Study of Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients with Fatal Outcome during Wave-2 from a Tertiary Care Center in Western India

Background: A large surge of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions leading to mortal outcome was observed in wave-2 of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to the higher virulence of the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus, which led to the scarcity of resources in hospitals. This study was done to observe the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients with fatal outcome. Materials and methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study in adults with COVID-19 pneumonia having fatal outcome during wave-2 of COVID-19, and their clinical characteristics were studied. Results: Out of 136 patients included in the study, the most common risk factors leading to adverse outcome were in the male gender, age (middle and elderly), with hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM) as predominant comorbidities, early onset dyspnea, high C-reactive protein (CRP), high neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), high D-dimer, bilateral lower zone involvement of lungs in chest X-ray (CXR), and development of acute kidney injury (AKI). Conclusion: The characteristics of the severely ill COVID-19 patients highlighted in the study could help clinicians in the early identification and management of high-risk patients. This study would help with resource planning and preparation for further COVID-19 waves and future pandemics.

Pyrexia of unknown origin: a rare presentation of primary ovarian lymphoma

It is very rare to have a lymphomatous involvement of ovary. Malignant lymphoma of ovary is a well-known late manifestation of disseminated nodal disease. Primary ovarian lymphoma with ovarian mass as an initial manifestation is a rare entity and may have varied presentations which can cause confusion to the physician and cause delay in diagnosis. Study presents a case of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma where the initial presentation was fever with weight loss, and was evaluated as pyrexia of unknown origin. When no other cause of fever was identified PET-CT was done showing metabolically active uterine mass with no lymphadenopathy. Exploratory laparotomy was planned followed by hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo ophorectomy with omentectomy. Ovarian malignancy was detected intraoperatively, which was diagnosed as diffuse large B cell lymphoma, NHL double expresser phenotype on histopathology and IHC. Patient was started on chemotherapy and is doing fine.

Evaluation of trigger tool method for adverse drug reaction reporting by nursing staff at a tertiary care teaching hospital

Background: To sensitize nurses about Trigger Tool Method (TTM) and to evaluate the impact of TTM on adverse drug event (ADE) reporting by nurses at a tertiary care teaching hospital in India.Methods: This was prospective, interventional, single center study conducted among nursing health professionals of Civil Hospital Ahmedabad (CHA) posted in Medicine Department. They were sensitized about ADE reporting, pharmacovigilance, methods of ADRs reporting and details about TTM. Also, a list of 17 triggers was prepared by the investigator and given to nurses. They were educated to report ADEs using TTM. At the initiation and end of study, questionnaires were given to evaluate knowledge, attitude and practice of ADR reporting among participant nurses. All triggers and ADEs reported were analyzed in terms of association between them, effectiveness of trigger in detecting an ADR and in terms of Positive Predictive Value (PPV). Reported ADRs were also assessed for causality, severity and preventability.Results: A total 758 patients were admitted during the study period in the respective medicine department. List of 17 triggers consists of 9 drug triggers (DT), 1 laboratory trigger (LT) and 7 patient triggers (PT). Of these 17 triggers, 14 triggers were identified by nurses. These 14 triggers were noticed 130 times. These included DT (100 times), LT (0 times) and PT (30 times). Of the various triggers observed, 7 DT and 4 PT were related to ADRs. Hence, 11 triggers (64.70%) were positive (related to ADRs), out of 17 total triggers under evaluation. 21 ADRs were observed using TTM by nurses.Conclusions: The TTM helps to detect and report ADRs by nurses. Educational interventions about TTM help in better detection and reporting of ADRs.

Diabetes Management in India - From Ivory Towers to Ground Reality

There is an Emerging global epidemic of diabetes is at hand .It is predicted to become the 7 leading cause of death in the world by the year 2030. In the year 2012, diabetes was the direct cause of 1.5 million deaths. Surprisingly, 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. In developed countries, age preponderance is >50 years, whereas in developing countries age preponderance is between 35 and 64 years. It is a lifestyle associated disease and largely preventable, diagnosis is easy and if adequately treated most of the complications particularly microvascular can be prevented as seen in Diabetes Control & Complications Trial(DCCT) & United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) and numerous other studies. There are guidelines for diabetes management from different associations like American Diabetes Association, International Diabetes Federation, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists etc & there is lot of research going on and now many new molecules are available in the market, but in our country all the newer antidiabetic medications and newer Insulins are costly and out of reach for low income group patients .There are barriers at many levels, which prevents proper management of the disease in the community. Ground reality is very different from ideal situation.

Impression Making For Feeding Obturator Appliance In A Cleft Palate Patient : A Case Report.

Cleft lip and palate are some of the most frequently encountered anomalies in the orofacial region. Immediate problems to be addressed in a new born with this defect would be to aid in suckling and swallowing. This article presents a case report of a neonate with cleft palate in whom a feeding obturator was delivered. In this article impression making for fabrication of obturator was discussed.

Tropical Pulmonary Eosinophilia : Masquerading as Eosinophilic Leukaemia.

Benign conditions like Tropical Pulmonary Eosinophilia(TPE) can present with very high total count and Absolute Eosinophil Count (AEC) and can mimick malignancy. Diagnostic work up for TPE should be done in any patient presenting with pulmonary symptoms and eosinophilia. Though most case series on TPE report AEC in range of 3000 to upto 20,000, very rarely AEC can rise beyond 50,000. The following case is of TPE presenting with absolute eosinophil count of >70,000. Rapid response to Diethyl carbamazine is the rule in a confirmed case of TPE.

Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome.

PRES stands for Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome. It is a proposed clinoneuroradiological entity that is characterized by headache, altered mental status, cortical blindness, seizure and other focal neurological signs and diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging picture. A variety of different etiologies have been reported like hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia, cyclosporine (and tacrolimus) neurotoxicity, uremia, sepsis, porphyria, SLE and interferon therapy. With early diagnosis and treatment the syndrome is usually fully reversible. A case of reversible encephalopathy is reported here in a 7-day postpartum female patient with marked elevation of blood pressure. Clinician and radiologist must be familiar with this clinically frightening, under diagnosed condition to assure timely diagnosis and treatment so as to prevent persistent defect.

Effect of anti-Helicobacter pylori therapy on outcome of iron-deficiency anemia: a randomized, controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori infection may play a role in iron-deficiency anemia. METHODS: In 52 patients with iron-deficiency anemia, H. pylori status was determined using rapid urease test and histology. H. pylori -positive patients were randomly assigned to receive anti- H. pylori treatment either immediately (Group I) or after a delay of one month (Group II); in addition, all patients received oral ferrous sulfate for three months. Patients testing negative for H. pylori (Group III) received only oral ferrous sulfate. Hematological parameters were tested every month. RESULTS: Of 52 patients, 32 (61.5%) had H. pylori infection. At the end of one month, median increase in hemoglobin level was lower in Group II than in Groups I and III (1.1 g/dL vs. 3.6 g/dL and 1.9 g/dL, respectively; p=0.025), as were that in serum iron (19 mcg/dL vs. 55.5 mcg/dL and 41 mcg/dL; p=0.019). During the second month, after H. pylori infection in Group II had been treated, median increase in hemoglobin in this group was comparable to those in Groups I and III (3.7 g/dL vs. 2.5 g/dL and 2.5 g/dL. CONCLUSION: In patients with iron-deficiency anemia, presence of H. pylori infection is associated with a poorer response to oral iron therapy, which improves with treatment for H. pylori infection.