Tertiary Care Hospital Of Assam Research Articles

Clinical and laboratory profile, disease activity and outcome of childhood systemic lupus erythematosus - A retrospective study in a tertiary care hospital in Assam

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus in children (cSLE) represents 10-20% of all cases of SLE. However, this is still underreported from Assam. In this study, we report our experience with 25 patients of cSLE over the last 3.5 years. Materials and methods: This retrospective study was carried out at the Department of Pediatrics, Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, Guwahati, Assam. Data of patients with cSLE in the records of pediatric rheumatology and immunodeficiency clinic from April 2018 to October 2021 were collected and analysed. Results: In our cohort, the median age at presentation was 10 years (range, 4.6-14 years). The female-to-male ratio was 7:1. Hematological involvement, 21 (84%) was the most common manifestation followed by cutaneous, 19 (76%), and renal involvement, 17 (68%). Five patients also had associated HbE hemoglobinopathy. We had performed renal biopsy in 12/17 patients. Class IV lupus nephritis was the most common type in our patients. Twenty-four out of 25 patients had active disease at the time of the first presentation. There were four deaths in our cohort including two deaths that occurred due to congestive cardiac failure in patients with suspected myocarditis. Seventeen patients in our cohort had completed a median of 10 months (range, 2 – 30 months) follow-up and 6/9 biopsy-proven proliferative nephritis were in remission after a median of 9.5 months (range, 2-27 months) follow-up. Conclusion: Hematological involvement was the commonest manifestation in cSLE at our center. The majority of patients with proliferative LN were in remission with standard treatment. Keywords: hemoglobin E; lupus nephritis; myocarditis; vasculitis

Online Medical Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experience and Perception of Second-Year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) Students in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Assam, India.

Introduction The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic-imposed changes in educational practices worldwide. It forced medical institutions to adapt to an online teaching mode, which has advantages and disadvantages. The present study aims to investigate the perceptions of medical students regarding online learning during COVID-19. Purpose This study assesses whether online teaching methods are feasible, suitable, preferred, and effective compared to traditional in-class teaching for Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students. Methodology It is a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted on 120 second-year MBBS students ofSilchar Medical College, Silchar, India. Using Google Forms, a closed-ended pre-formed questionnaire was distributed to the students to get feedback on the advantages and challenges of online learning. The respondents were prompted to respond to the questions on a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5. The data were analyzed using Excel 16 (Microsoft® Corp., Redmond, WA). Results The majority of the participants positively supported the feasibility, suitability, utility, and effectiveness of online learning. The most preferred online web conferencing platform for e-learning in the survey was Google Classroom. Despite the advantages, online medical education was limited by network-related issues and a lack of socializing with peers. Moreover, looking forward, about 90% of the students preferred online or a combination of online and classroom teaching. Conclusion The study highlights the positive attitude toward online education among second-year MBBS Students in a tertiary care hospital in Assam. It provides valuable insights into the challenges faced in e-learning in medical education, forming the groundwork for devising future education strategies.

Sociodemographic Characteristics and Clinical Profile of Inpatients in the Psychiatry Unit of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Assam: A Retrospective Study

Objectives Recent years have seen a significant evolution in the understanding pertaining to mental health issues. The analysis of the intricate interplay between an individual’s sociodemographic factors, genetic makeup, the environment, and clinical profile (diagnosis and treatment) of patients will help us understand the prevalence and types of mental health disorders prevalent in Assam, which is a culturally, ethnically and socially diverse state. The pattern of utilization of electroconvulsive therapy has also been analyzed. The aims and objectives of the study is to analyze the sociodemographic characteristics and clinical profile of patients admitted in Psychiatry ward, Assam Medical College and Hospital. Material and Methods An analysis on the case records of all individuals admitted to the hospital’s Psychiatry ward between August 1, 2022 and July 31, 2023 was done. Data on socio-demographic details such as age, gender, domicile and clinical profile (diagnosis, mode of discharge, duration of stay and treatment) was compiled using semi-structured format designed by authors. Information regarding patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy was also gathered from the records. Statistical analysis: The data were subjected to analysis utilizing the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 25.0). Results A total of 680 patients got admitted of which higher proportion constituted of male (77.58%) and majority individuals were aged between 30 and 39 years (29.65%). The predominant diagnosis among the inpatients was substance use disorders (39.09%). Out of all the psychotropic drugs, olanzapine (17.94%) was mostly prescribed on discharged followed by risperidone (10.15%). Escitalopram (3.97%) was the mostly prescribed antidepressant on discharge. Patients diagnosed as substance use disorders were mostly discharged on lorazepam (5%), baclofen (14.26%) and received an average number of 1.8 sessions of Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET). Whereas, schizophrenia and related disorders was the most common diagnosis among inpatients receiving ECT (51.52%). Conclusion Our study helped to understand the socio-demographic attributes and clinical profile of the inpatients to foster better management approaches.

Evaluation of IL-4 and IL-13 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Their Association With Childhood Asthma and Its Severity: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study.

Asthma is a common, chronic, atopic respiratory disease that is on the rise among children and adults worldwide. Various environmental, genetic, and biological interactions contribute to the surge in susceptibility to this disease. Interleukin (IL) genes, particularly IL-4 and IL-13, have been linked to asthma pathogenesis. The present study aims to investigate the genetic aberrations, specifically single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IL-4 and IL-13, and their association with childhood asthma and its severity. An unmatched hospital-based case-control study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Assam, India. The sample size was calculated to be 120 (60 cases and 60 controls) using the Epi Info software version 7.2 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA), assuming a confidence interval of 95%, a power of the study at 80%, a ratio of control to cases as 1, a proportion of controls with exposure at 22%, and a proportion of cases with exposure at 46%. A total of 53 clinically diagnosed cases of childhood asthma in the age range of three to 12 years and 39 healthy controls free from respiratory diseases and having no history of asthma and/or allergy of the same age group attending a tertiary care hospital were included in the study. Children who never had asthma or allergies and who did not suffer from any upper or lower respiratory infections for the previous four weeks were considered controls. Prior informed consent and ethical clearance were obtained. Very seriously ill cases and controls were excluded from the study. The genetic investigation used polymerase chain reaction (PCR), followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), to discover SNPs in the IL-4 and IL-13 genes. Sequencing analysis was done for the cases with +2044 G>A of the IL-13 gene in relation to the severity of the disease. The difference in the proportions of specific SNPs between cases and controls was analyzed using the χ2test (a p-value of <0.05 was considered significant). Both the rs2070874 and rs2243250 polymorphisms of IL-4 showed no statistically significant associations. The mutation of the IL-13 gene in 1111C>T was higher among cases than controls. Both genotypic and allelic distributions of the +2044G>A polymorphism of the IL-13 gene revealed a significant association (p<0.05) with the severity of the disease. Genetic aberrations in SNPs of IL-4 and IL-13 are prevalent among the pediatric patients of the study region. The SNP +2044G>A of IL-13 is instrumental in disease manifestation and severity among the pediatric population of the study region.

Complications of thyroidectomy: Insights from a single-centre study in northeast India

To study and compare the frequency of post-operative complications associated with thyroid surgeries indicated for various benign and malignant pathologies and assess the outcome of management of such complications in a tertiary care hospital in Northeast India. An analytical study was done at a tertiary care hospital in Assam over a period of 1 year from May 2022 to June 2023. Data was collected from 53 patients who underwent surgery at this hospital. Hemithyroidectomy, subtotal, near-total, and total thyroidectomies were performed in 31(58.4%), 2 (3.7%), 6 (11.3%) and 14 (26.4%) cases respectively. The overall rate of complications was 39.6%. Permanent hypocalcaemia was observed to be the most common complication, followed by transient hypocalcaemia and transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. The complications were found to be more frequent in surgery for malignant thyroid disease. There was no mortality in our study. A better understanding of thyroid gland anatomy, meticulous haemostasis and Identification of Recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid glands lead to favourable post-operative outcomes. Appropriate post-operative care with early identification and management of complications plays an essential role in reducing the duration of postoperative hospital stay and limiting patient morbidity.

Assessment of level of stress among post-graduate trainees working in tertiary care hospital in a district of Assam

Background: Medical education is itself very vast, stressful and challenging. Stressful condition can lead to many psychological responses like anxiety, depression, irritability, restlessness, sleep disturbances etc. The postgraduate students are at risk of developing stress due to their professional duties, workloads, peer pressure, academic activities and so on. Thus, the study has been initiated to find out the level of stress and its related factors among the post graduate students in a Tertiary care hospital of Assam. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted on all the postgraduate students in a tertiary care hospital during March’23 to June’23. By convenience sampling technique around 108 post graduate students were participated in the study. The level of stress had been assessed by perceived stress scale (PSS-10), stress related symptoms from self reporting questionnaire (SRQ-20), and sleep quality by insomnia severity index scale. Results: The study found out that 98 (90.74%) had moderate, 6 (5.55%) high and 4(3.74%) low level of stress. The stress was associated with marital status, gender, residence and clinical and non-clinical departments. Out of 75 male (69.45%), 72 (96% ) moderate, 2 (2.6% ) high and 1 (1.3%) low level of stress and 33 (30.55%) female participants, 81.8% had moderate, 4 (1212%) high, and 2 (6.06%) had low level of stress. Conclusions: The study had concluded that stress was found to be prevalent among the study participants.

Clinical Assessment and Pregnancy Outcome in Women with Vaginal Birth after Caesarean Section and to Evaluate the Factors for Successful Outcome in Vaginal Birth after Caesarean Section: A Cross Sectional Observational Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Assam

Clinical Assessment and Pregnancy Outcome in Women with Vaginal Birth after Caesarean Section and to Evaluate the Factors for Successful Outcome in Vaginal Birth after Caesarean Section: A Cross Sectional Observational Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Assam

Trends in Antimicrobial Resistance in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Assam, India

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial pathogens has emerged as a challenge in health care settings resulting in high rates of morbidity and mortality. The aim of the present study was to describe the trends and burden of AMR in a tertiary care hospital. A retrospective observational study was undertaken from October 2018 to March 2021 in a clinical microbiology laboratory where local priority pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance patterns were analyzed. Organism identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Out of 9948 isolates, Enterobacteriaceae (58%) were mostly isolated followed by Staphylococci (18.6%), Non-fermenting gram negative bacilli (NFGNB) (13.7%), and Enterococci (8.4%) respectively. Highest isolation was from inpatient department (61.3%); 31.5% from outpatient, and 7.2 % from intensive care units. Klebsiella pneumoniae (26.9%) was most isolated organism, mostly from respiratory samples; Escherichia coli was isolated mostly from urine (40.7%). Almost half of the Enterobacteriaceae isolates were extended spectrum beta-lactamase producers while &gt;50% of Enterobacteriaceae and NFGNB isolates were resistant to one or more Carbapenems. Frequency of Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus was 44.7% , Vancomycin resistant Enterococci was 1.2%. A rising trend of resistance to cephalosporins and carbapenems along with fluoroquinolones was observed. Our study has witnessed a high prevalence of Gram negative pathogens with increasing resistance to commonly applied antimicrobials during the surveillance period which can act as a guiding tool in devising local antimicrobial priorities, antibiotic policy, and proper antimicrobial prescribing practices.

LEVELS OF ENZYMATIC ANTIOXIDANT SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE AND NONENZYMATIC ANTIOXIDANT URIC ACID IN POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME PATIENTS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF ASSAM

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common hormonal disorders, occurring in 5–10% women in reproductive ages. Despite a long history of studies on PCOS, its aetiology is still unknown. Oxidative stress is now recognized to play a central role in the pathophysiology of many different disorders, including PCOS. Although intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and propagation are controlled by highly complex antioxidant enzymatic and non-enzymatic systems, understanding of mechanisms that oxidative stress is important to develop strategies for prevention and treatment of PCOS. Objectives: To estimate the serum levels of superoxide dismutase and uric acid in PCOS patients. Methodology:Acase-control study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital of Assam, with 60 PCOS patients attending the outpatient Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Guwahati, Assam along with 60 healthy controls of same age group. The samples were evaluated by ELISA and VITROS 5600 Autoanalyser using standard kits and reagents in the Department of Biochemistry, GMCH. Results: The results were statistically analysed and the mean and SD of SOD were found to be 969.95 + 62.96 among the cases and 1298.8 + 137.8 among the controls with p value &lt;0.001, whereas the mean and SD of uric acid was 5.41 + 0.70 in cases and 3.76 + 0.74 in controls with p value &lt;0.001.Conclusions: Signicantly lower serum levels of SOD and signicantly higher levels of Uric acid were found in cases with PCOS compared to the control group.

Molecular detection of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum mutants in Assam.

The spread of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) poses a serious threat to the control and elimination of malaria. The objective of this study was to detect the molecular biomarkers of antimalarial drug resistance in Pf in patients visiting a tertiary care hospital in Assam. Malaria was first detected in fever cases using microscopy and a rapid diagnostic test (RDT), and then confirmed using PCR. Pf chloroquine resistance transporter (Pfcrt), Pf multidrug resistance-1 (Pfmdr-1), and single-nucleotide polymorphisms linked to delayed parasite clearance after treatment with artemisinin MAL 10-688956 and MAL 13-1718319 and Kelch-13 propeller (PfK-13) genes were evaluated by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Sixty nine cases of malaria were found among 300 cases of fever. Of these, 54 were positive for Pf, 47 of which were confirmed by PCR. Pfcrt-K76T mutation was seen in 96.6 per cent and Pfmdr1-N86Y mutation in 84.2 per cent of cases. Mutation was not detected in MAL10 and MAL13 genes. Sequence analysis of Kelch-13 gene showed the presence of a novel mutation at amino acid position 675. Statistically, no significant association was found between the molecular biomarkers and demographic profile, clinical presentation and outcome of the cases. Molecular surveillance is essential to assess the therapeutic efficacy of the drugs against circulating Pf isolates in Assam which are found to be highly resistant to CQ. The role of the new mutation found in the Kelch-13 gene in the development of artemisinin resistance in Assam needs to be thoroughly monitored in future research.

Study of Serum Uric Acid Levels in Essential Hypertension and its correlation with the severity of Hypertension

Background: Uric acid is thought to play a pathogenic role in hypertension mediated by several mechanisms suchas inflammation, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in renal microcirculation, endothelial cell dysfunctionetc. The study was carried to see the relationship between serum uric acid and hypertension and its correlationwith components of metabolic syndrome as it is thought that hyperuricemia is more common in hypertensivepatients probably because hyperuricemia may be also a component of metabolic syndrome.Methods: The present observational cross sectional study was conducted in the department of Medicine ina tertiary care hospital in Assam from June 2021 to May 2022. A total of 150 patients who were diagnosed ashypertensives following ACC/AHA guidelines, 2017. Newly detected hypertensives were enrolled for the study.Relevant clinical and laboratory data were recorded using proforma and statistical analysis were done accordingly.Results: 20% cases were found to be hyperuricemic in the study population out of which 67% of the cases who hadmetabolic syndrome had hyperuricaemia.Conclusion: There can be a direct relation between hypertension and hyperuricemia, hyperuricemia was foundin 20% of hypertensive cases. Serum uric acid level correlates significantly with variables like BMI, Dyslipidemia,stage 2 hypertension, which are components of metabolic syndrome. Thus, hyperuricaemia can be an index ofsuspicion for the concomitant presence of metabolic syndrome

Clinical Profile and Antibiotic Sensitivity Pattern of Community Acquired Urinary Tract Infections in Children Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Assam, India

Introduction: Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is a common problem in children. It is a very common cause of fever in children after gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases. Uropathogens causing community acquired UTI is increasing due to changing antibiotic sensitivity pattern over time. Appropriate choice of antibiotic is crucial to prevent complications related to UTI. Aim: To study the clinical profile, risk factors, associated pathogen spectrum and their antibiotic sensitivity pattern in community acquired UTI. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study with 150 sample size was conducted in the Department of Paediatrics, Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, Guwahati, Assam, India and was carried out among children (1 month to 12 years of age) with community acquired UTI, over a period of one year in the state of Assam. Fresh urine samples were collected by clean catch mid-stream method for toilet trained children and by transurethral catheterisation for infants and young children. It was followed by routine urine examination and culture and sensitivity testing to diagnose UTI. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the results. Proportion test was used for statistical evaluation. Results: Majority of UTI cases were in the age group 1 to 5 years (57.3%) and there was female preponderance (59.3%). Fever was the most common presentation (55.3% cases) in the present study. This was followed by poor feeding (12.6%), lower abdominal pain (10.6%), failure to gain weight (10.6%). In urinalysis, 87 cases (58%) showed pyuria, 6 cases (4%) showed significant haematuria. Most prevalent uropathogens in the present study was Escherichia coli (E.coli) (66%cases), followed by Enterococcus sp. (16.7%), Klebsiella sp. (14%). E.coli had maximum sensitivity for nitrofurantoin (90.9%). It was followed by amikacin (80%), co-trimoxazole in 64.6% and gentamycin in 62.6% cases. Conclusion: All fever cases in children should be screened to rule out UTI. All UTI cases should undergo culture and sensitivity testing to determine the sensitivity pattern.

Risk Factors of Adenomyosis: A Case Control Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Assam, India

Risk Factors of Adenomyosis: A Case Control Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Assam, India

The Spectrum of Pathogenic Yeast Infection in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Assam, India.

In view of the growing incidence of pathogenic yeast infection all over the world, this study was undertaken to understand its etiology and epidemiology in Assam. To characterize and study the antifungal susceptibility pattern of the pathogenic yeasts from the clinical samples. The study was a hospital-based cross-sectional study. 150 patients were enrolled in the study and from which clinical samples were collected. A total of 83 samples showing the growth of yeast in culture were included in the study. The yeasts were identified by conventional and BioMerieux ID 32C and VITEK 2TM. Antifungal susceptibility test was done by disk diffusion method as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), M44-A2. Data was analyzed using statistical software Epi-Info 7.1.2.0 (2013; CDC, Atlanta, USA). For comparison of categorical data, the Chi-square test or Fisher exact test was used. A value of p less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The most affected population was the age group of ≤10 years (32.5%) with male preponderance (67.5%). Yeasts were mostly isolated bloodstream infections (49.3%). The major risk factorwas prolonged antibiotic intake. Predominant yeast isolates were Candida albicans (43.4%) followed by Candida tropicalis (19.3%). Emerging yeasts like Kodaemea ohmeri (4.8%), Pichia anomala (2.4%), and Candida auris (1.2%) were also isolated. Amphotericin B was effective against all yeast isolates. All the isolates of Candida krusei were resistant to all the azoles. The study reflects that there is a growing incidence of emerging yeast infections and efforts are to be made for their identification and antifungal susceptibility testing for the initiation of appropriate therapy.

A STUDY OF CLINICAL PATTERN OF ACNE VULGARIS PATIENTS PRESENTING IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Objective: To evaluate the clinical pattern of acne vulgaris in patients attending a tertiary care hospital. Methods: This hospital-based observational study was conducted from September 2021 to March 2022. A total of 203 consecutive patients with acne vulgaris attending dermatology OPD were included. Pregnant and lactating women, drug-induced acne, and other acneiform eruptions were excluded. Data were collected in a pre-designed proforma. The parameters included were age, gender, age of onset, duration, sites of involvement, acne grade, types of lesions, menstrual history, and post-acne complications. Results were expressed in percentages. MS Excel software was used for data entry and analysis. Results: Two hundred and three cases were included, among which 61.6% were female and 38.4% were male. The commonest age group affected was 21-25 y (37.9%) followed by 16-20 y (31.5%). The commonest site of involvement in acne was the face (86.2%) followed by the trunk (9.4%). Arms (2.5%) and the neck (1.9%) were less affected areas. The majority of patients had Grade 2 (53.7%) acne, followed by Grade 3 (21.8%) and Grade 1 (20.7%) and Grade 4 (3.9%). Persistence of acne in females till late age was observed. Post-acne hyperpigmentation 98 (48.3%) and scarring 46 (22.7%) were most common complications. Premenstrual flare was seen in 36 (17.7%) patients. The commonly associated disease with acne is seborrheic dermatitis, observed in 28 (13.8%) patients. Conclusion: This study revealed the clinical pattern of acne vulgaris in a tertiary care hospital in Assam.

Teenage Pregnancy and its Outcomes in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Assam

Background: Teenage pregnancy is one of the determinants of high maternal morbidity and mortality. Assam is known for its highest contribution of maternal death in India. In Assam, around 31% of teenage girls get married before the age of 18, and around 12% teenage girls become mothers before they turn out to be 18 years. Objectives: The objective of this study is to know the maternal and fetal outcomes of teenage pregnancy and its determinants in a tertiary care setting in Assam. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 118 teenage mothers admitted to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital from June to August 2019. Required data on sociodemographic characteristics of the mother, antenatal, intranatal, and postnatal histories, and maternal and fetal outcomes of the pregnancy, were collected in predesigned and pretested schedule. Data analysis was done using Microsoft Excel software. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee. Results: Among the 118 teenage mothers which constitute 14.6% of total deliveries conducted during the study period, 61% were anemic during pregnancy and 75.42% of teenagers had term delivery while 19.49% had either preterm or postterm deliveries. Cesarean section was done for 50.85% of pregnancies and 45.77% of teenage mothers had complications such as eclampsia, prolonged labor, cephalopelvic disproportion, and premature rupture of membrane during labor. About 42.73% of the newborns were found to be low birth weight babies. A statistically significant association was found between determinants such as lower socioeconomic class, younger age at marriage, less education of mothers, lack of knowledge about contraceptives, and teenage pregnancy. Conclusion: Our study findings indicated a high percentage of teenage pregnancy and increased complications among teenage mothers and newborns.

PROFILE OF HYPERTENSION IN CHILDREN AGED 3 TO 12 YEARS: EXPERIENCE FROM A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN NORTH EAST INDIA

Objective: To study the prole of hypertensive children admitted in a tertiary care hospital in the age group of 3 to 12 years. Method: It is a Prospective type Study done over 1 year from June 2019 to May 2020 in the Department of Pediatrics, Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH), a tertiary care Hospital in Assam,India. One twenty six children in the age group of 3 to 12 years meeting the inclusion criteria were admitted with hypertension. Results: During the study period a total of 3214 patients were admitted in the Pediatric Department of Silchar Medical College and Hospital. Out of which 126 patients were found to be hypertensive (3.9%). The number of males were 81(65%) and females 45(56%). The most common affected group was school going children age group (6 to 12 years). 37(29.3%) cases presented with hypertensive emergency. 22(17%) cases presented with congestive cardiac failure and 15(11.9%) cases hypertensive encephalopathy. Renal Cause of hypertension was the leading cause of admission and glomerulonephritis was the leading renal cause (80%). The mortality was 4.7% (6 out of 126 patients) and was due to complication of Glomerulonephritis. Conclusion: Hypertension is a common cause of hospitalization in children. Renal or renovascular etiology of hypertension is the most common cause of hypertension.

Perception among undergraduate medical students towards health research methodology &amp; publications in a tertiary care hospital of Assam

Research experience gained by medical students during their under graduate tenure plays a significant role in their future endeavours in the field of medical research. The aim of the present study was to assess the level of knowledge about attitudes regarding biomedical health research and publications among medical students.: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted and randomly selected among 200 undergraduate medical college students of Tezpur Medical College, Tezpur, Assam in 2018 to access the knowledge about their attitudes on health research and scientific publications. A prefix pretested proforma was employed to assess the knowledge and attitudes of the students. Informed consent was duly taken. The data thus obtained was then analyzed using MS Excel. : Among the 200 study participants, only 70(35%) students feel confident in interpreting and writing a research paper, and 135(67.5%) students feel lack of their knowledge on research methodology and is the cause of less publication &amp; research, while 102(51%) and 120(60%) says lack of senior’s knowledge and mentors respectability is the cause of less publication. Interestingly only 5(2.5%) participants had published in journals and 195(97.5%) says that they were never written any scientific paper. Majority of students 174(87%) had not participated in a research project (apart from mandatory academic projects). A good number students do feel that lack of funds and facilities, and mentorship are important causes of no publication and research in medical colleges.Medical colleges should emphasize more on health research among the undergraduate students. There is a need to reform the medical curriculum with more weightage towards research methodology awareness, workshops and plannings in order toimprove the situation in the field of medical education and research.

Comparative study of CURB-65 and expanded CURB-65 score in community acquired pneumonia in a tertiary care hospital of Assam

Background: Community acquired pneumonia is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries like India. The presentation of CAP may range from mild pneumonia characterized only by fever and productive cough to severe pneumonia leading to respiratory distress and sepsis syndrome requiring management in ICU. Any delay in ICU admission has been shown to be associated with increased mortality. This study was conducted to compare Expanded CURB-65 with CURB-65 scoring system in a tertiary care centre in Assam for early stratification of patients with CAP based of severity and expected prognosis.Methods: This hospital based prospective study was conducted between September 2020 to August 2021, and a total of 100 patients were taken and followed up form admission to up to 30 days. CURB65 and expanded CURB 65 score was calculated for each patient and the accuracy of each score was statistically compared.Results: In our study out of 100 patients mean age of 60±17.97 with Mortality rate of 16%. Total 29% patients were need ICU care. The Sensitivity, Specificity, PPV and NPV for predicting mortality and for ICU admission of Expanded CURB-65 score is found to be superior to CURB-65 Score.Conclusions: In comparison to the CURB-65 score system, the expanded CURB-65 score prioritises both clinical and laboratory criteria and is a more reliable marker for evaluating CAP severity and may improve the effectiveness of forecasting death in CAP patients.

High prevalence of neurocysticercosis among patients with epilepsy in a tertiary care hospital of Assam, India.

Background:Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a parasitic disease of the central nervous system, which is caused by the metacestode of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. The present unicentric, hospital-based, cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess the contribution of NCC as a cause of active epilepsy among patients attending a tertiary health care center in Assam, India.Materials and Methods:Over a period of 2 years, 152 active epilepsy patients were investigated based on clinical, epidemiological, neuroimaging (contrast-enhanced computerized tomography), and immunological techniques to establish the diagnosis of NCC. A precoded questionnaire was administered to patients and/or guardians to collect detailed medical history.Results:Ninety-three cases (61.2%) fulfilled either definitive or probable diagnostic criteria for NCC. Anti-cysticercus immunoglobulin G antibodies were detected by ELISA and enzyme electro-immune transfer blot in 69 (45.4%) active epilepsy patients. Seroprevalence was higher in males, 46.6% (54/116); than in females, 41.7% (15/36), and increased significantly with age; peaking in the 20–39 years age group (36/76; χ2 = 5.64; P = 0.02). Among the seropositive cases, 54 (78.3%) were diagnosed with NCC. A significantly higher number of seropositive individuals were diagnosed with NCC in the 20–39 years age group as compared to the 40 years and above age group (χ2 = 6.28; P = 0.01). The association between seropositivity for NCC, and the number of lesions in the brain was statistically significant (χ2 = −8.33; P = 0.003).Conclusions:This study indicates that NCC is a major cause of active epilepsy in Assam. A high prevalence of pediatric NCC is also a major concern.