Objectives This study aimed to find out the association of CT severity score with demographic and clinical characteristics as well as mortality in the patients who were confirmed to have COVID-19 disease in the second wave. Material and Methods This retrospective study included collection and assessment of the demographic, clinical, laboratory data, and mortality of the patients, suspected with COVID-19 infection who underwent chest HRCT scan during March to April 2021. The findings of the chest HRCT were retrieved manually from the Medical Records section. Determination of the severity was done by the scoring system that involved the visual evaluation of the affected lobes. Results CT severity score was mild, moderate, and severe in 21.94%, 41.60%, and 30.48% patients, respectively. Mortality rate was 5.70%. Age of the patients with mild, moderate, and severe CT severity score was significantly more than those with normal severity score (50 vs. 50 vs. 50 vs. 31, P=0.0009). When compared to patients with normal score, those with mild, moderate, and severe CT severity score had significantly higher dyspnoea (10.39% vs. 67.81% vs. 97.20% vs. 0%), significantly more cases with diabetes mellitus (16.88% vs. 25.34% vs. 31.78% vs. 9.52%, P=0.044), hypertension (27.27% vs. 21.23% vs. 32.71% vs. 4.76%, P=0.026), and obesity (6.49% vs. 8.90% vs. 23.36% vs. 0%, P=0.0005). Total leucocyte counts, absolute neutrophil counts, creatinine, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ferritin, and D-dimer were deranged in significantly more patients of severe score (53.27%, 62.62%, 60.75%, 85.05%, 90.65%, 97.20%, and 95.35%, respectively). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein were deranged in significantly more patients with moderate disease (98.18% and 98.63%, respectively). Increasing severity scores were associated with increased mortality (mild vs. moderate vs. severe: 1.30% vs. 1.37 vs. 15.89%, P<.0001). Oxygen saturation (SpO2) was significantly lowest in severe score followed by moderate, mild and normal scores (87 vs. 90 vs. 96 vs. 97, P<.0001). Duration of non-rebreather mask (NRBM), noninvasive ventilation (NIV), high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC), Venture/face mask, and intubation was also associated with increasing severity scores (P<0.0001). Conclusion CT scans play an important role in guiding physicians with their management plans and can serve as a predictor of disease severity and outcomes.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic caused by a novel genetically-mutated strain of coronavirus has posed a tremendous challenge to healthcare professionals, worldwide. This study aimed to explore the healthcare professionals’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to coronavirus disease in Western Uttar Pradesh and provide data to improve awareness about this disease and remove the knowledge gap, if any, by disseminating the updated information to the corona warriors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the form of a structured 28-item online questionnaire using SurveyMonkey software. The qualitative data were coded numerically, and the KAP score was calculated. Pearson Chi-square test was used to study the association, among variables. RESULTS: Of 509 respondents, 296 (58.19%) were males and 213 (41.81%) were females. The median age bracket of the sample was 20–40 years. By profession, 255 (50.10%) were doctors, 167 (32.74%) were medical students, 80 (15.78%) were other healthcare workers, and a minority 7 (1.38%) were the nursing staff. Educational status covered a range from secondary (2.01%) to senior secondary (17.51%) to bachelors and equivalent (29.18%) to masters and equivalent (51.31%). The average KAP scores were 54%, and the score was highest among doctors as compared to other healthcare professionals ( P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In light of these study findings, we conclude that healthcare professionals are aware of coronavirus disease. However, the overall KAP score regarding its clinical course, preventive strategies, and judicious use of personal protective equipment was less than expected. There is a need to address all misconceptions and empower the corona warriors with the right information through effective mass media communication and reinforcement through seminars and workshops in the medical institutes and hospitals. The healthcare professionals are a cornerstone to prevent the nosocomial and community spread of this pandemic.
Background: Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) are the major cause of mortality in the world. Reducing the incidence of CVDs has been a challenge due to the multifactorial risk profile of their origin. Among the non-modifiable risk factor for CVDs family history holds a lot of importance. Objective of the study was to study blood pressure, waist hip ratio and body mass index among adolescents and verify the possible the relation with a family history of cardiovascular disease.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, which was conducted in 286 school children aged 10 to 19 years, of either sex, from Barabanki. After getting consent from school authorities, children and their parents, a detailed history was taken with a pre-designed proforma. Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were taken.Results: In the presence of any risk factor of CVDs, 33.9% of the adolescents were overweight/obese, 45.8% had abdominal obesity, 26.3% had elevated systolic BP and 35.6% had elevated diastolic BP. The group with family history of CVDs had significantly higher number of adolescents with obesity and/or hypertension.Conclusions: The present studied showed an important association between family history of CVDs and blood pressure, waist hip ratio and body mass index in adolescents.
Computed Tomography has played a vital role in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) over the last two years. The typical features of COVID-19 on High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) of chest including ground glass opacities and consolidation with a peripheral and lower lobar predilection have been very well documented in literature worldwide. However, thin-walled lucencies in the lung parenchyma called cysts is not very well documented. Authors thus present a case series comprising six SARS-CoV-2 Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) positive patients admitted to the hospital during the period 1st April 2021 to 31st May 2021 with lung cysts on HRCT. It was a retrospective study wherein details of the patients were drawn from the case record sheets and the clinical parameters along with HRCT chest findings were analysed, and correlations were drawn to study the cause, timing and significance of these cysts. In this study, the cysts were found to be thin-walled, varying in size from 5-20 mm in diameter and subpleural in distribution with no obvious lobar predilection.The immediately surrounding lung parenchyma showed features of maximal involvement by the atypical pneumonitis. All six cases had moderate to severe lung involvement entailing oxygen therapy. The high flow oxygen therapy and its duration along with degree of lung involvement, are important determinants of cystic degeneration. In the present case series, cystic changes were observed somewhere between day 15 to day 40 of the disease and thus a part of postacute fibrosis in COVID-19 infection.
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