Therapeutic and safety outcomes of intracoronary nicardipine in coronary artery disease patients: a systematic review

Aim: This systematic review aimed to shed light on the efficacy of intracoronary (IC) nicardipine in treating no reflow with CAD undergoing revascularization. Methods: Literature search was performed on databases with following eligibility criteria: adult patients with CAD; clinical trials or observational studies; IC nicardipine as intervention; therapeutic and safety outcome reported. Results: A total of 1249 papers were yielded during the literature search. Of these, 11 studies were finalized for this systematic review. Complete restoration of TIMI 3 flow was observed in 98.6% of the patients receiving IC nicardipine. A significant increase in the CBF after infusion of IC nicardipine (p < 0.05) was also observed. Conclusion: IC nicardipine significantly increases CBF and decreases coronary vascular resistance.

Polio amidst COVID-19 in Pakistan: Ongoing efforts, challenges, and recommendations

Poliomyelitis is a crippling viral disease caused by poliovirus, a positive‐stranded RNA virus that is a serotype of Enterovirus C. Pakistan remains one of the countries in the world where poliomyelitis is still prevalent, posing an obstacle to global poliomyelitis eradication. With the commencement of the COVID‐19 pandemic, polio eradication campaigns have proven less feasible, resulting in an increase in polio cases across the country. Pakistan's healthcare system and socio‐economic framework are incapable of dealing with two deadly viruses at the same time. As a result, effective measures for combating the destruction caused by the spread of the poliovirus are required.

Pakistan remains one of the nations in the world where poliomyelitis is still prevalent.

The number of polio cases in Pakistan has increased due to the disruption in vaccination procedures caused by the COVID‐19‐induced lockdown.

Aside from Polio, the COVID‐19 pandemic has resulted in an increase in the number of other infectious diseases.

The country still has the potential to eradicate polio from its soil if effective tactics, mass awareness, and public compliance are implemented.

A meta-analysis on incidence of barotrauma in patients with COVID-19 ARDS undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation

Barotrauma is a common complication in patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) undergoing Invasive Mechanical Ventilation (IMV) [...]

Transfusion Transmitted Infections: A Present-Day Danger for Pakistan

Over 1.5 million units of blood are collected in Pakistan each year, with around 65% of this donation coming from replacement donors-relatives or close friends of the affected who willingly donate blood to support the patient. Although blood transfusion is a life-saving therapy, it also involves the danger of spreading blood-borne illnesses if not appropriately screened. It has been extensively discussed that the precise number of transfusion transmitted infections (TTIs) in the Pakistani population is still unclear, and the estimates reported by the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority may be a major underestimation because of the country's lack of inexpensive and effective screening tests. Regular blood transfusions are the mainstay of treatment of patients with blood diseases such as thalassemia and anemia. They are also commonly used to handle acute injuries, surgery, bleeding, and birthing difficulties. However, the risk of getting a TTI results in an increased hesitancy among blood transfusion recipients. Hence, to reduce the occurrence of TTIs, effective and vigorous measures must be implemented.

Comparing SPEED and OSDI Questionnaires in a Non-Clinical Sample

Purpose

To compare the performance of OSDI and SPEED questionnaires in a non-clinical sample in Pakistan.

Methods

SPEED and OSDI questionnaires were simultaneously administered to a sample of 600 participants in Pakistan with an average age of 31.0 ± 10.1 years.

Results

Mean SPEED scores were calculated according to the OSDI categories and were found to be 3.33 ± 3.44, 5.45 ± 3.77, 7.86 ± 4.33, and 9.39 ± 4.56 for the normal, mild, moderate, and severe groups, respectively. Using Cronbach’s alpha, the total OSDI and SPEED scores were calculated to be 0.924 and 0.879, respectively. A receiver operating curve was plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was estimated to be 0.791. Using this curve, the cutoff score for the SPEED questionnaire was found to be 4.00 (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The SPEED questionnaire can be used as an effective alternative to the OSDI.