Introduction: The symptoms of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) may range from mild to severe. Patients usually present with fever, cough, and other respiratory tract symptoms, but may also be asymptomatic. Some studies have also indicated the ocular involvement by the virus. This study aims to look deeply into all ophthalmic findings seen in COVID-19 patients and their clinical characteristics.Methods: This longitudinal study was conducted in the COVID-19 unit of a tertiary care hospital, Pakistan. Data of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infection between July 2020 and March 2021 were included in the study. Ophthalmological examination was done at the time of admission and was repeated every alternate day to look for any ophthalmological manifestation.Results: Out of 441 (n= 441), 61 (13.8%) participants had ophthalmological findings on examination. Patients with ophthalmological findings were significantly younger compared to patients without ophthalmological findings (42 ± 6 years vs. 44 ± 7; p-value, 0.03). C-reactive protein (CRP) was also significantly higher in patients with ophthalmological findings (122.2 ± 16.2 vs. 112.8 ± 19.8; p-value, 0.005). The most common ophthalmological finding was conjunctival irritation (50.8%), followed by diplopia (27.8%) and cotton wool spots (27.8%). Conclusion:Ophthalmological findings are prevalent in patients with COVID-19. In this study, patients with higher CRP levels were associated with ophthalmological findings. It is important to conduct ophthalmological examinations in patients with COVID-19, as they may give a clue about other complications associated with COVID-19.

IntroductionHypertension (HTN) is a common health problem, diagnosed in every one out of four individuals. It is associated with various complications; however, its impact on hearing loss is not well studied. In this study, we will determine the impact of HTN on hearing. MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted in Jinnah Sindh Medical University from August 2020 to March 2021. Three hundred (300) patients with documented diagnosis of HTN, between the ages of 21 and 50 years, were enrolled in the study. Another 300 non-hypertensive participants were enrolled as a reference group. Participants were sent to trained otolaryngologist technicians, who performed audiometry at six different frequencies for each year (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 6.0 kilohertz (kHz)). The final hearing level was calculated by taking mean of hearing levels of both ears. ResultsThe hearing levels in audiometry were significantly higher in hypertensive participants compared to nonhypertensive participants (23.4 ± 8.67 dB vs 18.3 ± 6.02 dB; p-value: <0.0001). Participants who had been diagnosed with HTN for more than five years had higher hearing levels in audiometry test compared to participants with less than five years of HTN (24.21 ± 8.92 dB vs. 22.6 ± 8.02 dB; p-value 0.0001). ConclusionBased on our study, HTN is positively correlated with hearing loss. Therefore, longstanding hypertensive patients should be screened regularly in order to assess the status of their hearing abilities.

IntroductionAmple data regarding the impact of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) on the pulmonary, nervous, and gastrointestinal systems are available. However, its impact on sexual performance is understudied. In this study, we will determine the impact of COVID-19 on the sexual performance of females. MethodsThis longitudinal study was conducted in the COVID-19 unit of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan from June 2020 to March 2021. We enrolled 300 female patients admitted to the hospital due to severe COVID-19. Patients' female sexual function index (FSFI) scale was assessed at the time of discharge. Participants were asked to answer the question based on their sexual performance before they contracted COVID-19. They were asked to return after 60 days, where FSFI was assessed again. ResultsThe mean FSFI score for participants before COVID-19 was significantly higher compared to the score 60 days after discharge (28.16 ± 1.9 vs. 24.43 ± 2.5; p-value: <0.0001). Participants who had FSFI score more than 26 were significantly higher before COVID-19 (72.5% vs. 51.0%; p-value: <0.0001). ConclusionThere is a significant decline in sexual function of females, who had contracted COVID-19 infection. COVID-19 survivors should be counseled properly about the impact on the sexual function when discussing long-term complications of COVID-19.

The objectives of this study were to find out the frequency of anxiety and depression in medical students and various coping mechanisms adopted by them to identify the coping trends and to stress the need of equipping these students with positive coping tools to deal with anxiety and depression. A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based observational study was conducted on a population of 500 medical students of Federal Medical and Dental College, Islamabad. The duration of the study was three months. By using the WHO sample size calculator, taking the confidence level 95%, anticipated population proportion 70% and absolute precision required 7%, the sample size was calculated at 165. The samples were collected by non-probability consecutive sampling via a questionnaire. In the study, two instruments were used: 1) Aga Khan University Anxiety and Depression Scale (AKUADS), and 2) Brief Cope Inventory. ---Continue

Introduction: Patients with cirrhosis suffer from fluid and electrolyte imbalance. The usually reported electrolyte disorders include hyperkalemia, hyponatremia, and hypokalemia. The regional data about the prevalence and risk factors associated with hyperkalemia in cirrhotic patients are not sufficient enough. The purpose of this study is to determine various risk factors associated with hyperkalemia, which will assist in the early detection of cirrhotic patients at risk of hyperkalemia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the internal medicine and gastroenterology departments of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan from March 2021 to June 2021. Sonographically documented liver cirrhosis patients (n=500), of either gender and between the ages of 18 and 70 years, were enrolled in the study. After enrollment, patients' demographics were noted in a self-structured questionnaire. Participant's Child-Pugh score was also noted in the questionnaire. After a detailed history, 5 mL of venous blood was drawn in two vials via phlebotomy and send to the laboratory to measure serum potassium, creatinine, albumin, and bilirubin levels.Result: Out of the total 500 participants, 101 (20.2%) participants had hyperkalemia. It was significantly more prevalent in participants with Child-Pugh C class and in those with a serum creatinine of more than 1.3 mg/dL. Similarly, it was more prevalent in participants with albumin levels less than 2.5 mg/dL. Conclusion:Hyperkalemia is associated with Child-Pugh class C. It has a direct relationship with serum creatinine levels which is an indicator of renal function, and an inverse relationship with serum albumin levels, an indicator of hepatic synthetic function.

IntroductionAsthma has a negative impact on the quality of life of patients and their families. One of the factors responsible for the low quality of life is poor sleep quality in asthmatic patients. Sleep disturbances, such as difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep, are common in asthma. In this study, we aim to determine the quality of sleep in young asthmatic patients in a local setting. MethodThis case-control study was conducted in the pulmonology and internal medicine unit of a tertiary care hospital, Pakistan from January 2021 to May 2021. After seeking informed consent, 200 patients with a previously confirmed diagnosis of asthma were enrolled in the study. The control group also included 200 participants. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is an efficient measure of the quality and pattern of sleep. A global PSQI score of ≥5 signifies "poor sleep quality." ResultsThe mean PSQI score was significantly higher in the asthmatic group compared to the control group (6.26 ± 2.01 vs. 3.41 ± 0.50; p-value: <0.0001). The percentage of participants with a PSQI score of ≥5 was significantly higher in the asthmatic group compared to the control group (54.5% vs. 17.0%; p-value: <0.0001). ConclusionSleep disturbance is very common in young patients with asthma. Poor sleep may interfere with their daily performance, which may further have a negative impact on the quality of life in asthmatic patients. Management of asthma should also include improving sleep quality.