Lesson learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative inquiry into patient and family experiences in Pakistan.

Objectives: This study aims to explore the perceptions of patients affected by COVID-19 and their families regarding the challenges faced, coping strategies used and lessons learnt in Pakistan.

Design: A qualitative exploratory descriptive approach was used to explore the real-time experiences of the participants.

Setting: The study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.

Corrigendum: Literacy among tobacco users and healthcare professionals about tobacco harm reduction strategies: a scoping review protocol.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.

Effectiveness of patient education on adherence to treatment regimen and quality of life in hemodialysis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Hemodialysis constitutes a protracted therapeutic intervention for renal failure, characterized by symptoms that exert a considerable toll on quality of life owing to their intensity and frequent recurrence. Patient education and engagement has been shown to enhance adherence, thereby improving treatment effectiveness and quality of life. The objective of this systematic review was to assess the effectiveness of patient education on improving adherence to treatment and enhancing quality of life among individuals undergoing hemodialysis.

Using Play-Dough to Enhance Neuroanatomy Learning and Mitigate Student Stress.

Background: In the face of challenging anatomy and rigidly designed medical school schedules, student learning and well-being is under threat. It is high time to tap into innovative strategies like clay-based learning (CBL) to counter financial or infrastructural limitations in order to improve student experiences with learning neuroanatomy and simultaneously offer a therapeutic outlet.

Approach: We followed a two-phased approach starting with conception to execution.

Dental Caries as a Cause of Primary Hypertension Among Children and Adolescents.

Background Dental caries is a prevalent but sometimes disregarded ailment that may have systemic health effects, such as being linked to primary hypertension in kids and teenagers. Knowing this connection might help develop preventative measures for early cardiovascular risk reduction. Objective To investigate the association between dental caries severity and primary hypertension among children and adolescents, identifying potential mechanisms linking oral health to systemic blood pressure regulation.

Computational investigation to identify multi-targeted anti-hyperglycemic potential of substituted 2-Mercaptobenzimidazole derivatives and synthesis of new α-glucosidase inhibitors.

One of the most widespread diseases recognized all over the world is diabetes, accounting for 1.5 million deaths each year. Recent studies have demonstrated benzimidazole derivatives as potential antidiabetic agents.

Gender Disparity in Lipid Testing Among Over 0.5 Million Adults from Pakistan: Females are Tested Much Later Despite Higher LDL-Cholesterol Levels.

Background And Aims: Dyslipidemia is the major risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD); therefore, its early diagnosis and treatment is necessary. While previous studies in Pakistan focused on general lipid profiles, investigations into gender disparities in lipid testing remain scarce. Therefore, the present study aims to explore the gender disparity in lipid testing and lipid levels among the adult Pakistani population.

Acceptability and efficacy of the culturally adapted problem management plus intervention for people with disability in Pakistan: a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: In Pakistan, the mental health care for persons living with disabilities is insufficient, lacking a holistic approach to address their needs. This research evaluates the adapted PM+'s (IA-PM+) initial efficacy and acceptability in improving mental health among persons living with disabilities, contributing to the integration of mental health services within primary care settings in Pakistan.

Methods: This study employed a two-arm, single-blind cluster randomized controlled trial in a community setting within Union Council Kuri Dolal, Tehsil Gujjar Khan, District Rawalpindi-Pakistan.

Perceptions of hospital pharmacists regarding roles in preventing and minimizing prescribing cascades: a mixed-method study.

Introduction: A prescribing cascade occurs when new medications are prescribed to address an adverse drug reaction (ADR) associated with the preceding use of a medication, which may be mistaken as the onset of a novel disease or condition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perceptions of hospital pharmacists regarding roles in preventing and minimizing prescribing cascades.

Methodology: A qualitative, semi-structured interview, followed by a quantitative, questionnaire-based study, was carried out at the Shifa International Hospital (SIH; Islamabad, Pakistan).

Exploring the anti-inflammatory effects of phytochemicals in attenuating interstitial cystitis-a literature review.

Interstitial cystitis is a fierce syndrome affecting the quality of life of thousands of individuals around the globe. It causes immense pain in the bladder and associated viscera along with inflammation-like lesions. The current medicinal and pharmacological research focuses on the protective and curative effects of phytochemicals in several ailments.

Cognitive Decline and Psychological Distress in Chronic Cardiovascular Patients: The Interplay of Mental Health, Cognition, and Disease Severity.

Aim Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the global population and cause notable psychosocial and psychological repercussions, including psychological distress and cognitive impairment. This research examines the correlation between psychological distress, cognitive impairment, and disease severity in patients with chronic CVD. The study seeks to establish interrelations between these factors and functional activity, quality of life, and general health by comparing specific demographic and clinical variables.

Literacy among tobacco users and healthcare professionals about tobacco harm reduction strategies: a scoping review protocol.

Objective: The proposed review identifies and describes the extent of Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) strategies in Pakistan. It also examines the awareness and understanding of these strategies among healthcare professionals and tobacco users in Pakistan.

Introduction: Tobacco consumption poses a significant threat to human health and is a leading cause of non-communicable diseases.

Abnormality of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels in Disease Development of the Nervous System. A Review Article.

Sodium channels are necessary for electrical activity in modules of the nervous system. When such channels fail to work properly, it may cause different neurological diseases. This review will discuss how particular mutation in these channels leads to different diseases.

Non-surgical Management of Neonatal Esophageal Perforation: A Rare Case.

Iatrogenic esophageal perforation in neonates, though rare, is a serious condition with high mortality. It is almost exclusively secondary to invasive instrumentation complications in intensive care settings. Forceful or repeated orogastric (OG) or nasogastric (NG) tube insertion, vigorous suctioning to clear the airway, and trauma during airway intubation are the leading causes.

Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression among Nurses during the early phase of COVID-19: A meta-analysis.

Background & Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant mental health challenges among healthcare workers, particularly nurses, who are key frontline responders and are the largest segment of the global health workforce. Given the ongoing threat of Mpox and potential new COVID-19 variants, understanding these challenges is vital. This review estimates the prevalence of anxiety and depression among nurses during the early phase of the pandemic to inform future pandemic responses.

Cascade screening of a Pakistani consanguineous familial hypercholesterolemia cohort: Identification of seven new homozygous patients.

Background And Aims: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder characterized by elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels from birth, significantly increasing the risk of premature cardiac events and mortality. In Pakistan, despite the potential burden of FH, comprehensive studies evaluating its genetic characteristics, cascade screening significance, and lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] levels remain scarce. Understanding these factors is crucial for effective diagnosis, risk assessment, and management of FH in the Pakistani population.

A Scoping Review of Pakistani Healthcare Simulation: Insights for Lower-Middle-Income Countries.

Healthcare simulation has gained global recognition in health professions education, yet its adoption in Pakistan, a lower-middle-income country (LMIC), remains limited. This scoping review aimed to explore how simulation is integrated into healthcare education in Pakistan, highlighting challenges and opportunities to inform similar LMICs. Pakistan serves as a critical case study for LMICs due to its unique challenges, including uneven access to simulation technologies and limited faculty training, which are shared by many similar resource-constrained settings.

Traditional uses, botanical description, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of : a review.

Background: is an herbaceous herb belonging to the Phytolaccaceae family. The plant has a long history of usage in traditional medicine for treating a variety of ailments including infectious diseases, edema, inflammation, gastric, and abdominal distress. The traditional use, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties of are outlined in this article.

Association of the Mayo-Adhesive Probability Score With the Total Operative Time of Hand-Assisted Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy.

Introduction: Living-donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) is often performed using hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (HALDN). Adherent perinephric fat (APF) can complicate HALDN, increasing operative time. The Mayo Adhesive Probability (MAP) score predicts APF preoperatively.

Enhanced targeted treatment of cervical cancer using nanoparticle-based doxycycline delivery system.

This study investigates a nanoparticle-based doxycycline (DOX) delivery system targeting cervical cancer cells via the CD44 receptor. Molecular docking revealed a strong binding affinity between hyaluronic acid (HA) and CD44 (binding energy: -7.2 kJ/mol).

Cordycepin and Its Structural Derivatives Effectively Suppress the High Expression of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Tyrosine Kinase in Breast Carcinomas: A Computational Drug Development Approach.

Background: Breast cancer is a frequently diagnosed malignant disease and the primary cause of mortality among women with cancer worldwide. The therapy options are influenced by the molecular subtype due to the intricate nature of the condition, which consists of various subtypes. By focusing on the activation of receptors, Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase can be utilized as an effective drug target for therapeutic purposes of breast cancer.

Integrating machine learning and structure-based approaches for repurposing potent tyrosine protein kinase Src inhibitors to treat inflammatory disorders.

Tyrosine-protein kinase Src plays a key role in cell proliferation and growth under favorable conditions, but its overexpression and genetic mutations can lead to the progression of various inflammatory diseases. Due to the specificity and selectivity problems of previously discovered inhibitors like dasatinib and bosutinib, we employed an integrated machine learning and structure-based drug repurposing strategy to find novel, targeted, and non-toxic Src kinase inhibitors. Different machine learning models including random forest (RF), k-nearest neighbors (K-NN), decision tree, and support vector machine (SVM), were trained using already available bioactivity data of Src kinase targeting compounds.

Citronellol Induces Apoptosis via Differential Regulation of Caspase-3, NF-κB, and JAK2 Signaling Pathways in Glioblastoma Cell Line.

Citronellol (CT) is a naturally occurring lipophilic monoterpenoid which has shown anticancer effects in numerous cancerous cell lines. This study was, therefore, designed to examine CT's potential as an anticancer agent against glioblastoma (GBM). Network pharmacology analysis was employed to identify potential anticancer targets of CT.

Clinical outcomes of roux-en-Y gastric bypass versus medical therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The growing incidence of obesity has led to a proportionate rise in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its associated complications. We aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass surgery (RYGB) and conventional medical management in T2DM obese patients.

Methods: PubMed, Google Scholar, and Clinicaltrial.