We read with great interest a recent article published in the Journal of Infection, entitled "unfavorable outcome in pregnant patients with COVID-19 by Wenhui Huang et al. 1 The authors analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy with severe maternal and neonatal complications. We hereby report a case of miscarriage during the first trimester due to SARS-CoV-2 infection in Pakistan. A pregnant lady in her first trimester who has miscarriage was selected for the present study. Written consent was obtained from the patient before evaluation. The demographic, clinical and laboratory findings were collected from the patient medical record. Nasopharyngeal swab was tested for confirmation of COVID-19 RNA using real-time RT-PCR. Blood sample was screened for other viruses, bacteria and for the analysis of hematological and biochemical markers. The study was approved by the internal review board of National Institute of Health, Islamabad. A 30 years old woman, with no any previous medical history, was presented at 10 weeks and 6 days of gestation to the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital in Rawalpindi with history of fever, dry cough, headache, body pain, sore throat, chest pain and loss of smell and taste. She was provisionaly diagnosed as COVID-19 patient by the attending physician. Laboratory investigations were performed on nasopharyngeal specimen and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on June 4, 2020. The patient went into home isolation after confirmation of COVID-19 infection. The attended physician prescribed paracetamol thrice a day for one week. Within 4 to 5 days, the patient recovered with complete absence of fever and body pain. Three days later, she was again presented at the hospital with severe abdominal pain, diarrhea and dry cough. The attending physician prescribed antibiotic (Cefixime 400 mg along with Metronidazole 400 mg for 5 days) and recommended to continue the home isolation. On June 18, 2020 she was presented to the gynaecology department, with severe uterine contraction, persistent cough and minor vaginal bleeding. The results of ultrasound scan showed no urinary bladder lesion or any other abnormality, however the inflammation in the placenta was noted during the scan. She had undergone miscarriage on the same day and re-admitted at the hospital. On the very next day, the patient condition got stable and was discharged from the hospital. Patient nasopharyngeal swabs screened for other respiratory viruses remained negative. Likwise, her blood sample tested for salmonella, toxoplasma, dengue, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and rubella virus to rule out other causes of miscarriage turned negative for the above mentioned pathogens.
Leukemia is a third fatal disease in developing countries. According to Punjab cancer registry 2014 report, leukemia incidence in Pakistan is 18.8%. Many treatments are available for leukemia now days but still there is a mortality rate measured. BCL2 controls cell apoptosis but when overexpressed due to the presence of promoter region single nucleotide polymorphism 938C>A, it causes anticancer drug resistance and represses apoptosis of malfunctioned cells resulting in immature leucocytes. The aim of the present study was genotyping of promoter region SNP in acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients of Pakistan and screening of naturally occurring phytochemical to identify BCL2 active site targeting compounds to control its expression. Study was performed on 104 cases taking similar control size showing allelic frequency C=0.466 and A=0.534 in cases, indicating an association with the disease by having chi-square p-value 0.0032. Screening of 90 phytochemicals was performed out of which one compound was selected as a lead compound based upon drug likeliness properties, binding with protein, and natural existence that may cause the least harm to human body and greater effect on leukemia cells. The information provided by this research can be used to make new-targeted drugs to control leukemia by inhibiting the mutated proteins.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.