Clinical and immunological responses to COVID-19 vaccination in rheumatoid arthritis patients on disease modifying antirheumatic drugs: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the immunological and clinical response to COVID-19 vaccination in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients receiving disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among RA patients who received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine within 6 months to one year. Demographic information, comorbidities, vaccination details, and past COVID-19 infection details were collected.

Association of serum cathelicidin and Vitamin D levels with infectiousness in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis: A prospective cohort study.

Background: The immunomodulatory effects of Vitamin D expand to induce the synthesis of an antimicrobial peptide, cathelicidin. There is evidence showing altered levels of cathelicidin in tuberculosis (TB). It has been suggested that Vitamin D-mediated antimicrobial activity depends on its ability to induce cathelicidin.

Channeling of Brain Towards Engaging Sensorimotor Tasks for Inducing Hedonic Pleasure to Alleviate Blood Pressure in Hypertension.

Background: Hypertension is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is responsible for major deaths due to stroke and coronary heart disease. Several pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for reducing blood pressure have been tried earlier. Modulating brain regions such as prefrontal cortex (PFC) to channelize activities is an effective tool to target blood pressure.

Aluminum as a Possible Cause Toward Dyslipidemia.

Aluminum, the third most abundant metal present in the earth's crust, is present almost in all daily commodities we use, and exposure to it is unavoidable. The interference of aluminum with various biochemical reactions in the body leads to detrimental health effects, out of which aluminum-induced neurodegeneration is widely studied. However, the effect of aluminum in causing dyslipidemia cannot be neglected.

Seizure in geriatric population - An unheeded integer.

Background: Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent neurological conditions among the elderly. Age-related epileptogenic disorders as well as the ageing itself pose a risk for seizures in the elderly. The lack of witnesses, non-specific symptoms, and transient symptoms make the diagnosis challenging in the elderly.

Anti-spike Antibody Status in Pre-vaccinated Healthy Participants and Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients During the Third Wave of COVID-19.

Introduction Anti-spike severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies produced after infection with the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) will offer protection and prevent re-infection for a few months. Seroprevalence studies measuring the SARS‑CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels will be helpful to know the herd immunity level that prevents community transmission. Very few studies have addressed the antibody titer among healthy participants and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

Platelet indices as an accouterment for monitoring short-term glycemic levels and as an economical alternative to HbA1c.

Background: India is facing a galloping diabetes epidemic with an estimated 62 million patients and is projected to explode beyond 85 million by the year 2030. There is platelet dysfunction with platelet hyper-reactivity in diabetes mellitus.

Aim: To assess for any correlation between HbA1c levels with various platelet indices like mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), and platelet large cell ratio (P-LCR).

Is the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale a valid prognosticator of the aftermath in patients with ischemic stroke?

Background: Cerebrovascular disease is the second most common cause of death in people more than 60 years of age. Predicting the outcome of the stroke is a great challenge for physicians. Various risk factors such as age, sex, co-morbidities, smoking and alcohol habits, type of stroke, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, modified Rankin Scale (mRS), and others play the role in the outcome of stoke.

Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment test and Timed Up and Go test as predictors of falls in the elderly - A cross-sectional study.

Background: Falls are common in the elderly and frequently have serious consequences, which lead to physical and psychological complications. Assessment of fall risk in the elderly is performed by using functional assessment tools that assess the muscle strength, balance, functional mobility, and gait. Timed Up and Go test (TUG) assesses functional mobility and the Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment test (POMA) assesses balance, postural control, and gait.

Risk factors and inflammatory markers in acute coronary syndrome-ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Objectives: The increasing prevalence of coronary artery disease [CAD] poses worrying statistics. Atherosclerosis of coronary vessels is the main culprit for the spectrum of CAD especially acute coronary syndrome. Atherosclerosis is regarded as a consequence of inflammatory changes in the coronaries.

Tuberculosis in elderly population: A cross-sectional comparative study.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a common but neglected infectious disease of global significance. It has a varied presentation in the elderly compared to adults. The present study was conceived to study the resemblances and differences shared in terms of clinical profile, comorbidities, and laboratory investigations by TB in adults and the elderly population.

Bite-to-needle Time - An Extrapolative Indicator of Repercussion in Patients with Snakebite.

Background: Snakebite is a significant occupational and environmental hazard in tropical countries. The treatment of snakebite includes care of the wound, supportive care, and administration of anti-snake venom (ASV). Time is crucial to reducing the morbidity and mortality of patients.

Metabolic syndrome - cardiac structure and functional analysis by echocardiography; a cross sectional comparative study.

Objectives: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a collection of metabolic disorders including hyperglycemia, hypertension and dyslipidemia. The outcome of metabolic syndrome depends on structural changes in heart like increased left atrial size or increased left ventricular mass. This study was done to determine the echocardiography abnormalities in metabolic syndrome.

Admission Blood Glucose Level as a Predictor of Outcome in Intensive Care Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: In the Intensive care unit (ICU), hyperglycemia is often observed; commonly associated with pre-existing diabetes or pre-diabetes or in nondiabetic patients. This study aimed to assess the role of admission blood sugar levels with outcomes in ICU patients.

Methods: A total of 100 patients above 18 years of age were included in the study.

COVID-19 and Dementia; Hard to Forget Yet Haunting Forgetfulness!

The current pandemic has affected almost everyone worldwide. Although the majority of people survive the illness, bad cognitive repercussions might last a long time, resulting in a lower quality of life and disability, particularly in severe cases. We tried to understand and bring together the various possible mechanisms leading to dementia in COVID-19.

Risk Assessment of COVID-19 Infection among the Elderly Population.

Elderly patients are susceptible to COVID-19 infection. They usually present with atypical symptoms and multiple organ dysfunction. The poor outcome in elderly patients is due to multiple comorbidities, declining functional status, and frailty.

Association of Serum Magnesium with Insulin Indices in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Magnesium has a direct impact on glucose metabolism since it is a cofactor for numerous energy-metabolizing enzymes. Hypomagnesemia has been linked to poor glycemic control and a range of diabetes-related long-term complications. This study aimed to assess the association between blood magnesium levels and insulin sensitivity indices in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Association of Cervical Vestibular-Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP) and Postural Instability in Patients with Parkinson's Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Postural instability is a common problem in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The appropriate cooperation of vestibular, visual, and proprioceptive signals along with apt anticipatory and adaptive postural responses is essential for postural stability. Abnormalities in this sensorimotor admixture lead to postural instability in PD.

Clinical and Inflammatory Profile of COVID-19 Infection at a Tertiary Care Centre in Northern Part of Tamil Nadu - A Retrospective Study.

Introduction The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has incurred high costs for the entire planet. The complex interactions between the host, virus, and environment have resulted in various clinical outcomes. It is crucial to comprehend sickness severity and outcome predictors to provide early preventative measures for a better outcome.

Depression in Patients on Hemodialysis: A Dilapidated Facet.

Introduction End-stage renal disease (ESRD) has increased in India due to the growing load of non-communicable diseases. The most prevalent psychological issue among these patients has been identified as depression, which may have an impact on treatment success. Around 20% to 90% of hemodialysis patients experience depression.

Blood Culture Contamination Rate as a Quality Indicator - a Prospective Observational Study.

Blood culture test is the gold standard test to diagnose bloodstream infections, but contamination is the main problem in this valuable test. False positive results in blood cultures are mainly due to contamination that occurs mostly during pre-analytical procedures like sample collection and sometimes during sample processing. Our prospective observational study was undertaken at St.

Integrating Artificial Intelligence for Clinical and Laboratory Diagnosis - a Review.

The development of medical artificial intelligence (AI) is related to programs intended to help clinicians formulate diagnoses, make therapeutic decisions and predict outcomes. It is bringing a paradigm shift to healthcare, powered by the increasing availability of healthcare data and rapid progress in analytical techniques (1). Artificial intelligence techniques include machine learning methods for structured data, such as classical support vector machines and neural networks, modern deep learning (DL), and natural language processing for unstructured data.

Hand Hygiene Auditing: Is It a Roadway to Improve Adherence to Hand Hygiene Among Hospital Personnel?

Background Over the years, there has been an increase in hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) among patients in India. One of the main reasons is a lack of compliance with infection control guidelines, such as hand hygiene. So the present study was conducted to determine the compliance of hand hygiene among healthcare workers in a private tertiary care teaching hospital in South India.

Sleep and Alzheimer: The Link.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia which has both cognitive and non-cognitive disabilities. Recent research has proved that sleep deprivation and insomnia have been related to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease and would influence the symptoms and progression of the disease. We look at the current research that supports the idea that the lack of sleep relates to cognitive decline and dementia, with an emphasis on Alzheimer's disease.