Development and validation of a questionnaire to assess socio-behavioural impact of COVID-19 on the general population

Background and aimThe aim of the study is to develop a valid and reliable tool to assess sociobehavioural changes due to COVID among the general population.MethodsThis mixed method study has two phases. Phase I for questionnaire development (literature review, focus group discussion, expert evaluation and pilot testing). Phase II for establishing construct validity via factor analysis and internal consistency via Cronbach’s ɑ by administering the questionnaire on 179 participants.ResultsA questionnaire comprising 33 questions and five domains was developed having Cronbach’s α of 0·82.ConclusionThe developed questionnaire is a concise, easy to administer and valid tool to assess socio-behavioural changes.     

Reducing radiation dose for multi-phase contrast-enhanced dual energy renal CT: pilot study evaluating prior iterative reconstruction

Abdominal Radiology - Prior iterative reconstruction (PIR) uses spatial information from one phase of enhancement to reduce image noise in other phases. We sought to determine if PIR could reduce...     

Assessment of safety of performing percutaneous coronary intervention after a recent episode of gastrointestinal bleeding

Background: Little literature exists on the risk of performing coronary intervention (PCI) on patients who have had recent gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB), although bleeding after PCI has been identified as a risk factor for long-term mortality. Methods: Patients within the Cleveland Clinic PCI database who had acute GIB within 30 days preceding PCI during the same hospitalization (n = 79) were retrospectively compared to those who had PCI without recent GIB (n = 10 979) for mortality and need for revascularization. Baseline characteristics, laboratory values, procedures, morbidities, and mortality were compared using chi-square test for categorical variables and using Wilcoxon rank sum test for continuous variables. Mortality data was obtained using Social Security Death Index and demonstrated using Kaplan–Meier method. Results: The GIB group had more prevalent history of peptic ulcer disease, GIB, gastrointestinal or liver disease (P < 0.0001), transient ischemic accident (P = 0.017), peripheral vascular disease (P = 0.0002), significant carotid artery occlusion (P = 0.023), and myocardial infarction (P < 0.0001). 47% of patients had upper GIB with 20% needing endoscopic intervention. This group had more anemia (P < 0.0001), heart failure (P = 0.0001), cardiogenic shock (10% versus 1.4%, P < 0.001), cardiac arrest (7.6% versus 1%, P < 0.001). GIB group had worse in-hospital mortality (P < 0.0001), long-term mortality (P < 0.001), and a 7.6% re-bleeding incidence. Conclusions: Overall, the patients who had GIB preceding PCI had higher in-hospital mortality and long-term mortality compared with those without GIB before PCI.     

Routine versus selective histologic analysis of gallbladder specimens for the detection of incidental gallbladder cancers. A retrospective review over 9 years of activity with a special focus on patients' age

Background

Incidental gallbladder cancer (IGC) is an infrequent possibility in patients undergoing cholecystectomies. Routine histologic examination of all gallbladder specimens is the current approach to detect this disease. Our study presents the influence of age to perform a selective histologic analysis.

Methods

A retrospective review was conducted of all gallbladder specimens during the last 9 years in our hospital. The medical notes were retrieved for cases of IGC or dysplasia and perioperative data were collected.

Results

A total of 3,330 cholecystectomies were conducted over the study period, 3,041 for gallstone disease. Twelve patients were found with dysplasia and 13 patients with IGC, all of them occurred in gallbladders removed for gallstone diseases. There were 18 men with a median age of 65 years (range 18 to 85). Median age for cancer patients was 70 years (range 51 to 85) and 54 years for dysplasia (range 18 to 75). No patient below the age of 51 years (n = 1,464) experienced IGCs.

Conclusion

Age should be considered as an additional factor for a selective approach to the histologic analysis of all gallbladder specimens following cholecystectomies.     

Association of RETN gene polymorphism at +299 G>A with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis

International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries - Resistin (RETN) protein plays an important role in the regulation of energy, glucose, and lipid homeostasis and maintenance of fasting...     

Pediatric intracranial aneurysms—our experience and review of literature

Purpose

Intracranial aneurysms in children are not as common as in adults and there are many differences in the etiology, demographic variables, aneurysm location, aneurysm morphological characteristics, clinical presentation, and outcome in pediatric and adult intracranial aneurysms.

Methods

All children (≤18 years) suffering from intracranial aneurysm managed at our center from July 2001 through June 2013 were included in the study, and the details of these patients were retrieved from the computerized database of our hospital.

Observations

A total of 62 pediatric patients were treated for 74 aneurysms during the study period and constituted 2.3 % of all intracranial aneurysms treated during the same period. The mean age at presentation was 13.5 years. Headache (82 %) was the commonest presenting feature; other symptoms included seizures (21 %), ictal loss of consciousness (27 %), and motor/cranial nerve deficits (22.6 %). Computed tomogram revealed subarachnoid hemorrhage in 58 % of patients. Eighty-two percent of aneurysms were in anterior circulation. Sixty-seven percent of aneurysms were complex aneurysms. Fifty-eight percent of patients underwent surgical intervention while 30 % underwent endovascular procedures. Twenty-one percent of the patients developed vasospasm. There was no postoperative mortality. Favorable outcome was seen in 72 % of the patients.

Conclusions

Pediatric intracranial aneurysms are uncommon as compared to in adult patients. Seizures and cranial nerve involvement are seen more often as the presenting features in children. Posterior circulation aneurysms are more common in children, as are the internal carotid artery bifurcation aneurysms. There is high incidence of giant, posttraumatic, and mycotic aneurysms in children.