BREATH HOLDING TIME AND OXYGEN SATURATION IN COVID AFFECTED NURSING STUDENTS-A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Objective: The present study is based on a novel approach of validated breath-holding technique and efficiency of SpO2 in the adverse COVID-19 outcomes and comparison with normal subjects. Methods: It is a prospective observational study conducted in residential/private nursing colleges, St. Luke’s School and College of Nursing and Smt. Vijaya Luke’s College of Nursing, Visakhapatnam during the period July 2021. Fifty-three student nurses affected with mild COVID-19, 35 student nurses affected with moderate COVID-19, aged 18–23 years were enrolled after taking thorough history about COVID-19 that is after 2 months of complete recovery. They were classified based on the symptom history in which the subjects without symptoms or mild symptoms were taken as mildly affected, whereas subjects with severe symptoms with mild fluctuations in SpO2 who didn’t require hospitalization were classified as moderately affected. The study included 109 normal control cases who are never affected with COVID-19 viral infection. In all the subjects, the oxygen saturation was measured using pulse oxymeter and their Breath holding times were also measured using standard protocols. Results: The mean value of BHT was significantly reduced from normal 16.7339±3.4 to 12.8571±5.1 (p<0.05) in moderate cases. When oxygen saturation levels were compared before and after the breath holding in normal, mild and moderate cases the results were significant. However, when the oxygen saturation levels were compared between normal and mild COVID-19 cases the values were insignificant (p=0.4) and at the same time when the oxygen saturation levels were compared between normal and moderate COVID-19 cases the values were significant (p=0.0001). Conclusion: According to the findings, breath-holding does not need greater energy expenditure or cardiac output, and it eliminates walking and the related contamination of bystanders as occurring with pulse oximeter. Breath holding time is a determinant of respiratory capacity, when used as parameter helps in assessing the progression of lung injury, it gives an idea about respiratory fitness especially in this COVID era. Breath holding time and fluctuations in SpO2 when used conjointly we can assess degree of lung damage so that further treatment such as the continuity of medication, practicing of breathing exercises with or without medical treatment can be planned. This simple non-invasive tool can be used for the self-assessment of improvement in post-Covid patients. Future validation studies validate this hypothesis, measurement of these basic, innovative surrogates requires minimum inventory (i.e., a means to record oximetry and a timing device) and could feasibly provide a useful way to evaluate risks of future deterioration under under-resourced conditions

A phase II study of single-agent gefitinib as first-line therapy in patients with stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of gefitinib (‘IRESSA') in Japanese patients with previously untreated stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This was a multi-institutional phase II study. Thirty-four patients with previously untreated stage IV NSCLC were enrolled between May 2003 and September 2004. Gefitinib was administered orally 250 mg once a day and was continued until there was either disease progression or severe toxicity. Objective tumour response rate was 26.5% (95% confidence interval, 11.7–41.3%). Adverse events were generally mild (National Cancer Institute-Common Toxicity Criteria grade 1 or 2) and consisted mainly of skin rash, fatigue and liver dysfunction. No pulmonary toxicity was observed. The global health status revealed that there was no change in quality of life during the study. This study found that single-agent gefitinib is active and well tolerated in chemonaive Japanese patients with advanced NSCLC

Antitumor effect of sFlt-1 gene therapy system mediated by Bifidobacterium Infantis on Lewis lung cancer in mice

Soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor (sFlt-1) is a soluble form of extramembrane part of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) that has antitumor effects. Bifidobacterium Infantis is a kind of non-pathogenic and anaerobic bacteria that may have specific targeting property of hypoxic environment inside of solid tumors. The aim of this study was to construct Bifidobacterium Infantis-mediated sFlt-1 gene transferring system and investigate its antitumor effect on Lewis lung cancer (LLC) in mice. Our results demonstrated that the Bifidobacterium Infantis-mediated sFlt-1 gene transferring system was constructed successfully and the system could express sFlt-1 at the levels of gene and protein. This system could not only significantly inhibit growth of human umbilical vein endothelial cells induced by VEGF in vitro, but also inhibit the tumor growth and prolong survival time of LLC C57BL/6 mice safely. These data suggest that Bifidobacterium Infantis-mediated sFlt-1 gene transferring system presents a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of cancer