ABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 is a highly contagious viral infection resulting in severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-COV-2). The objective of this study is to determine the risk factors affecting the outcome of moderate to severe COVID 19 patients admitted in HDU of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore. Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Place and Duration of Study: COVID HDU of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore from 1st June 2020 to 30th November 2020. Methodology: One hundred and eight patients with positive PCR for COVID having moderate to severe COVID disease were enrolled. After written consent, all the demographic and clinical information was obtained. All the patients were followed till their discharge or death. Result(s): Sixty eight were discharged, 26 were died and14 got left against medical advice. The median age of all patients was53.6 years and the median age of patients who died was significantly older than those who survived. Conclusion(s): The potential risk factors for high mortality were older age, female sex, those presented with within 1 week from onset of symptoms that need ventilation at admission and comorbidities like Diabetes, Hypertension, and ischemic heart disease. This study could help clinicians to identify patients with poor prognosis at an early stage. Copyright © 2022 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
The study focuses on the ambient air pollutants levels before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in two major industrial estates. The data was collected from different Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified laboratories. The results revealed that before the COVID-19 pandemic or lockdown the levels of ambient air pollutants were above the Punjab Environment Quality Standards (PEQs) limit, during lockdown conditions these were within PEQs limits. The change was gradual due to a decline in emissions coming from different sources like vehicles and industries during the period of COVID-19 and limited human movement within the study area. The Sunder Industrial Estate (SIE) was less polluted as compared to Quaid e Azam Industrial Estate (QIE), but in the case of different pollutants, some pollutants in SIE were high compared with QIE. It was observed that the ambient air pollutants meditations will reduce regularly and keep declining to the least limit during the COVID-19 induced lockdowns. In crux, the quality of ambient air in the study area improved notably during the lockdown registering reduced concentrations of NOx, SO2, SPM, CO, and PM emissions, resulting in health benefits for the population. © 2022, HARD Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Purpose This study aims to assess the determinants of corporate debt with a particular focus on bank-affiliated and non-bank-affiliated firms during the global financial crisis. Design/methodology/approach The authors analyse the data of 395 listed manufacturing firms from Pakistan with 2,370 firm-year observations. The sample is divided into subsamples, namely bank-affiliated, non-bank-affiliated and stand-alone firms. Fixed and panel effect regression models are applied to determine the during, pre-crisis and post-crisis effects on corporate capital structure. Findings The robust results of the study reveal that non-bank-affiliated firms have different leverage determinant behaviours with a greater reliance on size, tangibility and profitability. However, bank-affiliated firms seemed to show greater immunity from a crisis compared to other firms. Simultaneously, the stand-alone firms remained at a disadvantage subject to internal financial ties of group-affiliated firms and form a base of market imperfection. Practical implications This study's findings imply that financial managers should contain better ties with financial institutions to enhance financial immunity in worse time of financial crisis or COVID-19 global calamity. On the regulation front, these findings call for critical policy regulations to govern the internal ties with financial institutions to create a level playing field for the corporate sector. Originality/value To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to investigate determinants of corporate debt with a particular focus on bank-affiliated and non-bank-affiliated firms. This work is also novel to explore corporate debt of bank-affiliated and non-bank-affiliated firms during the financial crisis.