Evaluation of the incidence and outcome of gestational diabetes mellitus using the current international consensus guidelines for diagnosing hyperglycaemia in pregnancy

Background: Diabetes Mellitus in pregnancy has long been recognized as a serious problem for both mother and fetus. Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is defined as carbohydrate intolerance of variable severity with onset or first recognition during pregnancy. Even though there are many diagnostic criteria and guidelines for management of GDM, there still exists lack of consensus regarding diagnosis and management of patients with GDM. After Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) study, International Association of Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group (IADPSG) has formulated a new consensus guideline for diagnosing hyperglycaemia in pregnancy which has formed the back bone for this particular study. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of GDM using current international consensus guidelines with 75g Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) and evaluation of maternal and fetal outcome.Methods: All antenatal patients were screened for GDM with 75g OGTT and their glycaemic control was evaluated throughout pregnancy. Either Medical Nutritional Therapy or Oral Hypoglycaemic Agents or Insulin Therapy was advised for glycaemic control. Maternal and neonatal outcomes were evaluated.Results: A total of 856 Antenatal patients were screened and 111 were diagnosed as GDM, showing an incidence of 13%. Medical Nutritional Therapy was found to be an effective method for glycaemic control in GDM.Conclusions: The incidence of GDM in the studied population was found to be 13%. Previous history of GDM was found to be the most significant high risk factor associated with GDM followed by family history of Diabetes. Medical Nutritional Therapy was found to be highly effective in the management of GDM. Only 9% of GDM patients required insulin therapy. With adequate glycaemic control, all late pregnancy complications and neonatal complications can be alleviated

Convalescent plasma in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised controlled, open-label, platform trial

SummaryBackground Azithromycin has been proposed as a treatment for COVID-19 on the basis of its immunomodulatoryactions. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of azithromycin in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19.Methods In this randomised, controlled, open-label, adaptive platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19Therapy [RECOVERY]), several possible treatments were compared with usual care in patients admitted to hospitalwith COVID-19 in the UK. The trial is underway at 176 hospitals in the UK. Eligible and consenting patients wererandomly allocated to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus azithromycin 500 mg once perday by mouth or intravenously for 10 days or until discharge (or allocation to one of the other RECOVERY treatmentgroups). Patients were assigned via web-based simple (unstratified) randomisation with allocation concealment andwere twice as likely to be randomly assigned to usual care than to any of the active treatment groups. Participants andlocal study staff were not masked to the allocated treatment, but all others involved in the trial were masked to theoutcome data during the trial. The primary outcome was 28-day all-cause mortality, assessed in the intention-to-treatpopulation. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, 50189673, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04381936.Findings Between April 7 and Nov 27, 2020, of 16 442 patients enrolled in the RECOVERY trial, 9433 (57%) wereeligible and 7763 were included in the assessment of azithromycin. The mean age of these study participants was65·3 years (SD 15·7) and approximately a third were women (2944 [38%] of 7763). 2582 patients were randomlyallocated to receive azithromycin and 5181 patients were randomly allocated to usual care alone. Overall,561 (22%) patients allocated to azithromycin and 1162 (22%) patients allocated to usual care died within 28 days(rate ratio 0·97, 95% CI 0·87–1·07; p=0·50). No significant difference was seen in duration of hospital stay (median10 days [IQR 5 to >28] vs 11 days [5 to >28]) or the proportion of patients discharged from hospital alive within 28 days(rate ratio 1·04, 95% CI 0·98–1·10; p=0·19). Among those not on invasive mechanical ventilation at baseline, nosignificant difference was seen in the proportion meeting the composite endpoint of invasive mechanical ventilationor death (risk ratio 0·95, 95% CI 0·87–1·03; p=0·24).Interpretation In patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19, azithromycin did not improve survival or otherprespecified clinical outcomes. Azithromycin use in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 should be restrictedto patients in whom there is a clear antimicrobial indication

Evaluation of the incidence and outcome of gestational diabetes mellitus using the current international consensus guidelines for diagnosing hyperglycaemia in pregnancy

Background: Diabetes Mellitus in pregnancy has long been recognized as a serious problem for both mother and fetus. Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is defined as carbohydrate intolerance of variable severity with onset or first recognition during pregnancy. Even though there are many diagnostic criteria and guidelines for management of GDM, there still exists lack of consensus regarding diagnosis and management of patients with GDM. After Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) study, International Association of Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group (IADPSG) has formulated a new consensus guideline for diagnosing hyperglycaemia in pregnancy which has formed the back bone for this particular study. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of GDM using current international consensus guidelines with 75g Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) and evaluation of maternal and fetal outcome.Methods: All antenatal patients were screened for GDM with 75g OGTT and their glycaemic control was evaluated throughout pregnancy. Either Medical Nutritional Therapy or Oral Hypoglycaemic Agents or Insulin Therapy was advised for glycaemic control. Maternal and neonatal outcomes were evaluated.Results: A total of 856 Antenatal patients were screened and 111 were diagnosed as GDM, showing an incidence of 13%. Medical Nutritional Therapy was found to be an effective method for glycaemic control in GDM.Conclusions: The incidence of GDM in the studied population was found to be 13%. Previous history of GDM was found to be the most significant high risk factor associated with GDM followed by family history of Diabetes. Medical Nutritional Therapy was found to be highly effective in the management of GDM. Only 9% of GDM patients required insulin therapy. With adequate glycaemic control, all late pregnancy complications and neonatal complications can be alleviated

Methods of phenotypic identification of non-tuberculous mycobacteria

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are composed of mycobacterial species other than the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Initially thought to be mere contaminants when isolated from clinical specimens, literature is increasing by the day showing NTM as proven pathogens. Due to the difference in antimicrobial susceptibility of different species, it becomes imperative for the microbiology laboratory to identify them to the species level. Molecular methods are available for rapid and accurate identification, but in a resource limited nation, phenotypic methods, albeit time consuming, are of paramount importance. By means of this article, the authors intend provide a concise summary of the basic biochemical reactions which can be done to identify most commonly isolated NTM. Keywords: Biochemical reactions, Non tuberculous mycobacteria, Phenotypic identificatio

Proceedings of International Conference on Women Researchers in Electronics and Computing

This proceeding contains articles on the various research ideas of the academic community and practitioners presented at the international conference, “Women Researchers in Electronics and Computing” (WREC’2021). WREC'21 was organized in online mode by Dr. B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar (Punjab), INDIA during 22 – 24 April 2021. This conference was conceptualized with an objective to encourage and motivate women engineers and scientists to excel in science and technology and to be the role models for young girls to follow in their footsteps. With a view to inspire women engineers, pioneer and successful women achievers in the domains of VLSI design, wireless sensor networks, communication, image/ signal processing, machine learning, and emerging technologies were identified from across the globe and invited to present their work and address the participants in this women oriented conference. Conference Title: International Conference on Women Researchers in Electronics and ComputingConference Acronym: WREC'21Conference Date: 22–24 April 2021Conference Location: Online (Virtual Mode)Conference Organizers: Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, Punjab, INDI