Prediction of mortality and prioritisation to tertiary care using the 'OUR-ARCad' risk score gleaned from the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic-A retrospective cohort study from South India.

Background: Judicious utilisation of tertiary care facilities through appropriate risk stratification assumes priority, in a raging pandemic, of the nature of delta variant-predominated second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in India. Prioritisation of tertiary care, through a scientifically validated risk score, would maximise recovery without compromising individual safety, but importantly without straining the health system.

Methods: De-identified data of COVID-19 confirmed patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in South India, between April 1, 2021 and July 31, 2021, corresponding to the peak of COVID-19 second wave, were analysed after segregating into 'survivors' or 'non-survivors' to evaluate the risk factors for COVID-19 mortality at admission and formulate a risk score with easily obtainable but clinically relevant parameters for accurate patient triaging.

Study on the association between night shift work and reproductive functions among male workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: There has been growing interest to study impact of night shift work on male reproductive health, which is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and influenced by circadian rhythms. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to explore the association between night shift work and male reproductive health outcomes.

Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42022379770).

Evaluating the role of serum cystatin C as a circulating biomarker of diabetic retinopathy from a rural Indian population.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate serum cystatin C as a potential biomarker for diabetic retinopathy (DR) in a rural Indian population, addressing the urgent need for effective screening tools amidst rising diabetes prevalence.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study recruited 112 patients with diabetes mellitus from Sambalpur, Odisha, India, categorized into groups with and without DR. Serum cystatin C levels were measured alongside clinical and demographic parameters, using established diagnostic methods.

Assessment of various etiological factors for oral squamous cell carcinoma in non-habit patients- a cross sectional case control study.

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most prevalent oral cancers in the world. The major etiological factors are considered to be tobacco and alcohol. However, the etiological factors for non-habit associated oral squamous cell carcinoma (NHOSCC) remains an enigma.

Predictors of encephalitis in children with scrub typhus-associated acute febrile illness.

Scrub typhus (ST) is an emerging public health concern in India. Despite being treatable, 20-30 % of acute febrile illnesses (AFI) progress to encephalitis in endemic regions. This study aimed to identify early markers for encephalitis development in children hospitalized with AFI and positive Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ots) serology.

A protocol to study the effect of targeted parental education intervention to identify early childhood development disorder - multisite interventional study.

Background: In India, approximately 3.5 million children are affected by Developmental Delay (DD), often stemming from preterm births. These delays contribute to neurological and motor development delays, placing a significant financial burden on families.

Pulmonary function among flour mill workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Flour dust, with an inherent allergic nature, increases vulnerability to various respiratory ailments. We systemically reviewed and compared literature-reported pulmonary function parameters to quantify pulmonary dysfunction among individuals with high flour dust exposure (among flour mill workers) and relatively un-exposed groups.

Methods: Studies that compared pulmonary function parameters for flour dust exposed and unexposed control groups were systemically searched in PubMed, Scopus and Embase from inception to June 2024.

Cost effectiveness of obstructive sleep apnea therapies: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cost utility studies.

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep-related breathing disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of nocturnal breathing cessation resulting from upper airway collapse. Given the absence of a comprehensive review of the cost-effectiveness of OSA treatments, we undertook an extensive systematic review and meta-analysis to calculate the pooled incremental net benefit (INBp).

Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Tufts cost-effectiveness analysis registry was conducted.

Re-evaluating Presumptive Treatment with Doxycycline/ Azithromycin in Children With Acute Febrile Illness in a Scrub Typhus Endemic Region: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: To estimate the proportion of children with acute febrile illness (AFI) attending the peripheral health facilities in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, due to Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ots) and re-evaluate the strategy of presumptive administration of doxycycline/azithromycin (PDA) to patients with AFI.

Methods: Children aged 2-18 years with AFI attending 16 peripheral health facilities in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, were enrolled in September 2023. Blood samples were tested for O.

A vicious cycle of frailty and acute lower respiratory infection among community-dwelling adults (≥ 60 years): Findings from a multi-site INSPIRE cohort study, India.

We studied the relationship of frailty and acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) among a multi-site cohort of community-dwelling older adults aged ≥60 years in India. During January 2019‒January 2020, participants completed the Edmonton Frail Scale (EFS) at baseline and every 3 months at four sites in India, with each participant completing a maximum of four surveys. Participants were categorized as non-frail (0-5 points), vulnerable (6-7 points), and frail (≥8 points) based on EFS score.

Evaluation of the Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DR-TB) management component under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP) in Kerala, India, 2021-22.

Background And Objective: We evaluated the DR-TB component of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP) in a high-burden district in Kerala to identify the programmatic gaps, if any, in screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of notified DR-TB patients.

Methods: A mixed-methods design was used, and the evaluation was performed in two steps. In the first step, we reviewed the program documents and conducted stakeholder interviews to develop a detailed description of the program design and developed a logical framework to evaluate program performance.

Association between chronic lead exposure and markers of kidney injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

In view of inconsistent reports on the association between chronic lead (Pb) exposure and renal injury markers (potential site of injury), the present systematic review explored their association by reviewing studies that investigated chronic Pb-exposed and those without obvious Pb exposure. Studies reporting blood Pb levels(BLL) and biomarkers of kidney injury [i.e.

International prevalence patterns of low eGFR in adults aged 18-60 without traditional risk factors from a population-based cross-sectional disadvantaged populations eGFR epidemiology (DEGREE) study.

The disadvantaged populations eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) epidemiology (DEGREE) study was designed to gain insight into the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) of undetermined cause (CKDu) using standard protocols to estimate the general-population prevalence of low eGFR internationally. Therefore, we estimated the age-standardized prevalence of eGFR under 60 ml/min per 1.73m in adults aged 18-60, excluding participants with commonly known causes of CKD; an ACR (albumin/creatinine ratio) over 300 mg/g or equivalent, or self-reported or measured (HT) hypertension or (DM) diabetes mellitus, stratified by sex and location.

Impact of cartoon-animated video, caregiver-supervised training, and pamphlet on plaque control, oral hygiene status, and oral hygiene knowledge, attitude, and practices in orphaned adolescents: A randomized controlled trial.

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of cartoon animated video, caregiver-supervised training, and pamphlet-based oral health education on plaque control, oral hygiene status, and oral health knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) among orphaned adolescents with plaque-induced gingivitis.

Methods: A total of ninety adolescents were randomly selected and allocated into three different groups. Group A received the pamphlet (n = 30), Group B received the cartoon animated video (n = 30), and Group C received the caregiver-supervised training (n = 30).

Seropositivity of Chikungunya in Hospital Setting, India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Backround: Information about the chikungunya disease burden by age groups and geographic distribution is necessary to guide appropriate control measures. With this, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the disease burden of chikungunya fever in India.

Material And Methods: We conducted this systematic review according to the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines.

Cost of TB care and equity in distribution of catastrophic TB care costs across income quintiles in India.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) poses a significant social and economic burden to households of persons with TB (PwTB). Despite free diagnosis and care under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), individuals often experience significant out-of-pocket expenditure and lost productivity, causing financial catastrophe. We estimated the costs incurred by the PwTB during TB care and identified the factors associated with the costs.

Measles and rubella seroprevalence in adults using residual blood samples from health facilities and household serosurveys in Palghar District, Maharashtra, India, 2018 - 2019.

Residual blood specimens collected at health facilities may be a source of samples for serosurveys of adults, a population often neglected in community-based serosurveys. Anonymized residual blood specimens were collected from individuals 15 - 49 years of age attending two sub-district hospitals in Palghar District, Maharashtra, from November 2018 to March 2019. Specimens also were collected from women 15 - 49 years of age enrolled in a cross-sectional, community-based serosurvey representative at the district level that was conducted 2 - 7 months after the residual specimen collection.

Efficacy of leprosy vaccines across the globe: A systematic review & meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background & objectives Although multi-drug therapy has decreased the burden of disease, leprosy is yet to be eliminated. Accelerating progress requires optimal use of existing tools, advanced diagnostic tests, newer drugs, and vaccines. The search for a vaccine with therapeutic and preventive potential is ongoing, but evidence on effectiveness and safety is lacking.

Validation of the Scrub Typhus Encephalitis Assessment Tool for the Management of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome.

Introduction: Acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) is one of the important causes of mortality among children in India. Active management of the cases, followed by addressing the cause of AES, is the key strategy for preventing mortality. Lack of laboratory facility and difficulty of sampling blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for assessing causes is one of the important barriers to early initiation of treatment.

Cost-Effectiveness of Decentralized Solid Waste Management Method as Compared to the Centralized Method Implemented Through Urban Local Government in Tirunelveli City, Tamil Nadu, India.

Objective: To compare the cost-effectiveness of a newly introduced decentralized method with the existing centralized solid waste management (SWM) method in 2019 in Tirunelveli City, Tamil Nadu, India.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken to compare the costs for the two SWM methods using the bottom-up approach. We ascertained cost centers for the collection, transportation, and processing of solid waste for the two methods.

Clinical profile and immediate outcomes of balloon mitral valvotomy in low gradient rheumatic mitral stenosis.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the clinical, hemodynamic characteristics and immediate outcomes of Percutaneous Balloon Mitral Valvotomy (PBMV) in low gradient severe rheumatic mitral stenosis (LGMS) with normal cardiac index.

Background: The optimal management of LGMS remains incompletely understood.

Methods: We examined 200 consecutive patients with severe rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) who underwent PBMV between January 2014 and March 2020.