ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate willingness to vaccination, conspiracy mentality, and belief in vaccine conspiracies among undergraduate students as well as the level of adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic. Method(s): The cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June, 2021, and comprised undergraduate students from Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Data was gathered using the General Conspiracy Mentality Scale and the Belief in Vaccine Conspiracies Scale. Willingness for vaccination and degree of adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions was measured on a 5-point rating scale. Data was analysed using SPSS 26. Result(s): Of the 300 subjects, 154 were males and 146 were females. The overall mean age of the sample was (23.47 +/-2.17). A sample of 121(40.33%) respondents believed in vaccine conspiracies, while only 83(27.66%) showed disagreement. High scores on conspiracy mentality (p<0.020) and belief in vaccine conspiracies (p<0.006) were associated with little adherence to behavioural recommendations for coronavirus disease-2019. High scorers on conspiracy mentality (p<0.006) and belief in vaccine conspiracies (p<0.004) had less willingness for vaccination. There was no significant difference in the conspiracy mentality and belief in vaccine conspiracies with reference to gender (p>0.05). Conclusion(s): Medical practitioners and healthcare organisations need to understand the connection between belief in vaccine conspiracies and related vaccine resistance and noncompliance with behavioural recommendations in the face of a pandemic. Copyright © 2022 Pakistan Medical Association. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of peripheral nervous system disorders among COVID-19 survivors. Study Design: Cross-sectional Survey Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Rehabilitation and Allied Health Sciences, Riphah International University Lahore Campus from December, 2020 to June, 2021 for a period of 06 months. Materials and Methods: 144 patients recovered from Covid-19 through non probability convenience sampling were recruited for study. Patients were assessed for pain, smell, taste, balance and two-point discrimination and the ability to identify familiar objects. The data was collected according to the responses after patients approved to provide information. Data was coded in SPSS data sheet which was later analyzed for statistical frequencies and percentages. Results: Mean age of patients was reported to be 34.5 ± 6.9 years. The mean score patients marked on the VAS scale for their pain was reported to be 4.96 with a standard deviation of 1.77. 42.4% of the 144 patients had complaints of symptoms associated to peripheral nerve involvements thus making a prevalence of 42.4%. Out of 144 patients in total, 39 i.e. 27.1% reported to have a total loss of smell i.e. Anosmia, 42 patients i.e. 29.2% sensed the smell accurately, 45 i.e. 31.3% had a reduced sense of smell whereas 18 patients i.e. 12.5% had an increased sensitivity to the different smells they were asked to sense. 47 patients i.e. 32.6% had ageusia i.e. a total loss of taste they were offered. 36 i.e. 25% had normal taste and accurately comprehended the different flavors they were offered, 41 i.e. 28.5% had reduced taste sense i.e. hypoeusia and responded that they could taste but the intensity was lesser than normal. Conclusion: Majority of the patients had peripheral nerve symptoms, a loss of smell, taste and impaired balance after recovery. © 2021 Medical Forum Monthly. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: COVID-19 can cause severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. With deteriorating disease, most of the patients may require intensive care admission. This study was carried out to determine and evaluate the response of Tocilizumab with special reference to C-reactive protein (CRP) in critically ill patients presented to Farooq Hospital, West Wood Lahore. Methods: This retrospective study included the data of 55 critically ill COVID-19 patients (respiratory rate ≥30, SpO2<93%, oxygen requirement ≥5L/min, PaO2/FiO2 ≤300 mmHg) admitted in Corona unit of Farooq Hospital West Wood Lahore, who were being treated with Tocilizumab alongwith standard treatment protocol between April 27 and June 21, 2020. The data has been retrieved from hospital records after taking appropriate permission and consent. Demographic, clinical features and serum CRP were recorded for each of them, before and after administration of Tocilizumab. Data analysis was done by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 and expressed as frequency and percentages. Results: Out of 55 patients who were administered Tocilizumab, 72.7% survived whereas 27.3% died. There was higher median reduction of CRP levels in patients who survived (77.5 to 34.9 mg/L) as compared to those who died (65.5 to 45.3 mg/L). There was a statistically significant difference between CRP levels at the time of admission, 72 hours after Tocilizumab was administered (P<0.0001). Conclusion: Tocilizumab administration might be helpful in reducing the complications of cytokine storm in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. © 2020, Biomedica. All Rights Reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 pandemic has become a foremost health concern, many countries have ordered lockdown to stop the spread of COVID-19 due to which many Universities are closed and students are taking lectures online, Pakistan is also one of the countries in which lockdown was imposed, the aim of this study is to examine the level of physical activity and lifestyle of medical students from University of Lahore (UoL) during COVID-19. Aim: To determine the effect of COVID-19 lockdown on the physical activity and lifestyle of medical students of University of Lahore. Materials: Sample size included 151 medical students from the University of Lahore, study was pure cross-sectional and convenient sampling technique was used, data was collected through online questionnaire which contained question from IPAQ-SF to estimate the physical activity and lifestyle of observed University students. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: The results showed that from the population of 151 medical students of University of Lahore 75 students (49.7%) reported Low level of physical activity, while 44 students (29.1%) students reported Moderate level of physical activity, and 32 students (21.2%) reported high level of physical activity. Conclusion: Majority of the medical students showed Low level of physical activity, 49.7% in the last 7 days during COVID-19 pandemic. Medical students of University of Lahore showed a decrease in their overall physical activity level.
ABSTRACT
Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) also known as COVID19, is a newly discovered virus that has been recently isolated from humans. A number of researches with special emphasis on its clinical and epidemiological parameters are being carried out in various parts of the world. Aim: To analyze and evaluate the clinical, laboratory and chest x ray findings of Covid-19 cases, admitted at a recently established Corona Unit of Farooq Hospital West Wood Lahore, Pakistan. Study Design: Retrospective study Methods: The current study included a total of 105 COVID-19 positive cases from 9th April to 27th May 2020. 94 cases were confirmed on the basis of laboratory values whereas 11 were diagnosed based on their clinical characteristics. Results: Of all 105 patients admitted, 94(89.50%) were detected as laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia with nasopharyngeal swab samples that were positive for SARS-CoV-2, whereas 11 (10.50%) were confirmed on clinical grounds. The mean age was 48.18 that ranged from 12 to 78 years. Majority were male patients (78.1%). Only 3 (2.9%) patients had recent travel history of abroad. The most common comorbidities were Hypertension (49.39%) and Diabetes Mellitus (43.37%). The most common symptoms (fever, dry cough, and tiredness) were observed in 29.5%, serious symptoms (shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, and loss of speech or movement) in 40% and only few cases with acute respiratory distress syndrome. The mean systolic blood pressure recorded was 122.8 +/- 12.85 mm Hg and mean diastolic blood pressure 79.29 +/- 9.96. The mean oxygen saturation levels were 94.30 +/- 5.063. The mean value for chest x ray scoring was 7,50 +/- 5.6. The laboratory values were taken into account and elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) were reported in 65.75% and procalcitonin levels in 58% of the patients. Higher polymorph leukocytes count was observed in 34 (33%) whereas 40 cases (38.83%) of COVID-19 patients had lymphopenia. D-dimers, AST, ALT levels were raised in 79.68%, 47.2% and 58.3% of patients, respectively. Higher levels of serum ferritin were seen in 61.4% of cases. Conclusion: The clinical, laboratory and radiological findings may play pivotal role in early detection of positive COVID-19 cases and thus help in timely therapeutics management.