Subject(s)
Infant, Premature , Metabolism, Inborn Errors , Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn , Sepsis , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Metabolism, Inborn Errors/diagnosis , Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/diagnosis , Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/etiology , Sepsis/diagnosis , Infant, Premature, Diseases/diagnosisABSTRACT
Calcific uremic arteriolopathy (CUA), also known as calciphylaxis, is a rare complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Its incidence is increasing due to a better understanding and diagnosis by physicians. Calciphylaxis is a fatal complication of many metabolic disorders. If not managed properly, it can lead to death within a year. This review is an effort to highlight the importance of research on prompt diagnosis and treatment guidelines for calciphylaxis, as it poses a challenge due to its diverse clinical presentation and high mortality rate.
ABSTRACT
Smartphones are increasingly used in healthcare, yet little is known about their utility in medical research as a means of data collection in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). In this letter, we discuss results from our experiences with data collection on smartphones in an LMIC setting. Our experience found smartphones a secure and reliable data collection tool for medical research that can empower researchers in countries to participate in surgical studies.
Subject(s)
Biomedical Research/methods , Data Collection/methods , Developing Countries , Smartphone , Data Accuracy , Humans , Pakistan , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The use of smartphones with touch screens has become a norm for healthcare professionals (HCP). The risk of smart screen contamination has been proven, and guidelines are available to deal with possible contamination. A large number of smartphone users apply plastic or glass screen protectors onto their mobile phone screens to prevent scratches. However, these materials are not scratch proof, and their antipathogenic properties have not been studied. METHODS: We have conducted a study to determine the frequency of smartphone screen protector contamination and compared the data with contamination on the bare area on the same mobile screens. The sample size included only HCPs working in acute care settings and having at least eight hours of exposure time every day. RESULTS: A total of 64 samples were collected, which reported 62.5% (n = 40/64) positive culture swabs from the protected areas of the screen and 45.3% (n = 29/64) from the unprotected area of the screen. Micrococcus and Gram-negative rods grew only on samples taken from the protected area whereas the bare area showed no such growth. There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency based on smart screen size, duration of use during duty hours, or the setting where it was used. CONCLUSIONS: Smartphone screen protectors from healthcare providers may harbor pathogenic bacteria, especially in acute care settings. Coagulase-negative Staphylococci followed by Bacillus species were the most commonly yielded bacteria among house officers and postgraduate trainees in the present study.
