ABSTRACT
This retrospective study was aimed to understand the clinical, laboratory, radiological parameters and the outcome of COVID-19 patients with underlying haematological disease. All patients with known haematological disease admitted with COVID-19-positive status from April to August 2020 in the COVID-19 facility of a tertiary care centre in north India, were included. Their medical records were analyzed for outcome and mortality risk factors. Fifty four patients, 37 males, were included in the study. Of these, 36 patients had haematological malignancy and 18 had benign disorder. Fever (95.5%), cough (59.2%) and dyspnoea (31.4%) were the most common symptoms. Nine patients had severe disease at diagnosis, mostly malignant disorders. Overall mortality rate was 37.0 per cent, with high mortality seen in patients with aplastic anaemia (50.0%), acute myeloid (46.7%) and lymphoblastic leukaemia (40.0%). On univariate analysis, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status >2 [odd ratio (OR) 11.6], COVID-19 severity (OR 8.2), dyspnoea (OR 5.7) and blood product transfusion (OR 6.4) were the predictors of mortality. However, the presence of moderate or severe COVID-19 (OR 16.6, confidence interval 3.8-72.8) was found significant on multivariate analysis. The results showed that patients with haematological malignancies and aplastic anaemia might be at increased risk of getting severe COVID-19 infection and mortality as compared to the general population
ABSTRACT
Background: Liver abscesses in thalassemics are predominantly pyogenic. Case characteristics: 12-year-old thalassemic boy with abdominal pain and high grade fever for 15 days. Observation: CT abdomen revealed multiple liver abscesses. Pus culture and sensitivity showed multidrug-resistant mycobacteria. Patient was started on second line anti-tubercular drugs. Outcome: He responded well with symptomatic improvement and is doing well after 6 months of follow-up. Message: Liver abscess in patients with thalassemia rarely can be tubercular.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The data on these risk factors in school age population is deficient in India. The present study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of lifestyle associated risk factors for non-communicable diseases in apparently healthy school children in an urban school in Delhi using standard criteria. METHODS: The study was carried out among 510 students of classes 9th-12th of a school in New Delhi and in the age group of 12 to 18 years. The students were surveyed through an age appropriate modified GSHS (Global School Based Student Health Survey) self administered questionnaire. Height and Weight were measured using standardized equipment and procedure. The blood pressure was measured using OMRON electronic B.P apparatus which were standardized daily against a mercury sphygmomanometer. The statistical analysis was done using Epinfo ver.3.3 and SPSS ver11.5. RESULTS: The study documents the inappropriate dietary practices (fast food consumption, low fruit consumption), low physical activity, higher level of experimentation with alcohol and to a lesser extent smoking, high prevalence of obesity and hypertension in the school children. The study also showed an association between BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressures amongst children and other lifestyle factors. CONCLUSION: School based interventions are required to reduce the morbidity associated with non-communicable diseases.