Tertiary Care Public Hospital Research Articles

Clinico-Epidemiological Profile, Trends, and Health-Related Outcomes of Snakebite Victims: A One-Year Prospective Study from Eastern India.

Snakebite envenomation is a significant life-threatening public health problem in Southeast Asia (SEA). In this region, India reported the largest number of snakebite deaths from 2000 to 2019 (1.2 million), with an average of 58,000 deaths yearly. This prospective observational study was carried out among snakebite victims at the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary care public sector hospital in eastern India. A total of 145 cases of venomous snakebite were investigated. More than half (n = 81, 56%) of the snakebite victims were between 17 to 45 years. Most of the snakebite victims were male (68%) and were farmers (53%) by occupation. The majority of snakebites occurred during the daytime (76%) and while outdoors (67%). Most victims sustained a bite on the lower extremity (71%). The peak incidence of snakebites occurred from June to September (69%). Three-quarters of all patients were unaware of the required first aid measures following a snakebite. Among the 145 venomous snakebites, 48 were presumptively identified as the Indian cobra, 32 by the Indian krait, 56 by the Russel's viper, and 9 by saw-scaled viper. The mean duration from the snakebite to the onset of systemic effects in the Indian cobra was 52 ± 14.28 min, 66 ± 18.35 min in the Indian krait, 42 ± 13.47 min in Russel's viper, and 48 ± 16.38 min in saw-scaled viper. Respiratory failure was the commonly observed complication following an elapid envenomation. The mortality rate was 2.1% among the patients treated with antivenom. Snakebite is considered an occupational hazard in India, commonly affecting the young population in their productive period. The peak incidence was during monsoon season, and the majority had neurotoxic envenomation following an elapid bite (55%) that contributed to the increased mortality and morbidity among young adults. Of the 145 patients, the majority (84%) recovered fully with treatment; 16% of the victims developed morbidity viz cellulitis, respiratory failure, acute renal failure, compartment syndrome, local tissue necrosis, intracerebral hemorrhage, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Appropriate first aid measures and timely medical intervention can significantly improve the treatment outcome following snakebites.

Supportive Care Needs of Patients With Temporary Ostomy in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS), a global surgical quality improvement initiative, reduces the length of stay in the hospital. Temporary stoma care for rectal cancer is complex, and patients require prolonged care services to adjust to the stoma. The shorter stay durations in the new model challenge the conventional care pathways and create new patient needs. This study was designed to explore the supportive care needs of patients under the new surgical model to provide a reference for the design of ERAS nursing care plans. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used in this study. Patients with temporary stomas for rectal cancer were recruited using a convenience sampling method in gastrointestinal surgery wards and wound & stoma clinics in two public tertiary care hospitals in China. Standardized questionnaires were administered to 140 patients to collect quantitative data, and semistructured interviews were conducted individually with 13 patients to collect qualitative data. The questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. "Health system and information needs" and "care and support needs" were identified in both the qualitative and quantitative analyses as the most significant unmet needs of the participants. In addition, the qualitative analysis identified receiving focused stoma care instructions and easily understandable information as essential to fulfilling health system and information needs. Care and support needs included access to continued postdischarge services and attention from medical professionals. The participants in this study experienced a variety of unmet supportive care needs under the ERAS protocol, with gaps particularly notable in two categories: "health system and information needs" and "care and support needs." Increased perioperative care and shorter hospital stays under the ERAS protocol reduce opportunities for patients to receive targeted instruction and shift much of the ostomy education and care workload out of the hospital, requiring greater attention from clinical nurses to ensure quality of care.

Exploring antibiotic safety: A prospective observational study from a tertiary care public sector hospital

BackgroundAntibiotics are the most commonly used drugs to treat bacterial infections; however, these life-saving drugs can also cause adverse drug reactions. In several pharmacovigilance studies, adverse drug reactions are a cause of prolonged hospitalization. The development of hypersensitivity reactions even after a negative skin test and patch test makes antibiotic-associated adverse reactions unpredictable. Owing to the scarcity of data on antibiotic desensitization, these drugs are important for pharmacovigilance. Most of the previous studies conducted were retrospective and lacked data regarding the duration of adverse drug reactions. AimThis study aimed to examine adverse drug reactions associated with antibiotics and to provide knowledge on the duration of these reactions. MethodA prospective observational study was conducted on patients receiving antibiotics at a tertiary care hospital. The patients were followed until discharge, and causality and severity assessments were performed. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed to summarize the data. ResultsThe study results show the median duration of adverse drug reactions was two days, with an interquartile range of two to four days. Most (21,3%) of the reactions were caused by cephalosporins. The majority (44.7%) of the reactions were skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders. The majority (78.7%) of the reactions were moderately severe and were not responsible for prolonged hospital stay. ConclusionThe patients receiving antibiotics require close monitoring for early detection and management of adverse reactions to reduce the duration of hospital stay and the duration of adverse drug reactions.

Development of Oral Healthcare Plan for Children with Congenital Anomalies

Background: Children having birth defects denote a high-risk group for oral diseases compared to their healthy counterpart. Untreated dental caries significantly accounts for the oral disease burden of children with birth defects. A preventive oral health and restorative dental care package with close follow up could offer much benefit for such children and this poster provides some baseline information in this regard.Objective: To describe an oral health care package offered to high caries risk children with birth defects at a multi-specialty, tertiary care, and premier public dental hospital setting in Sri Lanka.Methods: A Sample of 79 children with birth defects who visited the Preventive Oral Health Unit of the National Dental Hospital (Teaching) Sri Lanka from 1st January 2017 to 29th April 2019 were included in the present analysis, by extracting data from unit’s data base. The level of corporation of a child for oral health care was assessed by child’s compliance with mouth examination and provision of simple dental treatment in a child-friendly dental setting.Results: Children with birth defects aged (mean ± SD) [6.02 ± 3.17-years], carried a high burden of untreated dental caries. The mean number (±SD) of non-cavitated decayed teeth was 2.65± 3.62, cavitated decayed teeth was 2.97±2.97 and pulp exposed teeth was 3.59 ±3.60 respectively. Children were offered a preventive oral health care package comprised of customized behavioural management, oral hygiene instructions and dietary counselling (for parental care givers), professional fluoride applications, simple restorations of carious teeth, fissure sealant applications for permanent molar teeth, referral for pulp therapy for pulp exposed symptomatic teeth under general anaesthesia to Restorative Unit B with follow up of care. 50.6% of children deemed cooperative and 8.9% were partially cooperative to receive oral health care provided by the Preventive Oral Health Unit.Conclusion: This baseline information must be utilized for effective planning of oral healthcare for children with birth defects.

Feasibility of a nurse-led, mHealth-assisted, and team-based collaborative care model for heart failure care in India: Findings from a multi-stakeholder qualitative study

Background Heart failure (HF) management is often challenging due to poor adherence to GDMT and self-care. Continuous monitoring of patients by a dedicated care manager may enhance adherence to self-care and treatment and prevent hospitalisations. For the adoption and acceptance of a collaborative care model (CCM) for HF management in Indian settings, understanding the perspectives of all stakeholders regarding its various components and feasibility is needed. Therefore, we aimed to obtain perceptions of potential challenges to care and suggestions on multiple components of the proposed CCM in managing HF and its feasibility. Methods In-depth interviews were done among HF patients, caregivers, nurses, and cardiologists from private, co-operative, and public sector tertiary care hospital settings that cater to HF patients in Kerala, India. An in-depth interview guide was used to elicit the data. Data were analysed using Python QualCoder version 2.2. We used a framework method for the analysis of data. Results A total of 22 in-depth interviews were conducted. We found that the existing care for HF in many settings was inadequate for continuous engagement with the patients. Non-adherence to treatment and other self-care measures, was noted as a major challenge to HF care. Healthcare providers and patients felt nurses were better at leading collaborative care. However, various barriers, including technical and technological, and the apprehensions of nurses in leading the CCM were identified. The stakeholders also identified the mHealth-assisted CCM as a potential tool to save money. The stakeholders also appreciated the role of nurses in creating confidence in patients. Conclusions A nurse-led, mHealth-assisted, and team-based collaborative care was recognised as an excellent step to improve patient adherence. Effective implementation of it could reduce hospitalisations and improve patients' ability to manage their HF symptoms.

Examining Barriers and Perceptions in Reporting Medication Administration Errors among Nurses at the Tertiary Care Hospitals in Peshawar Pakistan

Medication administration is vital for patient safety, yet medication errors can lead to life-threatening situations and increased mortality rates. Nurses, being essential members of the healthcare team, are constantly present with patients and regularly tasked with drug administration, facing a significant burden of medication errors compared to other healthcare providers. Objectives: To explore the barriers and perceptions of nurses' regarding medication errors reporting in public sector tertiary care hospitals. Methods: A convenient sample of 209 staff nurses participated in this cross-sectional survey from June to October 2022. A three-part questionnaire was used to gather information on the general characteristics of nurses, the causes of medication errors, and the justifications for not reporting them. Results: The Pharmacy supplies inappropriate doses to this unit with a mean of (2.53 ± 1.28) and an insufficient number of staff nurses in each working shift (4.23 ± 0.76) were the two least and most significant contributing factors to medication errors. Additionally, the two most and least significant factors for not reporting medication errors were that nurses may be held accountable if the patient suffered harm (3.94 ± 1.16) and that nurses did not agree with the hospital's definition of a medication error (2.33 ± 1.26) on average. Conclusions: The main causes of drug mistakes and failure to reveal them were nursing and management issues. Moreover, attempt to establish a blame-free culture to motivate reporting errors.

Determining the cost of acute stroke care for a single stay at a tertiary care centre in Pakistan.

To assess the economic burden of acute stroke, and to determine the average cost of acute stroke care for a single hospital stay in a public tertiary care hospital. The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Medical Teaching Institute, Bacha Khan Medical Complex, Swabi, Pakistan, from May 16 to September 19, 2022, and comprised patients of either gender who were hospitalised with an acute stroke for the first time. All costs incurred during the care of the patients were measured using the micro-costing methodology, and the association of the cost with other variables was evaluated. Data was analysed using SPSS 24. Of the 34 patients, 24(70.6%) were males and 10(29.4%) were females. The overall mean age was 66+/-13.00 years. The mean length of hospital stay was 4+/-3.00 days. The mean total cost was 18,156+/-9,068 Pakistani rupees, which was the equivalent of 76.89+/-38.4 United States dollars. The cost of the first day of admission was the highest, declining per day as the stay progressed, and imaging/laboratory investigations formed the highest component of the overall cost (p<0.001). The cost of acute stroke care was found to be high even in a public hospital. The length of hospital stay was the most important determinant of the overall cost.

Violence against physicians working in public tertiary care hospital of Bangladesh: a facility-based cross-sectional study

BackgroundViolence against physicians in the workplace is a prevalent global issue, and Bangladesh is no exception. Such violence significantly disrupts healthcare delivery and the attainment of universal health coverage. This...

Patients Satisfaction Towards Quality of Nursing Care at a Public Sector Tertiary Care Hospital Karachi

Care is seen as a significant element of health amenities. The most anticipated health outcomes are achieved by providing treatments that are effective, efficient, and cost-effective. Objective: To assess the level of patient’s satisfaction towards the quality of nursing care at a public sector tertiary care hospital in Karachi. Methods: This cross-sectional study was accompanied by 312 patients admitted to public sector hospital. Non-probability purposive sampling technique was used for data collection. Those patients who have been admitted for more than three days in various departments. Data were collected after approval Institutional Review Committee (IRC) of the Dow Institute of Nursing and Midwifery (DIONAM) and the Ethical Review Committee (ERC) of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (NICVD). Data were analyzed on SPSS-version 25.0. Frequency and percentage were measured from categorical data. An Independent t-test was run to find out the relationship of patient’s satisfaction and with demographic characteristics of the study participants. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. Results: The findings highlighted that the majority (55%) of the study participants were male and 79% were married. Furthermore, the highest satisfaction level (90.7) was found in the domain of nurse’s communication, and the lowest level of satisfaction score 81.8% found in the discharge domain. Moreover, the overall patient’s satisfaction score of all domains was 93.3%. Conclusions: The findings of this study concluded that the majority of the admitted patients strongly agreed with the quality of nursing care. Furthermore, the nurse’s communication domain showed a higher level of satisfaction among all domains.

Patient satisfaction and their determinants in outpatient department of a tertiary public hospital in Nepal: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundPatient satisfaction is a vital metric for assessing healthcare quality and delivering patient-centered care. It can predict service utilization patterns by determining healthcare users’ contentment with their providers. Consequently, evaluating patient satisfaction and its underlying factors is crucial to maintaining the quality of healthcare services. The present study aimed to assess patient satisfaction and its determinants in a tertiary care public hospital in Nepal. In this research, a cross-sectional design was employed to examine patient satisfaction within the Outpatient Department of Mental Hospital Lagankhel, Nepal. The study adopted a systematic random sampling approach for respondent selection, and stringent measures were implemented to uphold the validity and reliability of the collected data. To assess patient satisfaction comprehensively, the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire-III (PSQ-III), developed by the RAND Corporation, was employed in conjunction with relevant sociodemographic variables. Utilizing mean scores and percentages, we calculated satisfaction levels across various dimensions. Additionally, a multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the relationships between patient satisfaction dimensions and sociodemographic characteristics.ResultsThis study encompassed perspective of 206 participants, with 57.3% representing patient relatives and 51% being male, median age of 32 years (standard deviation: 12.53). Notably, patients reported higher levels of satisfaction, particularly within the interpersonal relationship dimension, while the technical quality domain received comparatively lower satisfaction ratings. Multinomial logistic regression analysis underscored the significance of sociodemographic factors in shaping patient satisfaction, with age (p = 0.008), type of residence (p = 0.001), occupation (p = 0.0019), income status (p = 0.014), time to reach the healthcare facility (p = 0.013), and insurance enrollment status (p = 0.017) all demonstrating significant associations. These findings illuminate the intricate qualities of patient satisfaction within our healthcare context, offering actionable insights for enhancement and guiding the trajectory of future research endeavors.ConclusionsOverall patient expressed satisfaction with service provided by tertiary care hospital, however continuous improvement remains essential. Conducting large-scale, nationwide studies across hospital tiers is vital. This data-driven approach empowers policymakers to allocate resources effectively, inform decision-making, and enact policies that exceed patient expectations, fostering a healthcare system of unparalleled excellence.

Endocrine Adverse Events Related To Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment: Relationship Between Antibodies and Severity of Thyroid Dysfunction.

The purpose of this study was to identify predictive and risk factors for the development of immune-related endocrinopathies and to analyze the incidence and characteristics of immune-related endocrinopathies in our population Design: A retrospective, single-centre cohort carried out at Gregorio Marañón Hospital between January 2018 -December 2019. A total of 163 patients were enrolled. In January 2018 and December 2019, we treated patients who underwent ICI treatment in the Medical Oncology Department of General University Hospital Gregorio Marañón, a tertiary care public hospital in Madrid, as part of an observational, retrospective, single-center cohort study. Endocrinopathies were diagnosed in 19.5% of the patients (n=32). The tumours with the highest incidence of endocrinopathies were non-small cell lung cancer (25,9%), kidney cell cancer (25%) and hepatocarcinoma (20%). Among the 32 patients who developed endocrinopathy, 18,8%, 19,13%, and 21,28% received anti-CTLA-4, anti-PD-1 and anti-PDL-1, respectively. Thyroid dysfunction was the most frequent endocrinopathy (12,8%). A higher percentage of patients with negative antiTPO and antiTG antibodies developed G1 hypothyroidism compared to patients with positive antibodies who developed a higher proportion of G2 hypothyroidism. The presence of an initial phase of thyrotoxicity was not related to greater severity. We observed longer progression-free survival in patients who developed thyroid dysfunction. Pre-existing antibodies were independently associated with endocrinopathies. Moreover, our study let us conclude that the presence of thyroid autoantibodies may be related to its severity. It is important to determine anti-thyroid antibodies prior to the start of immunotherapy as a risk factor for thyroid dysfunction, which in turn is a prognostic marker.

“Social support and stressful life events: risk factors for antenatal depression in nulliparous and multiparous women”

ABSTRACT Nulliparous (pregnant women who are giving birth for the first time) and multiparous (women who have multiple children) may have different concerns, which may be associated with risk of antenatal depression. This study aims to examine the role of social support and stressful life events as risk factors for antenatal depression in nulliparous and multiparous women. The sample included 1,524 pregnant women recruited from an obstetrics setting at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy from two Spanish tertiary-care public hospitals. The sample completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the “social support” and “stressful life events” subscales of the Postpartum Depression Predictor Inventory-Revised (PDPI-R). Nulliparous women reported a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms (15.6 percent) compared to multiparous mothers (20.1 percent). In both groups, marriage/partner problems (NP: β = 0.178, p < .01 vs MP: β = 0.164, p < .01) and a perceived lack of instrumental support from friends (NP: β = -0.154, p < .01 vs MP: β = −0.154, p < .01) were significant risk factors for antenatal depression. However, nulliparous women have more risk factors such as unemployment (β = 0.096, p < .05), job change (β = 0.127, p < .01), financial problems (β = 0.145, p < .01) and lack of instrumental support from partner (β = −0187, p < .01). For multiparous women, moving (β = 0.080, p < .05) and lack of instrumental support from family (β = −0.151, p < .01) were risk factors. These results suggest the critical need for screening and designing preventive interventions adapted and taking into consideration parity to provide more effective health care during pregnancy.

Quantification of Chemotherapy Drug Wastage and Incurred Financial Loss in Paediatric Cancer Care: A Cross-Sectional Study at a Tertiary Care Public Hospital in India.

The evolving chemotherapy landscape continually introduces effective agents, but escalating costs call for an evaluation of drug wastage and financial consequences to enhance resource utilization. This study seeks to estimate chemotherapy drug wastage and its economic loss in paediatric cancer care. In this cross-sectional study of paediatric cancer patients receiving parenteral chemotherapy, we evaluated both the drug used and wasted during each administration. The monetary value of drug loss was calculated using the formula: Cost = Proportion of drug wasted X Cost of drug vial. A total of 100 paediatric cancer patients who received 140 parenteral drug administrations of 22 chemotherapy drugs were studied. The total amount of drug procured was 25,515 mg, out of which 5,004.9 mg were wasted. Wastage amounted to 19.61% of the procured drugs in varying proportions. The total estimated cost of chemotherapy stood at 110,143.1 INR (1,328.7 USD), with cost wastage accounting for 31,929.95 INR (385.19 USD), equivalent to 28.98% of the total expenditure. Notably, doxorubicin 112.2 mg (37.4%) exhibited the highest drug wastage, followed by cytarabine 280 mg (35%) and l-asparaginase 83,400 IU (26.9%), primarily prescribed for acute lymphocytic leukaemia. Cytarabine resulted in the highest financial loss. Dose rounding occurred in 22 cases (15.71%), while vial sharing was observed in only five cases (3.57%) during drug administrations. Methotrexate, doxorubicin, and cytarabine doses never matched the available vial sizes. In resource-limited healthcare settings, implementing centre-specific measures, such as vial sharing and drug categorization, can reduce drug wastage and financial losses. Evaluating the viability of optimizing vial sizes and producing multidose vials is essential.

Availability of Access, Watch, and Reserve groups of essential antibiotics: a cross-sectional survey.

Lower-middle income countries face drastic challenges in Access to essential medicines. Data regarding Pakistan is scarce with no comprehensive study in this regard. The objectives of the study are to document and compare public and private sector availability of all essential antibiotics as well as to conduct a comparison among the AWaRe groups. The study analyzed 103 essential antibiotics comprising 51 Access, 29 Watch, 6 Reserve, and 17 anti-tuberculosis drugs from 15th August to 10th September 2020 in Lahore, Pakistan. It included on-spot physical availability and availability trend surveys. The survey sites included five public tertiary care hospitals with one as anchor and four randomly selected. Their hospital pharmacies and one randomly selected private retail pharmacy from the vicinity each hospital comprised the ten sampling sites. Percentage availability for each antibiotic was categorized as high (>80%), fairly high (50-80%), low (30-<50%), very low (<30->0%), and not available (0%). The mean percentage on-spot availability was 23.76% ± 5.19 (14-25%) for public facilities and 59.20% ± 4.45 (54-66%) for private sector retail pharmacies. The overall percentage of available essential antibiotics varied significantly (p** < 0.001) in public and private sector sampling sites. Except for the Watch group, all other groups showed the mode of 0% availability. A significant difference (p**** < 0.00001) was seen in percentage availability by Access, Watch, Reserve, and anti-TB-all groups of essential antibiotics. The availability trend survey revealed a list of 18 medicines as 'as never been available', and five medicines were 'not available for 5 years or more than 5 years.' Fourteen medicines as 'never been heard.' Non-availability of essential medicines is a significant public health challenge at public-sector facilities in Pakistan. It was observed that a number of essential antibiotics were not available in both public and private sectors. A number of corrective strategies are required. This includes the engagement of stakeholder and government bodies. This can help to improve supply chain barriers.

Factors Associated with Knowledge about Gestational Diabetes Mellitus among Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is an increasing public health problem worldwide. Measuring the level of knowledge in a population at high risk for GDM will highlight the gaps and help in designing appropriate interventions. The objective of this study was to measure the knowledge about GDM and to identify the factors associated with it among pregnant women in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted with pregnant women seeking antenatal care services in two of the public sector tertiary care hospitals in Riyadh city. The study was performed using a self-administrated predesigned questionnaire. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS program. Results: More than 40% of the participants had poor knowledge about GDM complications, diagnosis and management. Women with lack of exercise [adjusted odds ratio 3.3 (95% CI 1.8, 6.1)]; having past histroy of GDM [3.2 (1.8, 5.7); primigravida [2.9 (1.6, 5.1)]; information on GDM received from doctors [2.0 (1.2, 3.4)] and those with low education level [1.8 (1.1, 2.9)] were more likely to have poor knowledge about GDM. Whereas, women with positive family history were 60 times more likely to have good knowledge about GDM. Conclusion: Primigravida mothers and those with low education level should receive specific information and awareness regarding GDM. Healthy lifestyle is important for the prevention and improvement in the diagnosis and management of GDM among pregnant women in Riyadh.

Nursing Care Practice in Neonatal Care Units of Tertiary Hospitals of Nepal: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

Preterm infants (PTIs) require special care in neonatal care units (NCUs) for their survival, growth, and development. Nurses are in a pivotal position to provide quality care to those infants in NCUs. Available literature indicates that care practice needs to be improved in developing countries. This study aimed to explore the nursing care practice for PTIs in NCUs. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted in NCUs of three public tertiary care hospitals in Kathmandu, Nepal, from November 2019 to February 2020. Data were collected through six focus group discussions among 40 nurses working in NCUs. The thematic analysis of qualitative data revealed standardized and inadequate care practices for PTIs in NCUs. Standard practices regarding thermal care, oxygen administration, nutritional care, and infection prevention were found. Inadequate care was identified regarding sleep protection, proper positioning, supportive sensory environment, and pain management. The study reported the standard care practice areas and areas for improvement to enhance nursing care in NCUs, such as pain management, sleep promotion, breastfeeding support, kangaroo mother care, and a supportive sensory environment. The findings have important implications for enhancing care practices for PTIs in NCUs, which is important for promoting the short- and long-term outcomes among PTIs.

Metabolic storage disorders at a tertiary care hospital, Pakistan

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical spectrum of metabolic storage disorders presenting to a public sector tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. METHODOLOGY: This retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Pediatrics, Dr RKMP Civil Hospital Karachi, in 2021. We reviewed the medical records of patients from January 2015 to December 2020. We included all pediatric patients admitted with suspicion of metabolic storage disorders based on two or more: visceromegaly, developmental delay, regression of milestones, fits without fever, family history of similar illness, and family history of expiry of children due to unknown reasons. Patients of malaria, enteric fever, epilepsy and cerebral palsy were excluded. We noted the demographic and clinical variables and applied descriptive statistics using SPSS version 22. RESULTS: Out of n=140 suspected children, n=40 (28.5%) patients were diagnosed with metabolic storage disorder. Among these, 26 (65%) were Lysosomal, and 14 (35%) were Glycogen storage disorders (LSDs and GSDs). The most common clinical feature of LSDs was faltering growth in 23 (88.4%), while for GSDs, it was abdominal distention and hepatomegaly in 100% of patients. Mucopolysaccharidoses were the most common type of LSD identified in 9(34.6%). Interestingly, family history of similar illness was not a standard feature (19.2% for LSDs and 7% for GSDs). CONCLUSION: Metabolic storage disorders are an emerging concern to pediatric health in our population. Physicians need to keep a high index of suspicion for patients with faltering growth and visceromegaly, with or without a significant family history. KEYWORDS: Glycogen storage diseases; Lysosomal storage diseases; Metabolic diseases; Inborn errors of metabolism; Hepatomegaly; Genetic diseases

Emotional Intelligence and Psychological Adjustment among Doctors and Nurses in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Rawalpindi-Pakistan: A Cross Sectional Study

Objective: This study aimed to determine the relationship between EI and the quality of nursing care from the viewpoint of nurses and patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a public sector tertiary care hospital in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, over 6 months from November 2019 to April 2020. The convenience sampling technique was employed. The study groups were qualified practising doctors and nurses including nursing assistants and paramedics. Study groups were provided with a self-administered questionnaire that was filled out after getting consent from the study participants. Data analysis was done by entering it into SPSS version 22. The relationship between emotional intelligence and psychological adjustments among the two groups was assessed by applying an independent T-test. Results: The current study explored that doctors were emotionally intelligent and psychologically well-adjusted as compared to nurses. Females were more emotionally intelligent than males; however, males were better adjusted psychologically. Years of experience had no significant results between both groups, while there was a positive correlation between the department of practice and psychological well-being. Conclusions: It shows that harmonious work environments and friendly interpersonal relationships positively affect the well-being of HCWs and patients. What this indicates is a need to bring about changes within work environments to produce friendly interpersonal relationships and a positive impact on the well-being of HCWs and patients. Keywords: Emotional intelligence, Psychological adjustments, Nursing staff

FIFTEEN YEARS’ EXPERIENCE IN PEDIATRIC ENDOSCOPIC PROCEDURES AT THE ENDOSCOPIC SUITE OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

G.I. endoscopy is a highly efficient diagnostic and therapeutic tool now increasingly used in the pediatric population. Our country needs pediatric endoscopic data due to a lack of pediatric gastroenterologists and dedicated pediatric facilities; only a few facilities available in private setups are out of reach of the general population. Hence, this pediatric endoscopic audit was performed to analyze the indications, findings, and complications of all endoscopy procedures in a pediatric population referred to the endoscopy suite of a public sector tertiary care hospital. Data from all pediatric patients who underwent endoscopy from January 2006 to December 2020 was retrospectively reviewed for endoscopy indications, findings, and complications. Three thousand eight hundred seventy pediatric patients (age 0 -18 years) were analyzed. The mean age of the study population was 12.75 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.04:1. One thousand seven hundred seventy-nine patients underwent EGD, 1639 had colonoscopy, and 452 had ERCP. The most common indication for EGD was found to be epigastric pain (29.7%), the most common finding was gastritis (21.4%), and the complication rate for all upper G.I. endoscopic procedures was found to be 0.5%. The most common indication for colonoscopy was per rectal bleeding (69%), the most common finding was polyp (29.7%), and the complication rate was 0.9%. The most common indication for ERCP was found to be jaundice secondary to biliary obstruction (57.5%), the most common finding was bile duct stone (30%), and the complication rate was 5.6%. The overall incidence of adverse events was low and was found to be 0.7% in all of the 3870 procedures.

PP64 Cost-Effectiveness Of Fractional Flow Reserve As Diagnostic Tool In Coronary Artery Disease Versus Angiogram Alone In Indian context

IntroductionFractional Flow Reserve (FFR) is a diagnostic tool that aids decision-making in the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD). FFR provides an objective measurement and is used as an adjunct to an angiogram. The clinical and cost-benefit of using FFR have been well established across published literature. This research was aimed at evaluating the economic impact of using FFR as an adjunct to angiogram versus an angiogram alone, in the Indian healthcare context.MethodsA study from a tertiary care public hospital in India estimated the impact of using FFR as an adjunct to angiogram in management of CAD. This study was used to create a mathematical simulation model to estimate cost-effectiveness and economic impact of using FFR over seven years’ time horizon, from the Indian health systems perspective. A targeted literature review was performed to collect the clinical inputs for the model, and the national public health insurance program data was referenced to obtain the cost inputs.ResultsA hypothetical cohort of 100,000 patients in the model reported 30 percent reduction in unnecessary stenting. Moreover, 14,025 deaths were averted with the adoption of FFR. In addition, there was a cost-saving of INR46,986 (574USD) per death averted and INR5,169 (63USD) per patient treated over a seven-year time horizon. The analysis demonstrated that FFR inclusion in the current clinical practice saves INR2,651 (32USD) per patient in overall upfront cost and INR2,518 (31USD) per patient in overall follow-up cost over a seven year follow-up period owing to improved diagnosis and prognosis.ConclusionsIn conclusion, FFR prevents unnecessary stenting, reduces overall mortality, and proves to be a cost-saving intervention in the long-term when used as a decision-making criterion in CAD patients in the Indian context.