Effect of ketamine infusion in treatment resistant depression and in depressive patients with active suicidal ideations: a study from North India

Background: Treatment resistant depression can be a life-threatening condition as it leads to an increase of suicide attempts by two to three folds. It has been estimated that nearly 1 million people die due to suicide every year, and more than two-third of these cases occur when the person is undergoing a major depressive episode. Ketamine is an NMDA receptor antagonist, an anesthetic agent that is short acting and has recently been used as an antidepressant and anti-suicidal agent. It has been seen that a single intravenous infusion of ketamine at a lower dose. i.e., subanesthetic dose of 0.5 mg/kg over a period of 40 minutes produces antidepressant effect which lasts for about a week and various studies have proved that repeated infusions of ketamine can prolong the duration of the antidepressant response. Methods: It was an observational/descriptive study done in the ketamine clinic/ECT suite of institute of mental health and neurosciences Kashmir (an associate hospital of government medical college Srinagar) which runs once a week. In this study, patients satisfying the criteria of TRD and depressive patients with active suicidal ideations, visiting the ketamine clinic who had given a valid informed consent for ketamine infusion enrolled and observed for ketamine efficacy by using specific scales. The study done over a period of 18 months from January 2020 till July 2021. Results: The response rate of ketamine in our study for treatment resistant depression was 70.27%. The response rate of ketamine for suicidality in our study was 63.16%. Our study showed a rapid onset of action for ketamine, two hours after ketamine infusion. Conclusions: A significant fraction of patients suffering from major depressive disorder do not respond to antidepressants and have a poor psychosocial functioning and an increased risk of suicide attempts making their condition life threatening. These patients therefore require special attention to address their underlying condition as well as suicidality to improve their outcome. In this context we studied the role of intravenous ketamine infusion in these patients in improving the psychosocial outcome as well as preventing the suicidal ideation.

Socio-economic status of fishermen community of Wular Lake in district Bandipora of Jammu and Kashmir

The present study investigates the socio-economic status of fishermen community of Wular Lake in district Bandipora of Jammu and Kashmir. Data were collected through structured interview schedule from 150 respondents from fishermen community between July and September 2020. It was found that 34.7% of the respondents fall in to the age group of 41–50 years and 56.0% were married. Majority of the respondents were illiterate (61.3%) and over half of the respondents (59.3%) earned monthly Rs.1000–5000. The study also explored that 93.3% of the respondents lived in their owned houses. The family size of fishing community was usually consisted of 7–10 members and 51.3% of them lived in a joint family system. However, most of them (54.66%) were dependent on river/canal water as drinking source and 59.3% were having dry latrine. It may be concluded that the fishermen community in the study area was the disadvantaged group of the society. Government, NGOs and respective stakeholders should come forward to take proper and necessary steps to improve their living conditions

Assessment measures to determine role of radiology in undergraduate medical education

Introduction: Radiology is taught less. Knowledge in Radiology and acquiring basic Radiological skills of interpretation are important in development of a medical graduate. This would add to the overall clinical acumen of a basic medical graduate and improve his interest in basic subjects study. Methodology: The Study was conducted on students of SKIMS Medical College in the Department of Anatomy. This was done as a sequential event. Study Population was the First MBBS Students of the same Medical College. Objective: To Check the Response of Medical Undergraduates to Combined Integrative Teaching Methodology. Results: The integration of Radiology with Anatomy was appreciated by a majority (77 %) of students. It was to the liking of most students (73%).It was found to generate interest in majority of the students (73%).Most students found it interesting to be taught this way (74%). Significant and statistically well-judged results were obtained. Conclusion: Combining Radiology with Anatomy and interpreting radiographic procedures should be started in the studies of First MBBS and a more clinically oriented teaching strategy should be placed. The concept needs to be introduced at an early stage in medical curriculum. This concept has potential benefits for the students