BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has caused havoc across the globe since, no specific treatment exists for this disease, thus, far. Hence, there is an urgent need to find an effective treatment to mitigate this scourge. Honey and Nigella sativa are two natural substances with anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-microbial and immune modulating properties. They could be potentially beneficial in these patients. METHODS: We conducted an add-on, randomized, open label, placebo-controlled clinical trial using parallel group design. This was a multi-centered study with superiority framework conducted in RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 patients showing moderate or severe disease. All patients receiving standard care were randomized into treatment and control groups. In the treatment arm, patients received HNS (honey plus Nigella sativa) in predefined doses for up to 13 days. The primary outcome measures (time taken for alleviation of symptoms, viral clearance and clinical status improvement on day 6) outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: Of 1046 patients testing positive for the SARS-CoV-2, 210 showing moderate and 103 showing severe disease were randomized into treatment and control groups as per inclusion criteria. In the moderate cases, 107 were assigned to the HNS group and 103 to the control group. Among 103 severe cases, 50 were assigned to the HNS group and 53 to the control group. In the moderate and severe cases, the HNS treatment was associated with a normalized median symptoms alleviation time reduction of 3 and 7 days (HR: 6.11; 95% CI: 4.23-8.84 and HR: 4.04; 95% CI, 2.46-6.64) respectively. The HNS treatment in both groups were further associated with 4 days earlier reduction in median viral clearance time (Moderate HR: 5.53; 95% CI: 3.76-8.14) and Severe HR: 4.32; 95% CI: 2.62-7.13). Moreover, in the intention-to-treat analysis, the HNS groups led to a lower (better) clinical score on day 6 with resumption of normal activity among 63.6% of the moderate (OR: 0.07; 95% CI: 0.03-0.13) and 28% of severe cases (OR: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01-0.09). Furthermore, a significant (14.87%) reduction (OR: 0.18; 95% CI: 0.02-0.92) in mortality was observed in the HNS arm. No difference in adverse effects were seen between the HNS and control arms. CONCLUSIONS: A significant reduction in in the severity of disease, the time taken for viral clearance and mortality was observed with HNS treatment in COVID-19 patients. HNS represents a safe, effective, over the counter and affordable therapy for this pandemic essentially lowering health care burden. It can be used alone or in combination with other expensive treatments and give an additive effect. Hence, the potential of HNS against COVID-19 should be explored in future larger studies. (Funded by Smile Welfare Organization, Shaikh Zayed Medical Complex and Services Institute of Medical Sciences; NIH Clinical Trial Register number: NCT04347382.)
Introduction: Pregnancy is a condition usually associated with increased vaginal discharge including vaginal infections like bacterial vaginosis, leading to adverse perinatal outcomes due to disturbance in vaginal ecosystem that warrants further evaluation and timely management. Aims & Objectives: The study was conducted to determine the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in pregnancy and its contributing factors. Place and duration of study: Out Patient Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore. Duration of the study was six months. Material & Methods: 120 pregnant females with age 20-40 years with singleton pregnancy of more than 12 weeks’ gestation were included. Women who were immunosuppressed and history of diabetes and hypertension and recent history of use of antibiotics were excluded. Vaginal swab specimen was taken & bacterial vaginosis was labelled after fulfilling Amsel criteria. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results: In this study, 120 cases were taken and mean age of participants was 27.55±3.97 years. The mean duration of gestation was 18.76±6.14 weeks. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) was seen in 24 (20%) of the cases. BV was seen in 19 (20.65%) cases with age 20-29 years’ vs 5 (17.86%) cases in age group 20-40 years with p= 1.0. Bacterial vaginosis was nearly significantly high in multiparous women where this was seen in 13 (27.65%) cases as compared to 11 (15.06%) cases in primiparous women with p= 0.11. Out of 20 cases of bacterial vaginosis, low education was seen in 12 (60%) of the cases. Conclusion: The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in pregnancy at local setup is high and is seen nearly in 1 out of 5 cases. This demands health educational programs to enlighten women regarding screening and early detection & treatment to prevent complications during pregnancy.
The diabetic patients are more likely to experience depression. The study's objective was to determine the depression prevalence in newly diagnosed patients with type-I (T1DM) and type-II (T2DM) diabetes, as well as the relationship between these symptoms and several independent clinical and sociodemographic variables. Place and Duration: Study took place in the Department of Endocrinology and metabolism in Services Hospital Lahore, Pakistan for six months of duration from January 2017 to June 2017. Methods: A total of 320 patients included in the study, including two control groups of 180 people without diabetes and 75 patients in each group with T1DM and T2DM. The clinical, biochemical and sociodemographic characteristics of the patients were assessed and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess the symptoms of depression among patients. The association between the scores of BDI and independent factors such age, sex, mean arterial pressure, diabetes duration, BMI, diabetic complications and HbA1c level were assessed in the logistic regression analysis. Results: Compared to controls, females and males with T1DM and T2DM had significantly higher mean BDI scores. Females had depression symptoms more frequently than males diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Patients with T1DM reported depressive symptoms among 20% of females and 5.7% of males, whereas those with T2DM have depression among 40.6% of women and 23.2% of men. The depression increased with age in patients with T1DM and T2DM, their HbA1c level rises, and they experience more complications. Women with T2DM also have a three-fold high risk of developing depressive symptoms than males. Conclusion: In conclusion, diabetic patients are more likely to experience depression in comparison to non-diabetics. 13.3% of T1DM patients and 30.7% of the T2DM patients having depressive symptoms. HbA1c level, age and the occurrence of comorbidities all raise the risk of depression in both T1DM and T2DM, and in T2DM depression is gender -specific. Keywords: Depressive symptoms, Beck Depression Inventory, type I and type II diabetes mellitus.
<strong>Objective:</strong> To evaluate the challenges and coping strategies by Radiology Doctors during the COVID-19 Era. <strong>Materials and Methods:</strong> It is a mixed-method cross-sectional study done over one month in Radiology Department, Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan with a convenient sampling technique. <strong>Results:</strong> 80% of the radiologists faced challenges during the pandemic. Age, gender, marital status, monthly income, residents, and years of residency showed significant associations with challenges faced by doctors in the radiology department during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many challenges in terms of management, psychological aspects, training education, and research work were faced by the radiologists but they coped with them heroically.<strong> Conclusion:</strong> COVID-19 posed a spectrum of unforeseen challenges to the radiologists of Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore. Challenges related to management, psychological aspects for doctors, research work and training education were all tackled by the senior and junior doctors by using various coping strategies.
Background: Anatomical position of sphenoid sinus, sellar and parasellar regions are located in the skull base having difficulty to approach due to presence of vital structures in its proximity. The presence of carotid artery and optic nerve in its lateral wall make the situation difficult due to lack of illumination and visual limitation. In the past traditional techniques to approach this region like external ethmoidectomy, transseptal transsphenoidal routes were used causing significant trauma, bleeding and risk of possible complication in skull base region. Aim: to access the efficacy and safety of the endonasal endoscopic approach to the sphenoid sinus Method: This study was done in the department of ENT Shaikh Zayed hospital Lahore, 33 patients who were diagnosed to have lesions involving sphenoid sinus. Detailed history, thorough ENT examination, relative investigations were done and all were managed naso-endoscopically. Results: The review of these cases showed that the endoscopic technique was found to have the advantages of being minimally invasive with no external incisions. There is less trauma to the patient, no need for operating microscope or intraoperative image intensifier. Conclusion: The conclusion of our study showed that naso-endoscopes are excellent tools for better visualization due to availability of different angled scopes and good illumination. The disease is better assessed and cleared identifying landmarks with quicker postoperative recovery and lesser overall morbidity. Over the last few years, endoscopic approach to these regions has gained much popularity because of advances in optics, endoscopes and illumination. Keywords: Endoscopic sinus surgery, sphenoid sinus
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.