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OBJECTIVE@#This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio of a handheld Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) device (Infrascanner 2000®) in detecting intracranial hemorrhage in mild, closed traumatic brain injury patients in the emergency room setting.@*METHODS@#This prospective study evaluated the diagnostic validity of a NIRS device in hemodynamically stable patients with mild, closed traumatic brain injury. The authors included patients aged 15 to 65 years who were consecutively admitted to the Emergency Department of the Philippine General Hospital from June 2017 to September 2017. Patients were scanned by a trained research assistant with the NIRS device in the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital areas of the brain bilaterally. A cranial computed tomography scan was used as a reference standard for comparison.@*RESULTS@#A total of 83 participants with mild, closed traumatic brain injury were included in the final analysis. There were 68 (82%) males, and the mean age was 29.52 years old. Of the 83 participants, 41 had intracranial hemorrhages (23 subdural, 13 epidural, 5 intraprenchymal). The NIRS device exhibited a sensitivity, 85.37% [55-96.19%]; specificity, 92.86% [85.07-100.00%]; PPV, 92.12% [83.53-100.00%]; NPV, 86.67% [76.74-96.60%]; PLR, 11.96 [3.99- 35.82]; and NLR, 0.16 [0.07-0.33].@*CONCLUSION@#The NIRS device can reliably screen for hemorrhages in patients with mild, closed traumatic brain injury using CT scan results as the gold standard. These diagnostic values suggest the potential role of the NIRS device in the early evaluation of patients with traumatic brain injury requiring urgent care.
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IntroductionIn March 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic forced medical schools in the Philippines to stop face-to-face learning activities and abruptly shift to an online curriculum. This study aimed to identify barriers to online learning from the perspective of medical students in a developing country. MethodsThe authors sent out an electronic survey to medical students in the Philippines from 11 to 24 May 2020. Using a combination of multiple choice, Likert scale, and open-ended questions, the following data were obtained: demographics, medical school information, access to technological resources, study habits, living conditions, self-assessment of capacity for and perceived barriers to online learning, and proposed interventions. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Responses were compared between student subgroups using nonparametric tests. ResultsAmong 3,670 medical students, 3,421 (93%) owned a smartphone and 3,043 (83%) had a laptop or desktop computer. To access online resources, 2,916 (79%) had a postpaid internet subscription while 696 (19%) used prepaid mobile data. Under prevailing conditions, only 1,505 students (41%) considered themselves physically and mentally capable of engaging in online learning. Barriers were classified under five categories: technological, individual, domestic, institutional, and community barriers. Most frequently encountered were difficulty adjusting learning styles, having to perform responsibilities at home, and poor communication between educators and learners. DiscussionMedical students in the Philippines confronted several interrelated barriers as they tried to adapt to online learning. By implementing student-centered interventions, medical schools and educators play a significant role in addressing these challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
