RESUMO
The rapid international spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed a global health emergency in 2020. It has affected over 52 million people and led to over 1.29 million deaths worldwide, as of November 13th, 2020. Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 present with symptoms ranging from none to severe and include fever, shortness of breath, dry cough, anosmia, and gastrointestinal abnormalities. Severe complications are largely due to overdrive of the host immune system leading to “cytokine storm”. This results in disseminated intravascular coagulation, acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and death. Due to its highly infectious nature and concerning mortality rate, every effort has been focused on prevention and creating new medications or repurposing old treatment options to ameliorate the suffering of COVID-19 patients including the immune dysregulation. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to be incorporated throughout the body into the bi-phospholipid layer of the cell membrane leading to the production of less pro-inflammatory mediators compared to other fatty acids that are more prevalent in the Western diet. In this article, the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, including their anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, and possible antiviral effects have been discussed.
RESUMO
The rapid international spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed a global health emergency in 2020. It has affected over 52 million people and led to over 1.29 million deaths worldwide, as of November 13th, 2020. Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 present with symptoms ranging from none to severe and include fever, shortness of breath, dry cough, anosmia, and gastrointestinal abnormalities. Severe complications are largely due to overdrive of the host immune system leading to “cytokine storm”. This results in disseminated intravascular coagulation, acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and death. Due to its highly infectious nature and concerning mortality rate, every effort has been focused on prevention and creating new medications or repurposing old treatment options to ameliorate the suffering of COVID-19 patients including the immune dysregulation. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to be incorporated throughout the body into the bi-phospholipid layer of the cell membrane leading to the production of less pro-inflammatory mediators compared to other fatty acids that are more prevalent in the Western diet. In this article, the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, including their anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, and possible antiviral effects have been discussed.
RESUMO
There is a relationship between chronic diseases, death anxiety, social support and psychological distress. Social support is a crucial component for patients to adopt to life threatening illnesses while, close relations increase the self-esteem and act as a buffer against death anxiety. To investigate the perception of social support and death anxiety among patients having chronic diseases like Cancer, Hepatitis, Cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It was a cross sectional study done in Pakistan Ordnance Factories Hospital Wah Cantt, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad, Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology Rawalpindi and Ali Homoeopathic Clinic Rawalpindi. Data was collected during the period of March to June, 2011. The sample size included 106 patients of both genders irrespective of age who were suffering from either some form of cancer or hepatitis or cardiac diseases or diabetes. The Death Anxiety Scale and Perceived Social Support Scale were used for data collection. Out of 106 cases there were 72 males and 38 females whose ages ranged from 18 to 76 years with a mean of 44.2 years and SD of 12.69. Male patients had significantly higher death anxiety, disturbing deaths thoughts and fear of not being as compared to female patients. Death anxiety was higher among married as compared to unmarried patients. There was negative relationship between death anxiety and perceived social support [r =-.205, p<0.05]. Death anxiety increased with age and education. Patients with lower education and younger age perceived more social support and lesser death anxiety. Social support and other psychosocial services may help in reducing the death related thoughts among chronic disease patients and improve their functions and recovery process. Physicians must consider the psychological status of the patients while, treating their chronic diseases
RESUMO
To determine the frequency of bacterial in patients presenting with Cholelithiasis. Descriptive case-series study. This study was carried out in the Surgical Unit Nishtar Hospital, Multan from October 2007 to September 2008. All adults patients aged 20 years and above who were admitted with a provisional diagnosis of cholelithiasis, over a period of one year were entered into the study. The study included 100 patients between the ages of 20 and 60 years. The 100 patients who presented with cholelithiasis underwent operation and bile was taken for culture and sensitivity. There were 88 women [88%] and 12 [12%] were men. Age was ranging from 20 to 60 years [mean 44.4 years]. 56 [56%] were operated laparoscopically while in 44 [44%] open cholecystectomy was done. Out of 100 bile culture 16 [16%] were positive while in 84[84%] cases no growth cultured. Most of the microorganisms were sensitive to ceufoxime axetil and ceftrioxaone