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Objective: To compare the efficacy of 3% hypertonic saline (HS) with normal saline (NS) in children with bronchiolitis, in term of change in clinical severity score and duration of hospital stay. Study Design: Randomized Controlled Trial. Setting: Department of Pediatrics, Central, Park Teaching Hospital, Lahore. Period: August 2018-January 2019. Method & Material: Sixty patients as per inclusion criteria, were randomly assigned into two groups. Group-A received nebulization with normal-saline (NS) and Group-B received nebulization with 3% hypertonic-Saline (HS). Data was collected regarding demographics, duration of illness, clinical severity score (CSS) as described by Wang et al., at time of presentation and after 24-hours of management as per assigned group, change in CSS after initial 24 hours of management, and total duration of hospitalization. Data was analyzed through SPSS-version-26. Paired sample t-test was applied to relate outcome of both the groups. Result: The principal outcome parameters studied were change in CSS and duration of hospital stay. Statistically nebulization with NS seems better than with HS with the p-value of 0.001 for both change in CSS after 24 hours and duration of hospital stay. Conclusion: Nebulization with normal saline has better impact on outcome of bronchiolitis, in terms of improving clinical severity score and hospital stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eating habits are a major concern about the health status of university students. This study aimed to identify patterns of eating habits among university students. The nature of the study was quantitative in which data were gathered with a self-administered questionnaire encompassing questions on sociodemographics and eating habits, which were evaluated by students on a 3-point Likert Type Scale. The population was BS and M.Sc. Physical Education students aged 18-26, the sample was collected 200 from males and females students of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, using a simple random sampling technique. Overall results showed students have a variety of food every day (Sig. .000), Students take three-time meals regularly (Sig. .000). Similarly, results of most statements have been marked as highly significant (Sig. .000) which were encircled by students like, count of calories intake, take whole grain food, eating more when feeling stress, very strict on their meal timing, take balanced diet, habitual of taking tea, tried to fad diets and so on. It is recommended that a balanced diet heaving on time has a substantial effect on student's health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and determinants of Protein energy malnutrition among children under five years of age in rural areas of Lahore, Pakistan. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Four Rural Communities (Hussainabad, Shershah Colony, Dubai Town and Bhobtia Pind) of Lahore, Pakistan. Period: September 2016 to March 2017. Material & Methods: Convenient sampling technique was used to collect data. Anthropometric measures were obtained from children under five years of age. Results: Prevalence of PEM was found to be 52.8% in children under five years of age in the rural communities of Lahore, Pakistan. Significant association was found in PEM and number of siblings, mother's literacy, father's educational level, socioeconomic status, Knowledge of mother regarding diet, housing condition. So, all these factors are considered as significant determinants of PEM. Conclusion: More children suffer from the burden of PEM. Risk factors like age, sex, type of family, number of siblings, mother's literacy, father's educational level, socioeconomic status, Knowledge of mother regarding diet, housing condition contribute greatly to develop PEM. There is a need to take measures to prevent the nation from this suffering. Steps must be taken to implement polices to prevent PEM. Government should launch educational interventions on large scale to alleviate this suffering. Health professional must pay special attention to this debilitating issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of topical calcipotriene in comparison with topical calcipotriene plus betamethasone dipropionate in the treatment of localized vitiligo. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration of Study: Study was carried out at department of Dermatology, Pak Emirates Military Hospital (PEMH) Rawalpindi and Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Lahore from June 2015 to December 2015. Material and Methods: Informed consent of the patients and approval of the hospital ethical committee were duly obtained. A total of 60 patients aged 15-40 years of either gender with localized vitiligo were included in the study. The disease was diagnosed on the basis of clinical features and wood’s lamp examination. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups (30 patients in each group) by lottery method. Group A patients, were given topical 0.005% calcipotriene ointment twice daily. Group B patients were given combination of topical 0.05% betamethasone dipropionate and 0.005% calcipotriene ointment twice daily. For evaluation of comparative efficacy, patients of both groups were examined every 4 weeks and at the end of 12th week of treatment. Repigmentation greater than 75% of the affected area in any case was documented as effective response. Results: Total 60 patients were inducted in the study, out of them treatment was effective in 35 (58.3%) patients whereas in 25 (41.7%) patients the treatment was ineffective. In-group A (calcipotriene), 13 (43.33%) patients had more than 75% repigmentation where as in group B (calcipotriene plus betamethasone), 22 (73.33%) patients had more than 75% repigmentation. Group B was numerically and statistically superior to group A in terms of effectiveness of drugs. Conclusion: Based on our study combination of topical betamethasone dipropionate with calcipotriene was found to be more effective than topical calcipotriene used alone in the treatment of localized vitiligo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]