Hospital-based Cross-sectional Study Research Articles

Expression Pattern of Estrogen Receptor Alpha and Progesterone Receptor in Gallbladder Carcinoma and Their Association with Clinicopathological Parameters and Overall Survival.

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a highly aggressive malignant tumor with a poor prognosis. Despite being first described two centuries ago, there are no targeted therapies available beyond conventional cytotoxic therapy. Epidemiological studies have shown that the incidence of gallbladder cancer is higher in females than males. This suggests that the gallbladder may be a female sex hormone-responsive organ, and these hormones might be involved in the pathogenesis of gallbladder cancer. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the expression of ERα and PR in GBC and correlate their expression with clinicopathological variables and overall survival. A total of 235 histopathologically diagnosed GBC cases were included in this hospital-based cross-sectional study. Clinicopathological data were collected, and the expression of ERα and PR was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. The mean age of this study population was 55.47 ± 8.45 with range 28-87years. Females were predominated over male with a male-to-female ratio of 1:3.5. Positive nuclear expression of the ERα and PR was found in 13 (5.5%) and eight (3.4%) cases, respectively. Apart from nuclear staining, cytoplasmic expression of ERα and PR was found in three (1.2%) and 31 (13.2%) cases, respectively. Higher percentage of positive nuclear expression of ER was found in < 50years age (p value = 0.04), parity > 4 (p value = 0.02), advanced pT stage (T3) (p value = 0.01), lymphovascular invasion (p value = 0.02), and liver invasion (p value = 0.04) which were statistically significant. Higher percentage of PR expression was also observed in < 50years age (p value = 0.01), and tumor associated with gallstone (p value = 0.04). There was no significant correlation between cytoplasmic expression of ER, PR, and clinicopathological variables. In multivariate analysis, there was no significant correlation between ER or PR positive expression and overall survival. Although nuclear expression of ERα was significantly associated with progressive disease factors but the positive expression was found in very small percentage of GBC cases. So anti-hormone therapy might be an option in patient with ER α positive gallbladder carcinoma.

Bullet-related bacterial wound infections among injured personnel at emergency site hospitals in Bahir Dar: prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility and associated factors.

Bullet-related bacterial wound infection can be caused by high-velocity bullets and shrapnel injuries. In Ethiopia, significant injuries were reported that may cause severe wound infections, persistent systemic infections and may lead to amputation and mortality. The magnitude, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, and factors associated with bacterial wound infections among patients with bullet-related injuries are not yet studied particularly at health facilities in Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the prevalence, bacterial profiles, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, and factors associated with bacterial infections among patients with bullet-related injuries at referral health facilities in Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia. A Hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with bullet-related injuries at three referral health facilities in Bahir Dar from May 25 to July 27, 2022. A total of 384 patients with bullet-related injuries were included in the study. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Wound swabs were collected aseptically and cultured on Blood and MacConkey agar following bacteriological standards. Biochemical tests were performed to differentiate bacteria for positive cultivation and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the isolates were done on Muller Hinton agar using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion technique according to the 2021 Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) guideline. The data were entered using Epi-Info version 7.3 and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive data were presented using frequency, percentages, figures, and charts. Logistic regression was carried out to identify factors associated with bacterial wound infections. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The prevalence of bullet-related bacterial wound infection among three referral hospitals in Bahir Dar city was 54.7%. The most commonly isolated Gram-negative organism was Klebsiella spps 49 (23.3%) while among Gram-positive organism, Staphylococcus aureus 58 (27.6%) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CONS) 18 (8.6%). Contamination, hospitalization and smoking habit were significantly associated with the presence of bullet-related bacterial wound infections. Over 97% multidrug resistant (MDR) bacterial isolates were identified and of theses, E. coli, Proteus species, Citrobactor, and Staphylococcus aureus were highly drug resistant. Increased prevalence of bullet-related bacterial wound infection was noticed in this study. S. aureus followed by Klebsiella species were most commonly isolated bacteria. High frequency of resistance to Ampicillin, Oxacillin, Cefepime, Ceftriaxone, Ceftazidime, Vancomycin, and Norfloxacin was observed. Therefore, proper handling of bullet injuries, prompt investigation of bacterial infections, monitoring of drug sensitivity patterns and antibiotic usage are critical.

Prevalence of abnormal electrocardiographic findings and associated factors among patients with epilepsy at Jimma Medical Center, Ethiopia; Hospital-based cross-sectional study.

A person with epilepsy experiences recurrent seizures as a result of a persistent underlying disorder. About 50 million people globally are impacted by it, with 4 million of those being in Sub-Saharan Africa. One of the most frequent comorbidities that raise the mortality and morbidity rates of epileptic patients is abnormal Electrocardiographic (ECG) findings. Thus, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of abnormal ECG findings in epileptic patients that might lead to increased risk of sudden cardiac death. A hospital based cross-sectional study was at Jimma Medical Center of Ethiopia on epileptic patients who were on follow-up at neurologic clinics during the data collection period. The malignant ECG characteristics and was identified using the ECG abnormality tool. To facilitate analysis, the gathered data was imported into Epidata version 3.1 and exported to the SPSS version 26. The factors of abnormal ECG and sudden death risk were examined using bivariate logistic regression. The study comprised 190 epileptic patients, with a mean age of 32 years. There were more men than women, making up 60.2%. A 43.2% (n = 80) frequency of ECG abnormalities was identified. According to the study, early repolarization abnormalities were the most common ECG abnormalities and increased with male sex and the length of time a person had seizures (AOR) of 4.751 and 95% CI (.273,.933), p = 0.029, compared to their female counterparts. The frequency of malignant ECG alterations in epileptic patients on follow-up at Jimma Medical Center in Ethiopia is described in the study. According to the study, there were significant ECG alterations in epileptic individuals. Male gender and longer duration of epilepsy raise the risk of abnormal ECG findings that could result in sudden cardiac death.

A study on clinico-demographic and microbiological profile of surgical site infection (SSI) in a tertiary care hospital, Kolkata: An alarming trend

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates surgical site infections SSI is major contributor of healthcare associated infections (HAI). Multidrug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacilli are emerging pathogens. This study aimed to determine the magnitude of SSI and identify predominant pathogens with their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. It is a hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study including 2070 suspected SSI specimens from 25809 surgeries between 1July 2021 to 30 June 2023. Organisms’ identification and AST was done by both conventional and automated methods. Data was collected and analysed on MS-Excel sheet with various charts and tables. In our study SSI rate was 6.3%, much higher than previous study (2.83%) from this institution. SSI rate was highest in plastic surgery (8.2%). Major pathogens of SSI were Gram-negative bacilli e.g., (26.34%), (25.59%) and (74.69%) was predominant among Gram-positive cocci. Gram-negative bacilli including enterobacterales and non-fermenter and showed resistance to major classes of broad- spectrum antibiotics. Methicillin resistance (MRSA) was 43.9%, which indicates need to improve infection control practices. Our study showed significant higher proportion of SSI as compared to previous studies from the same institute with alarming number of isolated MDR Gram-negative bacilli. So, this study focusses the need of robust infection control practices and strict implementation of antimicrobial stewardship to overcome challenges of antimicrobial resistance.

Serum IL-23, IL-17 and TNF-α level as Psoriasis severity markers: A hospital based cross sectional study.

Background: Psoriasis is an autoimmune chronic inflammatory disease where serum cytokines are marked as prime drivers of disease progression and severity. Objectives: To investigate serum TNF-α, IL-17 and IL-23 level according to disease severity of psoriasis. Methods: A total of 35 psoriasis patients and 35 healthy controls were enrolled. Disease severity of psoriatic patients was assessed by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scoring. Serum TNF-α, IL-17 and IL-23 of study subjects were measured by ELISA. Results: Serum level of is significantly increased in psoriasis patients than healthy controls. Among 35 patient 56.7% were suffering from moderate to severe psoriasis. Serum TNF-α level was more in mild group (P =0.70) and serum IL-23 level increased in moderate to severe psoriasis (P=0.42). Whereas serum IL-17 level significantly increased along with disease severity (P=0.03). Conclusion: Our study underscores the role of TNF-α, IL-17 and IL-23 in disease severity of psoriasis. J Shaheed Suhrawardy Med Coll 2022; 14(2): 25-29

Correlation of alanine aminotransferase levels and a histological diagnosis of steatohepatitis with ultrasound-diagnosed metabolic-associated fatty liver disease in patients from a centre in Nigeria

BackgroundMetabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is defined as the occurrence of hepatic fat accumulation in patients with negligible alcohol consumption or any other cause of hepatic steatosis. This study aimed to correlate the ultrasound-based diagnosis of MAFLD with the histological diagnosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in patients with MAFLD.MethodsThis was a hospital-based cross-sectional study of 71 patients with MAFLD diagnosed by ultrasound. Percutaneous liver biopsy was performed for histological evidence of NASH in all patients, regardless of liver function test (LFT) values, provided that they had no contraindications. Liver histology was graded using the NASH Clinical Research Network MAFLD Activity Score. The data obtained were entered into SPSS version 21 and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The significance level was set at < 0.05.ResultsA total of 71 patients (26 males and 45 females) with MAFLD were included. Thirty-nine (76.5%) patients with MAFLD and normal ALT levels had NASH, while 14 (82.4%) had elevated ALT levels. There was no statistically significant difference in the histological grade of NASH between patients with normal and elevated ALT levels. A weak correlation was found between the severity of steatosis on ultrasound scan and NASH incidence (p = 0.026). The sensitivity and specificity of ALT levels for predicting NASH according to the area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC 0.590) at an ALT cut-off value of 27.5 IU/L were 55.8% and 64.7%, respectively.ConclusionNASH can occur in patients with MAFLD, irrespective of alanine transaminase (ALT) levels, and ultrasound grading of the severity of steatosis cannot accurately predict NASH. Liver biopsy remains the investigation of choice.

Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency among Patients Attending Tertiary Level Hospitals in Bangladesh: Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Vitamin D (Vit D) is essential for calcium and phosphate homeostasis, critical for bone growth and remodeling. Its deficiency leads to conditions like osteomalacia and rickets, with adverse effects on osteoporosis, growth, and skeletal health. This study aimed to assess Vitamin D Deficiency prevalence among patients in Bangladeshi tertiary-level hospitals. Materials and Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted from January to December 2019 at Cumilla Medical College Hospital and Central Medical College Hospital. We enrolled 1250 patients meeting inclusion criteria and collected data via a pre-designed questionnaire. Results: Most participants (31.8%) were aged 31-40, with a mean age of 37.31±13.37. Male patients constituted 53.3%, and 46.7% were female. Rural residents accounted for 52.6%, while 25.8% lived in urban areas, and the rest abroad, mainly the Middle East. The majority (88.5%) belonged to middle-class families, and only 1.5% reported sufficient sun exposure. Strikingly, 54.2% were Vitamin D deficient, 40% had insufficient levels, and only 6.4% had adequate Vit D. Conclusion: This study highlights a significant prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency among patients in Bangladeshi tertiary hospitals. The data underscore the urgent need for healthcare authorities to address this public health concern. Policymakers and healthcare providers should be aware of the potential long-term health consequences of Vitamin D deficiency, emphasizing the importance of strategies to promote adequate Vit D levels in the population. Medicine Today 2023 Vol.36 (1): 17-22

Delirium management and current practice among Intensive Care Units Doctors, Khartoum

Delirium is a brain dysfunction characterized by attention and cognitive disturbances in a fluctuating manner. The international guidelines recommend daily screening for delirium. The Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) and Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC) are the most commonly used methods for assessing delirium. This study aimed to identify barriers and gaps in knowledge and practice. This was a hospital-based Cross-Sectional study. Stratified random sampling was used in this study. 72 ICU doctors were randomly selected. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS version 23. Descriptive data were presented, and the chi-squared test was used to determine the associations among variables. Statistical significance was set at p &lt; 0.05. More than 70% of the doctors were ≤ 30 years of age and female. A total of 69.4% of the participants had &lt; 1year of experience. In total, 94.4% of the participants worked in medical ICUs. Less than 20% of the doctors used delirium assessment tools, with a statistically significant difference based on experience (p=0.012). Delirium was not regularly assessed in 13.9% of the patients. Non-pharmacological management was applied by 76.4% of doctors, and communication with patients was the most frequent (75%). Haloperidol was the most commonly used drug (83.3%). A total of 40.3% of doctors did not stop delirium medication on ICU discharge. A regular delirium assessment was performed. However, the use of validated assessment tools is uncommon. Nonpharmacological management of delirium is important and is mostly performed. Our doctors prescribed antipsychotics for the treatment of both forms of delirium, and almost half of them did not stop the medications on ICU discharge. Medication reconciliation and contact with the next in-charge of the patients are important.

Bacterial etiologies, antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and associated factors among patients suspected sterile body site infections at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

BackgroundSterile body locations are usually associated with clinical urgency and life-threatening illnesses, and they are typically contaminated with diverse bacterial etiologies. If the bacteria acquire resistance to antimicrobial drugs, the public health crisis will only worsen. In developing countries, drug-resistant bacteria are common because of poor surveillance, diagnostic capacity, and control measures. Early diagnosis, and assessing the drug resistance and factors associated with infection are important to combat the drug resistance and treatment. This study aimed to assess the bacterial etiologies, antimicrobial susceptibility pattern, and possible associated factors among patients suspected of sterile body sites.MethodsA hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2022 to August 2022 at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Amhara regional state, Ethiopia. One hundred seven study participants were selected using consecutive convenient sampling techniques. A structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and clinical data. Gram stain was done for a preliminary report and inoculated into blood agar, MacConkey agar, and chocolate agar and incubated aerobically and micro aerobically at 37°C for 24 h. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done by the modified Kirby Bauer’s disk diffusion method. Data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was used. A p-value less than 0.05 is considered as statistically significant.ResultsThe overall magnitude of sterile body site infection among study participants was 7.5% (14/187). The majority of the isolates were Gram-negative bacteria with the predominant species Enterobacter cloacae accounting for 28.57% (4/14). Among isolates 78.57%(11/14) of them were multidrug-resistant isolates. Being inpatient, co-morbidity, and alcohol consumption were significantly associated with sterile body site infection.ConclusionIn our study, Gram-negative bacteria were the predominant bacteria that infects sterile body fluid. The prevalence of multi-drug resistance bacteria isolates was significantly high. Therefore, before prescribing an empirical treatment, a medical professional should identify the bacterial etiology of sterile body fluids and the susceptibility of microbes to the drug.

Prevalence of multidrug resistance Salmonella species isolated from clinical specimens at University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital Northwest Ethiopia: A retrospective study.

Multidrug resistance Salmonellosis remains an important public health problem globally. The disease is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries, but there have been limited recent studies about the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance, and multidrug resistance patterns of Salmonella isolates from various clinical specimens. Aimed to assess the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance, and multidrug resistance patterns of Salmonella isolates from clinical specimens at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialised Hospital, northwestern Ethiopia. A retrospective hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance, and multidrug resistance patterns of isolated from all clinical specimens at the University of Gondar Salmonella Comprehensive Specialised Hospital from June 1st, 2017 to June 3rd, 2022. A total of 26,154 data points were collected using a checklist of records of laboratory registration. Clinical specimens were collected, inoculated, and incubated for about a week with visual inspection for growth and gram staining. The isolates were grown on MacConkey agar and Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate agar. Pure colonies were identified with a conventional biochemical test, and those unidentified at the species level were further identified by the analytical profile index-20E. Then, antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique. The multidrug resistance Salmonella isolates was identified using the criteria set by Magiorakos. Finally, the data was cleaned and checked for completeness and then entered into SPSS version 26 for analysis. Then the results were displayed using tables and figures. Of the total 26,154 Salmonella suspected clinical samples, 41 (0.16%) Salmonella species were isolated. Most of the Salmonella isolates, 19 (46.3%), were in the age group of less than 18 years, followed by the age group of 19-44 years, 11 (26.8%). In this study, S. enterica subsp. arizonae accounts for the highest 21 (51%), followed by S. paratyphi A 9 (22%). Of the Salmonella isolates, S. typhi were highly resistant to ampicillin (100%), followed by tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, each accounting for 83.3%. Furthermore, S. paratyphi A was resistant to ampicillin (100%), tetracycline (88.9%), and chloramphenicol (88.9%). The overall multi-drug resistance prevalence was 22 (53.7%; 95% CI: 39.7-61). Accordingly, S. paratyphi A was 100% multidrug-resistant, followed by S. typhi (66.6%). A low prevalence of Salmonella species was observed in the past six years. Moreover, most S. typhi and S. paratyphi strains in the study area were found to be resistant to routinely recommended antibiotics like ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone, compared to what was reported earlier. In addition, all isolates of S. paratyphi A and the majority of S. typhi were multidrug resistant. Therefore, health professionals should consider antimicrobial susceptibility tests and use antibiotics with caution for Salmonellosis management.

Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines signatures at different severity of dengue infection

Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines signatures at different severity of dengue infection

Prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation in chronic patients with schizophrenia: a hospital-based cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Background Prior studies seeking to identify factors associated with suicide in patients with schizophrenia have reported important, though limited, and controversial findings. Our aims were to examine the prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) and investigate the relationship between SI and a variety of factors (such as insomnia, religious coping, previous life experiences, dependency in daily living activities, positivity) in patients with schizophrenia. Method This was a cross-sectional study carried out among Lebanese patients with schizophrenia during January 2022. Results Out of 196 patients, 17.3% had SI. Multivariable logistic regression found that more loneliness (aOR = 1.43) and more severe insomnia (aOR = 1.08) were substantially related with increased odds of reporting SI, whereas having more positive life experiences (aOR = 0.83) was associated with lower odds of occurrence of SI. Positive/negative religious coping, activities of daily living and positivity showed no significant association with SI in our sample and context. Conclusion Findings showed that SI is highly prevalent in chronic patients with schizophrenia. The study identified three important factors (insomnia, loneliness, and positive experiences in life) associated with SI in schizophrenia, which could be targeted in prevention and intervention strategies.

Preference and Associated Factors for Cesarean Delivery Among Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: A cesarean delivery is regarded as a comparatively favourable and secure approach to childbirth when contrasted with vaginal delivery. Over the past decade, its frequency has risen in both industrialized and developing nations. Maternal request for cesarean delivery has been explained for the escalating rate along with other factors like anxiety, fear of childbirth, previous cesarean delivery, previous negative vaginal birth experience, maternal age, maternal education, and socioeconomic factors. Hence, this study was undertaken to assess pregnant women's tendency to have a cesarean birth and to investigate the factors associated with the inclination for cesarean delivery. Materials and methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of a tertiary care hospital, a systematic sampling procedure was utilized, and 368 antenatal mothers after 36 weeks of gestation, who do not have any specific medical reasons against vaginal delivery were included in the study. Data collection was done by questionnaire. The information regarding socio-demographic factors, preexisting comorbidities, current obstetric risk factors, emotional factors, previous delivery experience, and their information preference toward the mode of delivery were collected. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to identify the independent variables associated with preference for cesarean delivery. Results: The preference for cesarean delivery and non-preference for cesarean delivery was 114 (30.9%) and 201 (54.6%), respectively whereas 53 (14.4%) participants remained neutral. The Chi-square analysis revealed a notable connection between the inclination towards a preference for cesarean delivery and factors such as obstetric score, parity, comorbidities, and among obstetric risk factors such as pregnancy after in-vitro fertilization (IVF), with a history of abortion, and having a prior history of cesarean delivery. Nevertheless, no meaningful association was observed between the preference for cesarean delivery and the remaining variables. On multivariate logistic analysis, independent variables like preexisting anxiety or depression, pregnancy through IVF, and having a history of previous cesarean delivery have increased the odds of preferring cesarean delivery. The independent variables like increasing gestational age, graduates, and unemployed have decreased the odds of preferring a cesarean delivery. Conclusion: In conclusion, the prevalence of cesarean delivery is influenced by a complex interplay of medical, cultural, socioeconomic, and healthcare system factors. While cesarean delivery is essential in cases of medical necessity, efforts should be made to avoid unnecessary cesarean delivery that does not provide clear benefits over vaginal delivery. Balancing the risks and benefits of cesarean delivery and promoting evidence-based obstetric practices are crucial for ensuring optimal maternal and infant outcomes.

Cognitive dysfunction and its relationship with psychopathology and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia: a protocol for a cross sectional study

Background One central characteristic of schizophrenia is cognitive dysfunction, which typically has modest to severe effects on a variety of cognitive areas. Evidence suggests that cognitive impairment may occur far sooner than the clinical symptoms. The connection between cognitive deficiencies and functional outcome indicators has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Cognitive deficits are widely known to affect overall functioning, In India, few studies have been conducted to determine the profile of cognitive abnormalities in individuals in the chronic phase of schizophrenia as well as those in remission. Research from developing nations is crucial because schizophrenia prevalence in these nations is thought to be lower than that in industrialized nations. The aim of this study will be to assess the prevalence of cognitive dysfunction in individuals with schizophrenia and examine the relationship between cognitive dysfunction with psychopathology and quality of life in individuals with schizophrenia. Protocol This will be a cross sectional hospital-based study. After ethical clearance, all patients in the Psychiatry Department meeting the criteria of Schizophrenia, according to the ICD-10, will be part of the study. The expected number of participants is 228. All participants within the age group of 18 to 65 years who are clinically diagnosed to have schizophrenia using ICD-10 and who are able to give written informed consent will be included in the study. The patient’s sociodemographic data will be collected in Outpatient or inpatient basis and then the following questionnaires will be applied to them: i) Socio-demographic Proforma; ii) The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS); iii) The World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF scale (WHOQOL-BREF); and iv) Addenbrooke’s cognitive examination III (ACE). Once the aforementioned questionnaires are completed, the prevalence of cognitive dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia will be assessed, and its relationship with psychopathology and quality of life will be studied.

Elimination disorders and associated factors among children and adolescents age 5–14 year-old attending paediatric outpatient clinic at Wolaita Sodo University comprehensive specialized hospital, South Ethiopia

BackgroundElimination disorder occurs in children over the age of normal toileting who continue to have an inability to control urination or feces, either during the day, at night, or both. Paediatric elimination disorders are not well understood by parents, teachers, medical professionals, mental health practitioners, and researchers. Hence, this study aimed to assess the magnitude of elimination disorder and associated factors among children and Adolescents aged 5–14 years old at Wolaita Sodo University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, South Ethiopia, in 2022.MethodA hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from September 22 to November 22, 2022, at Wolaita Sodo University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. A systematic random sampling technique was employed to select 423 study subjects. The data were gathered using a structured, face-to-face interviewer-administered questionnaire. The development of the symptom score for dysfunctional elimination syndrome of Vancouver questionnaires was used to screen for elimination disorders. Logistic regression model was used to determine the association between the outcome and independent variables. A 95% CI and Odds ratio with corresponding p-value < 0.05 were used to determine the predictors of the outcome variable.ResultThe overall magnitude of elimination disorder among children and Adolescents age 5–14 in this study was (n 70, 16.8%); in boys (n 47, 17.3%) and girls (n 23, 15.75%). The prevalence of enuresis was (n 64, 15.3%), encopresis (n 15, 3.6%), both enuresis and encopresis, or combined elimination disorder (n 9, 2.2%). Age 9–11 years (AOR = 3.2, 95%CI:1.09, 9.43), family size four and above (AOR = 3.4, 95%CI:1.78, 6.56), family history of elimination disorder (AOR = 3.9, 95%CI:2.12, 7.45), emotional problem (AOR = 2.2, 95%CI:1.18, 4.05), hyperactive problem (AOR = 3.8, 95%CI:1.83, 7.83), low toilet training skills (AOR = 5.9, 95%CI:2.61, 13.33), bad parenting practices, were poor supervision (AOR = 4.4, 95%CI 1.29, 14.69) were significantly associated with elimination disorder.Conclusion and recommendationIn this study, approximately one in five children and adolescents had an elimination disorder. Younger age, family size four and above, positive family history of elimination disorder, presence of emotional and hyperactive problems, bad parenting practices, and low toilet training skills were factors associated with elimination disorders. Therefore, preventative, etiological, and therapeutic measure, early toilet training, supportive parenting practices, screening for children’s and adolescents’ behavioral problems, and elimination disorders need attention to reduce the effect of the problem.

Effects of the use of face masks on the vital signs and headache of healthy healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A hospital-based cross-sectional study

The study aimed to assess the impact of wearing protective facial masks (PFMs) on various health parameters of hospital staff amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of wearing a face mask on blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, headache, fatigue, and shortness of breath in hospital staff during routine work shifts and COVID-19. In this study, participants from various clinical, administrative, and hospital cleaning professions who had at least one month of work experience were enrolled and their oxygen saturation (SpO2), heart rate (HR), and headache were measured during routine shifts with normal daily activities. The fatigue severity scale (FSS) and the modified Borg dyspnea scale were used to assess the participants. The significance level was set at 0.05. SpO2 and HR were lower at the end of the work shift than at the beginning (93.96 ± 1.57 vs. 95.03 ± 1.7 and 82.1 ± 11.83 vs. 83.93 ± 12.31, respectively). According to the result of the Borg scale, 59.2 % of the participants did not feel short of breath and 34.3 % had “mild-moderate” shortness of breath. The total FSS (21.46 ± 2.31) showed that the participants did not fall into the “fatigued” category. The Kruskal-Wallis test showed no significant difference in Borg score, FSS, HR, and SpO2 participants with different mask types (P > 0.05). The result of the Kruskal-Wallis test also showed no significant difference in Borg score between the occupational groups (P = 0.073). The results showed that the frequency of pre-existing headaches had increased in 18.2 % of the respondents. The findings indicated that wearing PFMs did not have a notable impact on oxygen levels and heart rate during the regular tasks of hospital staff. However, the use of PFMs led to the development of new headaches associated with PFMs or worsened existing headaches.

Prevalence and pattern of sleep problems among older persons attending a tertiary hospital in Nigeria

Background: Sleep disturbances are common symptoms in adults and are related to various factors, but they are not an inherent part of the ageing process. Objective: To determine the prevalence and pattern of sleep problems among older persons attending the General Out-patient Clinics in a tertiary health-care facility in Uyo, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional descriptive study on older persons attending the GOP clinics of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital. Using a semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire, information on the sociodemographic characteristics and the sleep history of the respondents were obtained. Data entry and analysis were done using Epi info® version 3.5.1. Results: The prevalence of sleep problems was 64.5% with early awakening being the commonest sleep problem (50.5%) experienced by the respondents. Conclusion: The prevalence of sleep problems is high in this study, and there is need for counselling of older persons on how to improve their sleeping habits.

Interplay between leadership and patient safety in dentistry: a dental hospital-based cross-sectional study

ObjectivesThe study aimed to study the association of leadership practices and patient safety culture in a dental hospital.DesignHospital-based, cross-sectional studySettingRiphah Dental Hospital (RDH), Islamabad, Pakistan.ParticipantsAll dentists working at RDH were...

Cutaneous manifestations of hypothyroidism: An observational study in a tertiary care center of Eastern India

Cutaneous manifestations of hypothyroidism: An observational study in a tertiary care center of Eastern India

Exploring patients’ perspectives about thalassemia and Its treatment modalities: cross sectional hospital-based study

Exploring patients’ perspectives about thalassemia and Its treatment modalities: cross sectional hospital-based study