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Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide and, in recent years, has become an urgent public health concern in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Data from LMICs, however, remains limited. As such, the aim of this article is to systematically review the current literature on the incidence of SCD in LMICs to inform policymakers and identify potential research gaps. A search of PubMed and Embase was utilized to capture the targeted condition, outcome, and setting. Only peer-reviewed cohort studies in LMICs reporting SCD incidence estimates in the general population of individuals aged ≥1 year were eligible for selection. Papers providing incidence data for specific types of SCD, including sudden coronary death or death from sudden cardiac arrest, were also included. After deduplication, 1941 citations were identified and screened. Seven studies representing four countries-Cameroon, China, India, and Iran-met the criteria for inclusion and were considered in our analysis. The crude incidence rate for SCD ranged from 19.9 to 190 cases per 100,000 person-years, while age-adjusted rates ranged from 33.6 to 230 cases per 100,000 person-years. There was notable variability in methods utilized to ascertain SCD cases. These findings suggest that the incidence of all-cause SCD in LMICs and may exceed that of high-income countries; however, observed disparities may be partly attributable to differences in case ascertainment methods. Additional research is needed to better understand the true incidence of SCD in developing countries. It is crucial that future studies across regions utilize standard diagnostic criteria and methodology for identifying SCD, which would provide a framework by which to compare outcomes between settings., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Indian Journal of Community Medicine.)

Background: Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are widespread in developing countries with inadequate sanitation facilities. These infections can lead to malnutrition, anemia, and other complications that can negatively impact both the mother's and fetus's health during pregnancy. This study aimed to estimate the burden of STH by Kato-Katz microscopy and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in pregnant women from rural India. The diagnostic accuracy of these two methods was also compared., Material and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in rural areas of Wardha district of Maharashtra state. We randomly selected and interviewed 688 pregnant women. A total of 534 (77.61%) participants gave stool samples. Two containers (60 mL) labeled with a unique identification number were given to pregnant women to collect stool samples for Kato-Katz microscopy and qPCR. Stool specimens were transported to an accredited lab and examined within 24 hours. Suitable examinations were conducted to compare sensitivity between two tests., Results: The results are presented for 534 participants who gave stool samples. The prevalence of any STH by Kato-Katz stool microscopy was 6.55% (95%CI 4.46-12.19), and that by qPCR was 20.41 (95%CI 17.53-29.40). The sensitivity of Kato-Katz microscopy was 29.17% compared to sensitivity of 90.83% by qPCR ( P = 0.001). Pregnant women with STH infection have a significantly lower weight gain during pregnancy, and the majority were either mild or moderate anemic compared to those without STH., Conclusion: The study highlighted significant differences in prevalence of STH among pregnant women by Kato-Katz microscopy and qPCR. The sensitivity of qPCR for detecting STH was higher than that of Kato-Katz microscopy., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Indian Journal of Community Medicine.)

One Health has been coming of age through the G7 and G20 leadership and explicitly referred to in increasing ministerial declarations. Those leaderships, however, have been slow in knitting the One Health approach into the larger systems approach. by understanding the complexity of resilience and health system resilience is one of the key features of pandemic preparedness. Among others, health system strengthening is another key factor that urgently requires much attention in the theme of pandemic preparedness. Here, how the health system strengthening requires more imperative attention in the One Health gambit is discussed in the Indian context., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Indian Journal of Community Medicine.)

Introduction: In the management of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, a systematic response like modifications in lifestyles is needed along with the medication. The study was conducted to determine the impact of comprehensive lifestyle modifications on hypertension and diabetes and to compare it with that of physical activity alone as a health education intervention., Materials and Method: A risk factor-based community intervention trial was conducted for one year in 3 villages in coastal Karnataka. The sample of 305 was calculated depending on the expected change in blood pressure and an equal sample size was drawn from each of the villages using a systematic random sampling method. Baseline data on blood pressure level, random blood sugar, and HbA1c levels were recorded. After 1 year of intervention, all the parameters were further recorded along with the adherence to medication for these non-communicable diseases., Results: The mean difference between the groups suggested that participants with physical activity intervention reported a statistically significant reduction in systolic blood pressure. In the comprehensive lifestyle modification group, there was a significant reduction in both diastolic blood pressure and glycated hemoglobin levels (21 mmHg and 2.1%; p < 0.001)., Conclusion: The study indicates that in the management of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, the impact of comprehensive lifestyle modifications was more significant compared to physical activity alone., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Indian Journal of Community Medicine.)

Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) following tooth loss may or may not be prevalent, but the risk of developing these disorders is always there due to changes in occlusion and vertical dimension, leading to changes in the disc-fossa relationship. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the prevalence and severity of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder in partially versus completely edentulous patients. An elaborated literature search was conducted in PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Lilacs, and Google Scholar databases including all articles about varied effects of partial and complete edentulism on the TMJ published from January 1, 2000, to January 1, 2022. After the meticulous screening, only publications which fulfilled the inclusion parameters were ultimately selected for full-text evaluation and tested for bias using the Joana Briggs Institute Appraisal tools for cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies. A total of 547 articles from various electronic databases and manual searches were found. After eliminating the duplicates and thorough screening, 13 studies were included for qualitative synthesis. Most of the studies demonstrated at least one or two signs of the presence of TMDs following tooth loss, the intensity/frequency of which increased in proportion to the number of missing teeth.

Aim: The aim is to assess and compare angular, linear, and depth deviation and difference in bone density of dental implants placed using computer aided design/computer aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) fabricated surgical guides versus implants placed using Bone Pen Kit. Till now, no original research exists in the search engines such as Pubmed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Research Gate on this kit., Settings and Design: In vivo- Randomised control trial., Materials and Methods: Twenty clinical cases were selected and split into two distinct groups. Group 1 involved the placement of 10 implants using CAD/CAM fabricated three dimensional guides and Group 2 involved the placement of 10 implants using Bone Pen Kit. Four deviation parameters were evaluated, which included: (a) Angular deviation, (b) Linear deviation at implant platform, (c) Linear deviation at implant apex, and (d) Depth deviation and difference in bone density before and after implant placement was also evaluated., Statistical Analysis Used: SPSS software version 23 was utilized for the analysis of the data. The comparison was made using the Whitney test, and Wilcoxon signed rank test., Results: When comparing angular deviation, the results indicated a statistically significant difference with a P < 0.05. The values observed for angular and linear deviation in Group 2 were significantly greater than those in Group 1. No statistically significant difference in depth and linear deviation was found at the implant platform among the two groups. Bone density before and after implant placement was significantly higher in Group 1., Conclusions: (1) Angular and linear deviation at the apex in Group 2 exhibited higher values in comparison to Group 1, (2) No difference in depth and linear deviation at the implant platform was found among the two groups, and (3) There was no difference in change in bone density among two groups.

Background: Gujarat has implemented an mHealth program, technology for community health operations-plus (TeCHO+) in 2019. TeCHO+ is a mobile and web-based application that essentially enables data entry by the frontline workers providing service at the time and place of service delivery to improve the coverage and data quality. It also facilitates early identification of morbid condition and timely treatment. This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of TeCHO+ program in Gujarat., Materials and Methods: The study compared key program outcome indicators before and after the launch of TeCHO+ program. As the program was launched across the State, eMamta, the previous version of mother and child tracking system was used for comparison. A decision tree was parameterized to estimate change in disability-adjusted life year (DALY) and cost as a result of implementing TeCHO+ from a health system perspective., Results: TeCHO+ incurred a cost of Rs. 2,624 per beneficiary against Rs. 1,075 per beneficiary under the previous eMamta program. TeCHO+ has resulted in significant DALY averted through early identification of high-risk cases both among pregnant women and children. Overall, cost-effectiveness analysis indicated that TeCHO+ incurred an incremental cost of Rs. 1802.84 per DALY averted, which is 1.19% of the GDP per capita of India (year 2020)., Conclusion: This study concludes that TeCHO+ is cost-effective for mother and child care and can be considered for replicating., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Indian Journal of Community Medicine.)

Breast cancer is one of the most common and feared cancers. The incidence of breast cancer is persistently on the rise due to urbanization and lifestyle changes. Breast cancer cannot be prevented fully but can be effectively treated and controlled if risk factors are determined accurately. Detection of breast cancer at an early stage along with the advancement in treatment options has provided a greater chance of survival., Objectives: The objective of the study was (a) To determine the most common risk factors of breast cancer in women and (b) to identify the risk ratio of dietary risk factors among breast cancer patients., Methodology: A hospital-based case-control study was conducted at a tertiary care center in coastal Karnataka, India., Results: Total 240 participants were included in the study, 120 cases and 120 controls, who were matched by ± 2-year age range. All the study participants were between 34 and 70 years of age group; the occurrence of breast cancer was found more among females within the normal range of body mass index and with a history of breast cancer among first-degree relatives. A statistically significant association was found with consumption of red meat, fatty food consumption, and bad dietary habit., Conclusion: High fat-low fiber diet is the most important risk factor for breast Cancer., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Indian Journal of Community Medicine.)

Context: With the increasing trend of adopting e-Health technologies, the need for evidence for assessing e-Health technologies has become crucial. The appraisal of the e-Health program is important as this could provide guidance on further e-Health investment and adoption., Aims: The aim of the study was to provide an articulated body of literature on the current state of knowledge about the assessment of e-Health interventions., Settings and Design: Scoping review was conducted based on the framework provided by Arksey and O'Malley (2005) and considering enhancements proposed by Peters et al . (2015)., Subjects and Methods: We searched the electronic databases and available gray literature from inception until the last week of October 2019. PRISMA flowchart for the study selection process was used to guide reporting. Data extraction included information on study design, authors, year of study, country, and key findings in terms of approaches used for assessment of e-Health programs. Data were compiled and summarized narratively., Results: Searches were performed between October and December 2019. Seventy-one relevant papers published between the years until the last week of October 2019 were reviewed and analyzed. After considering all the eligibility criteria, 15 papers were included. We identified 15 approaches for assessing e-Health programs, which were summarized and tabulated., Conclusions: This review showed that available literature on the assessment of e-Health programs is heterogeneous in terms of the methodology used. e-Health interventions are highly contextual; therefore; the phase of maturity and objective of the assessment should be considered while carrying out the assessment of e-Health programs., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Indian Journal of Community Medicine.)

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Objective: Larsen syndrome (LS) is characterized by osteo-chondrodysplasia, multiple joint dislocations, and craniofacial abnormalities. Symptomatic myelopathy is attributed to C1-C2 instability and sub-axial cervical kyphosis. In this article, we have analyzed the surgical outcome after posterior fixation in LS with craniovertebral junction instability., Methods: Ten symptomatic pediatric patients, operated between 2011 and 2019, were included, and the clinical outcome was assessed by Nurick grade, neurological improvement, and complications. The requirement of anti-spasticity drugs, the degree of bony fusion, and restriction of neck movement were also noted. At last follow-up, patient satisfaction score (PSS) and back to school status were studied. We also reviewed the literature and categorized two types of presentation of reported LS patients and discussed the pattern of disease progression among both., Results: Ten patients, age range 1.5-16 years, underwent 12 surgeries (6 C1-C2 fixation, 4 long-segment posterior cervical fixation, and 2 trans-oral decompressions as the second stage); the mean follow-up was 23 (range, 6-86 months). All the ten patients in our study had the characteristic "dish-" like face and nine patients had acral anomalies. The median Nurick grade improved from preoperative (median = 4) to follow-up (median = 3). The requirement of anti-spasticity drugs decreased in seven patients and the neck-pain improved in nine patients. The median satisfaction at follow-up was good (median PSS = 2); five patients were going back to school., Conclusion: Craniovertebral junction instability in LS is rare and surgically challenging. Early posterior fixation showed a promising outcome with a halt in the disease progression., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2020 Journal of Craniovertebral Junction and Spine.)

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Changes in climatic conditions influence the transmission of water and/or vector-borne diseases. It is one of the reasons for the emergence and re-emergence of various infectious diseases. This case study documents the learnings from selected Southeast Asian countries that can be useful for developing integrated disease surveillance and early warning system for selected climate-sensitive diseases. Through informal key-informant interviews and site-visits to Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Thailand, we studied the disease surveillance, meteorological surveillance and early warning systems. These leanings suggest that an integrated data sharing mechanism is essential for real-time disease prediction. Further, there is immense scope for developing mechanisms on the uniform in data collection, data processing and analysis. There is an urgent need for developing a multi-sectoral collaborative plan for the integration of surveillance for real-time prediction of climate-sensitive diseases., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2020 Indian Journal of Community Medicine.)

Aim: The present study was done to evaluate and compare the stability of the implant and the loss of crestal bone in the implants placed using OD drilling and traditional drilling technique., Setting and Design: In vivo -comparative study., Materials and Methods: A total of 20 implants were placed in the anterior maxilla, and the patients were divided into two groups. In Group I, the implants were placed using traditional drilling technique, and in Group II, implant placement was done using OD drilling technique. Primary stability was measured in both the groups at baseline (immediate postoperative), and at an interval of 6 months, while crestal bone levels were measured at baseline, 6, and 8 months., Statistical Analysis Used: The data obtained were subjected to unpaired t-test to make intergroup comparisons, while one-way ANOVA F -test was used to make intragroup comparisons., Results: The primary stability of implant placed using OD drills was found to be slightly higher than implant placed with traditional drilling; however, there was no statistical significance ( P > 0.05). When the data obtained for crestal bone levels were statistically analyzed, no significant difference between the two groups was obtained ( P > 0.05)., Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study following conclusions were drawn: there was no statistically significant difference in implant stability between the traditional drilling and OD drilling ( P < 0.05). On comparison of crestal bone levels between OD and traditional drilling, no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups ( P < 0.05)., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2020 The Journal of Indian Prosthodontic Society.)

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background and Aims: Effects of fluid absorption on hematological profile in the immediate postoperative period in patients undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) have not been given due importance. Considering the limited number of studies available, we conducted this study to evaluate the changes in hemodynamics, complete blood count (CBC), and electrolytes in patients undergoing PCNL using normal saline for irrigation in the prone position. Furthermore, we evaluated the common factors known to affect the absorption., Materials and Methods: Forty American Society of Anesthesiologist Class I or II patients aged 18-65 years were recruited who underwent PCNL under general anesthesia. Heart rate, blood pressure (BP), CBC, and serum electrolytes were recorded preoperatively and just before extubation and compared using the Student's t -test. Correlation of these changes with height and total volume of irrigating fluid, total time of irrigation, duration of operation, and total intravenous fluids administered intraoperatively were performed using the Pearson's correlation coefficient., Results: There was a statistically significant fall in mean hemoglobin (12.5 g/dL to 11.5 g/dL), packed cell volume (38.6%-35.6%), platelet count (2.9 × 10 5 cells/μL to 2.5 × 10 5 cells/μL), and sodium ion concentration (Na + ) (138.9 meq/L to 137.7 meq/L) in the immediate postoperative period as compared to that of the preoperative values. Rest of the blood indices and electrolytes did not show any significant change. There was a significant rise in postoperative heart rate and BP. Postoperative systolic BP showed a significant positive correlation with the total volume of irrigating fluid. No significant correlation was observed with height and total time of irrigation., Conclusion: This study reveals that there is a significant fall in hemoglobin and Na + during PCNL in the immediate postoperative period. Only, total volume of irrigating fluid and total duration of surgery had a significant correlation with blood cell indices., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: Mental health issues becoming the global public health challenge, especially among the youth (12-24 years of age), although they are often detected later in life. In India, the adolescent population constitutes a quarter of the country's population and burden of disease varies from 9.5 to 102/1000 population. Most of the mental health disorders remain unidentified due to negligence and ignorance of multiple factors. Keeping this in mind and lack of population-based studies with good quality for guiding the mental health policies, this study aims to document the prevalence of emotional and behavioral difficulties among adolescents in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat, India., Methods: This is a school-based cross-sectional study conducted among 11-19 years of school-going adolescents during August-September 2016. About 477 adolescents who gave consent to participate were selected from 20 randomly primary and secondary schools. A prevalidated questionnaire for sociodemographic information including global validated standard questionnaire for mental health scoring known as Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were administered and self-reported responses were documented. Statistical analysis was conducted through SPSS version 20., Results: Mean age of the study population was 14.2 ± 1.4 years. About 14.6% boys and 12.6% of girls had abnormal total SDQ score, while 15.3% boys and 21.9% of girls had borderline SDQ score. Thus, 70.1% of boys compared to 65.6% girls had normal SDQ score. The difference between mean (higher mean score among girls) of total SDQ score of boys and girls was statically significant at the level of P < 0.05. Major risk factors for self-reported mental health issues were illiterate mother, occupation of parents, which make them away from family during daytime, nuclear family, severe addiction to alcohol in the family, financial problem in the family, and adolescent getting daily physical punishment. One-seventh adolescents are vulnerable for mental health problems found in this study. About one-fifth adolescents have internalizing (emotional) and about one-sixth have externalizing (conduct) manifestations., Conclusion: There is an urgent need to address the emotional and conduct manifestation among school-going adolescents. Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram framework needs to address these issues on priority., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: Adolescents (10-19 years of age) constitute about one-fifth of India's population. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, has launched Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) in 2014 to improve health of adolescents. Adolescent Health Day (AHD) is an important intervention of RKSK for outreach and to secure convergence among relevant departments., Objectives: The objective of this study is to design and document methodology for effective implementation of AHD., Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in Talod block of Sabarkantha district of Gujarat. The methodology was developed using ABCDE approach - assess, build, create, deliver, and evaluate., Results: During assess phase, experts identified convergence an important component for successful implementation of RKSK. Formative research reaffirm that convergence played an important role in effective implementation of RKSK. Findings from these two phases led to the creation of a methodology which was used to deliver AHDs. This was further evaluated using interviews with key stakeholders in health and education department. It is now being used to organize AHDs in the district., Conclusion: ABCDE approach can be used to develop a better health interventions for National Health Programs., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Context: Electronic media has become a part of day-to-day life for all, and particularly more so for children and adolescents. Exposure to electronic media may be beneficial as well as harmful., Aim: The aim of the study is to systematically synthesize existing published and non-published empirical evidence on the effect of exposure to electronic media on diet, exercise, and sexual activity., Methodology: Two reviewers independently searched online databases such as MEDLINE, CENTRAL, and EMBASE. We applied no language, date, or publication restrictions., Selection Criteria: We included randomized control trials that assessed the effect of exposure of electronic media on diet, exercise, and sexual activity in participants between 5 and 19 years., Study Selection Data Extraction: Two reviewers independently screened studies identified in electronic search and independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies., Data Analysis: We had planned to use the risk ratio or odds ratio for dichotomous data, and mean difference (MD) or standardized MD for continuous data. However, as included studied differed in types of intervention and reporting of outcomes, we did not undertake meta-analysis., Main Results: All included trials were parallel randomized controlled trials except for one that was a crossover trial. Eight studies reported the effect of electronic media on diet and exercise, two on diet, two on exercise, and one on sexual activity. Quality of evidence was rated as "very low" for all outcomes due to too little information or too few data to be able to reach to any conclusions., Conclusions: There is a little body of evidence that limits conclusions. We need to comprehend as to how to swap undesirable effects of electronic media and make it more desirable., Registration of Systematic Review: This systematic review has been registered at PROSPERO International prospective register of systematic reviews (Registration number: PROSPERO 2018 CRD42018086935) available at https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display&#95;record.php?RecordID=86935., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: There are multiple risk factors during adolescence, which become precursors of various diseases and injuries inflicting high morbidity, mortality, and disability. There are several gaps in adolescent health research in India; one among them is that programs targeting adolescent health are constrained by the absence of rigorous interventional research informing interventions for improving adolescent health. This study aims to document the effectiveness of intervention on adolescent health and knowledge change on the risk factors among adolescents in one of the selected districts in Gujarat, India., Methods: This was an interventional study with quasi-experimental design executed in one of the blocks of Gujarat. Baseline was conducted in 2013-2014 followed by intervention and the end line during 2016-2017. A structured validated questionnaire after pilot testing was executed to collect information on sociodemographic profile, nutrition status, menstrual hygiene practices, reproductive and sexual health, substance abuse, program awareness and utilization, and empowerment through life skills of adolescents in baseline and end line survey. Data analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20.0. (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp)., Results: This study documented increased awareness regarding anemia, knowledge about STD and HIV/AIDS, reduced addiction to tobacco, improved practices during menstrual hygiene and engagement with adolescent services/schemes in the intervention site., Conclusion: This study concludes that evidence-based interventions lead to increase in knowledge and practices; however, some improvements have also been documented in the nonintervention site. Therefore, changes due to interventions could not be attributed completely for improving adolescent health. Further long term interventional studies are required to develop a robust evidence on improving health of adolescents in India., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: Substance abuse is one of the most significant global public health issues among youths. Electronic media has become a part of day-to-day life for all. This systematic review is undertaken to comprehensively explore the effect of electronic media on substance abuse among children and adolescents., Methodology: Two review authors independently searched various electronic databases and other sources., Selection Criteria: Randomized control trials that assessed the effect of exposure of electronic media (defined as television, internet, gaming, mobile phones/phones, and radio) among participants in the age range of 5-19 years on substance abuse were included in the review., Data Collection and Analysis: Two reviewers independently extracted data. We used an approach proposed by the Cochrane Collaboration. We used GRADE profiler to assess the overall quality of the evidence., Main Results: We retrieved 6003 studies and found 15 studies that fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Since included studies differed in the type of intervention and reporting of outcomes, we did not undertake meta-analysis and choose to describe studies narratively. Quality of evidence was rated as "very low" due to too little information or too few data to be able to reach any conclusions., Authors' Conclusions: Clinicians, policymakers, and educators to partner with caregivers and youth to support electronic media use that promotes positive outcome in these areas., Registration of Systematic Review: This systematic review has been registered at PROSPERO International prospective register of systematic reviews (Registration number: PROSPERO 2018 CRD42018086935) available at https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display&#95;record.php?RecordID = 86935., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: The increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and large proportion of adolescent population in India; crafts the dynamics of NCD risk factors. Most of the NCD risk factors are behaviorally acquired which are due to change in lifestyle during adolescent age groups., Objective: This study aims to determine the prevalence of risk factors among school-going adolescents in one of district of Gujarat state, India., Subjects and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted among sampled schools of Sabarkantha district of Gujarat, India, during September-December 2016. A total of 484 school-going adolescents were screened for body weight, height, blood pressure, and some information of sociodemographic, lifestyle habits, and family history were collected through a structured questionnaire in vernacular language. Data were managed with SPSS version 20., Results: This study documents that not having fruits and not doing physical activities daily are the major risk factors of NCDs among school-going adolescents of Sabarkantha district, Gujarat. In addition to this, also it has been documented that there are differential standards for body mass index (BMI) available for adolescents and have been used extensively in various studies. This study provides an insight to these three major BMI standards and their differences in measurement for the school-going adolescents., Conclusions: This study recommends promoting healthier practices for prevention of NCD lifestyle risk factors among school-going adolescents and it also recommends standardizing the BMI measurements for adolescents for India., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background and Aims: Oocyte retrieval is the only vital aspect of in vitro fertilization requiring anesthesia. Previous studies have shown the inconclusive role of paracervical block (PCB) in transvaginal oocyte retrieval (TVOR) under ultrasound guidance. This study was planned to observe the role and efficacy of PCB as measured by the amount of propofol used as rescue in patients undergoing TVOR and grading it on the basis of body mass index (BMI)., Methods: This prospective, comparative study, conducted over 1 year, recruited 140 American Society of Anesthesiologists I and II patients and divided into two groups as follows: Group A received PCB with 20 ml of 1% lignocaine and Group B received no PCB. Total propofol consumed, BMI, time taken, oocytes retrieved, postprocedure visual analog scale score, and complications were noted. In both the groups, patients were then divided into underweight, normal, overweight, and obese according to BMI. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package Mini Tab Version 17.0. The primary objective was to study the efficacy of PCB as estimated by amount of propofol required during the procedure. The secondary aim was to assess the effect of BMI on the efficacy of PCB., Results: Propofol requirement was found to be significantly more ( P < 0.05) in Group B patients (172.14 ± 64.15) in comparison to Group A (132.14 ± 66.11). Amount of propofol required in normal BMI and overweight patients was significantly higher in Group B. No significant difference was observed in underweight, and obese patients in both the groups., Conclusion: PCB reduces the consumption of propofol in normal BMI patients. Underweight and obese population do not benefit from PCB., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is first opportunistic infection and leading cause of death among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS. Certainly, the prevalence of TB is expected to differ between general population and HIV-infected persons. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of TB among newly diagnosed HIV-infected adults attending antiretroviral therapy (ART) center in the state of Gujarat, India., Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study was carried out among newly diagnosed HIV-infected persons attending ART center from July 2012 to September 2012. Screening of TB symptoms and chest X-ray was done for those who consented. Sputum samples were collected for microscopy with Ziehl-Neelsen method for all presumptive TB cases and those diagnosed as pulmonary TB, culture, and drug susceptibility test was done. Blood samples were collected for CD4+ T-cells count and hemoglobin., Results: Out of 2021 eligible HIV-infected persons, 63.5% were males and 68.2% were in the age group of 26-45 years. The prevalence of TB was 17.8%. Among 360 patients with TB, 102 (28%) had smear positive TB, 86 (24%) had smear-negative TB, and 172 (48%) were diagnosed as extrapulmonary TB. Two hundred and thirty-eight (27%) TB patients with CD4+ T-Cell count below 200 compared to 122 (11%) patients above 200., Conclusion: A high prevalence of TB was found among newly diagnosed HIV-infected adults attending ART center for care and treatment. The prevalence of pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB was almost equal. Chances of TB disease were more with depletion of CD4 counts. The study highlights urgent need of intensive case finding as well as periodic screening of newly diagnosed HIV-infected individuals., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: Urbanization and water scarcity are placing pressure on urban food security. Globally, wastewater irrigation is a common feature of urban agriculture; however, high pathogen densities of wastewater pose disease risk for farming households., Objectives: (a) Compare Escherichia coli concentrations of groundwater, surface, and wastewater. (b) Estimate the household diarrheal disease risk between the irrigation sources., Materials and Methods: This 12-month case-cohort study was undertaken in 187 households from four communities, selected purposively based on the irrigation water type, in urban Ahmedabad. The study included two communities utilizing surface water and one each using groundwater and wastewater. Households were visited bimonthly during each visit self-report health information was collected by health diary method. Water samples were analyzed for E. coli using the most probable number method., Results: Average E. coli concentrations, per 100 mL, in all the three water sources, were exceeding the international irrigation water standard and measured 3.04 × 10 4 , 9.28 × 10 5 , and 4.02 × 10 9 for groundwater, surface, and wastewater, respectively. The incidence of diarrhea in the groundwater area was 7.92 episodes/1,000 person-weeks, while the wastewater and surface water group had incidences of 13.1 and 13.4 episodes/1,000 person-weeks. A positive correlation between irrigation water quality and incidence of diarrhea was documented. The average treatment effect of wastewater quality obtained was 2.73., Conclusion: Large proportions of Ahmedabad's farming population rely on water unsuitable for irrigation, inducing significant adverse health effects for farming households. This warrants an urgent need of introducing the concept of urban agriculture to the local civic authorities., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major public health concern in tribal community not only in Gujarat but also globally. Gujarat, a western state of India, has 89.12 lakh tribal populations and is expected to have at least 9,00,000 sickle cell trait and 70,000 SCD patients. The aim of the present review is to document the prevalence of SCD in various communities and various screening methods adapted., Methodology: An in-depth literature review was carried out using available search engines such as Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus etc. and published articles, and government reports/policy documents with reference to SCD were gathered., Results: A total of 17 original research articles and 2 policy/program documents are included in this review. The review suggests a prevalence of 0.6%-35% studies conducted among medical students, tribal schoolchildren, and tribal adolescents, with diverse screening methodologies., Conclusion: A diverse prevalence is observed in this review. Various screening methods such as dithionite turbidity test/hemoglobin/high-performance liquid chromatography methods were used to estimate the prevalence, citing the need for standardization. It was also found that not only tribal population, but also nontribal population have the risk of getting SCD that needs to be further investigated properly. Qualitative studies with SCD patients are required to understand the quality of life and morbidity pattern., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) at the time of induction increases oxygenation by preventing lung atelectasis. However, PEEP may not prove beneficial in all cases. Factors affecting the action of PEEP have not been elucidated well and remain controversial. Pulmonary vasculature has direct bearing on the action of PEEP as has been proven in the previous studies. Thus, this prospective study was planned to evaluate the action of PEEP on the basis of pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) which is noninvasive and easily measured by transthoracic echocardiography., Materials and Methods: Seventy morbidly obese patients, the American Society of Anesthesiologists Grade II, or III, aged 20-65 years with body mass index >40 kg/m 2 , scheduled for elective laparoscopic bariatric surgery were included. Patients who denied consent, those undergoing emergency and/or open surgery and those requiring >2 attempts for intubation were excluded from the study. Ten patients had to be excluded. Thus, a total of sixty patients participated in the study. Thirty patients received no PEEP at the time of induction while other thirty patients were given a PEEP of 10 cm of H 2 O. Serial ABG samples were taken preoperatively, at the time of intubation, 5 min after intubation, and 10 min after intubation. Patients were then divided into four groups on the basis of PASP value of ≤30 mm Hg with and without PEEP or >30 mm Hg with and without PEEP., Primary Outcome: The primary outcome was the effect of PEEP of 10 cm of H2 O on ABG and hemodynamics in morbidly obese patients., Secondary Outcome: The secondary outcome was the effect of PASP on the action of PEEP in morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery., Results: Patients having PASP of >30 mm Hg had significant improvement in oxygenation on PEEP application (270.11 ± 119.26 mm Hg) as compared to those without PEEP (157.57 ± 109.29 mm Hg) just after intubation. The increase in oxygenation remained significant at all time intervals. Patients with PASP ≤30 mm Hg did not show significant improvement in oxygenation with PEEP application (177.09 ± 85.85 mm Hg as compared to 226.27 ± 92.42 mm Hg without PEEP). Hemodynamic parameters did not show statistically significant alterations., Conclusion: Morbidly obese patients who have PASP >30 mm Hg benefit most from the PEEP. Thus, PASP which is an easily measurable noninvasive parameter can be used as a criterion for selecting patients who benefit from PEEP application., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: The effect of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) has been studied in detail after induction of general anesthesia especially in obese individuals. However, sparse information can be gathered from the literature regarding its effect when applied at the time of induction and the time of onset of its effect. Thus, this study was planned to assess the effect of PEEP when applied for a single minute in morbidly obese patients., Materials and Methods: This was a randomized prospective study comprising seven morbidly obese patients (body mass index ≥40 kg/m 2 ). Control group included 30 patients who received no PEEP at the time of induction. The study group consisted of thirty patients who were given a PEEP of 10 cmH 2 O. Serial arterial blood gas samples were taken preoperatively, at the time of intubation, 5 min after intubation and 10 min after intubation., Results: PaO 2 was significantly higher in test group (242.0 ± 116.0 mmHg) than in control group (183.0 ± 107.0 mmHg) just after intubation. PaCO 2 was comparable in control group (43.73 ± 6.32 mmHg) and test group (44.52 ± 6.33 mmHg) just after intubation but was significantly less in test group than in control group at 5 and 10 min thereafter. Hemodynamic parameters were comparable in both groups at all time intervals., Conclusion: Application of even a single minute of PEEP at the time of induction improves oxygenation without any adverse effects on hemodynamics, in morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic Bariatric surgery., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: Ketamine, in low doses, is known to possess intense analgesic properties. The available literature shows wide variation regarding the time and dose of administration of ketamine during surgery., Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of intraoperative administration of ketamine when used as sole analgesic in low doses, on hemodynamics and postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecological surgery and compared on the basis of duration of surgery., Settings and Design: This prospective, observational study was conducted from July to December 2015, over a period of 6 months in a tertiary care medical college and hospital., Materials and Methods: Seventy patients between 23 and 55 years planned for laparoscopic gynecological surgery were recruited. Ketamine was given in a dose of 0.5 mg/kg preoperatively and then repeated every ½ hourly in a dose of 0.25 mg/kg throughout the surgery. Hemodynamic parameters, time to the first rescue analgesia and complications were recorded for the first 8 h. Statistical evaluation was done and result expressed as percentage. Paired t -test was employed for the comparison of numerical variables within the group., Results: Seventy percent of the patients did not require any postoperative rescue analgesia during the first 8 h after surgery. None of the patients complained of pain immediately after extubation, and 16% of the patients had minor postoperative complications. The intraoperative hemodynamic profile was significantly altered. Duration of surgery and dose of ketamine required did not affect the duration of analgesia., Conclusion: Ketamine in low dose proved to be an efficacious analgesic even in the long duration laparoscopic gynecological surgeries. It stabilizes intraoperative hemodynamics thereby reducing the requirement of other anesthetic and antihypertensive agents., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background and Introduction: Chromosomal abnormality is found in about half of first-trimester abortions. Karyotype is the gold standard to detect chromosomal abnormalities. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) offers advantage over karyotype in terms of lower failure rate, faster turnaround time, and much higher resolution than conventional karyotyping and found to be 98% concordant with conventional karyotype., Aim: We performed this study to look for the utility of MLPA in diagnosing chromosomal abnormalities in first-trimester abortions., Materials and Methods: MLPA using subtelomeric SALSA probe sets (P036 and P070) was used to detect cytogenetic abnormalities in products of conception in missed/spontaneous abortions., Results: A total of ninety abortus samples were analyzed by MLPA. Successful results were provided in (67) 74.4% of the cases while no conclusion could be drawn in 25.6% (23) of the cases. Fifty-five (82.1%) cases were cytogenetically normal and 17.9% (12) had some abnormality. Aneuploidy was detected in 8 (66.7%) cases, 3 (25%) had double-segment imbalance, and one (8.3%) had partial aneuploidy., Conclusion: We suggest that MLPA is a good substitute to traditional karyotype.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an intriguing clinical entity. Its clinical connotations are varied, the updates of which are required to be done periodically. An attempt to bring its various facets have been made highlighting its clinical features keeping in view the major and the minor criteria to facilitate the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, complications, and associated dermatoses. The benefit of the current dissertation may percolate to the trainees in dermatology, in addition to revelations that atopic undertones in genetic susceptibility and metabolic disorder may provide substantive insight for the future in the understanding of thus far enigmatic etiopathogenesis of AD.

Background: Atopic dermatitis is a distinct age-related clinical entity. Its etiopathogenesis is largely insubstantial. Nevertheless, it seems to be an outcome of interplay of maternal and inheritance, pregnancy/intrauterine and environmental factors. Besides, immune dysregulation, and nutritional supplements also play essential roles. Its diagnosis has been perpetuated by three or more major/minor criteria., Objectives: An endeavor to study its demographic and clinical pattern in contemporary prospective., Materials and Methods: 100 fresh patients of atopic dermatitis, diagnosed on the basis of an established three or more major and minor criteria, salient presentations of which were recorded in a preset proforma, which also recorded age, duration, age of onset, and sex. Serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels were determined by conventional technique. The data thus obtained was analysed to study its clinical pattern and to correlate its severity to IgE levels., Results: Its overall (new and old) prevalence was 0.98%, while that of new patients was 0.24%. 83 (83%) were in the age group of 2-12 years, of which 54 (83.1%) were males and 29 (82.9%) were female, of which 70 (70%) had urban, while 30 (30%) had rural background. Its duration varied from 8 to 192 weeks, with a mean of 76 weeks, and a standard deviation of 21.42 weeks [76 ± 21.42]., Conclusion: Atopic dermatitis is a discrete, overt, age and IgE-related entity frequently displaying varying demographic and clinical connotation.

Atopic dermatitis is a well-recognized clinical entity, several facets of which continue to be mystified. Accordingly, its etio-pathogenesis is largely elusive. It appears to be an outcome of interplay of several undertones, namely: genetics, maternal factor and inheritance, pregnancy/intrauterine, environmental factors, immune dysregulation, immuno-globulins, role of diet, and infection. Besides, recent innovative breakthroughs consisting of nutritional supplementation, the highlights of which were considered worthwhile to take stock of to define its current status. An endeavor to enlighten the audience has been made for their benefit.

Objectives: Biased negative studies not only reflect poor research effort but also have an impact on 'patient care' as they prevent further research with similar objectives, leading to potential research areas remaining unexplored. Hence, published 'negative studies' should be methodologically strong. All parameters that may help a reader to judge validity of results and conclusions should be reported in published negative studies. There is a paucity of data on reporting of statistical and methodological parameters in negative studies published in Indian Medical Journals. The present systematic review was designed with an aim to critically evaluate negative studies published in prominent Indian Medical Journals for reporting of statistical and methodological parameters., Design: Systematic review., Materials and Methods: All negative studies published in 15 Science Citation Indexed (SCI) medical journals published from India were included in present study. Investigators involved in the study evaluated all negative studies for the reporting of various parameters. Primary endpoints were reporting of "power" and "confidence interval.", Results: Power was reported in 11.8% studies. Confidence interval was reported in 15.7% studies. Majority of parameters like sample size calculation (13.2%), type of sampling method (50.8%), name of statistical tests (49.1%), adjustment of multiple endpoints (1%), post hoc power calculation (2.1%) were reported poorly. Frequency of reporting was more in clinical trials as compared to other study designs and in journals having impact factor more than 1 as compared to journals having impact factor less than 1., Conclusion: Negative studies published in prominent Indian medical journals do not report statistical and methodological parameters adequately and this may create problems in the critical appraisal of findings reported in these journals by its readers.

Context: It is observed in studies done for western medical journals that insufficient information related to drug is usually provided in the drug advertisements published in them., Aims: As data for advertisements published in Indian Medical Journals were lacking, this study was designed with the aim of evaluating drug advertisements published in Indian Medical Journals for adequacy of information on drug and references given to support the claim made in the advertisements., Settings and Design: Cross-sectional survey., Methods and Materials: All medical journals related to clinical practice subscribed by the Central Library of Government Medical College, Surat, (Indian Journal of Pediatrics [IJP], Indian Pediatrics [IP], Journal of the Association of Physicians of India [JAPI], Journal of Indian Medical Association [JIMA], Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine [IJCCM], Indian Journal of Medical and Pediatric Oncology [IJMPO], Indian Journal of Gastroenterology [IJG], Indian Journal of Ophthalmology [IJO], and Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology of India [JOGI] were evaluated for adequacy of reporting of various parameters in drug advertisements published in these journals on the basis of "World Heath Organization (WHO)" criteria. References mentioned to support claims were also evaluated., Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistics was used to describe data as frequencies, percentages, and 95% confidence interval around the percentage., Results: Generic name was mentioned in 90% advertisements. Indications were mentioned in 84% advertisements. Dose, precautions, and contraindications were mentioned in 24%, 17%, and 16% advertisements, respectively. Adverse effects and postal address of pharmaceutical company was mentioned in 19% and 74% advertisements, respectively. Price was mentioned in only 5% advertisements. Only 28% claims were supported by references. Most common references were Journal articles (75%)., Conclusion: Drug advertisements published in Indian Medical Journals are poor in reporting various parameters according to WHO criteria.

Background: Use of antimicrobials (AM) and granulocyte colony stimulating factors (G-CSF) affect the outcome and cost of treatment of febrile neutropenia (FN). There are no studies describing the AM utilization pattern or the use of G-CSF and cost incurred on them in cancer patients with FN from India., Materials and Methods: A study was conducted in a tertiary care, teaching hospital in New Delhi, India, with the objectives of describing the utilization pattern of AM and G-CSF in cancer patients with FN. The efficacy and costs of AM and G-CSF prescribed were also assessed., Results: A total of 211 patients with FN were enrolled in the study. A majority of 207 (98.1%) were in the low-risk category. The average number of AM used per patient was 2.45 ± 0.02 and the AM exposure density was 1.19. All patients were administered five different combinations of AM regimens and G-CSF, irrespective of the risk category. No difference in the time to defervesence or in the recovery of ANC counts were observed with the different AM regimens. The average drug cost per febrile neutropenia episode (FNE) was Rs 4694.45 ± 296.35 (113.95 ± 7.19$). G-CSF accounted for 76.14 - 97.58% of the total costs., Conclusion: Large variations in the pattern of AM prescribed with routine use of G-CSF, irrespective of the risk status, was observed. Guidelines for the rational and cost-effective use of AM and G-CSF in patients with FN needed to be prepared. This was especially important as treatment was given free of cost to all patients admitted in the government health facility.

Background: Mass drug administration (MDA) means once-in-a-year administration of diethyl carbamazine (DEC) tablet to all people (excluding children under 2 years, pregnant women and severely ill persons) in identified endemic areas. It aims at cessation of transmission of lymphatic filariasis., Objective: What has been the coverage and compliance of MDA in Gujarat during the campaign in December 2006?, Study Design: Cross-sectional population based house-to-house visit., Setting: Urban and rural areas in Gujarat identified as endemic for filariasis where MDA 2006 was undertaken., Study Variables: Exploratory - Rural and urban districts; Outcome - coverage, compliance, actual coverage, side effects., Analysis: Percentage and proportions., Results: Twenty-six clusters, each comprising 32 households from six endemic districts, yielded an eligible population of 4164. The coverage rate was 85.2% with variation across different areas. The compliance with drug ingestion was 89% with a gap of 11% to be targeted by intensive IEC. The effective coverage (75.8%) was much below the target (85%). Side effects of DEC were minimum, transient and drug-specific. Overall coverage was marginally better in rural areas. The causes of poor coverage and compliance have been discussed and relevant suggestions have been made.