Significant Association Of Gender Research Articles

Lead the way or leave the way: Early experience of management of emergency pelvi-acetabular surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.

Objective: To report the early experience, the relationship of surgical site infection after pelvi-acetabular fracture fixation with certain possible risk factors, and organizational protocol for emergency pelvic surgery currently being used during the COVID-19 pandemic by an integrated team of orthopedic surgeons. Study Design: Prospective study. Setting: Department of Orthopedic and Spine Surgery, “Ghurki Trust Teaching Hospital Lahore, Pakistan. Period: March 2020, to August 2020. Material & Methods: A total of 25 patients diagnosed with acetabular fractures were included. Fracture patterns were classified according to judet and letournel and young burgess classification systems. Factors studied included patient’s age, gender, body mass index, fracture pattern, type of surgery, comorbidities, smoking status, associated injuries, surgical site infections and mortality. Results: In a total of 25 patients, 21(84.0%) were male and 4(16.0%) female patients with overall mean age as 38.04±14.58 years. Overall, mean BMI was 23.20±2.60 kg/m2. There were 12(48.0%) patiens who had hypertension while 4 (16.0%) smokers. There were 21 (84.0%) patients who did not have any associated injuries while 3 (12.0%) had the associated extremities. The mean hospital stay of the patients was 5.08±0.76 days. The results revealed no significant association of Gender with these parameters (p > 0.001). Conclusion: There is no added risk of infection and mortality for the provision of emergency trauma services to pelvi-acetabular fractured patients even during panic and pandemic situations.

Epidemiological Aspects Of Allergic Conjunctivitis.

Allergic conjunctivitis is a common ocular disease which not only affects vision but can also compromise the quality of life of patients to a greater extent. If it is not properly managed it can lead to decreased vision due to corneal complications. This study was conducted to evaluate the epidemiological aspects of allergic conjunctivitis. This cross-sectional study was carried out in the Ophthalmology department of Federal General Hospital, from June 2018 to June 2020. We enrolled 236 patients of allergic conjunctivitis. Data collection form consisted of a structured questionnaire, records of ocular findings using slit lamp biomicroscope and skin prick test results. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 23.0. The mean age (±SD) of study population was 22.71±13.11 years, 60.2% were females. Most common type of conjunctivitis was vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) 46.2%, followed by perennial (27.1%), seasonal (17.4%) and atopic (9.3%). There was significant association of type of conjunctivitis with the age, pvalue< 0.001. VKC was prevalent in patients of age <20 years. There was a significant association of gender with type of conjunctivitis, p-value =0.000. Perennial variety was more prevalent in females while VKC was common in males. Collateral atopy was present in 52.1% patients. Corneal involvement was seen in 17.8% patients. There was a significant association between corneal involvement and interference with daily visual activities, p-value 0.034. SPT was positive in 79.7% patients. Ocular allergies/ conjunctivitis was more prevalent in female population. VKC is the most common type of allergic conjunctivitis, prevalent in males of age <20 yrs. Allergic rhinitis was the most common co-morbidity followed by dermatitis.

Dental Prosthetic Status and Prosthetic Needs of Geriatric Population: A Cross Sectional Study

Objective: Oral health is considered as an indicator for health and quality of life in geriatric patients. It becomes essential to assess the prosthetic status and need in order to promote oral health. Hence, a survey was conducted on geriatric patients visiting a dental teaching institute in India.Materials and Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among geriatric population aged above 60.The sample size was estimated to be 570. The information related to prosthetic status, prosthetic need was obtained using the World Health Organisation Oral Health Assessment Form 1997. Chi‑square test was used to analyse the data.Results: Out of 570 elderly people, 308 were males and 262 were females. The study results showed that 77% and 78% of the total subjects had no prostheses in maxillary and mandibular arch, respectively. Prosthetic status was better in males than in females. The level of prosthetic need was higher in females (82%) in mandibular arch compared to males (75%). In the age group of 80-85years need for complete denture was more. Requirement for single and multi unit prosthesis was higher in age groups of 60-65 years. Less percentage of subjects in the upper socio-economic categories needed prosthesis compared to those in the lower socio-economic categoriesConclusion: Unmet prosthetic needs were more in geriatric population attending the institutional outpatient department. There was no significant association of gender with prosthetic status and need and significant association was observed between age and socioeconomic status with prosthetic status and need.

Imperceptible learners: Students' reasons for keeping webcams off and strategies to address students' challenges.

"Should students keep their webcams on or off during synchronous online classes?" is an unanswered question with educators' opinions divided on this aspect. Along with educators' perspectives, it is also important to unfold students' perspectives on this question. The objectives of this study were to determine the routine and opinion of students' regarding webcam usage and identification of students' reasons for not using webcams during online learning. A cross-sectional study was carried out at Margalla Institute of Health Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Census was done for data collection by including all dental students (n = 180) enrolled at the institute attending synchronous online preclinical and clinical operative dentistry classes. Data collection was carried out using a self-administrated questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was used to describe survey item responses. Pair-wise differences between demographic categories (female vs. male, and preclinical vs. clinical) were analyzed using the Pearson Chi-Square test. Correlation of routine and opinion with students' reasons were done using Spearman correlation. Ordinal regression analysis was done to associate routine and opinion with reasons. The level of significance (P value) was set at 0.05. Out of 180 students, 141 submitted the survey form, with a response rate of 77.47%. The majority of the students (n = 117, 83%) used to keep their webcams off during online classes and were (n = 69, 48.9%) of the opinion that webcams should be kept off during online classes. The most common reasons for keeping the webcam off during online classes were "comfort" (n = 87, 61.7%) and "distractions" (n = 84, 59.6%). A statistically significant association of gender was obtained, with females more likely than males due to distraction, self-consciousness, and appearance (P = 0.000, 0.003, and 0.016, respectively). The odds of gender highly influenced routine use of cameras, and this was statistically significant (OR: 3.478, P = 0.011). Students tended to keep their webcam off when they were inattentative during online classes (OR; 3.743, P < 0.001). The majority of the students did not agree to keep the webcam on during online synchronous learning. The main reasons for students' reluctance to keep the webcam on were self-consciousness, surrounding consciousness, distractions, and technological issues. Students can be encouraged to turn the webcam on by framing strategies according to students' concerns.

Changes in Level of C-reactive Protein at 0 hours and at 72 hours among Neonates with Suspected Sepsis at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Birat Medical College Teaching Hospital

Introduction: Neonatal sepsis still remains serious and potentially life-threatening events with a mortality rate of up to 50% in very premature infants. Efforts were made to improve laboratory sepsis diagnosis. C-reactive protein (CRP) is the most extensively studied acute phase reactant so far. Very few studies have been done to see the variation of serial measurement of CRP titer. Objectives: To find out the level of CRP titer at 0 hour and at 72 hours among neonates with suspected sepsis at the neonatal intensive care unit of Birat Medical College Teaching Hospital. Methodology: It was a cross-sectional descriptive study from 26 March 2021 to 25 July 2021, to see serial CRP titre among the sepsis suspected neonates at the Neonatal intensive care unit of Birat Medical College Teaching Hospital. A Total of 95 cases of neonates suspected sepsis were enrolled and their serial CRP titre at o0 hour and 72 hours were studied. The data was entered into Microsoft office excel and analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS 20.0) Results: There was no significant association of gender, birth weight, mode of delivery and gestational age with an increase of CRP at 0 to 72 hours after birth. Among the enrolled neonates 34 had positive blood culture while 61 had blood culture which was sterile. It showed that, 70.6% who had blood culture positive had increased CRP level at 0 to 72 hours whereas only 29.4% had not no increment in CRP despite positive blood culture. Conclusions: CRP titre increment at 72 hours after the first one correlated better with culture proven sepsis in comparison to CRP titer increment at 0 hours after birth. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values as calculated in this study are not high enough to make it a good screening test. The test is not specific enough to rely upon as the sole indicator. The clinical judgment along with other hematological parameters and diagnostic markers along with serial CRP should be considered in evaluating a neonate for sepsis.

HEARING HANDICAP IN OLDER ADULTS: A MULTI-CENTER STUDY

Objective: To determine the level of hearing handicap and its age and gender association in older adults.&#x0D; Study Design: Cross sectional analytical study.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Study conducted at Ear, Nose &amp; Throat outpatients of Yusra General Hospital, National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine Islamabad and Cantonment General Hospital Rawalpindi, from Jul to Sep 2017.&#x0D; Methodology: We recruited two hundred cases of self-reported hearing difficulty, using non-probability consecutive sampling, who fulfilled inclusion criteria. After recording demographic details including history, subjects were screened by the Screening Version of Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE-S). Followed by otoscopy and pure tone audiometry. Analysis was done using SPSS-24.&#x0D; Results: Study revealed 133 (65.5%) males and 67 (33.5%) females with mean age of 65.45 ± 7.50 years. Out of 179 (89.5%) had significantly high level of hearing handicap with HHIE-S score &gt;43, while 21 (10.5%) revealed mild to moderate handicap with score of 17-42. Hearing handicap was significantly associated with aging (p&lt;0.001), while no significant gender association was noted. Hearing loss was mainly of sensory-neural type 192 (96%).&#x0D; Conclusion: In older adults with self-reported hearing loss, high level of hearing handicap was present in majority (89.5%) and mild to moderate in 10.5%, with significant association with aging and hearing loss was predominantly sensory- neural type.

Gingival Recession among the Patients Wearing Fixed Braces Visiting Dental College of Larkana

Aim: To evaluate gingival recession among the patients wearing fixed braces visiting dental college of Larkana.&#x0D; Study Design: Descriptive Cross-Sectional&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Department of Orthodontics, Bibi Aseefa Dental College (BADC) Larkana December 2018 to February 2020.&#x0D; Methodology: This study was carried out at Bibi Aseefa Dental College Larkana. The patients were recruited with consecutive sampling technique. The gingival recession was evaluated clinically using Miller`s classification. A structured questionnaire was used for the information relevant to oral hygiene status. Data was analyzed using SPSS version-23.0.Chi-square test was applied between the gender and gingival recession at 95% confidence interval.&#x0D; Results: Males were 23% and females were 77%. The mean age was 21.03±4.684.The class-I recession was observed in 6% patients and Class-II was in 2% patients. The gingival recession was observed in 8.5% patients. There was significant relationship between gingival recession and gender (p-value-0.018).&#x0D; Conclusion: It is concluded that there were many patients facing the problem of gingival recession during treatment. There was significant association of gender and gingival recession.

Ambulatory and Social Performance Status After Transfemoral Prosthetic Rehabilitation Regarding Age, Gender, and Marital Status

Objectives: This study aims to determine the association of ambulatory and social performance status of transfemoral prosthetic users with their age, gender, and marital status. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 transfemoral prosthesis users. A sample was recruited from both genders aged 10-60 years using the prosthesis for at least one year. They were selected using the non-probability convenience sampling method from the Pakistan Institute of Prosthetic and Orthotic Sciences from July 2019 to December 2019. Lower extremity functional scale and short form-36 health survey questionnaire (SF-36) were used for data collection, followed by statistical analysis. Results: Ambulatory status (as measured by the total lower extremity functional scale) revealed significant association (P&lt;0.001) with age. The highest score belonged to the 10-30 years age group. Also, there was a significant association (P=0.003) with marital status with the highest scores for unmarried ones. However, no significant (P=0.705) gender association was noted though scores were higher for the male gender. As regards, the social performance was measured by SF-36. The findings revealed a significant association (P&lt;0.05) of most domains of SF-36 with age groups, with the highest scores for the age group of 10-30 years. Also, a significant association with the gender with higher scores in females was noted in most domains. In contrast, no significant association with marital status was reported in most domains. Discussion: Ambulatory status has a significant association with age and marital status with no significant gender association. While social performance has a significant association with gender, most domains had significant associations with age groups. However, no association with marital status was present.

The Quality of Life in Patients With Implantable Cardiac Devices: A Single-Center Cross-Sectional Study.

BackgroundCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and their complications are one of the most common causes of death worldwide. Implantable cardiac assistive devices (CADs) play a significant role in preventing dreadful outcomes, and the complication rate of these implanting procedures is minimal. These cardiac devices require some adaptation and could affect the patients’ quality of life psychosocially and financially. This study is aimed to identify the impact of implantable cardiac assistive devices on patients’ quality of life in the National Guard Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.MethodsThis is an observational cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. It was conducted on patients who underwent cardiac assistive device implantation in National Guard Hospital. The patients were interviewed face-to-face and were requested to fill the Implanted Device Adjustment Scale (IDAS). Descriptive statistics were carried out. Chi-square test for independence was conducted to examine the associations between qualitative variables with the level of significance was taken as p-value <0.05.ResultsThere was a statistically significant association between IDAS score and gender (p=0.03), monthly income (p=0.009), and type of cardiac implantation device (p=0.041). Females with an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) and individuals with low socioeconomic status reported alongside divorced participants have higher IDAS scores, which correlates to worse adjustment. However, most of our patients scored 21-50 in IDAS score, which indicates a mild psychosocial effect after the cardiac assistive device implantation.ConclusionThis study confirmed that most individuals adjust positively to implanted devices. It showed a significant association of gender, type of device, monthly income, and duration. Attention must be drawn to females and divorced patients in regards to psychological and emotional support.

Epidemiology of suicidal behaviours amongst school-going adolescents in post-conflict Sierra Leone

BackgroundChildren and young people living in post-conflict contexts are at an increased risk of suicidal behaviours (ideations and attempts). Not much is known about the extent of suicidal behaviours amongst adolescents in most notable post-conflict countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Sierra Leone. MethodsWe performed a secondary analysis of data from the 2017 Sierra Leone World Health Organisation Global School-based Student Health Survey conducted amongst students in secondary schools nationwide. We estimated the 12-month prevalence and performed bivariable and multivariable analyses to assess the correlates of suicidal behaviours. ResultsOf the 2,798 analytic sample, 14.6% (males = 15.1%, females = 14.0%) reported suicidal ideation, and the 12-month prevalence estimate of suicide attempt was 19.6% (male = 20.9%, females =17.8%). The factors associated with suicidal behaviours were multi-layered. While no statistically significant gender association with suicide ideation or attempt was observed at the personal level, being aged 18 or older, loneliness, and health risk behaviours (cannabis use, and leisure time sedentary behaviour) were associated with increased odds of suicidal behaviours. Within the family context, parental monitoring was associated with increased odds of suicidal ideation, but parental supervision was associated with reduced odds of suicide ideation. LimitationsThe cross-sectional nature of the data did not support causal inferences. ConclusionsTaken together, professional mental healthcare would be helpful in treating adolescent emotional problems (e.g., depression and loneliness) related to suicidal behaviours; but prevention and intervention programmes targeted at addressing adolescent health risk behaviours, and familial and interpersonal problems may yield more favourable outcomes.

COVID-19 and mental health: a multi-country study\u2014the effects of lockdown on the mental health of young adults

BackgroundLockdown conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have affected the mental health of people, especially the youth. This study examined the effect of lockdown on mental health of Egypt, Ghana, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines and assessed the coping strategies in practice by youth.ResultsPhilippines had the highest mean score in all three domains followed by Egypt, Pakistan, India, and then Ghana. There was a significant association of gender with stress, educational status with depression, and anxiety with stress. Students were associated with anxiety, and the history of close friends/family infected with COVID-19 was found to be associated with depression and stress scores. The most common coping strategy for the Philippines was self-destruction; for Pakistan was religion; and for Egypt, India, and Ghana was acceptance. Using linear regression model, the highest scores observed in all three domains were associated with avoidant coping.ConclusionsThe findings of the study confirm that COVID-19 lockdown has affected the mental health of young adults. In particular, the presence of negative coping strategies used by the youth tends to be an indicator of increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression and it should be considered when planning interventions within this population.

Assessment of Quality of Postoperative Recovery among Postoperative Patients in Selected Hospital

Background: In the hospital setting perioperative care is needed to revise or refine the illness and to improve the life status of the affected individual that can be determined by quality of recovery. The quality of recovery deals with individual needs and problems which has to be fulfilled during perioperative period. Aim: This study was aimed to assess the existing quality of postoperative recovery among postoperative patients and to find out the association of the level of quality of postoperative recovery with selected demographic variables. Subjects and Methods: A descriptive study was conducted among postoperative patients in selected hospital Pondicherry. Sample size was 120, selected through purposive sampling. The quantitative approach and descriptive design were adopted in this present study. Data collected by using modified rating scale questionnaire with related demographic profile of the subjects, ASA classification, present surgical data and quality of recovery (15-point questionnaire). Result: The results predicated among 120 samples by following the quality of postoperative tool which indicates 75 % (62.5%) patients had good recovery with fulfillment of needs and 73 (60.83%) with reduced signs and symptoms of patients after surgery. There was a significant association of gender, ASA classification and type of anesthesia with needs basic approach and problem-based approach questions 1 to 15 at the level of p&lt;0.05 is significantly (chi-square test). Conclusion: The study results shows that quality of recovery is most of the subjects had good recovery among the post-operative and less subjects developed post-operative infections after their surgery with their demographic variables association. The post-operative care can be recommended in clinical practice which helps for improvement of the postoperative recovery among the post-operative patients.

Frequency of Zygosity in Jak-2 Positive Patients with Polycythemia Vera-Pakistan's Perspective.

Background:Estimation of JAK2V617F mutational load in Polycythemia Vera (PV) helps to determine the severity of the disease phenotype, the risk of thrombotic events, progression to post-PV myelofibrosis and survival. Amplification Refractory Mutation Screening (ARMS) PCR or Allele Specific (AS) PCR is a simple easy method with a reasonable sensitivity for screening of zygosity.The purpose of this study was to see the frequency of disease burden and phenotypic characteristics in Pakistani patients diagnosed with JAK2V617F mutation positive PV. Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study using non probability consecutive sampling was conducted at Hematology Department, Liaquat National Hospital Karachi from October 2018 to July 2019.Adult newly diagnosed JAK2V617F positive PV patients of either gender were included. Patients’ demographics, clinical characteristics and baseline CBC were noted. JAK2V617F zygosity was qualitatively analyzed by ARMS-PCR technique. Age and gender were stratified to see to see the result of qualitative and quantitative effect modifiers on these patients using Chi Square and fisher exact test as appropriate while mean comparison was done by independent t-test and one way ANOVAtest. P value of ≤0.05 was considered as significant. Results:Fifty one patients were included in the study with an average age of 59.60±14.29years.90.2% of patients had hypertension.All patients tested positive for heterozygous state. Significant association of gender was found with smoking (p=0.001) while age was significantly linked with hypertension (p-0.033). Conclusion: JAK2V617F positive PV patients are mainly heterozygous males showing significant association with smoking and hypertension. ARMS-PCR is a robust technique to determine zygosity which can be used for screening purposes.

Prevalence and contributing factors for adolescent obesity in present era: Cross-sectional Study.

Background:Adolescent obesity is a very common issue in our culture. Recent studies have shown that this is a form of global burden that may predispose factors in advanced life for many other diseases. Adolescents are a positive force for a country, responsible for their future prosperity and also for their nations.Objectives:The main objective of the study was to identify the prevalence of obesity among adolescents and its diverse contributing factors.Methods:The analysis was a cross-sectional sample method and was carried out using a sampling methodology which was not possible. Through using standardized questionnaires and using validated and calibrated heighometers and weighting devices, data was obtained from 385 participants. Body mass index (BMI) scale of the World Health Organization (WHO) has been used to create a category for obesity. BMI values greater than + 1 SD fall in the range of overweight, and levels of obese greater than + 2 SD.Results:It was found that 6.8% of adolescents were obese and that about 17.1% were overweight. Remaining 53.8% percent had normal category of BMI and 22.3 percent were category of underweight. A significant association of gender, socioeconomic status, dietary habits, chocolate eating habits, mode of transportation to school, sports participants, physical activity, and screen time. Adolescents who were athletic enthusiasts and those who did physical activity had a good BMI. The teens who watched more than 2 h of screen time were more obese, and these were only a few reasons that were responsible for teenage obesity.Conclusion:Health care practitioners and policy makers need to be aware of the prevalence and contributing factor to teenage obesity. Adolescents will embrace practices such as healthy eating habits, avoiding smoking and physical inactivity. This obesity may increase their risk of developing chronic illnesses in adulthood and later life stage.

Spectrum of sudden cardiac death in Nepalese population - an institutional based study

Introduction: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is non traumatic deaths occurring within 24 hours from the onset of symptom due to a cardiac cause. This study was designed with an objective to evaluate spectrum of SCD in the Nepalese community. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective analytical study, done at an autopsy center in Nepal, over one year. All SCD’s were verified using histopathological examination. Analysis was done using SPSS, Version-20. Mean and standard deviation was calculated for age. The frequency and percentage were calculated for gender, and cause of death. Stratification was done for age and post-stratification Chi square test or Fisher exact test was used. Results: There was a total of 51 cases, with 44 (86.3%) males and 7 (13.7%) females. Peak death was between 40 –60 years. The most common cause of death was coronary artery diseases (CAD) (62.7%). There was significant association of gender with the different spectrum of SCD, with male gender having tendencies towards CAD and cardiomyopathy (CM). Conclusion: Coronary artery disease is the commonest cause of sudden cardiac deaths, followed by cardiomyopathy. Both these diseases had significantly increased tendencies towards male gender.

Western influenced lifestyle and Kv2.1 association as predicted biomarkers for Tunisian colorectal cancer

BackgroundColorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most diagnosed malignancy worldwide. The global burden is expected to increase along with ongoing westernized behaviors and lifestyle. The etiology of CRC remains elusive and most likely combines environmental and genetic factors. The Kv2.1 potassium channel encoded by KCNB1 plays a collection of roles in malignancy of cancer and may be a key factor of CRC susceptibility. Our study provides baseline association between Tunisian CRC and interactions between KCNB1 variants and lifestyle factors.MethodsA case-control study involving 300 CRC patients, and 300 controls was conducted Patients were carefully phenotyped and followed till the end of study. KCNB1 genotyping was confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to assess the clinical status, lifestyle and study polymorphisms association with CRC.ResultsWe noted significant gender association with CRC occurrence. Moreover, CRC risk increases with high meat and fat consumption, alcohol use and physical activity (PA). Carriage of rs1051296 A/G and both rs11468831 ins/del and del/del genotypes (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with CRC risk. Analysis according to gender reveals correlation of rs1051295 A/G, rs11468831 non ins/ins (p = 0.01) with CRC susceptibility regardless of patients’ gender while rs3331 T/C (p = 0.012) was associated with females. Stratification study according to malignancy site; Rectal Cancer (RC) and Colon Cancer (CC), reveals increasing RC risk by gender and high meat and fat consumption, alcohol use and PA. However, additional association with high brine consumption was noted for CC. The rs1051295 A/G (p = 0.01) was associated with RC risk. Increased CC risk was associated with carriage of rs1051295 A/G, rs11168831 (del/del) and (ins/del) genotypes.ConclusionThe risk of CRC increases with modifiable factors by Western influences on Tunisian lifestyle such as alcohol use, high fat consumption and possibly inadequate intake of vegetables. In addition, KCNB1 polymorphisms also markedly influence CRC susceptibility. Our study establishes key elements of a baseline characterization of clinical state, Western influenced lifestyle and KCNB1 variants associated with Tunisian CRC.

Lateral Limit of Superior Sagittal Sinus in Respect to External Part of Sagittal Suture

Background: Sagittal suture has been used as an external landmark of superior sagittal sinus since the very beginning of neurosurgery. However, most of the time the sinus is not exactly under the suture line, rather, it has some displacement to one side. So, to analyze the variation of the lateral limit of superior sagittal sinus from the external part of sagittal sinus this study was performed.&#x0D; Materials and methods: Consecutive cases of MRI brain with contrast done in B&amp;C Medical College Teaching Hospital was collected over 3 months, Age, gender, right, and left lateral limits of the superior sagittal sinus from the sagittal suture at its mid-point was collected in preformed proforma. Mean and standard deviation was calculated for the continuous variables, ANOVA was done to evaluate the association of gender with the lateral limits of sinus and Pearson correlation was done to see the relation of age with the lateral limits of the sinus. All the analysis was done using IBM SPSS 20.&#x0D; Results: There were a total of 40 patients enrolled in the study. The mean age was 39.8 years with male (75%) predominance. The lateral right limit of the superior sagittal sinus was up to 23mm and in the left up to 17.1mm from the outer limit of the sagittal suture. There was no significant association of gender with both the right and left limits of the superior sagittal sinus. Similarly, there was no significant correlation of age with the lateral limit of the superior sagittal sinus.&#x0D; Conclusion: The mean existence of superior sagittal sinus is 9.57mm in the right to 5.78mm in the left side from the outer limit of the sagittal suture. However, in extreme stances it's lateral limits can extend up to 17mm in left to 23mm in the right from the outer limit of the sagittal suture.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Hypertension Among Children Attending Out Patient Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Karachi.

Introduction: The childhood obesity epidemic has caused the global prevalence of hypertension (HTN) in children to increase from 2% to 4%. However, there is limited data regarding this issue in Pakistan. Hence this cross-sectional study aims to document the prevalence of HTN and its risk factors among children visiting the out patient department (OPD) of a government hospital in Karachi, which is one of the largest cities in Pakistan. Methods: One thousand children aged between 4 and 12 years who visited the OPD in October 2019 were included. Blood pressures (BPs) for each child were measured manually and recorded. Their guardians were then interviewed to assess the risk factors present in each child. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Results: Among all the children, those between 4 and 7 years of age had a higher prevalence of HTN (19.2%; 9.2% stage 1 and 10.0% stage 2) than children aged between 8 and 12 years (14.5%; 8.0% stage 1 and 6.5% stage 2). Obese children between the age of 4 and 7 years (OR = 3.11) were more likely to develop HTN. Moreover, children with a positive family history of HTN were 1.43 times more likely to have HTN and 1.32 times more likely to have pre-HTN. There was no significant association of gender, artificial feeding, low birth weight, and maternal smoking with HTN. Conclusion: The prevalence is particularly higher in children aged between 4 and 7 years (19.2%) and there is a strong association between high BMI (body mass index), family history of HTN, and high-fat diet intake with HTN in children. There was no significant variation of prevalence between both genders.

Association of Xanthelasma palpebrarum (XP) with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors

Xanthelasma palpebrarum (XP) is the most common cutaneous xanthoma occurs over or surrounding the eyelids in yellowish color and various shapes. The objective of this study was to describe the status of cardiovascular disease risk factors in XP patients and determine their association with XP. A case-control study was conducted among 81 cases (have XP) and 81 controls (no XP) among patients attended for cardiac check-up between January 2019 to July 2019 at Ad-Din Women's Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Among 162 subjects were interviewed in our study, majority were female (62.3%). XP were found more prevalent among female and several cardiac risk factors were significantly associated with XP. The chi-square analysis indicates gender (p=0.035), BMI (p=0.01), Angina history (p=0.008), and serum LDL (p=0.024) were significantly associated with presence of XP. A higher percentage of patients with high total serum cholesterol, TG levels, and LDL was observed in patients with XP in compared to control group. Our study reveals an increased presence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among patients with xanthelasma. Moreover, a statistically significant association of gender, BMI, angina history, and serum LDL with XP were observed.&#x0D; Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. June 2019, 5(4): 324-329

Prevalence & features of inner ear malformations among children with congenital sensorineural hearing loss: A Public Cochlear Implant Centre Experience.

Objective:To determine the prevalence and features of inner ear anomalies in children with congenital profound hearing loss who presented at our cochlear implant center based on imaging studies.Methods:This retrospective study reviewed charts of children with congenital SNHL, who presented to Department of Otolaryngology & Auditory Implant Centre, Capital Hospital Islamabad over a period of 2 years from 1st May 2017 to 30th April 2019. These included 481 cases of both genders aged between 1 to 12 years. After gathering demographic data, audiological data, computed tomography findings of the temporal bone were analyzed. Data was analyzed using SPSS 22.Results:The Inner Ear Malformations were identified in 48(10%) children including 28 (58.33%) males and 20 (41.67%) female. Most 20(41.67%) presented at >3-5 years of age followed by 19(39.58%) at 2-3 years. However, no significant association of gender (p=0.57, p=0.076) and age of presentation (p=0.344, p=0.697) for right and left ears was noted with inner ear malformations. The most common anomaly noted were CLA, CH-III and CH-II in decreasing order of frequency in both ears.Conclusion:The prevalence of IEM’s was found to be 48(10%). Commonest anomalies noted were CLA, CH-III and CH-II. No significant association of gender and age of presentation was noted with type of anomaly in both ears.