Facial Nerve Palsy in a Patient with Acute Pancreatitis: A Complication of Systemic Inflammation or a Mere Co-existence?

Acute pancreatitis can trigger a systemic inflammatory response leading to wide range of complications that could be local or systemic. Viruses have been implicated in most of the infective etiology of acute pancreatitis. Cranial nerve palsy in acute pancreatitis patient is a rare event. A 35-year-old male had mild pancreatitis which resolved with treatment. After a week of admission, he developed right sided facial palsy which gradually improved with oral steroids, acyclovir, and physiotherapy. Whether it was a complication of acute pancreatitis or a mere co-existence secondary to some infective cause could not be proven. Keywords: Acute pancreatitis; facial nerve palsy; viruses.

Preparedness for Coronavirus Disease in Hospitals of Nepal: A Nationwide Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease pandemic has affected large number of people globally and has continued to spread. Preparedness of individual nations and the hospitals is important to effectively deal with the surge of cases. We aimed to obtain nation wide data from Nepal, about hospital preparedness for COVID-19. METHODS: Online questionnaire was prepared in accordance with the Center for Disease Control recommendations to assess preparedness of hospitals for COVID-19. The questionnaire was circulated to the over 800 doctors across the nation, who are the life members of six medical societies. RESULTS: We obtained 131 completed responses from all seven provinces. Majority of respondents had anaesthesiology as the primary specialty. Only 52 (39.7%) participants mentioned that their hospital had policy to receive suspected or proven cases with COVID-19. Presence of isolation ward was mentioned by 83 (63.4%) respondents, with only 9 (6.9%)mentioning the presence of airborne isolation. Supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) was inadequate as per 124 (94.7%) respondents. Critical care services for COVID-19 patients were possible only in hospitals of 42 (32.1%)respondents. RT-polymerase chain reaction could be performed only in the hospital of 6 (4.6%) respondents. CONCLUSIONS: It is apparent that most of the hospitals are not well prepared for management of patients with COVID-19. Resource allocation and policy making should be aimed to enhance national preparedness for the pandemic.

Comparison of fractional exhaled nitric oxide levels in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma and healthy subjects of Nepal.

INTRODUCTION: Fractional exhaled nitric oxide levels in exhaled breath can indicate ongoing eosinophilic airway inflammation, specifically in asthma. But its utility is being explored for central airway inflammations, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Normal levels of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO50) have been defined in different studies but not in Nepal. This study compares FENO50 levels in normal subjects, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. METHODS: Single breath estimation of FENO50 was measured by a handheld electrochemical sensor-based device in normal non-smoking adults (n = 106), clinically controlled asthma (n = 106) and stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 106). RESULTS: The geometric mean for FENO50 was 14 parts per billion (ppb) with a median of 16 ppb, first quartile at 11 ppb and third quartile at 20 ppb in normal non-smoking adults. The values were 31 ppb (geometric mean), 34 ppb (median), 17 ppb (first quartile) and 79 ppb (third quartile) in clinically controlled asthma. Similarly the values were 10 ppb (geometric mean), 11 ppb (median), 6 ppb (first quartile) and 17 ppb (third quartile) in stable chronic obstructive airway disease. The log-transformed data showed significantly higher FENO50 levels in the asthma group compared with the normal (p < 0.001) and chronic obstructive airway disease (p < 0.001). However, levels were similar between healthy and chronic obstructive airway disease groups (p = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: FENO50 levels were higher in bronchial asthma (despite disease control) than in normal non-smoking adults and subjects with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Levels of FENO50 were similar between the chronic obstructive airway disease and normal groups.