Local anthropometric parameters for assessing double burden of malnutrition in South Asian and Southeast Asian countries: a review and retrospective analysis.

The double burden of malnutrition (DBM) is a significant public health issue in South and Southeast Asia (SA and SEA). This study aimed to assess the impact of using local and regional ethnicity-specific anthropometric references versus international references on the prevalence of DBM in these regions.A narrative review of DBM prevalence using local versus international standards was conducted. Additionally, deidentified datasets from India and Indonesia were analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of different growth standards in identifying DBM. Anthropometric Z-scores were compared, and sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value (PPV) were calculated.WHO standards had the lowest specificity for identifying short stature in India and Indonesia. BMI-for-age charts using WHO Growth Reference (2007) had lower sensitivity and higher specificity for metabolic risk. Local references showed lower stunting and higher overweight or obesity prevalence. International standards overestimated stunting and underestimated obesity, leading to misclassification and missed cases of metabolic risk. Funding: None.

Micronutrient deficiency, dietary diversity, and sociodemographic and lifestyle determinants of dietary diversity among pregnant slum-dwelling women in Pune, India.

BACKGROUND: Increasing dietary diversity is a sustainable solution to combat micronutrient deficiencies. Given the large slum population in urban India, double burden of malnutrition, nutritional transition among slum-dwellers, and limited studies focusing on dietary intake and diversity among pregnant slum-dwellers, this study aimed to 1) describe macro- and micronutrient intakes and compare them with guidelines, 2) describe dietary diversity and intake of unhealthy foods and, 3) investigate the sociodemographic and lifestyle determinants of adequate dietary diversity among pregnant slum-dwellers in Pune, Maharashtra, India. METHODS: This study presents cross-sectional data of 454 pregnant slum-dwelling women completing mid-pregnancy visit collected from a larger cohort study. Sociodemographic and lifestyle data were collected at baseline (< 12 weeks gestation). Dietary data (24-h dietary recall) were collected in mid-pregnancy (23 ± 2 weeks). Nutrient intakes were compared with the Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) for pregnant Indian women. Dietary diversity score (DDS, range 0-10) and unhealthy food (sweet snacks, sweet beverages, fried and salty food) group score (range 0-3) were calculated as per FAO guidelines. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to examine determinants of adequate dietary diversity (DDS ≥ 5). RESULTS: The average age of women was 25 (4.5) years. The median (Q1, Q3) total energy and protein intakes were 1771 (1456, 2185) kcal/d and 44.7 (34.7, 55.0) g/d, respectively. Total energy and protein were consumed as per EAR by 37% and 54% of women, respectively. Forty percent of women exceeded the recommended energy intake from carbohydrates. Diets of slum-dwelling women were lacking in multiple micronutrients (especially iron, zinc, riboflavin, thiamine, folate). The mean DDS was 4.2 ± 1.2 and 36.5% of the women had DDS ≥ 5. All women consumed mainly cereal-based starchy staples; 80% consumed pulses and legumes, and 60% consumed other vegetables. Fifty-nine percent of women consumed ≥ 2 unhealthy food groups. Higher educational and occupational status of the primary earning members of the family and lower parity were determinants of adequate dietary diversity. CONCLUSION: The diets of pregnant slum-dwelling women were lacking in numerous micronutrients. Dietary counselling programs need to be tailored to the socioeconomic backgrounds of pregnant slum-dwelling women and involve their family members to improve reach and effectiveness.

Role of Dietary Macronutrient Composition and Fibre Intake in Development of Double Diabetes in Indian Youth.

Introduction: Insulin resistance (IR) and obesity are common presentations of double diabetes (DD) in subjects with type-1 diabetes (T1D). There is evidence that dietary composition has an impact on developing IR. Objectives were to assess the impact of macronutrient and fibre intake on glycaemic control and the role of macronutrient composition of diet in the development of DD in subjects with T1D. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 77 young adults (10-25 years) with T1D. Data related to demography, anthropometry, biochemistry and body composition were collected. Dietary data was collected by fourteen-day food diary. IR was calculated using eGDR, SEARCH and CACTI equations, and metabolic syndrome (MS) was diagnosed using the International Diabetes Federation Consensus Definition. Results: Subjects at risk of DD had higher age, leptin levels, percentage carbohydrate consumption in diet and IR. A positive association of insulin sensitivity with fibre intake and %protein intake was noted. Poor glycaemic control, adiponectin/leptin ratio, fibre intake and insulin/carbohydrate ratio were significant negative predictors of IR. Addition of dietary factors to the regression model improved the R square and percentage of subjects identified correctly. Inclusion of dietary parameters significantly improves the prediction of the risk of development of DD in subjects with T1D. Conclusion: Good glycaemic control and increased intake of dietary fibre may prevent the development of IR in subjects with T1D and reduce the burden of DD.

Standardization of Weightage Assigned to Different Segments of the Hand X-ray for Assessment of Bone Age by the Greulich-Pyle Method.

Introduction: Bone age (BA) assessment is important in evaluating disorders of growth and puberty; the Greulich and Pyle atlas method (GP) is most used. We aimed to determine the weightage to be attributed by raters to various segments of the hand x-ray, namely, distal end of radius-ulna (RU), carpals, and short bones for rating bone age using the GP atlas method. Methods: 692 deidentified x-rays from a previous study (PUNE-dataset) and 400 from the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA-dataset) were included in the study. Mean of BA assessed by experienced raters was termed reference rating. Linear regression was used to model reference age as function of age ratings of the three segments. The root-mean-square-error (RMSE) of segmental arithmetic mean and weighted mean with respect to reference rating were computed for both datasets. Results: Short bones were assigned the highest weightage. Carpals were assigned higher weightage in pre-pubertal PUNE participants as compared to RSNA, vice-versa in RU segment of post-pubertal participants. The RMSE of weighted mean ratings was significantly lower than for the arithmetic mean in the PUNE dataset. Conclusion: We thus determined weightage to be attributed by raters to segments of the hand x-ray for assessment of bone age by the GP method.

Dynamic Muscle Function Parameters in Indian Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Case-Control Study.

Introduction: Recent evidence reveals that type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) impairs muscle function (MF) in adolescents. However, despite its importance in physical well-being, data on dynamic MF in Indian children and adolescents (C and Y) with T1DM are scarce. We assessed MF using Jumping Mechanography (JM, a measurement method for motion analysis and assessment of muscle power and force). (1) To assess dynamic MF by JM in C and Y with T1DM as compared to healthy controls (2) To determine predictors of MF in children with T1DM. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study on 266 children (133 - T1DM duration >1 year with no known comorbidities + 133 age and gender-matched healthy controls) aged 6-19 years. Anthropometry, body composition, and MF (maximum relative power Pmax/mass, maximum relative force Fmax/BW by JM) were recorded. The lean mass index (LMI) was calculated as lean mass (kg)/height (m2). HbA1c was assessed in T1DM. Independent sample t-test and linear regression were performed. Results: MF parameters (Pmax/mass 33.5 ± 7.2 vs 38.0 ± 8.6 W/kg and Fmax/BW 10.5 ± 2.9 vs 11.4 ± 4.1 N/kg, P < 0.05) were significantly lower in T1DM group vs controls. Positive association of body mass index and LMI with both MF parameters and negative association of insulin requirement and HbA1c with Fmax was observed in T1DM. Predictors of MF identified were MMI (Pmax/mass:b = 1.6,95%CI = 0.6-2.6; Fmax/BW:b =2.0,95%CI = 1.6-2.4) and HbA1c (Pmax/mass:b = -2.1,95%CI = -4.5--0.5; Fmax/BW:b = -1.1,95%CI = -2.0--0.2) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: C and Y with T1DM exhibits compromised muscle function. Poor glycaemic control increases the risk of having decreased MF, irrespective of diabetes duration and may contribute to sarcopenia in adulthood.

Comparison of WHO 2006 Growth Standards and Synthetic Indian References in Assessing Growth in Normal Children and Children with Growth-Related Disorders.

Introduction: A good screening tool, such as a growth chart, should distinguish between children with normal growth and those with perturbed growth. Suitability of synthetic Indian growth references for diagnosing growth-related disorders for under-five children has not been evaluated. To assess the validity of World Health Organization (WHO) 2006 standards vs synthetic Indian references (2019) (by comparing weight, height, body mass index (BMI), standard deviation scores (SDS) and the composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF)) in differentiating normal children and children with growth-related disorders. Methods: Records of 2188 children (0-60 months) attending a tertiary centre paediatric outpatient department (OPD) were retrospectively studied; 1854 children were healthy and 334 were diagnosed with growth-related disorders as per the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) classification. The anthropometric parameters converted to Z-scores for weight-for-age (WAZ), height-for-age (HAZ), BMI-for-age (BAZ) and a CIAF were computed using WHO and synthetic charts; Student's t-test was used for assessing differences and Youden's index for validity. Results: Disease status of children and anthropometric failure on WAZ, HAZ, BAZ and CIAF on both WHO and synthetic charts had a significant association (P-value <0.05). WAZ, HAZ on both charts and CIAF on synthetic chart had a fair to moderate agreement (Kappa statistics) with disease status as per diagnosis (P-value <0.05). The sensitivity and negative predictive value for all anthropometric parameters were higher for synthetic charts. Conclusion: Indian charts were more sensitive for diagnosing growth-related disorders from birth to 60 months of age when compared to WHO growth standards.

Long term clinical follow up of four patients with Wolfram syndrome and urodynamic abnormalities.

OBJECTIVES: Wolfram syndrome is characterised by insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM), diabetes insipidus (DI), optic atrophy, sensorineural deafness and neurocognitive disorders. The DIDMOAD acronym has been recently modified to DIDMOAUD suggesting the rising awareness of the prevalence of urinary tract dysfunction (UD). End stage renal disease is the commonest cause of mortality in Wolfram syndrome. We present a case series with main objective of long term follow up in four children having Wolfram syndrome with evaluation of their urodynamic profile. METHODS: A prospective follow up of four genetically proven children with Wolfram syndrome presenting to a tertiary care pediatric diabetes clinic in Pune, India was conducted. Their clinical, and urodynamic parameters were reviewed. RESULTS: IDDM, in the first decade, was the initial presentation in all the four children (three male and one female). Three children had persistent polyuria and polydipsia despite having optimum glycemic control; hence were diagnosed to have DI and treated with desmopressin. All four patients entered spontaneous puberty. All patients had homozygous mutation in WFS1 gene; three with exon 8 and one with exon 6 novel mutations. These children with symptoms of lower urinary tract malfunction were further evaluated with urodynamic studies; two of them had hypocontractile detrusor and another had sphincter-detrusor dyssynergia. Patients with hypocontractile bladder were taught clean intermittent catheterization and the use of overnight drain. CONCLUSIONS: We report a novel homozygous deletion in exon 6 of WFS-1 gene. The importance of evaluation of lower urinary tract malfunction is highlighted by our case series. The final bladder outcome in our cases was a poorly contractile bladder in three patients.

BoneXpert-derived bone health index reference curves constructed on healthy Indian children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI)-based applications for the assessment of the paediatric musculoskeletal system like BoneXpert are not only useful to assess bone age (BA) but also to provide a bone health index (BHI) and a standard deviation score (SDS) for both. This allows comparison of the BHI with age- and sex-matched healthy Caucasian children. OBJECTIVE: We conducted this study with the objective of generating BHI curves using BoneXpert in healthy Indian children with BA between 2 and 17 years. METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed anthropometric parameters, BHI, and BHI SDS data of digitalized left-hand radiographs (joint photographic experts group [jpg] format) of a cohort of 788 paediatric patients from a previous study to which they were recruited to compare various methods of BA assessment. The recruited children represented all age groups for both sexes. The corrected BHI for jpg images was calculated using the formula corrected BHI=BHI*(stature/(avL*50))^0.33333 where stature is height of subject and avL is average length of metacarpal bones. The reference Indian BHI curves and centiles were generated using the Lambda-Mu-Sigma method. RESULT: The mean BHI and BHI SDS of the study group were 4.02±0.57 and -1.73±1.09, respectively. The average increase in median BHI from each age group was between 2.5% and 3% in both sexes up to age of 14 years after which it increased to 4.5% to 5%. The mean BHI of Indian children was lower than that of Caucasian children with maximum differences noted in boys at 16 years (21.7%) and girls at 14 years (16%). We report 8.4% SD of BHI for our study sample. Reference percentile curves for BHI according to BA were derived separately for boys and girls. CONCLUSION: Reference data has been provided for the screening of bone health status of Indian children and adolescents.

Pilot Study on Gut Microbiota Profile in Indian Children with Type 1 Diabetes.

Background: Non-genetic factors like microbial dysbiosis may be contributing to the increasing incidence/progression of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Objectives: To analyse the gut microbiota profile in Indian children with T1DM and its effect on glycaemic control. Methodology: Faecal samples of 29 children with T1DM were collected and faecal microbial DNA was extracted and subjected to 16S rRNA (ribosomal RNA) sequencing and further analysis. Results: The dominant phyla in children with T1DM were Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Butyrate-producing bacteria Blautia and Ruminococcus showed a significant negative correlation with the glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C) levels (p < 0.05). Coprococcus and Propionibacterium were important negative predictors of glycaemic control (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Our study suggests that Indian children with T1DM have a distinct gut microbiome taxonomic composition and that short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria like Ruminococcus and Blautia (butyrate-producing) may play an important role in the glycaemic control of subjects with T1DM.

Nutritional Status of Underprivileged Indian Children and Youth with Type-1 Diabetes - A Multicentre Study.

Background: India has the highest number of prevalent type-1 diabetes (T1D) cases in the under-20-year age population. Data on the anthropometry of underprivileged Indian children with T1D are scarce. In economically disadvantaged countries like India, poor growth in patients with T1D is a major concern due to limited accessibility and affordability. Besides, due to the double burden of malnutrition, the prevalence of obesity is increasing mirroring the global trends, which may lead to the development of insulin resistance. Objectives: This study aims to assess the prevalence of malnutrition in Indian children and youth with T1D and to identify the determinants of short stature. Methods: A registry-based cross-sectional analysis of data collected from various centres across India enrolled in the Changing Diabetes in Children (CDiC) programme. Results: We observed that 6.4% were undernourished (3.4% severe undernutrition) and 17.7% (overweight 13.2%) had combined overweight/obesity. 21.2% of participants had short stature (adjusted for mid-parental height) with 7.4% cases of familial short stature. Longer duration of illness and insulin requirement were significant positive predictors of short stature while glycaemic control, insulin regimen and mid-parental height did not have a significant relationship with short stature. Participants on basal-bolus regimen had significantly higher insulin requirements and better glycaemic control than the ones on mixed-split regimen. Conclusion: We report that around one-fifth of children and youth with T1D were overweight/obese and around a fourth were stunted, especially those with longer duration of diabetes and higher insulin requirements. Close monitoring of anthropometric parameters is necessary for all children with T1D to optimize growth and nutrition.

Illuminating GPCR signaling mechanisms by NMR spectroscopy with stable-isotope labeled receptors.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) exhibit remarkable structural plasticity, which underlies their capacity to recognize a wide range of extracellular molecules and interact with intracellular partner proteins. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is uniquely well-suited to investigate GPCR structural plasticity, enabled by stable-isotope "probes" incorporated into receptors that inform on structure and dynamics. Progress with stable-isotope labeling methods in Eukaryotic expression systems has enabled production of native or nearly-native human receptors with varied and complementary distributions of NMR probes. These advances have opened up new avenues for investigating the roles of conformational dynamics in signaling processes, including by mapping allosteric communication networks, understanding the specificity of GPCR interactions with partner proteins and exploring the impact of membrane environments on GPCR function.

Wound Healing Potential of Couroupita guianensis Aubl. Fruit Pulp Investigated on Excision Wound Model.

Wound care management aims at stimulating and improving healing process without scar formation. Although various plants have been reported to possess wound healing properties in tribal and folklore medicines, there is a lack of scientific data to validate the claim. In this aspect, it becomes inevitable to prove the efficacy of naturally derived products at pharmacological levels. Couroupita guianensis as a whole plant has been reported to exhibit wound healing activity. The leaves and fruit of this plant have been utilized in folkloric medicine to cure skin diseases and infections for many years. However, to the best of our knowledge, no scientific studies have been conducted to verify the wound healing properties of C. guianensis fruit pulp. Therefore, the present study seeks to investigate the wound healing potential of C. guianensis fruit pulp using an excision wound model in Wistar albino male rats. This study indicated that the ointment prepared from crude ethanolic extract of C. guianensis fruit pulp facilitated wound contraction that were evidenced by a greater reduction in the wound area and epithelialization period and increased hydroxyproline content. The experimental groups treated with low and mid dose of C. guianensis ethanol extract (CGEE) ointments had shown a wound closure of 80.27% and 89.11% respectively within 15 days, which is comparable to the standard betadine ointment which showed 91.44% healing in the treated groups. Further, the extract influenced the expression of genes VEGF and TGF-ß on post wounding days that clearly explained the strong correlation between these genes and wound healing in the experimental rats. The animals treated with 10% CGEE ointment showed a significant upregulation of both VEGF and TGF-ß as compared with other test and standard groups. These findings provide credence to the conventional application of this plant in the healing of wounds and other dermatological conditions, and may represent a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of wounds.

Anionic phospholipids control mechanisms of GPCR-G protein recognition.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are embedded in phospholipids that strongly influence drug-stimulated signaling. Anionic lipids are particularly important for GPCR signaling complex formation, but a mechanism for this role is not understood. Using NMR spectroscopy, we explore the impact of anionic lipids on the function-related conformational equilibria of the human A2A adenosine receptor (A2AAR) in bilayers containing defined mixtures of zwitterionic and anionic phospholipids. Anionic lipids prime the receptor to form complexes with G proteins through a conformational selection process. Without anionic lipids, signaling complex formation proceeds through a less favorable induced fit mechanism. In computational models, anionic lipids mimic interactions between a G protein and positively charged residues in A2AAR at the receptor intracellular surface, stabilizing a pre-activated receptor conformation. Replacing these residues strikingly alters the receptor response to anionic lipids in experiments. High sequence conservation of the same residues among all GPCRs supports a general role for lipid-receptor charge complementarity in signaling.

Anionic Phospholipids Control Mechanisms of GPCR-G Protein Recognition.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are embedded in phospholipids that strongly influence drug-stimulated signaling. Anionic lipids are particularly important for GPCR signaling complex formation, but a mechanism for this role is not understood. Using NMR spectroscopy, we visualized the impact of anionic lipids on the function-related conformational equilibria of the human A 2A adenosine receptor (A 2A AR) in bilayers containing defined mixtures of zwitterionic and anionic phospholipids. Anionic lipids primed the receptor to form complexes with G proteins through a conformational selection process. Without anionic lipids, signaling complex formation proceeded through a less favorable induced fit mechanism. In computational models, anionic lipids mimicked interactions between a G protein and positively charged residues in A 2A AR at the receptor intracellular surface, stabilizing a pre-activated receptor conformation. Replacing these residues strikingly altered the receptor response to anionic lipids in experiments. High sequence conservation of the same residues among all GPCRs supports a general role for lipid-receptor charge complementarity in signaling.

Establishing a Unique, Single Cutoff Value for Body Frame Size for Screening for Risk of Hypertension in Indian Children and Adolescents-A Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the strength of association of two measures of BFS: frame-size one (FS1; height ÷ wrist circumference) and frame-size two (FS2; elbow breadth), with body-fat indices, body composition, and hypertension in Indian children and adolescents, and to determine age and sex-specific cutoffs of BFS to predict hypertension. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, multicenter, school-based study in 9- to 18-y-old healthy children (n = 1423) randomly selected from 3 Indian states. Based on tertiles, FS1 and FS2 were categorized as small, medium, and large. RESULTS: Greater BFS (both FS1 and FS2) was associated with higher body-fat indices, BP (r = -0.424 for FS1 and r = 0.282 for FS2, p < 0.01) and lower muscle mass (MM). A significantly greater percentage of children classified as having large BFS according to FS1 were found to be overweight/obese (46% vs. 25%), hypertensive (34% vs. 17%) than FS2 (p < 0.01). FS1 showed strong to very strong association (Cramer's V 0.15 to > 0.25) with body-fat indices, MM, and BP as opposed to FS2 (For BP X2 = 120.9 for FS1 vs. 9.06 for FS2). FS1 better identified obesity and hypertension, and a value of 10.6 was determined to be the optimum cutoff for predicting hypertension in both genders (sensitivity 71%, specificity 75%, AUC 0.795, and NPV 95%). CONCLUSIONS: Height-to-wrist circumference is a novel, simple, and precise BFS measure for predicting hypertension and muscle mass (9-18 y) and a single cutoff value (< 10.6) may contribute to rapid screening and prompt identification of children at risk of hypertension.

A Case of Idiopathic Retinitis Vasculitis Aneurysms and Neuroretinitis (IRVAN) Treated with Adalimumab.

PURPOSE: To report a case of IRVAN in a 13-year-old girl responding well to Adalimumab and Azathioprine. RESULTS: A 13-year-old girl presented to us with central scotoma for a duration of 10 months. She was treated earlier with oral steroids with poor response. Fundus examination revealed features of IRVAN. She was treated with intravitreal dexamethasone implant in both eyes with oral Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF) with transient response to it. So she was switched over to subcutaneous Adalimumab 40 mg once in 2 weeks and oral Azathioprine 50 mg BD. The disease activity was well controlled with the current regime. CONCLUSION: Though various treatment modalities have been described in literature for the treatment of IRVAN. This is the first case of IRVAN to be treated with Adalimumab along with Azathioprine to be reported.

Role of Psychologist in Adolescent Medicine: An International Perspective.

Adolescent Medicine addresses the health care of adolescents, young adults, and their families. Adolescent psychology constitutes an important part. The COVID-19 pandemic has given insight into adolescent needs, bringing the focus on prevention rather than mere correction. One needs to factor in the unique aspects of adolescence, their need to impress peers and gain acceptance, and their unique information processing, not calculating trade-offs between risk and reward the way adults might, in a linear, rational, logical, and verbal manner. The article focuses on the need for collaborative training among the various stakeholders in Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

A comparison of bone age assessments using automated and manual methods in children of Indian ethnicity.

BACKGROUND: Bone age is useful for pediatric endocrinologists in evaluating various disorders related to growth and puberty. Traditional methods of bone age assessment, namely Greulich and Pyle (GP) and Tanner-Whitehouse (TW), have intra- and interobserver variations. Use of computer-automated methods like BoneXpert might overcome these subjective variations. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to assess the validity of BoneXpert in comparison to manual GP and TW methods for assessing bone age in children of Asian Indian ethnicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We extracted from a previous study the deidentified left hand radiographs of 920 healthy children aged 2-19 years. We compared bone age as determined by four well-trained manual raters using GP and TW methods with the BoneXpert ratings. We computed accuracy using root mean square error (RMSE) to assess how close the bone age estimated by BoneXpert was to the reference rating. RESULTS: The standard deviations (SDs) of rating among the four manual raters were 0.52 years, 0.52 years and 0.47 years for GP, TW2 and TW3 methods, respectively. The RMSEs between the automated bone age estimates and the true ratings were 0.39 years, 0.41 years and 0.36 years, respectively, for the same methods. The RMSE values were significantly lower in girls than in boys (0.53, 0.5 and 0.47 vs. 0.39, 0.47 and 0.4) by all the methods; however, no such difference was noted in classification by body mass index. The best agreement between BoneXpert and manual rating was obtained by using 50% weight on carpals (GP50). The carpal bone age was retarded in Indian children, more so in boys. CONCLUSION: BoneXpert was accurate and performed well in estimating bone age by both GP and TW methods in healthy Asian Indian children; the error was larger in boys. The GP50 establishes "backward compatibility" with manual rating.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Postgraduate Psychiatry Teaching- Learning and Evaluation in India: A Nationwide Survey.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted postgraduate (PG) medical education in India. This study aimed to assess PG teaching, learning, evaluation (TLE), and innovative TLE methods used during the pandemic. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey using Google Forms to seek anonymous responses from psychiatry teachers across India. Information about PG TLE, postings in COVID-19 care units, methods of teaching adopted in different settings, difficulties faced, and methods of evaluation used were sought in responses. Descriptive statistics methods were used for analysis. Results: The pandemic led to compromised TLE opportunities for the students. Posting of students and teachers in COVID-19 wards for an average of 15 months, students and teachers getting COVID-19, conversion of psychiatry wards to COVID-19 wards, and reduced number of outpatients and inpatients impaired the teaching-learning opportunities. For examination, the evaluation was done with limited standards, like using dummy patients or case vignettes. A few innovative TLE methods were also used during the pandemic. Conclusions: COVID-19 pandemic had led to sub-optimal PG TLE. Teachers suggested many alternative and flexible TLE methods and platforms.