A single-center experience in use of tocilizumab in COVID-19 pneumonia in India.

Background: IL-6 receptor antagonist tocilizumab (TCZ) has been used in several reported studies in the treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia and pieces of evidence are still emerging.

Methods: All patients with COVID-19 pneumonia showing features of hyperinflammatory syndrome receiving TCZ at a tertiary care center in India were included in the study and a retrospective descriptive analysis was done.

Results: Between May 2020 to August 2020, 21 patients received TCZ out of which 13 survived and 8 died.

Safety and efficacy of azathioprine in immune thrombocytopenia.

Background: Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a benign hematological disorder characterized by low platelet counts in peripheral blood and spectrum of various bleeding manifestations. Azathioprine is one of the effective, readily available, and affordable immunosupressants available for ITP management in developing countries. We aimed to study the efficacy and long-term safety profile of our patients with ITP who were treated with azathioprine.

STELA (Smart TV and smartphone-basEd Laparoscopy TrAiner): a no-cost home-based trainer for beginners.

Background: Proficiency in laparoscopy is gradually achieved. After initial simulation, it is safe to move to real patients. Simulation improves the basic attributes of laparoscopy, and its non-availability hampers training.

Real-world Experience of Rituximab in Immune Thrombocytopenia.

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a relapsing-remitting disease often requiring more than one line of therapy. Rituximab is a recommended second-line therapy, but the real-world data on its efficacy and safety from resource constraint settings is limited. We aimed to analyze the safety and efficacy of rituximab in ITP.

International Dermoscopy Society criteria for non-neoplastic dermatoses (general dermatology): validation for skin of color through a Delphi expert consensus.

Background: The International Dermoscopy Society (IDS) recently released a set of five basic dermoscopic parameters (vessels, scales, follicular findings, "other structures," and specific clues) encompassing a total of 31 subitems to standardize the use of dermoscopy in non-neoplastic dermatoses, yet they have been developed taking into account Caucasian/Asian skin, with consequent possible limitations if used in dark skin.

Objectives: To validate the abovementioned criteria for the use in dark-skinned patients (phototypes IV-VI) through an expert consensus.

Methods: The two-round Delphi method was adopted, with an iterative process consisting of two rounds of email questionnaires.

Gastropleural Fistula in a Child with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Due to Perforated Gastric Ulcer.

Gastropleural fistula (GPF) is a pathological communication between stomach and pleural cavity. GPF is described rarely in adults following bariatric surgery, iatrogenic perforations, complicated empyema thoracis, penetrating chest trauma, perforated malignant gastric ulcers, and invasive tumors. GPF in children is extremely rare.

Pulse oximetry screening to detect critical congenital heart diseases in asymptomatic neonates.

Background: Critical congenital heart diseases (CCHDs), 10% to 25% of all CHD, are duct-dependent defects that are life threatening without intervention in the neonatal period or infancy. One third of neonates with CCHDs are discharged home undetected and have a poorer outcome. Pulse oximetry screening before discharge is increasingly being used to diagnose CCHDs in developed countries.

Pre-surgical staging in endometrial cancer: An opportunity for risk stratification and triage?

Background: Endometrial cancer (EC) is treated by comprehensive surgical staging that includes a systematic lymphadenectomy. The low rates of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in early stages question the benefit of routine lymphadenectomy in low-risk disease, but the absence of a reliable method to identify these patients in whom lymphadenectomy could be omitted makes complete staging the standard of care. This study evaluated a method of preoperative staging in EC to identify patients at low risk of LNM and adjuvant treatment.

Reaching Out to the Millions: A 5 Key Messages Rapid IEC Campaign During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated providing populations with simple and relevant, actionable informational messages for them to be informed on individual and community level measures to combat the pandemic. Distilling guidance from various sources into simple actionable message themes in a short time frame should be the hallmark of any rapid health promotion campaign. We developed and disseminated actionable Information, Education and Communication (IEC) messages on prevention and control during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by selecting five key message themes of prevention.

Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension Increase Risk of Death in Novel Corona Virus Patients Irrespective of Age: a Prospective Observational Study of Co-morbidities and COVID-19 from India.

Elderly people and people with co-morbidities have emerged as the most vulnerable group at risk of developing complications and succumbing to novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. We recorded the baseline demographic profile, baseline clinical and laboratory parameters, and prevalence of various co-morbidities and their effect on the prognosis of COVID-19 cases. We conducted a prospective observational study and analyzed baseline clinical and laboratory parameters and co-morbidities and their effect on severity and mortality in 710 COVID-19 cases.

Enhancing communication skills among residents in India: An interprofessional education approach.

Background: Interprofessional education (IPE) provides opportunities to postgraduates to develop communication skills which are vital for interactions with patients, their relatives, colleagues, paramedical and nursing staff. There is a need to develop an innovative IPE based module on communication skills for postgraduates stressing upon the existing lacunae and requirements detected by a validated assessment tool. We assessed the residents' appraisal of communication skills by a validated questionnaire to identify key areas to improve their communication skills and to determine perceptions of all the stakeholders i.

Evaluation of four supraglottic devices used by paramedical staff for securing airway in simulated emergency airway management.

Background: Prehospital emergency airway management challenges every paramedic. Emergencies evacuated from difficult areas by armed forces need airway maintenance throughout evacuation. Effective use of supraglottic airway (SGA) devices during prehospital transfer is life saving.

Use of immunoadsorption columns in ABO-incompatible renal transplantation: A prospective study at a tertiary care center in India.

Background: We present our experience of ABO-incompatible renal transplant using immunoadsorption (IA) columns. We have compared efficacy of two commercially available columns.

Methods: This single-center prospective study was conducted at Army Hospital Research and Referral, Delhi.

Clinical Triaging in Cough Clinic Alleviates COVID-19 Overload in Emergency Department in India.

The importance of this study is the efficacy of "symptoms only" approach at a screening clinic for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) setting. The objective of this study was to assess how efficiently primary care physicians at the screening clinic were able to predict whether a patient had COVID-19 or not, based on their symptom-based assessment alone. The current study is a cross-sectional retrospective observational study.

Applications of hepatic round ligament/falciform ligament flap and graft in abdominal surgery-a review of their utility and efficacy.

Background And Purpose: Despite their ubiquitous presence, easy availability and diverse possibilities, falciform ligament and hepatic round ligament have been used less frequently than their potential dictates. This article aims to comprehensively review the applications of hepatic round ligament/falciform ligament flap and graft in abdominal surgery and assess their utility and efficacy.

Methods: Medical literature/indexing databases were searched, using internet search engines, for pertinent articles and analysed.

Genomic Landscape and Targeted Treatment of Gallbladder Cancer: Results of a First Ongoing Prospective Study.

 Prognosis of gallbladder cancer (GBC) has not changed in the past 20 years. Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) carries potential to determine the actionability for multiple targets, including , , , , , and . This study evaluates the role of CGP and targeted therapies.

Post-mortem findings in acute infective endocarditis.

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a microbial infection of the heart valves or the mural endocardium that leads to the formation of vegetations composed of thrombotic debris and microorganisms often associated with the destruction of the cardiac tissues. Most of the infections are bacterial (bacterial endocarditis), although fungi and other microorganisms can be etiological agents. Causative organisms differ among the major high-risk groups.

Dermoscopy in general dermatology (non-neoplastic dermatoses) of skin of colour: a comparative retrospective study by the International Dermoscopy Society.

Background: Dermoscopy has been shown to be a useful supportive tool to assist the diagnosis of several non-neoplastic dermatoses (i.e. inflammatory, infiltrative and infectious skin diseases), yet data on skin of colour is still limited.

Real-world experience of eltrombopag in immune thrombocytopenia.

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is characterized by decreased platelet count in the peripheral circulation. The first-line therapy is corticosteroids with 53-80% overall response rate. Eltrombopag has been used as second-line therapy in ITP for over a decade now.

Hair transplantation by follicular unit extraction for male androgenetic alopecia: A retrospective observational study from two centers.

Background: Follicular unit extraction (FUE) is the most popular method of hair transplantation in today's world. Hair transplantation in androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in males can restore the frontal hairline and provide hair density in alopecic areas to the satisfaction of most patients.

Methods: Consecutive male patients of AGA who underwent hair transplantation by FUE method in two centers between the period of January 2016 and June 2017 have been included in this study based on inclusion and exclusion criteria.