Validation of postnatal growth and retinopathy of prematurity (G-ROP) screening guidelines in a tertiary care hospital of Pakistan: A report from low-middle income country.

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) significantly contributes to childhood blindness globally, with a disproportionately high burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to improved neonatal care alongside inadequate ROP screening and treatment facilities. This study aims to validate the performance of Postnatal Growth and Retinopathy of Prematurity (G-ROP) screening criteria in a cohort of premature infants presenting at a tertiary care setting in Pakistan. This cross-sectional study utilized retrospective chart review of neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan from January 2018 to February 2022.

Change in mean postoperative pain in patients undergoing tonsillectomy with cold water versus usual practice: A pragmatic trial.

Introduction: Tonsillectomy is one of the most common procedures performed in otolaryngology. There are various methods to perform tonsillectomies (cold and hot). Thermal damage and inflammation of the surrounding tissue using monopolar cautery is said to point to increased pain whereas immediate cooling of the burnt area is thought to reduce pain owing to heat dissipation.

The evolving role of social media in enhancing quality of life: a global perspective across 10 countries.

Background: Excessive or inappropriate use of social media has been linked to disruptions in regular work, well-being, mental health, and overall reduction of quality of life. However, a limited number of studies documenting the impact of social media on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are available globally.

Aim: This study aimed to explore the perceived social media needs and their impact on the quality of life among the adult population of various selected countries.

Validation of CHERG'S Verbal Autopsy-Social Autopsy (VASA) tool for ascertaining determinants and causes of under-five child mortality in Pakistan.

The majority (40%) of the world's under-five mortality burden is concentrated in nations like Nigeria (16.5%), India (16%), Pakistan (8%), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (6%), where an undetermined number of under-five deaths go unrecorded. In low-resource settings throughout the world, the Verbal Autopsy-Social Autopsy (VASA) technique may assist assess under-five mortality estimates, assigning medical and social causes of death, and identifying relevant determinants.

Effectiveness Of Intrathecal Dexmedetomidine In Combination With Hyperbaric Bupivacaine For Lower Abdominal Surgeries And Its Postoperative Analgesic Characteristic.

Background: Intra-thecal anaesthesia is the commonly preferred, block for surgeries of lower abdomen, perineal and lower limb. It is easy to administer and very economical but needs skills. Intrathecal use of local anaesthetics possesses a short duration of action and needs early use of rescue analgesia postoperatively.

Analysis of adolescents' perception and awareness level for Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights in Pakistan.

Background: Awareness of rights is a precondition to establishing rule of law in society. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) are closely knitted in the human rights framework as they overlap with other human rights such as the right to health and life. However, awareness about these rights remains a challenge.

Is Cemented Bipolar Hemiarthroplasty Good Choice For Unstable Intertrochanteric Fractures In Elderly: Multicentric Prospective Study At Karachi.

Background: To analyse the functional outcome of primary cemented bipolar hemi arthroplasty (PCBH) for unstable osteoporotic intertrochanteric femur fractures in elderly patients.

Methods: : It was a multicentre prospective study conducted at Institute of Orthopaedics & Surgery, Medicare Cardiac & General Hospital and Dr Ruth K M Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, Pakistan from February 2015 to July 2020. Thirty-eight patients of 60-90 years of either gender diagnosed as close UIF, severe osteoporosis as per Singh index grade ≤3, time since injury <2 weeks, ASA status II & III and pre-injury independent walking were enrolled in this study.

Perception towards vaccine effectiveness in controlling COVID-19 spread in rural and urban communities: A global survey.

Introduction: Several studies exhibited varying reports of perception toward vaccine effectiveness, vaccine hesitancy, and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines. As this fluctuated with evidence generation, this study explored the perception toward vaccine effectiveness in rural and urban communities among various countries.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted online from April to August 2021 using convenience sampling among people from different countries approved by the Asia Metropolitan University Medical Research and Ethics.

Adapted digital health literacy and health information seeking behavior among lower income groups in Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Misinformation has had a negative impact upon the global COVID-19 vaccination program. High-income and middle-income earners typically have better access to technology and health facilities than those in lower-income groups. This creates a rich-poor divide in Digital Health Literacy (DHL), where low-income earners have low DHL resulting in higher COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Toward Coronavirus Disease (COVID- 19) in Southeast and South Asia: A Mixed Study Design Approach.

Background: Coronavirus has spread to almost every country since its emergence in Wuhan, China and countries have been adopted an array of measures to control the rapid spread of the epidemic. Here, we aimed to assess the person's knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) toward the COVID-19 epidemic in Southeast and South Asia applying the mixed study design (cross-sectional and systematic review).

Methods: In the cross-sectional study, 743 respondents' socio-demographic and KAP-related information was collected through an online population-based survey from the Malaysian population.

Perceived barriers to facemask adherence in the covid-19 pandemic in Pakistan-A cross-sectional survey.

Objective: To explore perceived barriers associated with facemask adherence to prevent spread of COVID-19 spread in Pakistani population.

Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted from 25-July 2020 to 5-August 2020. Participants of both genders of age >17 years, currently residing in Pakistan, who had access to internet and understood English were included in the survey.

Glycated haemoglobin association with severity of thrombus burden in non-diabetic versus diabetic patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Objective: To determine and compare the relationship between glycated haemoglobin level on admission and the angiographic thrombus burden in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Karachi, from June 2018 to July 2019, and comprised patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Demographic details and self-reported duration of diabetes was recorded.

Literature search strategies in dental education and research.

A well-organized literature search is a fundamental requirement for research-based dental education. The execution of a literature search is not beneficial unless researchers possess basic knowledge about it. In this article, all basic strategies and research tools essentially required for a literature search, including Boolean operators, correct use of keywords, database selection, and the evaluation of filtered data and limitations, are discussed.

Frequency and impact of slow flow / no flow in primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objective: To determine the frequency of slow/no flow in primary percutaneous coronary intervention, to know the clinical and angiographical predictors of the phenomenon, and to investigate the immediate impact of slow/no flow on haemodnamics.

Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Karachi, from June 2018 to July 2019, and comprised patients presenting with ST elevation myocardial infarction who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Demographic and clinical details of the patients were recorded.

Comparative evaluation of upper versus lower calyceal approach in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for managing renal calculi.

Objective: To compare upper versus lower calyceal approaches in percutaneous nephrolithotomy for managing renal calculi.

Methods: The retrospective study was conducted in the Department of Urology, The Kidney Centre Post-Graduate Training Institute, Karachi, and comprised data of patients who underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy from January 2014 to January 2015. Patients were divided into upper pole puncture group A and lower pole puncture group B.

Prognostic value of GRACE score for in-hospital and 6 months outcomes after non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the predictive value of the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score for predicting in-hospital and 6 months mortality after non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS).

Results: In this observational study, 300 patients with NSTE-ACS of age more than 30 years were included; 16 patients died during the hospital stay (5.3%).

Incidence of Cardiac Arrhythmias in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Associated Outcomes During the First 24 Hours.

Background Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is the most life-threatening manifestation of coronary artery diseases. The majority of deaths in AMI are due to arrhythmias. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and risk factors and outcomes of cardiac arrhythmias in AMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) during the first 24 hours of the index hospitalization.

Predictive modeling of COVID-19 death cases in Pakistan.

Background: The world is presently facing the challenges posed by COVID-19 (2019-nCoV), especially in the public health sector, and these challenges are dangerous to both health and life. The disease results in an acute respiratory infection that may result in pain and death. In Pakistan, the disease curve shows a vertical trend by almost 256K established cases of the diseases and 6035 documented death cases till August 5, 2020.

Characteristics of acute central serous chorioretinopathy on optical coherence tomography - a retrospective study.

Central Serous Chorioretinopathy is a common chorioretinal disease which is characterized by serous detachment of the neurosensory retina from the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) in the macular area. The purpose of this study was to find out the characteristics of acute central serous chorioretinopathy on optical coherence tomography. This study was conducted at Lahore General Hospital and Yaqin Vision from January 2016 to June 2018.

Salivary IgA as a Useful Biomarker for Dental Caries in Down's Syndrome Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to critically analyze and summarize studies reporting association of salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels as a biomarker for dental caries in Down syndrome (DS) patients. Using the keywords salivary [All Fields] AND IgA [All Fields] AND ("down syndrome" [MeSH Terms] OR ("down"[All Fields] AND "syndrome" [All Fields]) OR "down syndrome" [All Fields]), an electronic search was conducted via PubMed and Scopus databases by two authors, H. H.

Progress of COVID-19 Epidemic in Pakistan.

The outbreak of corona virus initiated as pneumonia of unknown cause in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, which has been now spreading rapidly out of Wuhan to other countries. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus outbreak as the sixth public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), and on March 11, 2020, the WHO announced coronavirus as . Coronavirus is thought to be increasing in Pakistan.

Accuracy of working length measurement with endo motor having built-in apex locator and comparison with periapical radiographs.

Objective: To determine the accuracy of working length measurement with endomotor having builtin apex locator by comparing it with periapical radiographs.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Operative Dentistry, Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan Institute of Oral Health Sciences, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, from January to June 2014, and comprised permanent maxillary anterior teeth with mature apices. A preoperative radiograph was taken by using standardised paralleling technique.

Outcome of interventional treatment modalities for retinoblastoma: Experience at a tertiary care centre in Pakistan.

Retinoblastoma is the most common intra-ocular malignancy found in children in their infancy. Originating from the retinal cells, the disease has a significant association with mortality and morbidity. A case series study was conducted at the Lahore General Hospital eye department, from November 2016 to January 2018.

Association of cheek-biting and depression.

Objective: To determine the association between cheek-biting and depression in patients visiting dental clinics for routine check-up..

Methods: The case-control study was conducted at Ameen Medical and Dental Centre, Karachi, from July 2016 to January 2017, and comprised patients coming for routine dental check-up with complaint of pain and burning in oral cavity.

Comparative evaluation of sublay versus onlay mesh repair for ventral hernia.

Objective: To compare sublay and onlay techniques of ventral hernia repair in terms of postoperative drain removal time and wound infection.

Methods: This randomised controlled study was conducted from June to December 2016 at Jinnah Medical and Dental College Hospital, Karachi, and comprised hernia patients who were divided into two equal groups A and B. The former were subjected to onlay technique while the latter underwent sublay technique.