Formulation of Functional Liquid Diets Under IDDSI Levels 0 to 2 for Dysphagia Patients: Physico-Chemical, Sensory, Antioxidant and Electromyographic Oral Processing Analyses

Dysphagia is a significant health concern especially amongst the old age population. It is an ailment brought on by the weakening of the swallowing muscles. To reduce the risk of choking in dysphagia patients, the food is usually diluted to suit their swallowing ability. But dilution results in reducing the nutritional density of the foods thus causing undernutrition and malnutrition in patients. In this study, functional liquid diets were formulated under International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) levels 0-2. The developed diets were analysed for their proximate composition, colour, antioxidant and sensory properties. Antioxidant activities were determined using 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and total phenolic content (TPC) methods. The highest ABTS+ value was observed in pumpkin puree (level-2) i.e. 98.59%. Black carrot juice (level-1) showed the highest DPPH free radical scavenging activity and FRAP value viz. 88.43% and 689.33 µM TE/g, respectively. Electromyography (EMG) is an upcoming technique of food texture evaluation which provides real-time information about food oral processing. In this study, an EMG was conducted to measure the myoelectrical activity of human suprahyoid and masseter muscles by placing electrodes on the skin's surface during the oral processing of liquid. The EMG parameters correlated significantly with viscosity, ease of swallowing and IDDSI levels of the formulated diets. Hence EMG can be used as a tool for design and development of textured-modified diets for dysphagia patients. The sensory scores of formulated diets in this study were high indicating that these liquid diets may be incorporated into the diet plans of dysphagia patients.

Effect on essential health services during COVID-19 at the Primary level in India

Background

Coronavirus diesease (COVID-19) led to increased demand on the Indian health system due to the pandemic as well as other communicable and non-communicable diseases. Guidance was thus issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), India, in April 2020 to maintain the delivery of essential health services.

Objectives

To determine the extent of disruptions of essential healthcare services, identify associated factors, and establish pertinent correlations to address specific needs.

Methods

The Mother and child tracking facilitation centre (MCTFC) conducted a telephonic survey with the front-line workers (FLWs) and beneficiaries in 21 Indian states. The sample size was determined using the infinite population sample size formula, and respondents were selected through a computer-generated random sequence technique. Data were quantitatively analysed using STATA-16. Descriptive univariate analysis was conducted using the Chi-square test.

Findings

The majority of the essential health services were being satisfactorily delivered by FLWs (N = 1596; accredited social health activist (ASHA) = 798, auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) = 798), where most of the beneficiaries (N = 1410; Pregnant Women = 708, Postnatal Women = 702) continued accessing services with minor issues concerning referral transport. FLWs reported issues in the provisioning of medicines (P = 0.000) for patients with non-communicable diseases and more ANMs than ASHAs reported it. FLWs commonly experienced challenges in extending services due to community resistance and unavailability of general health services at healthcare facilities, where a greater number of ASHAs faced it (P = 0.000). Both FLWs and beneficiaries (N = 3006; FLWs = 1596, beneficiaries = 1410) demonstrated appropriate COVID-19 knowledge and behavior.

Conclusion

Although overwhelmed, the Indian health system performed satisfactorily well during pandemic in terms of essential health services.

Musculoskeletal Disorders of Garo Women Workers Engaged in Tea-Plucking Activity: An Ergonomic Analysis

Background:

The tea-plucking activity in Garo Hills, Meghalaya, India is performed in a traditional way making the majority of women workers, especially those who have spent more years in tea-plucking activity prone to musculoskeletal disorders.

Materials and Methods:

The present study was conducted on a sample of 40 women workers who had the highest field experience in tea leaf plucking. Pain as a musculoskeletal disorder was recorded using a 5-point scale ranging from very mild pain (1) to very severe discomfort (5) to quantify the stress on muscles used in work. The coefficient of correlation was used to explore the relationship between age, years of involvement, BMI of women, and their musculoskeletal problem. The analysis of discomfort in upper extremity was done by using a rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) technique. Analysis of discomfort in entire body parts was carried out using a rapid entire body assessment (REBA) technique.

Results and Discussion:

During tea plucking, women workers reported severe discomfort in the head (4.5), neck (4.3), both fingers (4.2), upper and lower back (4.3 and 4.4), and feet (4.3). The RULA grand score was observed seven indicating the need for immediate investigation and changes. REBA result was 11 for entire body parts leading to conclude that workers were working under high physical strain.

Conclusion:

Workers with severe musculoskeletal disorders can face permanent disability that prevents them from returning to their jobs or handling simple everyday tasks. Therefore, some rest periods, ergonomic intervention, and personal protective equipment are needed to minimize the discomfort of women workers in the tea-plucking activity.

Nomograms to predict 3-year biochemical recurrence after robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy based on preoperative and perioperative variables of 774 patients

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Background: Predictors of biochemical recurrence after robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) are not well reported in the literature. We wanted to investigate preoperative predictors as well as the influence of nerve sparing and positive surgical margin status on 3-year biochemical recurrence.

Methods: 774 patients with at least 3 year follow up had undergone RALP by a single surgeon at our institution. Biochemcial recurrence was defined as a postoperative PSA >0.2 ng/ml. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to develop the biochemical recurrence predictive nomograms: nomogram 1- age, BMI, PSA density, clinical stage, biopsy Gleason, percent positive cores, perineural invasion; nomogram 2- age, BMI, PSA density, clinical stage, biopsy Gleason, percent positive cores, perineural invasion, nerve sparing, positive surgical margins (none, unifocal, or multifocal). The predictive accuracy of the models was assessed in terms of discrimination and calibration.

Results: Both nomograms discriminated well between patients that recurred and those that did not (bootstrap corrected c-indices of 0.766 and 0.806 for nomograms 1 and 2 respectively). Nomogram 1 was well calibrated, but nomogram 2 over- predicted the probability of biochemical recurrence in patients at >30% risk.

Conclusions: Our nomogram based on age, BMI, PSA density, clinical stage, biopsy Gleason, percent positive cores, and perineural invasion on preoperative biopsy has a good predictive ability to differentiate between RALP-treated patients that biochemically recur by 3 years from those that do not. Adding nerve sparing and surgical margin status further improved discriminatory ability but at the expense of over-prediction for patients at high risk. These nomograms may be used to guide the use of nerve sparing and the management of positive margins in men undergoing RALP for clinically localized prostate cancer.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

The relationship between prostate volume and histopathologic criteria of known prognostic importance in 2,207 men with prostate cancer

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Background: There is a paucity of data investigating the relationship between histopathologic variables of oncologic importance and prostate volume, and we aimed to investigate this.

Methods: 2,207 consecutive patients who underwent robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) were studied. Preoperative demographic and both pre- and post-operative histopathologic parameters were compared among the small prostate (< 40cc), intermediate size (40-70cc), and large prostate (> 70cc) groups.

Results: Patients with smaller prostates were younger, had slightly lower BMIs, and lower PSAs than those with smaller prostates (p < 0.001). They also had worse histopathologic criteria (Gleason, core positivity, and maximum percent cancer) on preoperative biopsy and had worse radical specimen Gleason sums (p < 0.001), percent cancer (p < 0.001), and pathologic stage (p = 0.016). 11.5% of men in the small prostate group suffered a positive surgical margin (PSM) compared to 8.3% and 5.6% in the intermediate and large prostate groups, respectively (p = 0.008; Table). Basilar, posterolateral, and multifocal PSMs were commoner in the small prostate group.

Conclusions: Younger men have smaller prostates and worse preoperative histopathologic parameters despite lower PSAs. Men with small prostates undergoing RARP have worse final Gleason sums, tumor volume, extraprostatic extension (EPE), and PSM rates than those with larger prostates. We would thus caution against conservative management of men with clinically localized prostate cancer who have small prostates.

[Table: see text]

No significant financial relationships to disclose.