10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100086

Front Digit Health. 2021 Jul;3:714741. doi: 10.3389/fdgth.2021.714741. Epub 2021 Jul 26.

ABSTRACT

Transient increases in peripheral vasoconstriction frequently occur in obstructive sleep apnea and periodic leg movement disorder, both of which are common in sickle cell disease (SCD). These events reduce microvascular blood flow and increase the likelihood of triggering painful vaso-occlusive crises (VOC) that are the hallmark of SCD. We recently reported a significant association between the magnitude of vasoconstriction, inferred from the finger photoplethysmogram (PPG) during sleep, and the frequency of future VOC in 212 children with SCD. In this study, we present an improved predictive model of VOC frequency by employing a two-level stacking machine learning (ML) model that incorporates detailed features extracted from the PPG signals in the same database. The first level contains seven different base ML algorithms predicting each subject’s pain category based on the input PPG characteristics and other clinical information, while the second level is a meta model which uses the inputs to the first-level model along with the outputs of the base models to produce the final prediction. Model performance in predicting future VOC was significantly higher than in predicting VOC prior to each sleep study (F1-score of 0.43 vs 0.35, p-value < 0.0001), consistent with our hypothesis of a causal relationship between vasoconstriction and future pain incidence, rather than past pain leading to greater propensity for vasoconstriction. The model also performed much better than our previous conventional statistical model (F1=0.33), as well as all other algorithms that used only the base-models for predicting VOC without the second tier meta model. The modest F1 score of the present predictive model was due in part to the relatively small database with substantial imbalance (176:36) between low-pain and high-pain subjects, as well as other factors not captured by the sleep data alone. This report represents the first attempt ever to use noninvasive finger PPG measurements during sleep and a ML-based approach to predict increased propensity for VOC crises in SCD. The promising results suggest the future possibility of embedding an improved version of this model in a low-cost wearable system to assist clinicians in managing long-term therapy for SCD patients.

PMID:34396363 | PMC:PMC8360353 | DOI:10.3389/fdgth.2021.714741

Public Health Pract (Oxf). 2021 Aug 8:100173. doi: 10.1016/j.puhip.2021.100173. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 is a disease of varying presentation and neurological sequelae of the disease are being studied. Following a cluster of paediatric facial nerve palsy (FNP) cases in an area of South Wales with a high prevalence of COVID-19, we conducted an opportunistic study to determine whether there has been an increase in incidence of FNP and if there is an association between the FNP and COVID-19 in children.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. Using the case series from 2020 and comparing it with previous years.

METHODS: We reviewed the incidence of FNP between 2015-2020 across two hospitals within the health board. The incidence was compared with that in 2020 including a cluster of six children in 14 weeks, presenting to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital between June and October.

RESULTS: There were 48 cases of children with FNP across both hospital within the study years. Seven (7) cases in 2020. The incidence was not statistically different in comparison to other years.Five out of six of these children in 2020 had antibody testing for COVID-19. All serology testing (100%) returned negative for SARS-CoV- 2 antibodies.In high prevalence area for COVID-19, cases of children with FNP have not shown a commensurate increase. we have found no causal link between COVID-19 and FNP in children. While this is a small study, larger cohort studies are needed to support this finding.

CONCLUSION: As new strains of COVID-19 are being reported in UK, South Africa and Brazil, physicians need to continue to be vigilant for consistent pattern of signs and symptoms, especially in children.

PMID:34396357 | PMC:PMC8349358 | DOI:10.1016/j.puhip.2021.100173