44 research outputs found

    Prevalence of tobacco use among women: a cross sectional survey from a squatter settlement of Karachi, Pakistan

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    Background: While the prevalence of tobacco use has been slowly declining in the developed countries, rates have been steadily rising in the developing countries. This has led to a rapid rise in tobacco related lung diseases among women. Objective: Determine the prevalence of tobacco use (both smoking and smokeless) among women in an urban squatter settlement (Orangi Town) in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 19,325 females aged between 15 and 80 years in Orangi Town, an urban squatter settlement in Karachi, Pakistan. Modified questionnaire, developed by World Health Organization WHO and Global Adult Tobacco survey (GATS), was used in Urdu. A total of 16,987 women agreed to participate. Results: The mean age was 37.3 ± 9.8 years amongst whom 15,255 (89.80%) were married, 9143 (53.82%) admitted that at least one person uses tobacco in some form in their homes. The prevalence of smokeless tobacco was 42.25% (7178). The prevalence of smoking tobacco was low as compared to smokeless tobacco i.e. 18.0% (3058). Among smokers, 85.47% (1789) admitted that they had tried to quit smoking during last 12 months but failed. CONCLUSION: Tobacco use among women in an urban squatter settlement is very high and alarming. Preventive and control measures against tobacco use are required in these communities

    Cancer and how the patients see it; prevalence and perception of risk factors: a cross-sectional survey from a tertiary care centre of Karachi, Pakistan

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    Background: The incidence of cancer is rising but data available regarding prevalence of cancer and patient perception of the disease in Pakistan is limited. It is difficult to deal with Cancer if the main causes are negligence towards risk factors and bizarre myths. This study was aimed to investigate common cancer presentations at a government sector hospital and to gain insight into patient knowledge of the disease. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on cancer patients from Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. A self-made questionnaire was used to assess the norms related to cancer prevalence in our society, associated myths, and the most common risk factors per them. Results: A total of 402 participants consented to participate in the study (mean age 42.3 ± 15.07 years), 204(50.7%) were females and 190(47.3%) were illiterate. Biomass exposure was found in 147(37%), drug abuse in 132(33%) and smoking in 63(16%). We found 103(25.6%) had positive family histories of cancer. The most common primary tumor site was breast for females 98(48%) and Head and neck 66(33.3%) for males. Patients considered fate 328(82%), gutka 284(71%) and injuries 282(70%) as the most common causes for cancer; while 222(55.5%) considered black magic and 236(58.75%) considered evil eye as a risk factor for cancer. Cancer treatment caused significant financial stress in 376(93.5%) patients. Conclusion: Breast and head and neck cancers were found to be prevalent among patients. It was noted that patients are negligent in daily life regarding the consumption of substances that commonly cause cancer. Individuals had diminished knowledge and majority linked cancer to unrelated causes and myths like black magic and fate. Almost all the patients complained of severe financial stress imposed by the disease

    Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis misdiagnosed as smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis; a retrospective study from Pakistan

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    Background: Undiagnosed allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) can lead to chronic persistent symptoms. In country like Pakistan where tuberculosis (TB) is endemic, a significant proportion of ABPA patients are misdiagnosed as smear negative TB before reaching a diagnosis of ABPA due to chronicity of symptoms.This lead to empiric use of ATT(Anti-tuberculous therapy) and delay in primary diagnosis. The aim of the study is to determine such proportion of ABPA patients.|Material and methods: This retrospective study was conducted at the outpatient pulmonology clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan from January 2017 to December 2018. Xpert MTB/Rif, TB smear and culture were performed in all patients to rule out active TB.Results: A total 167 of ABPA patients were included. Mean age of the patients was 41.9 ± 13.0 years, 91(54.5%) were female and 71 (42.5%) patients had received ATT in past. Out of these 71 patients, 63 (88.7%) patients were diagnosed as smear negative TB and received empiric ATT. Among 63 patients, 52 (82.5%) patient had received ATT once, 8 (12.6%) twice and 3 (4.7%) patients had received empiric ATT thrice. Of these 27 (16.16%) patients had already developed long term complications at the time of diagnosis of ABPA and 17 (62.96%) patients were in empiric TB treatment group.Conclusion: Patient with ABPA frequently received empiric ATT as smear negative TB in high TB burden country. This results in over diagnosis of TB and unnecessary use of global resource. When Gene Xpert negative alternate diagnosis should be considered

    Association of hypercapnia on admission with increased length of hospital stay and severity in patients admitted with community-acquired pneumonia: a prospective observational study from Pakistan.

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    Objectives: To determine whether the presence of hypercapnia on admission in adult patients admitted to a university-based hospital in Karachi, Pakistan with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) correlates with an increased length of hospital stay and severity compared with no hypercapnia on admission. Study Design: A prospective observational study. Settings: Tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: Patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. The severity of pneumonia was assessed by CURB-65 and PSI scores. An arterial blood gas analysis was obtained within 24 hours of admission. Based on arterial PaCO2 levels, patients were divided into three groups: hypocapnic (PaCO2 \u3c35 mm Hg), hypercapnic (PaCO2 \u3e45 mm Hg) and normocapnic (PaCO2 \u3c35-45 mm Hg). Outcomes: The primary outcome was the association of hypercapnia on admission with mean length of hospital stay. Secondary outcomes were the need for mechanical ventilation, ICU admission and in-hospital mortality. Results: A total of 295 patients of mean age 60.20±17.0 years (157 (53.22%) men) were enrolled over a 1-year period. Hypocapnia was found in 181 (61.35%) and hypercapnia in 57 (19.32%) patients. Hypercapnic patients had a longer hospital stay (mean 9.27±7.57 days), increased requirement for non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV) on admission (n=45 (78.94%)) and longer mean time to clinical stability (4.39±2.0 days) compared with the other groups. Overall mortality was 41 (13.89%), but there was no statistically significant difference in mortality (p=0.35) and ICU admission (p=0.37) between the three groups. On multivariable analysis, increased length of hospital stay was associated with NIMV use, ICU admission, hypercapnia and normocapnia. Conclusion: Hypercapnia on admission is associated with severity of CAP, longer time to clinical stability, increased length of hospital stay and need for NIMV. It should be considered as an important criterion to label the severity of the illness and also a determinant of patients who will require a higher level of hospital care. However, further validation is required

    Current state of knowledge of basic life support in health professionals of the largest city in Pakistan: A cross-sectional study

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    Background: Basic Life Support (BLS) is the recognition of sudden cardiac arrest and activation of the emergency response system, followed by resuscitation, and rapid defibrillation. According to WHO, Pakistan has one of the highest mortality rates from accidental deaths therefore assessment and comparison of BLS knowledge in health professionals is crucial. We thereby aim to assess and compare the knowledge of BLS in doctors, dentists and nurses. Methods: A multi-centric cross-sectional survey was conducted in Karachi at different institutions belonging to the private as well as government sector from January to March 2018. We used a structured questionnaire which was adapted from pretested questionnaires that have been used previously in similar studies. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS v22.0, where adequate knowledge was taken as a score of at least 50%. P \u3c 0.05 was considered as significant. Logistic regression was used to identify the factors affecting the knowledge regarding BLS in health care professionals. Results: The responders consisted of 140 doctors, nurses and dentists each. Only one individual (dentist) received a full score of 100%. In total, 58.3% of the population had inadequate knowledge. Average scores of doctors, dentists and nurses were 53.5, 43.3 and 38.4% respectively. Doctors, participants with prior training in BLS and those with 6 to 10 years after graduation were found to be a significant predictor of adequate knowledge, on multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Even though knowledge of BLS in doctors is better than that of dentists and nurses, overall knowledge of health care professionals is extremely poor. Present study highlights the need for a structured training of BLS for health care workers

    Six-Minute Walk Test Performance in Healthy Adult Pakistani Volunteers

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    Objective: To determine the six-minute walking distance (6MWD) for healthy Pakistanis, identify factors affecting 6MWD, compare published equations with the local data and derive an equation. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Two medical institutes of Karachi, from January to May 2011. Methodology: Subjects between 15 and 65 years were prospectively enrolled after screening. A standardized 6MWT was administered. SpO2, HR, BP and dyspnoea scores were determined pre- and post-test. Results: Two hundred and eleven (71%) men and 85 (29%) women participated. Mean 6MWD was 469.88 ± 101.24 m: men walked 502.35 ± 92.21 m and women walked 389.28 ± 74.29 m. On univariate analysis, gender, height, weight and age showed a significant relationship with the 6MWD. Gender and age were identified as independent factors in multiple regression analysis, and together explained 33% of the variance. The gender-specific prediction equations were: 6MWD (m) for men = 164.08 + (78.06*1) - (1.90*age in years) + (1.95*height in cms) 6MWD (m) for women = 164.08 - (1.90*age in years) + (1.95*height in cms). Conclusion: 6MWDs among the volunteer subjects were shorter than predicted by reference equations in literature. Height, gender and weight combined explained 33% of the variance. The moderate over-estimation of the 6MWD in Pakistani subject. The proposed equation gives predicted (mean) 6MWDs for adult Pakistani naïve to the test when employing standardized protocol

    Genetic and clinical demographics of adult cystic fibrosis patients in a middle eastern population

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    OBJECTIVE: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the commonest life-limiting inherited illness in the Caucasian population but is uncommon in the Middle East, and so the genotypes and clinical course of disease in this population is not well known. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, we collected and reviewed the data on CF mutations, body mass index (BMI), lung function, microbiology, and the demographics in adult CF patients in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). RESULTS: Data was reviewed for 39 adult CF patients. The median age of adult CF patients presenting to our clinic was 25 years (inter-quartile range (IQR) 22-31), the median BMI was 19 (IQR 17-22), and the median percentage predicted forced expiratory volume at 1 second (FEV1) was 49.5% (IQR 38.5-62.5). S549R was the commonest mutation (n = 11, 28%) followed by ∆F508 (n = 9, 23%). Only 5 (13%) out of 39 patients were heterozygote for CF mutations which reflects the high level of consanguinity in the region. Twelve (30%) patients were diagnosed after the age of 16, and in total, 19 (48%) were diagnosed after the age of 10. Thirty-two (82%) of patients are pseudomonas colonized, and 31% had 3 or more exacerbations in the last 12 months. CONCLUSION: The CF mutation patterns in the UAE are different from western populations with low ∆F508 prevalence, with the presence of rare mutations more specific to this region and a high rate of homozygosity. Late diagnosis, high pseudomonas colonization rate, and exacerbation frequency remain a problem in this region and lead to poor long-term outcomes

    Clinical manifestations and outcomes of pulmonary aspergillosis: experience from Pakistan.

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    Introduction: Pulmonary aspergillosis has variable course of illness, severity and outcomes depending on underlying conditions. There is limited data available on the clinical manifestations and outcome of pulmonary aspergillosis from Pakistan. Methods: To determine the clinical manifestations and outcome of pulmonary aspergillosis in a tertiary care hospital a retrospective study was conducted from 2004 to 2014 in patients admitted with pulmonary aspergillosis at the Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi, Pakistan. Results: Of the 280 cases with provisional diagnosis of aspergillosis 69 met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 45±15.7 years, 48 (69.6%) were men and 21 (30.4%) had diabetes mellitus (DM). The average length of hospital stay (LOS) was 10.61±9.08 days. Aspergillus fumigatus was the most common (42.0%), followed by Aspergillus flavus (28.9%). More than onethird of patients previously had tuberculosis (TB) (39.13%). The commonest pulmonary manifestation was chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) 47 (68.1%) followed by invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) 12 (17.4%) and subacute invasive aspergillosis (SAIA) 8 (11.6%). Surgical excision was performed in 28 patients (40.57%). Intensive care unit admission was required for 18 patients (26.08%). Case fatality rate was 14/69 (20.3%). DM, mean LOS and hypoxic respiratory failure were identified as independent risk factors of mortality on multivariate analysis. Conclusion: A. fumigatus was the most frequent species found especially in patients with prior TB. CPA was the commonest pulmonary manifestation seen as post TB sequel. Diabetes, hypoxic respiratory failure and increased LOS were independent predictors of poor outcomes. Overall patients had good outcome with CPA compared with SAIA and IPA

    Assessing two spirometric criteria of pre-bronchodilator and post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio in detecting air flow obstruction

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    OBJECTIVES: To assess the Pre-bronchodilator criteria and the Post-bronchodilator criteria of FEV1/FVC ratio in diagnosing Airflow obstruction. METHODS: An observational study was conducted from 1988 to 2006 at the Aga Khan University Hospital Patients referred to the pulmonary function test laboratory for spirometry with bronchodilator reversibility at the hospital during the above said period were enrolled. Forced spirometry was performed according to ATS guidelines. All patients who had pre-bronchodilator criteria of airflow obstruction were analyzed and compared with the post bronchodilator criteria. RESULTS: A total of 4222 individuals underwent spirometry out of which 4072 individuals were studied. Using the pre bronchodilator criteria, 1375 (34%) patients had airflow obstruction. Applying the post bronchodilator criteria on the same patients, 1098 (27%) had evidence of airway obstruction. Out of these 1375 patients who had airflow obstruction by using pre-bronchodilator criteria, 277 (20%) patients had no airflow obstruction by using the post bronchodilator criteria. Out of these 277 patients, 52% had significant airways reversibility as evidenced by \u3e12% increase in their FEV1 pre and post bronchodilator. CONCLUSION: Pre bronchodilator criteria for detection of airflow obstruction overestimate the diagnosis of airflow obstruction and by using post bronchodilator criteria for airway obstruction on spirometry, decreases this over diagnosis of the conditio
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