ABSTRACT
Convalescent plasma therapy has gained worldwide notoriety since its inception as a form of soul treatment for terminally ill patients. This study investigates the link between knowledge, attitude, and practice of plasma donation while simultaneously probing the moderative role of age and gender in this context. Method: A cross-sectional study was undertaken in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on COVID-19-recovered patients (coronavirus disease 2019). In all, 383 persons were chosen using simple random sampling. A prestructured questionnaire was first validated and then used as a tool for data collection. jMetrik version 4.1.1 and SPSS version 26 were used to enter and analyze the data. Reliability analysis, hierarchal regression, and logistic regression analysis were applied. Results: A total of 85.1% and 58.2% of 383 individuals had a favorable attitude and sufficient knowledge toward plasma donation, respectively. Plasma donation was observed in 109 (28.5%) of the individuals. Plasma donation practice was shown to be strongly related to plasma donation attitude [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=4.48; P<0.05] and knowledge (AOR=3.78; P<0.001). Females who had more plasma donation knowledge and attitude tend to donate more compared to males. However, no interactional effect of gender×knowledge and attitude, and age×knowledge and attitude was found with plasma donation practice. Conclusion: Plasma donation was uncommon, even though the majority of individuals had a good mindset and were well-informed. Fear of getting a health problem was linked to the decreased practice.
ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) took the world by storm after the first case of COVID-19 emerged in China on December 8, 2019. The disease is generally considered as an infection of the respiratory system, but serious life-threatening myocardial injuries have been reported with this infection. Coronavirus can damage cardiac myocytes by entering the cell through angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor binding. Myocardial infarction, myocarditis, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy are cardiac clinical manifestations commonly seen among patients affected by COVID-19. These cardiac pathologies are seen both during ongoing infection and post-infection. Elevated levels of myoglobin, troponin, creatine kinase-MB, plasma interleukin-6, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and N-terminal pro-b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) have been found in COVID-19-associated myocardial injuries. The diagnostic modalities used in myocardial injuries due to COVID-19 include electrocardiography (ECG), cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), endomyocardial biopsy, echocardiography (Echo), and computerized tomography (CT-Scan). This literature review will discuss, in detail, the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis of myocardial injuries due to COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
Background: Since the emergence of coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) not only have social and the economical dimension of life been disturbed but it has also shattered educational activities as well. Due to fear of disease spread educational institutes are forced to implement online educational systems to teach their pupils. This study aims to explore the student's perceptions related to E-learning and their positive and negative outcome among medical students in Pakistan and Iran. Method: ology: This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted at Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences Tehran, Iran. This study involved 402 medical students of Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan (n = 202), and Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences Tehran, Iran (n = 200) who were actively involved in the online mode of education. A self-administered validated questionnaire was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis was used and analysis was done through SPSS V.23. A P-value of 0.05 was taken as significant. Results: A total of 402 students were enrolled, 202 from Pakistan and 200 from Iran. About 68.2% of the students were acquainted with moderate levels of IT skills. About 75.8% of the students were not showing any previous experience with E-learning. The most common advantage of E-learning was the ability to stay at home. The technical problem was the most common disadvantage in our study. Finally, face-to-face learning in terms of increasing knowledge, skill, and social competence was considered the best mode of learning both by Pakistani and Irani students. Country-wise effectiveness of face-to-face learning in terms of increasing knowledge is statistically significant (p-value = 0.019). Acceptance of E-learning is statistically associated with the country of learning (p-value = 0.020). E-learning was rated as enjoyable by 51.5% of the students. Conclusion: E-learning has its associated advantages and disadvantages as perceived by medical students but still face-to-face learning is considered the most effective form of learning as responded by medical students.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the survival rate and palliative care of cancer patients all over the globe. In Pakistan, there are only a few institutions and organizations which provide specialized facilities for palliative care. During the pandemic, these specialized facilities were further limited. As only less than one percent of people had access to palliative care across Pakistan in the pandemic, the situation can be improved by establishing more such departments, providing telemedicine, increasing social media campaigns, and highlighting the importance of palliative care among cancer patients.