ABSTRACT
Background:Early detection of electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities in high risk cardiovascular patients with routine ECG screening is the need of the hour. The aim of the e-survey was to understand the use of ECG in high risk cardio-metabolically deranged patients at outpatient departments (OPDs) by Indian physicians.Methods:A cross-sectional India office ECG (IOECG) e-survey was conducted using Google form questionnaire from November 2021 to December 2021 among Indian physicians. Survey results were collected and analysed using Google form survey tool.Results:We received total of 1863 responses. The results of the survey showed that while 90% of physicians agreed to the necessity of doing 12 lead ECG of cardio-metabolically deranged patients, only 61% of all physicians could perform ECG screening in less than 40% of high risk cardio-metabolic patients mainly, due to several practical challenges. Among physicians, 40.2% physicians believed that 12 lead ECG was too time consuming, 35.8% physicians believed that the unavailability of ECG device was common reason while 27.5% physicians believed that there was a lack of trained staff. Majority of physicians (69.7%) agreed to use point of care ECG device which can be a solution for more screening of such patients whether symptomatic or asymptomatic. According to the survey, 88.7% physicians would appreciate if a portable handheld ECG device was made available to facilitate screening in their practice.Conclusions:There is a need of the portable handheld ECG device which helps physicians to screen large number of cardio-metabolically deranged patients in their busy OPDs.
ABSTRACT
The present study was undertaken to find out various fungi causing keratomycosis and to determine the antifungal susceptibility profile of these isolates. One hundred corneal scrapings from patients with corneal ulcers were subjected to KOH wet mount preparation. Thirty samples which were positive for fungal elements on direct microscopic examination were cultured on Sabouraud's dextrose agar medium(SDA).The isolates were identified and were subjected to drug susceptibility tests for ketoconazole and fluconazole by tube dilution method. Incidence of fungal corneal ulcers was maximum in the age group of 20-49 years (56.67%). Agriculturists constituted the largest group (53.33%), history of trauma was present in 90% of the patients. Aspergillus species were the commonest isolates (70%) followed by candida (20%), alternaria (6.70%) and penicillium (3.30%). MIC of ketoconazole varied from 0.5mg/ml to 10 mg/ml. MIC of fluconazole varied from 0.5 - 10 mg/ml and 19 isolates of fungi did not show any sensitivity to fluconazole upto concentration of 10 mg/ml which was the upper limit of the test system. As agricultural activity and related ocular trauma were principal causes of mycotic keratitis, KOH wet mount preparation is an essential tool in the diagnosis of these infections. It is a very simple and sensitive method. Susceptibility pattern to antifungal drugs was determined to optimize therapeutic response in eye infections.