A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis to Identify Risk Factors for Developing Long COVID-19.

AIM: This systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken to identify the risk factors of long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to provide insight for selecting cases for more aggressive monitoring and treatment after COVID-19 infection and reduce morbidity due to long COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All relevant studies published till July 2022 were searched for in PubMed, Trip database, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; The Cochrane Library). Reference lists of the studies selected for appraisal were also considered. The National Institute of Health Clinical Database and Google Scholar were searched for unpublished studies. All cohort studies which studied risk factors for long COVID-19 in adults (>18 years age-group) were included. Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines were used for data extraction and bias assessment were. The outcomes were risk factors identified as being related with persistent symptoms 3 months after recovery from COVID-19. Random-effects model (RevMan 5.3) was used to pool the data. RESULTS: Total nine studies were included with overall quality scores ranging from 16 to 19 out of the maximum 22. Pooled results demonstrated statistically significant association of long COVID-19 with female gender [odds ratio (OR) -1.67; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.33-2.09], need of hospitalization (OR -1.80; 95% CI 1.22-2.64), and hospital stay (OR 2.41; 95% CI 0.75-4.07). CONCLUSION: Female gender, need for hospitalization and duration of hospitalization during acute COVID-19 infection are the risk factors for later development of long COVID-19. There should be specific guidelines for monitoring and treatment of this population after acute COVID-19 infection.

Quality of Life and Its Association With Time in Range Among People With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Following Different Dietary Interventions: A Crossover Clinical Trial.

Background Quality of Life (QoL) is an essential consideration in healthcare. Numerous studies have examined QoL in India; however, data on QoL following different dietary interventions are lacking. Similarly, the use of technology such as continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for diabetes care has independently demonstrated improvements in glycemic control; however, its association with QoL remains limited. Purpose The purpose was to study the role of different dietary interventions on QoL and its association with Time in Range (TIR), Time Above Range (TAR), and Time Below Range (TBR) among the Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) population. Methodology A crossover interventional clinical trial (CTRI/2022/07/044356) was conducted among participants with T2DM of less than 5 years' duration, aged between 25 and 55 years, with an HbA1c level of less than 8%, and who were on Metformin only. Their QoL was assessed after following two diet patterns: the Continuous Calorie Restricted Diet (CCRD) - calorie reduction with small frequent meals, and Time Restricted Intermittent Fasting (TRIF) - calorie reduction with only two meals a day, using the Modified QoL (MDQOL-17) questionnaire. The association between post-dietary interventions QoL and TIR was studied using a 14-day CGM device. Results The overall QoL of 51 participants at the end of the dietary interventions was significantly better compared to their QoL before any dietary intervention (85.6±19.0% and 63.1±13.0%, respectively, p = 0.000). Decreased TIR correlated with increased role limitations due to physical functioning (p = 0.002) and decreased energy levels (p = 0.00). As TBR increased, role limitation due to emotional well-being increased, and energy levels decreased significantly (p = 0.01). As TAR increased, energy levels decreased (p = 0.01). A simple linear regression model was statistically significant for role limitations due to physical functioning (p = 0.003) and energy fatigue (p = 0.000), suggesting that higher TIR is associated with higher scores in these domains. Conclusion Dietary interventions that improve the TIR and reduce the TAR and TBR can enhance the QoL of individuals with T2DM.

Exploring the Impact of Optimized Probiotic Supplementation Techniques on Diabetic Nephropathy: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential.

Worldwide, diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a significant contributor to end-stage renal failure and chronic kidney disease. Probiotic supplementation has recently gained popularity as a potential nutritional therapy in several clinical trials aimed at improving renal function, inflammation, oxidative stress, dyslipidemia, glycemic control, and inflammation. However, they still need to undergo a thorough assessment of DN. It is crucial that the optimal dosage, duration, and combination of probiotic strains administered for the purpose of slowing down the advancement of DN be assessed. Based on the available publications, including relevant randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analysis from 2013-2023 from search engines like MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, and Web of Science, a literature review was generated using the keywords "gut microbiota," "gut microbiome," "diabetic kidney disease," "diabetic nephropathy," "probiotic," and "prebiotic." Multiple clinical trials focusing on probiotic administration techniques revealed changes in renal, glucose, and lipid biomarkers. Probiotic supplementation using Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Streptococcus thermophilus for 12 weeks indicated a reduction in glycosylated hemoglobin, fasting blood glucose, and the microalbuminuria/creatinine ratio. Multispecies as well as single-species probiotic administration containing Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Streptococcus thermophilus spp. greater than 4*109 colony forming units (CFU)/day for 8-12 weeks in DN patients improves renal metabolic markers and reduces the progression of disease patterns. Optimal supplementation techniques of probiotics in conjunction with prebiotics and synbiotics in DN benefit glycaemic control, renal function, blood lipid profile, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Future randomized controlled trials supplementing specific probiotics coupled with prebiotics and synbiotics, with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up times, will generate more reliable findings for the impact of probiotic supplementation on DN.

Dietary composition and time in range in population with type 2 diabetes mellitus-exploring the association using continuous glucose monitoring device.

AIM: To understand the association between macronutrient composition of a diet with Time in Range (TIR), Time above Range (TAR) and Time below Range (TBR) derived using a Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) device for 14 days. METHODOLOGY: An exploratory analysis on the baseline data of 50 Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus participants with age 25-55 years, HbA1c upto 8% and on Metformin only) enrolled for an interventional clinical trial was performed. RESULTS: Participants consuming adequate carbohydrates (CHO) of 55 to 60% of total calories had better Average Blood Glucose of 142.0 ± 24.0 mg/dL with a significance of p = 0.03 and Glucose Management Indicator (GMI) of 6.6 ± 0.7% significant at p = 0.01, than those with high CHO intake >60% of the total calories, with Average Blood Glucose - 155.0 ± 13.4 mg/dL and GMI - 7.06 ± 0.4%. Similarly, TIR - 68.2 ± 5.1% and TAR - 23.0 ± 10.8% was significantly better (p = 0.00) among those consuming adequate protein (12-15%) as compared to low protein (≤ 10%) with TIR- 61.0 ± 5.1% & TAR- 32.9 ± 10.3%. A correlation (r = -0.482 & p = 0.00) and simple linear regression analysis (R² = 0.33, F = 7.72, p = 0.000) revealed that when CHO intake increases the TIR decreases whereas TAR increases (r = 0.380 & p = 0.006). We did not find any significant relation between fat intake and TIR, TAR or TBR. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that lowering CHO, while increasing protein in the diet may help improve TIR. Further in-depth studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Eating Disorders: Assessing Its Prevalence and Pattern Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders (EDs) are severe and multifaceted mental health issues that affect a person's perception of their body weight in relationship with food. Existing evidence shows that EDs significantly affect the physical and emotional health of individuals with Type-2 Diabetes (T2D) and are associated with impaired metabolic control and a high risk of medical complications, including higher mortality rates. However, there is a paucity of research looking into the prevalence of EDs. OBJECTIVE: A cross-sectional study was conducted to map the prevalence of EDs and to assess its pattern among adults with T2D from Ahmedabad City, Gujarat, India. METHODOLOGY: Two hundred fifty-four T2D individuals aged 30-60 were enrolled in the study. A questionnaire was developed using the Sick, Control, One, Fat, Food (SCOFF) questionnaire and a five-question screening tool intended to identify the possibility of EDs as well as the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDEQ), which is used to identify the pattern of EDs with subscales like Restraint, Eating Concern, Shape Concern, and Weight Concern. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's Correlation, and Logistic Regression analysis were used. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS:  The results revealed that 90 (35%) of the total participants were at a high risk of EDs. Among these, 54 (21% of the total population) were males, and 36 (14% of total participants) were females. There was a mild statistically significant negative correlation between age and exercise with the presence of ED (r = -0.151, p = 0.016 and r = -0.186, p = 0.003, respectively), while education showed a significant positive correlation (r = 0.150, p = 0.017). Males had significantly higher scores for eating concerns than females (19.75±4.88 vs 17.88±5.92; p = 0.008). The logistic regression model revealed that education was a significant predictor of EDs (OD = 1.47, 95% CI 1.00-2.16 and p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The study identified that people with T2D are at risk of EDs, and eating concerns worry them the most. Thus, counseling sessions should focus on identifying the determinants of EDs and educating the patients regarding quality eating. This will have implications in addressing the other morbidities as well as health risks related to BMI; especially obesity as it is more prevalent in the T2D population.

Impact of Maternal Essential Fatty Acid Intake on the Birth Weight of Infants.

BACKGROUND: Increased uptake of essential fatty acids during pregnancy through seafood and supplementation has been shown to positively correlate with gestational age and increased infant birth weight. We aimed to evaluate the effect of maternal dietary intake of essential fatty acids, supplementation on gestational period and infant birth weight. MATERIALS: A literature search with the help of various databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science and Scopus was conducted. METHODS: Original research articles and intervention-based studies, which involve an association between dietary intake and supplementation of essential fatty acids during full-term pregnancy on human infant birth outcomes and published from 2011 to 2021, were included. RESULTS: In total, there were 21 intervention-based studies, including full-term pregnant women with or without existing comorbidities, which compared essential fatty acids in the form of dietary sources and supplementation with dietary counseling and with or without placebo. The intervention trials included in this review were conducted in developed and developing countries. Half of the pregnant women who enrolled in the study had comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension, which might increase their risk of adverse maternal and infant birth outcomes. Most of the studies included in the review have reported a positive association between improvised dietary and supplementation intake of essential fatty acids with increased length of gestation, infant birth weight and other parameters such as head circumference, infant birth length and growth velocity. CONCLUSION: Positive correlations were found between increased consumption of essential fatty acids in food sources and supplements with improvised infant birth weight and gestational period.

Characteristics and Outcomes of COVID-19 during the Third Wave of COVID Pandemic: A Single-center Descriptive Study.

AIM: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus has been causing a global pandemic of Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease in recurring waves. On November 24, 2021, a new SARS-CoV-2 variant (B.1.1.529) was identified in South Africa. We aimed to study the clinical profile, laboratory parameters, complications, and outcomes in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infection during the third wave in India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a single-center cross-sectional study conducted from 10th January 2022 to 10th Feuary 2022. Data on demographic profile, clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, complications, and clinical outcome was collected and compared between nonsevere and severe cases. RESULTS: A total of 74 patients were included. Four (5.4%) had a severe disease while 70 (94.6%) had a nonsevere disease. The most common symptoms were fever (60.8%), cough (52.7%), and sore throat (45.9%). There was a significant difference between severe and nonsevere groups in terms of vaccination history (p = 0.0412), and time elapsed from symptom onset to hospitalization (p ≤0.001). The severe disease group also had significantly higher levels of leukocyte count, C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, ARDS, sepsis, and a higher need for respiratory support (p < 0.001). A total of 70 (94.6%) patients were discharged while four (5.4%) patients succumbed to complications of COVID-19 infection. Complete vaccination against COVID was associated with significantly lower chances of severe disease [odds ratio (OR) 0.083, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.0080-0.8632]. CONCLUSION: As compared to the previous two waves, the current wave of the pandemic had milder symptoms, less severe disease, and fewer ICU admissions and deaths. Successful completion of vaccination against COVID was associated with significantly lower morbidity and mortality.

A critical comparison of the Indian school food and nutrition guidelines with the WHO-nutrition friendly school initiative and the review of existing implementation scenario.

Background: The school-based food and nutrition guidelines approach has the potential to combat undernutrition, overnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies among children and adolescents and set the foundation for a healthy adult lifestyle. Aim: To critically compare the Nutrition Friendly School Initiative (NFSI) of the World Health Organization (WHO) with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) guidelines to gauge the strengths and limitations. Additionally, to summarize the existing studies on implementing school food and nutrition guidelines. Methods: Policy documents of the above guidelines were critically evaluated, and narrative analysis was conducted. An electronic search was conducted for full-text research articles published in the English language between January 2007 to September 2021 in Science Direct, PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS databases. Results: Upon critical comparison of the three guidelines, it was found that the NFSI and FSSAI guidelines shared similarities in many components and the FSSAI guidelines, if implemented adequately, could improve the school food environment and combat the triple malnutrition burden in India. After screening the articles based on the eligibility criteria, 11 studies were included in the preparation of the review. Studies reported partial or inadequate implementation and poor compliance with the guidelines or approach. A few studies identified barriers to guideline implementation. Conclusion: Implementation of school food and nutrition guidelines could improve the nutritional outcomes in children and adolescents. To sustain the effective implementation, adequate resources and preparedness are essential in low-and middle-income countries, including India.

Neurological Manifestations and Their Effect on Outcome in Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

AIM: There is a need for a better understanding of the relation of various neurological symptoms and complications with manifestations and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Hence, we planned this study to get an insight into the relation of neurological manifestations and COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study. All patients ≥18 years in age, admitted with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) confirmed COVID-19 were included in the study. Their clinical records were accessed for collecting demographic and laboratory data. The data collected were analyzed for prevalence and pattern of neurological symptoms at admission and neurological complications developed during hospitalization. It was also analyzed to find the relation of neurological manifestations with duration of hospital stay, requirement of bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) or ventilator, severity of disease, development of neurological complications, and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 440 patients were included. The mean age was 59.28 ± 13.28 years. The most common neurological symptom at presentation was headache while the most common neurological complications were altered sensorium, cerebrovascular stroke, seizure, and encephalitis. Significantly, more patients with neurological complications than those without had severe disease and needed ventilation. Duration of hospitalization was significantly longer (16.26 ± 5.15 vs 12.73 ± 4.89, p = 0.0173) and mortality was also significantly higher (OR 6.59, 95% CI 2.23-19.43; p = 0.0006) in patients with neurological manifestations. CONCLUSION: The presence of neurological manifestations is associated with greater morbidity and mortality in patients with COVID-19 and thus warrants more aggressive treatment. However, a study of association of individual neurological manifestation with severity of COVID-19 will provide a more meaningful insight regarding the approach to the management of such patients.

Effect of thiamine supplementation on glycaemic outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been shown to have thiamine deficiency. Dietary supplementation is an economic strategy to control blood glucose. Objective: To evaluate effectiveness of thiamine supplementation on glycaemic outcomes in patients with T2DM. METHODS: Eligibility criteria: Studies that assessed effect of thiamine supplementation in adults with T2DM which measured glycaemic outcomes-HbA1c, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and/or postprandial blood glucose (PPG) were included. Information sources: PUBMED, Tripdatabase, the Cochrane Central Register, National Institute of Health Clinical Database and Google Scholar were searched until December 2021 for RCTs. Risk of bias: It was assessed using standardised critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute for RCTs. Synthesis of results: Where possible, studies were pooled in a meta-analysis. Results were presented in a narrative format if statistical pooling was not possible. RESULTS: Included studies: Six trials involving 364 participants. Synthesis of results: No significant beneficial effects were observed on glycaemic outcomes with 100-900 mg/day of thiamine or benfotiamine for up to 3 months (HbA1c: MD, -0.02%, 95% CI: -0.35 to 0.31; FBG: MD,-0.20 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.69 to 0.29; PPG: MD, - 0.20 mmol/L, 95% CI: -2.05 to 1.65 (mean difference, MD)). There was a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (MD, 0.10; 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.20) at 3-month follow-up. Benfotiamine reduced triglyceride level (MD, -1.10; 95% CI: -1.90 to -0.30) in 120 mg/day dose as compared with placebo 150 mg/day, however this was not demonstrated in higher doses. DISCUSSION: Limitations of evidence: Inclusion of single-centre trials published only in English, small sample sizes of included studies, lack of trials investigating outcomes for same comparisons and varying follow-up periods. Interpretation: Thiamine supplementation does not affect glycaemic outcomes, however reduces triglycerides while increasing HDL. Multicentre well-designed RCT with higher doses of thiamine and a follow-up period of 1-2 years will provide better evidence. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020170520.

Breastfeeding Patterns and Stress Among Lactating Women in Pune During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Lactating mothers (n=126) residing in Pune, Maharashtra were interviewed to assess the prevalence of stress, rate of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), and its association with different demographic factors.  75.4% mothers were found to be moderately stressed. Rate of EBF was 62.7%. Moderate stress and testing positive for COVID-19 were significantly negatively associated with EBF (P<0.001).

Effect of tree nuts on glycemic outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review was to synthesize the best available research evidence regarding the effectiveness of tree nuts on glycemic outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. INTRODUCTION: There has been an increase in the use of complementary therapy, particularly botanical products, for management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. It has been reported that increasing mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids in diet effectively lowers the risk of development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Hence, it was hypothesized that consumption of nuts, which are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids and mono-unsaturated fatty acids, may aid in preventing diabetes and reducing levels of blood glucose by reducing glycemic load by displacing dietary carbohydrates present in diet. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This systematic review included randomized controlled trials that compared the consumption of any type and form of tree nut with a placebo or any other intervention in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Trials were included if they measured fasting blood glucose, postprandial blood glucose, and/or glycated hemoglobin. Trials that assessed triglyceride levels and weight postintervention were also considered for inclusion. Trials were restricted to the English language. METHODS: A three step search of PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Trip database, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) was done in July 2019. To find unpublished studies, ClinicalTrials.gov and Google Scholar were searched. Studies from the search were reviewed against the inclusion criteria by two reviewers. The JBI critical appraisal checklist for randomized controlled trials was used to assess the potential studies for methodological quality. A meta-analysis and subgroup analysis was conducted among trials with the same type of intervention and outcome measures. Results are presented in a narrative format where statistical pooling was not possible. RESULTS: Fifteen trials were included with a total sample size of 667. Consumption of pistachios demonstrated a significant reduction in triglyceride levels (mmol/L) at three month or earlier follow-up (mean difference [MD] -0.28; confidence interval -0.33, -0.23; P <0.00001). The meta-analysis including all tree nuts combined showed reduction in both fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin (MD -0.26 mmol/L and -0.11% respectively) at three month or earlier follow-up. The subgroup analysis demonstrated MD of -0.45, -0.16, and -0.90 mmol/L in fasting blood glucose following ingestion of walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts, respectively, and -0.17% in glycated hemoglobin following ingestion of walnuts at three month or earlier follow-up. Although not clinically significant, these figures give an indication that further research with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up may show encouraging results. CONCLUSIONS: The authors found that pistachio consumption for three months or less significantly reduced triglyceride levels. Other tree nuts (walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts) reduced fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels by varying degrees. Further robust randomized controlled trials with power calculation-based sample size, comparing same type, dose, and method of nut intervention, will provide more evidence. For now, clinical decisions should be based on standard practice local guidelines. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42019133558.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation in Children to Prevent Asthma: Is It Worthy?-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Asthma is one of the most common respiratory diseases affecting all age groups. The world is now trying to identify some dietary factors which can play a preventive role. We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs to assess the effect of intake of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in infancy and/or childhood on incidence of asthma or wheezing episodes. We searched MEDLINE, EBSCO, Trip, and Google Scholar up to January 31, 2015. All RCTs where infants or children who were given omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and which reported incidence of asthma and/or wheezing episodes as dichotomous outcomes were included in this review. Random effects model was used for pooling the risk estimates. Total five articles were included. Most of them were from Australia. On meta-analysis, the pooled estimate of odds ratios by random effects model showed no significant change in incidence of asthma after supplementation of omega-3 FA in infancy or childhood (OR 0.974; CI 0.646, 1.469; p = 0.900). We concluded that a multicentric RCT is required to assess the effect of omega-3 FA supplementation exclusively to infants or children to predict the best time of omega-3 FA supplementation to prevent asthmatic or wheezing episodes later in life.

Thrombocytopenia in Plasmodium vivax Malaria: How Significant?

Introduction. Thrombocytopenia is frequently noticed with P. falciparum malaria but is less reported and studied with P. vivax. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted in the Department of Medicine, SBKS MI & RC, Pipariya. We included patients who were diagnosed with vivax malaria. The data regarding their clinical and hematological profile was collected and analysed. Result. A total of 66 patients were included. 42 (63%) had platelet count <100000/mm(3). Mean platelet count was 1,18,650, range being 8000/mm(3)-6,10,000/mm(3). Amongst those with thrombocytopenia, 16 (38.09%) had anemia, 14 (33.33%) had serum creatinine >1.2 gm/dL, 15 (35.71%) had jaundice (s. bilirubin > 1.2), 2 (4.76%) had altered sensorium, 6 (14.28%) had ARDS, 2 needed ventilator support, and 1 expired. Amongst those with normal platelet count, 5 (20.83%) had anemia and 1 had jaundice whereas none had elevated s. creatinine, altered sensorium, or lung involvement. Conclusion. Thrombocytopenia is now being seen more commonly with vivax malaria. Patients with platelet count <1 lac/cumm have more severe disease.

To identify morbidity and mortality predictors in acute organophosphate poisoning.

BACKGROUND: Organophosphorus poisoning remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality, but no definite parameters have been identified as predictors of outcome. Prediction of morbidity at presentation might help in decision making in places of limited resources like rural settings in developing countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 76 cases were included in this retrospective cohort study. Logged relative risk of requirement of mechanical ventilation and hospital stay >7 days was measured in patients with serum acetylcholinesterase (s. acetylcholinesterase) <1000 versus >1000, presenting in <2 h versus ≥ 2 h after exposure, with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) ≤12 versus >12 and in patients with SpO2 <85% versus ≥85% at room air at presentation. RESULTS: S. acetylcholinesterase <1000, time elapsed after ingestion to presentation ≥ 2 h and SpO2 (at room air) at presentation <85% were found to have positive association with requirement of ventilation. GCS ≤ 12 had a significant association with both requirement of ventilation and hospital stay >7 days. CONCLUSION: S. acetylcholinesterase, SpO2 at room air, GCS, and duration of exposure at presentation can be used to identify the requirement of special care in acute organophosphorus poisoning. This can aid in decision making regarding admission to intensive care unit and referral in the places with limited resources.

ALA, fatty fish or marine n-3 fatty acids for preventing DM?: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become a global problem. Role of n-3 FA in its prevention is still not completely understood. We carried out this systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the relation of dietary intake of fish and n-3PUFA with risk of diabetes. We searched PUBMED, EMBASE and GOOGLE with cross references to identify relevant articles. Since no RCTs were available, we searched for prospective cohort studies. Sixteen studies with 6,79,763 participants which assessed the association of dietary intake of fish and n-3 PUFA (marine or alpha-linolenic acid) with incidence of T2DM in > 18 years population and provided relative risk (RR) or hazard ratio (HR) with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) of T2DM for each category of fish or n-3 PUFA intake were included. Three independent reviewers reviewed all eligible studies and abstracted the relevant information from individual studies. Meta-analysis confirmed the previous finding that marine n-3 FA increased risk of T2DM in Americans but reduced the same in Asians. We observed that two and seven times increased intake of ALA and fatty fish respectively reduced the risk of T2DM significantly and ALA did not increase the risk in Americans. We concluded that ALA may have some role in preventing T2DM, but is not studied widely. Hence, it should be studied in greater details (with higher degrees of intake; more than two times) to aid in developing effective preventive strategies against diabetes.

Safety of inhaled fluticasone propionate therapy for pediatric asthma - a systematic review.

CONTEXT AND AIM: Asthma is a common problem in paediatric population. International treatment guidelines recognize the role of inhaled corticosteroids for asthma in young children. Inhaled fluticasone propionate is reported to have greater systemic effects like other corticosteroids. Limited data is available on safety of this drug when used for longer duration. So, we conducted a systematic review to study the effect of inhaled fluticasone propionate on adrenal suppression, growth and bone mineral density in paediatric patients. DESIGN: A systematic review. METHODS: We searched for Randomized controlled trials in MEDLINE from January 2000 to December 2012. References of included study were hand searched. Information on study design, study population, drugs and dosage used, follow up period, measures used to evaluate safety and outcomes was abstracted independently by three reviewers. DETAILS OF INCLUDED STUDIES: In all included studies, participants were asthmatic children below 18 years and treated with fluticasone propionate. Minimum follow up considered was three months and should have measured HPA suppression or growth velocity or bone mineral density. RESULTS: Total ten studies were included. Studies which had monitored HPA function varied in dosage of drug, mode of administration and duration. Inspite of that it has been observed that serum cortisol level is affected by fluticasone propionate, no significant effect on bone mineral density was reported with fluticasone propionate, but the sample size was inadequate and dietary calcium intake was not recorded. None of the studies reported any significant reduction in growth when inhaled fluticasone propionate was used for the treatment of asthma, but the baseline growth and final adult height attained were not assessed. LIMITATION: This systematic review included only free full text articles published in English. Only randomized controlled trials were included. Cohort studies were not included. CONCLUSION: With available evidences, the safety of inhaled fluticasone propionate cannot be questioned. This systematic review could not derive any significant adverse effect on HPA function, growth and bone mineral density in asthmatic children when used for long duration and followed for up to three months.

Effect of nonsurgical periodontal therapy during gestation period on adverse pregnancy outcome: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To confirm effectiveness of nonsurgical periodontal treatment during pregnancy on pregnancy outcome in terms of preterm birth and low birth weight (LBW). METHOD: We searched for Randomized controlled trials in MEDLINE, CINAHL and EMBASE. from January 2000 to October 2012. References of included studies were hand searched. Studies which measured incidence of either preterm labor (PTL), LBW or both were included. Information on study design, population, risk of bias, periodontal parameters, time and type of periodontal treatment given and pregnancy outcome were abstracted independently by three reviewers. RESULTS: Total thirteen studies were included. Five studies had low risk of bias. Conclusive results could not be obtained for incidence of PTL or LBW because of heterogeneity in results due to various reasons, but all studies which assessed PTL and LBW combined showed significant difference in incidence of same in group which received non surgical periodontal treatment. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that treatment of periodontitis during gestation improves pregnancy outcome in terms of PTLBW, a fact which may be used for health and economical benefits but better RCTs with adequate sample size are required for conclusive evidence.

Coffee to reduce risk of type 2 diabetes?: a systematic review.

Type 2 DM is associated with high rates of morbidity and premature mortality. Various potential health effects of coffee have been extensively studied, but data on habitual coffee consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus have only recently been published. We systematically reviewed cohort studies (identified after searching through MEDLINE) from the period of January 2001 to August 2011 to find out the relation of degree of coffee consumption with development of diabetes mellitus. Information on study design, participant characteristics, measurement of coffee consumption and outcomes, adjustment for potential confounders, and estimates of associations was reviewed independently by 3 reviewers. The review included 13 cohort studies including 12, 47,387 participants and 9473 incident cases of type 2 diabetes. We compared the risk of diabetes amongst people with different degrees of coffee consumption. We concluded that habitual coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Participants who drank 4 to 6 cups and more than 6 to 7 cups of coffee per day had a lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared with those who drank less than 2 cups per day. Advantage of filtered coffee over pot boiled, decaffeinated coffee over caffeinated coffee and stronger inverse correlation in < 60 years age group was also noted. However, based on this review, increasing coffee consumption as a public health strategy can't be recommended. More detailed studies of coffee consumption, including appropriate measures of postprandial hyperglycemia and insulin sensitivity, are required.