Assessment of Symptom Burden and Quality of Life in Patients With Primary Brain Tumours Attending Palliative Care in a Tertiary Cancer Care Centre.

Patients with primary brain tumors navigate a distinct illness trajectory, characterized by an uncertain prognosis, a rapid decline in physical functioning, and a significant deterioration in the quality of life. These unique challenges underscore the importance of our research in understanding and addressing the needs of these patients. The EORTC QLQ C30 & EORTC BN 20 questionnaires assessed the quality of life and symptom burden in patients with primary brain tumors.

Effect of Opioid-Free General Anesthesia Versus Opioid-Based General Anesthesia on Postoperative Pain and Immune Response in Patients Undergoing Breast Cancer Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Perioperative opioids are associated with several adverse effects including nausea, vomiting, and long-term addiction. Opioid-free anesthesia may reduce postoperative morbidity, enable daycare surgery, and decrease cancer recurrence. In our study, we aimed to assess the efficacy of opioid-free anesthesia versus opioid-based anesthesia in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery in terms of postoperative opioid use, pain scores, expression of immune cells, and side effects.

Assessing palliative care practices in intensive care units and interpreting them using the lens of appropriate care concepts. An umbrella review.

Purpose: Intensive care units (ICUs) have significant palliative care needs but lack a reliable care framework. This umbrella review addresses them by synthesising palliative care practices provided at end-of-life to critically ill patients and their families before, during, and after ICU admission.

Methods: Seven databases were systematically searched for systematic reviews, and the umbrella review was conducted according to the guidelines laid out by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI).

End of Life Care Practices at a Tertiary Cancer Centre in India: An Observational Study.

Purpose: To assess the End of life care (EOLC ) practices and the magnitude of futile care in a tertiary cancer center. To find out the barriers in provision of good EOLC in cancer patients.

Methods: An observational study was done on 129 patients.

Assessment of quality of life in head and neck cancer patients visiting the Palliative Care outpatient department in a tertiary care oncology centre in India.

Background: Patients with head and neck cancers (HNCs) are at an increased risk of developing functional symptoms associated with eating, speaking, and breathing along with symptoms caused by a fungating tumour (e.g., cosmetic change, malodor, and bleeding).

Evaluation of a simple method for testing aztreonam and ceftazidime-avibactam synergy in New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase producing Enterobacterales.

NDM-producing carbapenem-resistant bacterial infections became a challenge for clinicians. Combination therapy of aztreonam and ceftazidime-avibactam is a prudent choice for these infections. However, there is still no recommendation of a practically feasible method for testing aztreonam and ceftazidime-avibactam synergy.

Feasibility of the ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) Protocol in Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgeries in a Tertiary Care Hospital-A Prospective Interventional Study.

Unlabelled: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols have emerged as a promising approach to optimize perioperative care and improve outcomes in various surgical specialties. Despite feasibility studies on ERAS in various surgeries, there remains a paucity of research focusing on gastrointestinal cancer surgeries in the Indian context. The primary objective is to evaluate the compliance rate of the ERAS protocol and secondary objectives include the compliance rate of individual components of the protocol, the complications, the length of hospital stay, and the challenges faced during implementation in patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgeries in our tertiary care cancer center.

A multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial of Mycobacterium w in critically ill patients with COVID-19 (ARMY-2).

Background: Mycobacterium w (Mw), an immunomodulator, resulted in better clinical status in severe coronavirus infectious disease 19 (COVID-19) but no survival benefit in a previous study. Herein, we investigate whether Mw could improve clinical outcomes and survival in COVID-19.

Materials And Methods: In a multicentric, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial, we randomized hospitalized subjects with severe COVID-19 to receive either 0.

Clinical Features Predicting COVID-19 Severity Risk at the Time of Hospitalization.

The global spread of COVID-19 has led to significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. Early identification of COVID-19 patients who are at high risk of developing severe disease can help in improved patient management, care, and treatment, as well as in the effective allocation of hospital resources. The severity prediction at the time of hospitalization can be extremely helpful in deciding the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Demographical and Epidemiological Contribution to Cancer Incidence in Delhi and Its Trends from 1991-2015.

Introduction: Cancer incidences are rising worldwide, and India ranked third globally in cancer incidence as of 2020, according to estimates from GLOBOCAN. The three components that contributed to changes in cancer incidence include cancer-related risk factors, population size, and population structure. The present study aim is to derive the contribution of these factors to cancer incidence and to evaluate their trend from 1991 to 2015.

Quality of life and symptom burden in hematological cancer patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: an observational study at Regional Cancer Centre, India.

Purpose: Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is an intense form of treatment, resulting in major symptom burden but can prove curative. The quality of life (QOL) is a major endpoint for these patients as the survival rate in them has improved over time. The aim of the study is to assess the QOL and symptom burden of hematological malignancy patients at admission to hospital for HSCT, at 1 month and at 3 months following HSCT.

Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine and Indian Association of Palliative Care Expert Consensus and Position Statements for End-of-life and Palliative Care in the Intensive Care Unit.

Unlabelled: End-of-life care (EOLC) exemplifies the joint mission of intensive and palliative care (PC) in their human-centeredness. The explosion of technological advances in medicine must be balanced with the culture of holistic care. Inevitably, it brings together the science and the art of medicine in their full expression.

Comparison of lung aeration loss in open abdominal oncologic surgeries after ventilation with electrical impedance tomography-guided PEEP versus conventional PEEP: a pilot feasibility study.

Background: Existing literature lacks high-quality evidence regarding the ideal intraoperative positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) to minimize postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). We hypothesized that applying individualized PEEP derived from electrical impedance tomography would reduce the severity of postoperative lung aeration loss, deterioration in oxygenation, and PPC incidence.

Methods: A pilot feasibility study was conducted on 36 patients who underwent open abdominal oncologic surgery.

Developing mathematical models to compare and analyse the pharmacokinetics of morphine and fentanyl.

Background And Aims: The two-compartment model is generally used in pharmacokinetics to illustrate the distribution and excretion of drugs. In this study, we evaluated the distribution patterns of morphine and fentanyl by using a two-compartment model.

Methods: Using numeric analysis techniques, non-linear ordinary differential equations were used to mathematically analyse drug distribution, transition, and concentration in the body compartments.

A comparative evaluation of fibreoptic bronchoscopy versus C-MAC D-BLADE-guided videolaryngoscopy for nasotracheal intubation under general anesthesia in oropharyngeal carcinoma surgery patients.

Purpose: Nasotracheal intubation (NTI) is required for surgery in oropharyngeal (OP) carcinoma patients, but it may be challenging because of distorted anatomy, mucosal congestion, and increased risk of bleeding. Flexible bronchoscopy (FB)-guided NTI is preferred in these cases but has limitations. In this randomized controlled study, we sought to compare C-MAC D-BLADE-guided videolaryngoscopy (VL) (Karl Storz SE & Co.

Malignant Chest Wall Tumors: Complex Defects and Their Management-A Review of 181 Cases.

Background: Chest wall tumors are a heterogeneous group of tumors that are managed by surgeons from diverse specialties. Due to their rarity, there is no consensus on their diagnosis and management.

Materials: This retrospective, descriptive analysis includes patients with malignant chest wall tumors undergoing chest wall resection.

Breakthrough infection among healthcare personnel following exposure to COVID-19: Experience after one year of the world's largest vaccination drive.

Context: The COVID-19 vaccination drive globally was supposedly a game-changing event. However, the emerging variants of the virus and waning immunity over time posed new challenges for breakthrough infections. Standing at the frontline of defense against COVID-19, healthcare personnel (HCP) were vulnerable to such infections.

Relevance of Conventional Microscopy in the Diagnosis of Mucormycosis during COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: Mucormycosis is a lethal disease which bewildered the health-care community of India during the ongoing second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The diagnosis is challenging considering the poor isolation in culture.

Aims: The aim of the study was to emphasize the utility of potassium hydroxide (KOH) mount examination using conventional light microscopy for early diagnosis of mucormycosis in resource-limited settings.

Assessing Awareness and Palliative Care Needs in Rural Haryana, North India: A Community-Based Study.

Background Community-based palliative care offers a solution to ensure continuity of treatment for patients with life illnesses or life-threatening conditions. Hence, to advocate for community-based palliative care services, it is imperative to generate evidence for palliative care needs in the community. This study aimed to assess the need for and awareness of palliative care in rural Haryana, North India.

Mortality in Two Waves of COVID-19: A Comparative Analysis of a Tertiary Care Hospital in India.

Background COVID-19 has spread as two distinct surges of cases in many countries. Several countries have reported differences in disease severity and mortality in the two waves. Objective Compare the in-hospital mortality in the two COVID-19 waves at a tertiary care hospital in India.

Development and Validation of Total Pain Scale for Evaluation of Total Pain in Cancer Patients.

Objectives: Cancer pain has all the components of total pain such as physical, social, psychological, and spiritual. These components contribute to the overall pain experience in cancer patients. Many instruments have been developed till date to assess the effect of pain in cancer patients but none of the instruments include all components of total pain.