Publications by authors named "Azamat Akylbekov"

Background: In Kyrgyzstan, the morbidity prevalence of and morbidity from acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI) in children is high. Local healthcare workers (HCW) often prescribe antibiotics that are not indicative due to a mix of professional and societal factors. It is suggested to precede with a decision on antibiotics by a point-of-care test (POCT) on the appropriateness of the treatment, eg, a measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP).

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Hypoxia and old age impair postural control and may therefore enhance the risk of accidents. We investigated whether acetazolamide, the recommended drug for prevention of acute mountain sickness, may prevent altitude-induced deterioration of postural control in older persons. In this parallel-design trial, 95 healthy volunteers, 40 years of age or older, living <1,000 m, were randomized to preventive therapy with acetazolamide (375 mg/d) or placebo starting 24 h before and during a 2-day sojourn at 3,100 m.

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Introduction: While lower respiratory tract infections are the main cause of death for children under 5 globally, only a small proportion of children with respiratory tract infections need antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotics globally is leading to increasing rates of antibiotic resistance. In Kyrgyzstan, healthcare workers regularly prescribe antibiotics when clinical uncertainty is present to err on the side of caution.

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Article Synopsis
  • A study was conducted to determine the effects of moderate altitude exposure on visuomotor performance in healthy adults aged 40 and older while exploring if acetazolamide could mitigate these effects.
  • The trial included 59 participants, who were given either acetazolamide or a placebo before and during their time at a high altitude of 3100m, with performance assessed through a computer test measuring directional error in a cursor tracking task.
  • Results showed that visuomotor performance declined at high altitude compared to lower altitudes, but acetazolamide significantly improved performance metrics, indicating it may help counteract altitude-related visuomotor impairments.
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Inhaled medication is essential to control asthma and COPD, but availability and proper adherence are challenges in low-middle income countries (LMIC). Data on medication availability and adherence in Central Asia are lacking. We aimed to investigate the availability of respiratory medication and the extent of financially driven non-adherence in patients with COPD and asthma in Kyrgyzstan.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Out of 89 articles analyzed, most research was concentrated in Brazil, with a preference for questionnaire-based measurements over device-based methods for assessing lifestyle behaviors.
  • * Findings indicate that adults with CRD in LMIC typically exhibit low levels of PA (2,669–7,490 steps/day), high sedentary behavior (283–418 min/day sitting), and poor sleep quality (up to 100% reporting poor quality).
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Introduction: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a programme of individually prescribed physical exercise, education and self-management activities. PR is recommended in international guidelines for managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other chronic respiratory diseases. PR is still under-recognised in tuberculosis (TB) guidelines and PR is not available in many low and middle-income countries and for people with post-TB lung disease (PTBLD).

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Objective: After experiencing tuberculosis (TB), many people develop post-tuberculosis lung disease (PTBLD). Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) centrally comprising of education and exercise is recommended internationally for people living with chronic respiratory diseases. However, no such service exists in Kyrgyzstan.

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Background: Respiratory disease and, specifically, pneumonia, is the major cause of mortality and morbidity in young children. Diagnosis of both pneumonia and asthma in primary care rests principally on clinical signs, history taking, and bronchodilator responsiveness. This study aimed to describe clinical practices in diverse global primary care settings concerning differential diagnosis of respiratory disease in young children, especially between pneumonia and asthma.

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The original version of this Article contained an error in the spelling of the author Mette Marie Kristensen, which was incorrectly given as Mette-Marie Kristensen. The affiliation details for Mette Marie Kristensen were also incorrect in this Article. This has now been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of this article.

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Lower respiratory tract illnesses (LRT-illnesses) in children under 5 years (U5s) are a leading cause of morbidity, hospitalisations and mortality worldwide, particularly in low-income countries. It is pertinent to understand possible inconsistent management. This study explored perceptions and practices among caregivers and health professionals on recurrent LRT-illnesses in U5s.

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