An Audit of the Quality of Reporting and Bias of Studies on Yoga in Epilepsy.

Background: Yoga is increasingly being used as a complementary mode of treatment for epilepsy along with pharmacotherapy; however, the quality of reporting and bias of studies on yoga in epilepsy is uncertain. Objective: This study was performed to systematically evaluate the reporting quality and bias of the published studies on yoga in epilepsy. Materials and methods: PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched for studies investigating the efficacy of yoga in epilepsy or describing the patients' or caregivers' knowledge, attitude, influence, and practice of yoga in epilepsy. The reporting qualities of the studies were appraised by standard reporting checklists (CONSORT, STROBE, COREQ, and modified CONSORT) and the risks of bias were assessed using standard tools (Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool, Newcastle-Ottawa scale, and ROBINS-I tool) according to the study designs. Results: Fifteen studies (four randomized control trials, seven observational studies, three non-randomized interventional studies, and one was a mixed-method study) were included. The reporting qualities of the studies which evaluated the role of yoga in epilepsy were comparatively poor from the methodological perspective and the risks of bias were comparatively high than those which described the knowledge, attitude, influence, and practice of yoga in epilepsy. Conclusion: The reporting qualities of studies in relation to yoga and epilepsy were not satisfactory and the risks of bias were high. Hence, it is imperative to be cautious before widely recommending yoga in epilepsy.

A study to assess the effect of stressful life events on psychological distress levels of participants living in an urban area.

CONTEXT: Stressful life events affect the psychological wellbeing of individuals. Through this study, we aim to understand this effect and various other factors affecting the psychological wellbeing of the study participants. AIMS: To determine the vulnerability of study participants to psychological distress following stressful life events. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational study in an urban setting. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Systematic random sampling with a sample size of 178. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Analysis is done using SPSS version 22. Tests used are chi square test, Spearman's rank correlation test. RESULTS: The number of life events and psychological distress scores had a positive correlation.The events that occurred in one month before history taking, a correlation was found to be strongest and no correlation was found between the events which occurred more than one year before study enrolment and the psychological distress. Factors like sleeping patterns, exercise, and marital status also had a significant correlation with the psychological distress score of participants. CONCLUSIONS: Mental health is dependent on many parameters with life events being a major factor at a given point of time. However, different factors apart from life events will affect psychological wellbeing, and mental health is an interplay of all those factors.

An Updated Systematic Review of the Therapeutic Role of Hydroxychloroquine in Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The world is currently experiencing the Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. There is no approved drug for the definitive treatment of the disease. Various drugs are being tried for the treatment of COVID-19, including hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). This study was performed to systematically review the therapeutic role of HCQ in COVID-19 from the available literature. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, ICTRP (WHO), Cochrane Library databases, and two pre-print servers (medRxiv.org and Research Square) were searched for clinical studies that evaluated the therapeutic role of HCQ on COVID-19 until 10 May 2020. The available studies were critically analyzed and the data were extracted. RESULTS: A total of 663 articles were screened and 12 clinical studies (seven peer-reviewed and published studies and five non-peer-reviewed studies from pre-print servers) with a total sample size of 3543 patients were included. Some of the clinical studies demonstrated good virological and clinical outcomes with HCQ alone or in combination with azithromycin in COVID-19 patients, although the studies had major methodological limitations. Some of the other studies showed negative results with HCQ therapy along with the risk of adverse reactions. CONCLUSION: The results of efficacy and safety of HCQ in COVID-19, as obtained from the clinical studies, are not satisfactory, although many of these studies had major methodological limitations. Stronger evidence from well-designed robust randomized clinical trials is required before conclusively determining the role of HCQ in the treatment of COVID-19. Clinical prudence is required in advocating HCQ as a therapeutic armamentarium in COVID-19.

Health needs of adolescent girls living in an urban slum of a metropolitan city- A mixed method approach.

CONTEXT: Adolescents constitute nearly 21% of the population in India. They are more likely to be constrained than adults from access to and timely use of appropriate care. Adolescence in girls is a turbulent period. The changes that take place during this period need to be made stress free. These are mostly physiological, for which simple family remedies can be found out. OBJECTIVES: 1. Assessing the health needs of adolescent girls living in an urban slum. 2. Identifying the barriers in accomplishing the health needs. METHODOLOGY: This was a community-based cross-sectional study with mixed method approach. A focus group discussion was held with 13 adolescent girls. FGD results were used to prepare a questionnaire to interview 80 adolescent girls. RESULTS: The FGD revealed adolescent girls needed more information on menstrual hygiene, reproductive health, and its associated illness. Totally, 45% of the adolescent girls belonged to the age group 17-19 years. About 90% had inadequate knowledge on reproductive health. They preferred group sessions over one-to-one session on these topics and their mother as the source of information. CONCLUSION: The reproductive and sexual healthcare education that is currently being imparted to the girls need to be devised in such a way that it empowers them. A family member-the mother needs to be trained so that she can make this age transition smooth and stress free. The correct scientific knowledge will help in ensuring sustainable development.