ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Persons with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection have an increased risk of pregnancy-related complications. However, data on acute cardiovascular complications during delivery admissions remain limited. OBJECTIVE(S): To determine whether birthing individuals with COVID-19 have an increased risk of acute peripartum cardiovascular complications during their delivery admission. METHOD(S): This population-based retrospective cohort study used the National Inpatient Sample (2020) by utilizing ICD-10 codes to identify delivery admissions with a diagnosis of COVID-19. A multivariable logistic regression model was developed to report an adjusted odds ratio for the association between COVID-19 and acute peripartum cardiovascular complications. RESULT(S): A total of 3,458,691 weighted delivery admissions were identified, of which 1.3% were among persons with COVID-19 (n=46,375). Persons with COVID-19 were younger (median 28 vs. 29 years, p<0.01) and had a higher prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), preterm births and Cesarean delivery (p<0.01). After adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, comorbidities, insurance, and income, COVID-19 remained an independent predictor of peripartum cardiovascular complications including preeclampsia (aOR 1.33 [1.29-1.37]), peripartum cardiomyopathy (aOR 2.09 [1.54-2,84]), acute coronary syndrome (ACS) (aOR 12.94 [8.85-18.90]), and cardiac arrhythmias (aOR 1.55 [1.45-1.67]) compared with no COVID-19. Likewise, the risk of in-hospital mortality, AKI, stroke, pulmonary edema, and VTE was higher with COVID-19. For resource utilization, cost of hospitalization ($5,374 vs. $4,837, p<0.01) was higher for deliveries among persons with COVID-19. CONCLUSION(S): Persons with COVID-19 had a higher risk of preeclampsia, peripartum cardiomyopathy, ACS, arrhythmias, in-hospital mortality, pulmonary edema, AKI, stroke, and VTE during delivery hospitalizations. This was associated with an increased cost of hospitalization. Keywords: COVID-19, Pregnancy, GDM, PCOS, Preeclampsia, CVD, Cardiovascular Disease Abbreviations: COVID-19: Coronavirus disease-2019, GDM: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, PCOS: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, National Inpatient Sample: NIS, AHRQ: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, HCUP: the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Funding and Conflicts of Interest Dr. Michos reports Advisory Board participation for Amgen, AstraZeneca, Amarin, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Esperion, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer. The remaining authors have nothing to disclose.Copyright © 2023
ABSTRACT
Social media platforms have become an integral source to spread and consume information. Twitter has emerged as the fastest medium to disseminate any information. This blind trust on social media has raised the concern to quantify the truth or fakeness of what we are consuming. During COVID-19, the usage of social platforms has dramatically increased in everyone's life. It is high time to distinguish between the type of users involved in spreading fake and true news content. Our study aims to answer two questions. First, what is the complex network structure of users involved in spreading any news? How two types (i.e. Fake and True) of networks are different in terms of network topology. Second, what is the role of influential users in spreading both types of news? To answer these, the fake and true news of COVID-19 are collected which have been classified by fact-checking websites. Diffusion networks have been created to perform the experiments. Network topological analysis revealed that despite having differences, most properties show similar behaviour. Though, it can be stated that during COVID-19, behaviour of users remained the same in spreading fake or true content. Resilience analysis discovered that fake networks were more densely connected than true ones. There were more centric nodes or influential users were present in Fake news networks than True news networks. © 2022 World Scientific Publishing Co.
ABSTRACT
Aim: To compare and evaluate clinical efficacy of corticosteroids in thrombocytopenia in patients suffering from moderate to severe Dengue. Methods: This randomized single blinded study was conducted at Furqan Clinic Gulbahar Peshawar from August 2021 to October 2021. 100 individuals of ages between 20 to 60 years irrespective of gender, with positive NS1 antigen test and no co-morbidities were included in study by convenient sampling technique. Patients with dengue and Covid-19 were excluded from the study. Randomization was done in four treatment groups. Consent was taken from all patients prior treatment with Cefixime, artemether/lumefantrine, IV Dexamethasone in adjunct to oral papaya leaf extracts. Duration of study was 3 months. Statistical analysis done using SPSS software version 24. Results: Group C and D showed the significant increase in platelet count as compared to group A and B. Pronounced effect was observed in group D. Conclusion: Intravenous Dexamethasone produced more beneficial effects in adjunct to oral carica papaya leaf extracts on thrombocytopenia with reduced risk of bleeding.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To analyze the way mothers perceive oral health in their children, the importance of oral health amongst children, so that preventive advice and regime can be tailored accordingly and reinforced during the pandemic. Study Design: Questionnaire base survey. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in the various sectors of the twin cities of Pakistan, from May to Sep 2020. Methodology: This study was a questionnaire-based study in which survey forms were distributed online as well as in person among mothers above 18 years of age. A questionnaire was formulated and distributed amongst different areas and sectors of the twin cities in Pakistan. The data was analyzed quantitatively and entered in SPSS version 23 for analysis. Results: Mothers from various socioeconomic backgrounds had dissimilar knowledge with regards to oral health. There was a greater gap in the knowledge of mothers from low and high socioeconomic status as compared to middle and high. Conclusion: It is imperative that knowledge regarding oral health practices, preventive measures, risk factors of oral diseases should be imparted equally in the various socioeconomic areas of the country. Also, a widespread oral health plan to indoctrinate preventive knowledge as well as basic knowledge of oral health practices is strongly recommended. © 2021, Army Medical College. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
COVID-19, a viral infection spread across the world affecting many people around the world. In ABO blood type, certain types are more prone to infections and causes severe symptoms. Relationship between ABO blood type and COVID-19 still needs to be found out. A prospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate a relationship between ABO blood type and COVID-19. Data was collected from 148 patients who presented for COVID testing through PCR or nasal swab tests. COVID positive patient’s blood test was performed to find out ABO blood group/type and their symptoms with which they presented. The blood group distributions, age and gender of these patients were recorded. It was seen that there is a statistically significant association between COVID and blood group A+, A-, B+ with p-value of 0.01, 0.03 and 0.01 respectively and no statistical significance was found between B-, O+, O-, AB+ and AB-with P-value of 0.06, 0.1, 0.9, 0.7 and 0.8 respectively. Multi variate analysis performed showed age, blood group and ICU stay to be significantly associated with COVID with p-value of <0.01, 0.05, <0.01 and gender to be non-significantly associated with COVID with p-value of 0.7. Blood group A+, A-and B+ are more prone to contract COVID virus with more severe symptoms. Fever and cough have been to be positively associated with COVID cases and found to be affecting patient’s health. Age is also found be affecting patient’s life, with a higher chance of contracting COVID-19 as the increases.
ABSTRACT
Aim: To determine knowledge, awareness, and practice towards the COVID-19 infections, in addition to an awareness and education program with updated evidence. Study Design: Cross-sectional study Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medicine, Rehman Medical Institute, Peshawar, Pakistan from 31st March 2020 to 31st May 2020 Methodology: Three hundred and four healthcare professionals completed the questionnaire were included. The demographic information and knowledge about COVID-19 were completed by 304 patients. Results: Males were 175(57.5%) and females were 129(42.4%), with an age range from 18 to 62 years with a mean age of 26.97±7.22 years. The majority of participants 241(79.3%) were in the age group 21-30 years. out of 304 participants, 117(38.48%) were medical students, 53(17.43%) dental students, 41(13.48%) resident doctors. About 296(97%) of the participants discerned that they had acquaintance about coronavirus. 213 (70.06%) knew the strain of the virus. 97.03% knew about the initial symptoms and 81.90% knew about the incubation period of the disease. Regarding prevention of COVID-19, 96% knew the proper use of PPE and 86.84% knew about the personal measure to be taken for prevention. Regarding certain myths, 63.13% of participant believed that thermal scanner did not detect the disease. Conclusion: The medical students and health care professionals of RMI showed a satisfactory level of knowledge of COVID-19. More educational efforts with periodic educational interventions are still needed about the current pandemic. © 2020 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.