Gastroesophageal reflux disease in Sri Lanka: An island-wide epidemiological survey assessing the prevalence and associated factors.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is commonly encountered in clinical practice in Sri Lanka. However, its prevalence in Sri Lanka is unknown. Our objective was to study the island-wide prevalence of GERD symptoms in Sri Lanka and its associated factors.

The association between symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease and perceived stress: A countrywide study of Sri Lanka.

Background/aims: Stress is a known associated factor for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, the dynamics between stress and GERD are not fully studied, especially in Sri Lanka. Our objective was to assess it.

Anal sphincter fatigability in assessing anal incontinence: A systematic review.

Background: Diagnosing anal incontinence (AI) based on manometry results is challenging due to the variation of the normal values and overlap between patients with and without AI. This study aimed to perform a systematic review on the difference in sphincter fatigability between patients with and without AI.

Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar were searched.

Autoimmune encephalitis in a South Asian population.

Background: Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is now considered a main, potentially curable cause of encephalitis, but remains conspicuously underreported from South Asia. We studied the clinical characteristics in relation to their antibody status and outcomes of patients presenting with AE in Sri Lanka.

Methods: Patients admitting to government hospitals who were clinically suspected of AE by an on-site neurologist were prospectively recruited over a period of 12 months.

Correlation between immunity from BCG and the morbidity and mortality of COVID-19.

Background: To investigate the association between parameters indicating immunity from BCG at country level (presence of BCG vaccination policy, BCG coverage, age-specific incidence of tuberculosis (TB)) and the morbidity and mortality of COVID-19.

Methods: Country-specific data for COVID-19 cases and deaths, demographic details, BCG coverage and policy, age-specific TB incidence and income level were obtained. The crude COVID-19 cases and deaths per 100,000 population were calculated and assessed against the parameters indicating immunity from BCG using linear regression analysis.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate in acute dengue infection.

Background: Vascular leak is the hallmark of severe dengue infections and leads to complications such as shock and multi-organ failure. Although many mediators have been implicated in the vascular leak in dengue, the role of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) has not been investigated.

Metholodology/principal Findings: As S1P has been shown to be important in barrier integrity, we assessed the S1P levels in 28 patients with acute dengue and 12 healthy individuals.

Dengue NS1 antigen as a marker of severe clinical disease.

Background: Early detection of complications significantly reduces dengue associated mortality and morbidity. We set out to determine if the NS1 rapid antigen detection test could be used as a point of care test to predict severe disease.

Methods: 186 adult patients with confirmed dengue were enrolled during day 3-8 of illness.