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Objective: This study aimed to assess the frequency of internet gaming addiction among undergraduate medical students of Karachi, its effect on their academic performance, and their overall health status. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in selected government and private medical colleges of Karachi from November 2021 to March 2022. Medical students, who were enrolled in year 1 to year 5 of undergraduates health sciences programs of government and private sector of Karachi and had a smartphone and internet connection for past 1 year were included in the study. Internet gaming disorder scale (IGDS-9) was used to determine the proportion of addicted medical undergraduates. Results: Out of 400 medical students, 212 (53%) students were at risk of getting addicted and 13 (3.3%) students were found to be addicted to internet gaming. Male students were found significantly higher at risk of developing internet gaming addiction and were found to be more addicted as compared to female students i.e., 202 (50.5%) vs. 198 (49.5%) (p-value < 0.001) respectively. Students who had a higher-grade point average (GPA) 230 (57.5%) were significantly lesser at risk of developing internet gaming addiction as compared to 170 (42.5%) students who had a lower GPA (p-value 0.003). Conclusion: More than half of the study population with predominant males was at risk of developing gaming addiction and they exhibited more health-related effects. Their academic grades were also affected. It is imperative to counsel this cohort for reducing the effects of internet gaming addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Our objective was to evaluate the effect of Montelukast on the symptoms of asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR), assess its effect on the individual quality of life (QoL), and estimate the proportion of participants having adverse effects. Methods: This prospective, open-label study conducted at Dow University of Health Sciences, Ankle Saria Hospital and Sindh Government Hospital Liaquatabad, Karachi, from August 2018 to September 2019, included patients aged >18 years with a clinical diagnosis of Asthma, AR, or both. Patients were given a 10 mg Montelukast tablet each day and then called for follow-up in the fourth week, where the questions related to the improvement in the symptoms of asthma or AR were asked. Patients were also asked about the improvement in QoL and any adverse effects. Results: A total of 694 patients were registered of which 138(19.8%) had AR, 294(42.4%) had asthma, while 273(39.3%) had both. Mean age was 41.1±14.63 years and 352 (50.7%) were male and 342(49.3%) were females. On a follow-up visit, there was a sufficient improvement in 351 asthmatics (63.9%), and 288 patients with AR (70.1%) overall, strong or marked improvement in the day (n=342,62.3%) and night time (n=331,60.3%) asthma symptoms. Overall improvements in QoL were very good or good in 419 patients. Montelukast was well-tolerated here with adverse effects (like abdominal discomfort, fever, fatigue, headache, rash, and upper respiratory tract symptoms) seen in 125 patients (18.01%). Conclusion: Montelukast was very effective in improving the symptoms and QoL of the individuals suffering from asthma and/or AR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To carry out cross‐culture adaptation and validation of the English version of Rheumatoid Arthritis Knowledge Assessment Scale (RAKAS) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted for 2 months in 2 tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan. Sample size was calculated based on item‐subject ratio. The translation was carried out using standard procedures for translation and cross‐culture adaptation. The validation process included estimation of discrimination power, item difficulty index, factorial, convergent, construct and known group validities and reliability. Reliability of the scale was estimated using Kuder‐Richardson Formula 20 and a value of σ2 ≥ 0.6 was acceptable. SPSS v23, Remark Classic OMR v6 software and MedCalc Statistical Software v16.4.3, were used to analyze the data. The study was approved by the relevant ethics committee (IRB#NOV:15). Results: The mean score was 7.68 ± 2.52 (95% CI: 7.31‐8.05) for 177 patients. The σ2 = 0.601, that is, >0.6, test‐retest reliability ρ =.753, P <.05. The average discrimination power = 47.27, average Item Difficulty Index = 0.557. The fit indices were acceptable in a range that established its factorial validity and average factor loading was ≥0.7 which established convergent validity. A significant association (χ2 = 33.074, P <.01) between score interpretation and previous counseling by pharmacists established its construct validity. A significant association (χ2 = 19.113, P <.05) between score interpretation and patient occupation established known group validity. Conclusion: The English version of RAKAS was deemed a reliable and validated tool to measure knowledge about disease in Pakistani patients with RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]