Time to surgery after radiological diagnosis of brain tumours in Pakistan: A nationwide cross-sectional study.

Objective: To investigate waiting times for brain tumour surgery in Pakistan from a nationwide sample and highlight specific affected patient populations.

Method: A nationwide study was conducted as part of the Pakistan Brain Tumour Epidemiology Study; data from 32 high-volume neurosurgical centres were collected. The national sample included 2,750 patients.

A national overview of paediatric and adolescent and young adult surgical neuro-oncology in Pakistan.

Objective: To build a comprehensive brain tumour database that will allow us to analyse in detail the prevalence, demographics, and outcomes of the disease in paediatric, adolescent, and young adult age groups.

Method: A national cross-sectional study was conducted at 32 centres, and data regarding patient demographics and brain tumours were collected. This data was then stratified based on age groups, healthcare sectors, socioeconomic status, tumour types, and surgical outcomes.

Gender disparities in brain tumours: A Pakistan brain tumour epidemiology study analysis.

Objective: To explore the differences in demographic, surgical, and prognostic characteristics between the two genders in patients with brain tumours in Pakistan.

Method: This study was a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of patients with a histopathological brain tumour diagnosis across 32 high-volume hospitals in Pakistan. The study period was from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019.

Private vs public care for intracranial tumours: Findings from Pakistan.

Objective: To observe the patient characteristics and centres providing neuro-oncological care in public and private health hospitals in Pakistan.

Method: The Pakistan Association of Neuro-oncology carried out a retrospective, cross-sectional study in 2019 on patients admitted to 32 hospitals in Pakistan, with dedicated neurosurgical facilities. Patients with a histopathological diagnosis of an intracranial tumour were included.

Metastatic brain tumours in Pakistan: An epidemiological overview.

Objective: To quantify the metastatic brain tumour burden presenting to tertiary care neurosurgical centres, the demographics and mortality rate, and the type of metastatic tumours commonly presenting to neurosurgical practice.

Method: A cross-section retrospective study was conducted on patients diagnosed with brain tumours from 32 neurosurgical centres across Pakistan between January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019. At least one neurosurgical resident and one neurosurgical faculty member were recruited from each centre as members of the Pakistan Brain tumour consortium.

Craniopharyngioma: A lower-middle-income-country epidemiology.

Objective: To quantify the frequency of craniopharyngiomas presenting to tertiary care neurosurgical centres, the demographics and mortality rate, and commonly presenting to neurosurgical practice.

Method: Our study was a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of patients admitted at 32 neurosurgical centres between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019, with brain tumour. Kruskal Wallis analysis was used to determine normality; normally distributed variables were reported as means with standard deviation, while median with interquartile range was used for non-normally distributed variables.

Prioritizing Pituitary Adenoma Care in Pakistan: Analysis from an Epidemiological Study.

Objective: To identify symptoms and risk factors and promptly diagnose, treat, and manage pituitary adenomas. Prioritizing care for pituitary adenomas will reduce the prolonged disability.

Method: Patients with a histopathological diagnosis of a pituitary adenoma that presented at 32 tertiary care neurosurgical centres were included.

Meningioma - defining characteristics of the affected Pakistani population.

Objective: To ascertain the age and gender differences, treatment, and management of meningiomas across Pakistan..

Methods: Data were collected as part of the PBTES, and patients with a histopathological diagnosis of an intracranial meningioma in 2019 that presented at these centres were included in this cohort study sub-analysis.

Ependymoma: an epidemiological perspective from a low- and middle-income country.

Objective: To enumerate the burden of ependymoma in our region and identify the demographic, tumoural, surgical, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of patients diagnosed with ependymoma.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included patients admitted under neurosurgical service between January 1 and December 31, 2019. The inclusion criterion for the study was a histopathological diagnosis of the brain lesion.

Schwannoma: A surgical epidemiology.

Objective: To identify the surgical incidence and prevalence of schwannoma in our region and quantify the demographic, surgical, neoplastic, and outcome characteristics of the patients diagnosed with schwannoma..

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1 to December 31, 2019.

Treatment patterns of glioma in Pakistan: An epidemiological perspective.

Objective: To define the landscape of treatment patterns and current epidemiological data regarding gliomas in Pakistan.

Methods: As part of the Pakistan Brain Tumour Epidemiology Study (PBTES), data were collected from 32 neurosurgical centres across the country. Our retrospective study looked at patients who underwent surgical procedures for gliomas in 2019 in neurosurgical centres.

Distance travelled for brain tumour surgery: An Low and Middle Income Country's perspective.

Objective: To examine the effect of distance travelled for brain tumour surgery on patient outcomes in an LMIC.

Methods: Data were collected as part of the Pakistan Brain Tumour Epidemiology Study (PBTES) for brain tumour patients who underwent surgery in 2019. Mapping software was used to calculate the distance travelled by each patient from their primary address to the hospital.

Conducting the Pakistan brain tumour epidemiology study - report on the methodology.

Objectives: To combat the lack of brain tumour registries, the Pakistan Brain Tumour Epidemiology Study (PBTES) was conducted without any funding from an external source.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of patient data, including patients of all age groups diagnosed with all histopathological types of brain tumours from all over Pakistan, was performed. For this, Pakistan Brain Tumour Consortium (PBTC) was established, including 32 neurosurgical centres from around the country.

The Pakistan Brain Tumour Epidemiology Study.

Objectives: To provide information about brain tumour epidemiology in Pakistan and potential associated risk factors due to family, medical and social characteristics.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional nationwide study was designed by the Pakistan Society of Neuro-oncology, to include patients diagnosed with brain tumours in Pakistan retrospectively, from January 1, 2019- December 31, 2019. The study intended to involve data from all age groups for all brain tumour cases, irrespective of histopathology which would determine the national prevalence and incidence of these tumours.

Insertable cardiac monitoring devices versus external cardiac monitoring for detecting atrial fibrillation and preventing the recurrence of stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is a major risk factor for stroke, which is the second leading cause of death worldwide. It remains uncertain whether insertable cardiac monitors (ICMs) enhance the ability to recognize AF over external cardiac monitoring in patients who have experienced a stroke.

Aim: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether ICM devices are more effective than external cardiac monitoring for the detection of AF in stroke patients.

Neonatal AKI profile using KDIGO guidelines: A cohort study in tertiary care hospital ICU of Lahore, Pakistan.

Background And Objective: Acute kidney injury (AKI) was observed in sick neonates and was associated with poor outcomes. Our cohort represents the neonatal characteristics of those diagnosed with AKI using Kidney Disease: Improved Global Outcome (KDIGO) guidelines.

Methodology: A cohort study was conducted in the NICU of FMH from June 2019 to May 2021.

The Predictors Of Re-Bleeding In Chronic Liver Disease Patients After Endoscopic Variceal Band Ligation.

Background: Variceal bleeding is a key and most fatal complication observed in chronic liver disease patients with portal hypertension and is a major contributor to the high morbidity and mortality seen in these patients. Exploring the predictors of rebleeding in chronic liver disease patients is of paramount importance to alter disease course and impact on morbidity and mortality.

Methods: About 50 patients with chronic liver disease who previously had evidence of varices on upper GI endoscopy and had at least one episode of rebleeding after EVBL were included in this study.

Breast cancer knowledge among health professionals: A pre-post-knowledge-based intervention study.

Introduction: Breast-cancer-related morbidity and mortality can be reduced by following worldwide-accepted screening guidelines and by appropriate education and training of health professionals on risk identification and screening. The study aimed to determine the significance of educational sessions in improving health professionals' knowledge about breast cancer, particularly screening modalities that can benefit the patients.

Method And Materials: An interventional study was conducted among 260 health professionals, including medical students, nurses, and allied health professionals.

Interrater Reliability of Expert Electroencephalographers Identifying Seizures and Rhythmic and Periodic Patterns in EEGs.

Background And Objectives: The validity of brain monitoring using electroencephalography (EEG), particularly to guide care in patients with acute or critical illness, requires that experts can reliably identify seizures and other potentially harmful rhythmic and periodic brain activity, collectively referred to as "ictal-interictal-injury continuum" (IIIC). Previous interrater reliability (IRR) studies are limited by small samples and selection bias. This study was conducted to assess the reliability of experts in identifying IIIC.

Impact of Medical TV Shows on the Surgical Knowledge of Non-Healthcare Students of Lahore, Pakistan.

Purpose: A popular genre of television shows is medical dramas. Although the primary objective of watching these shows is entertainment, acquiring medical knowledge is a passive by-product. Surgical procedures constitute a large part of the storyline of these shows.

Simultaneous Occurrence of Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Three Members of the Same Family: A Case Report.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune demyelinating disease that is usually triggered by an antecedent infection and is characterized by flaccid paralysis and hyporeflexia. Although a sporadic disease, a few cases of GBS have been reported in families, suggesting a genetic predisposition. Here, we present a case of simultaneous occurrence of GBS in three members of the same family, with two members having a preceding history of diarrhea.