by Lujiang Yi, Ye Jiang, Zhongjian Zhao, Li Jiang and Ruixia Yang
Original Research
Background: This audit provides baseline data on the prevalence, testing pattern and yield of electrophoresis tests performed over a 6-year period in a tertiary academic China hospital. To evaluate the adequacy of the electrophoresis test request. Methods: This was a retrospective audit of all SPE, UPE and IFE tests performed on new and follow-up adult patients (aged ≥18 years) from 2014 to 2019, using data from the Department of Laboratory Science of Jiangsu Province Hospital laboratory information system database. Results: A total of 47,940 cases of electrophoresis, there are 15,473 cases SPE tests (of which 25.6% were follow-up tests); have 12,531 cases UPE tests (10.2% of the tests were follow-up tests); have 19,327 cases SIFE tests (31.6% of which were follow-up tests). Hematology was the highest rate of submission and positive. SPE testing before IFE tests can effectively increase the positive rate of IFE. Conclusion: This audit provides baseline data on the prevalence of test requests, their source and the yield of electrophoresis testing in our laboratory. An increasing trend in SIFE and UIFE was evident.
American Journal of Clinical Medicine Research. 2020, 8(2), 49-53. DOI: 10.12691/ajcmr-8-2-5
Pub. Date: November 26, 2020
3318 Views213 Downloads
by Ekaterina Viteva
Literature Review
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly and globally spreading novel infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The purpose of this review is to summarize the available data about the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on patients with epilepsy, epilepsy diagnosis and treatment and focus attention on the consensus measures about their optimization. We have presented the different aspects of associations between epilepsy and COVID-19 - medical history of epilepsy and COVID-19, seizures and/or status epilepticus and COVID-19. Neurologists and patients with epilepsy face a variety of challenges in the process of disease management - challenges related to precaution measures, worsening of seizure control, performance and interpretation of diagnostic procedures, choice of antiepileptic drugs and antiviral agents due to drug-drug interactions, adverse events, reduced supplies, as well as challenges associated with increased level of emotional stress and uncertainty and worse levels of physical fitness. They require adequate coping strategies regarding COVID-19 prevention, good seizure control maintenance, delay of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures when possible, correct EEG performance and interpretation, minimizing the risk of adverse drug-drug interactions, providing telemedicine services, purchase of the prescribed antiepileptic drugs for a longer period of time, maintaining mental health and physical fitness lifestyle, spreading of correct information through reliable sources. Conclusion: The variety of diagnostic and therapeutic challenges for patients with epilepsy and caring neurologists during COVID-19 pandemic require timely, adequate and multi-aspect coping strategies, as well as individual approach to every patient to prevent complications.
American Journal of Clinical Medicine Research. 2020, 8(2), 43-48. DOI: 10.12691/ajcmr-8-2-4
Pub. Date: August 31, 2020
3178 Views454 Downloads
by Sabha Theeb Saud Al-Hajri, Kawther Alkaseer, Ahmed Al-Shehri, Hend Mansour Alqaidi Al-Harbi, Hanady Saad Awaad bin Taleb, Abdullaziz Jaber Al-Shehri, Asrar Jan, Bayan Mohamed Kheder, Suzan Talal Al-Juhani, Sara Mesha`al Al-Mutairi, Naser Awad Al-Harthi, Ebrahim Ahmed Khair Allah, Hytham Jameel Altaib, Thoraya Ali Al-Zahrani, Amani Mohamed Al-Qurashi and Salah Mohamed El Sayed
Original Research
Background: Pilgrimage (Hajj) is the largest religious gathering worldwide performed yearly in Saudi Arabia. Saudi health authorities have extensive experience in providing a high health care standard to all visitors. Saudi experience successfully developed and is increasing year after year. This study was conducted to assess factors influencing healthcare professionals’ performance during Hajj season. Objective: To determine factors influencing the performance of healthcare professionals’ providing health services to the pilgrims in four major hospitals and two health care centres in Al-Madinah Al-Munawara, Saudi Arabia, focusing on the impact of job satisfaction, organizational commitment and personal characteristics. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (MJSQ) and Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) to survey 752 healthcare professionals. Results: The response rate for this study was 71% (n=536). Male health workers (44.4%, n=238) were more satisfied than females (65.6%, n= 298) (p<0.001). There was no evidence for a significant difference between males and females (p=0.094) concerning organizational commitment. Regarding the level of occupation in job satisfaction, this study showed a significant difference between nurses and respiratory therapists (highly satisfied) (p<0.001). Low job satisfaction among nurses is a bad indicator that needs focusing on its real causes. There was no evidence for a significant difference between males and females for organizational commitment (p<0.094). There was a significant difference between different age levels as regard organizational commitment (p<0.000). People having more than 42 years significantly differ from all other age groups There was a significant difference (p<0.000) between different levels of marital status for organizational commitment but there was no significant difference between different levels of marital status for job satisfaction (p=0.192). There was a significant difference between different levels of occupational job satisfaction. There was a significant difference between different levels of experience in job satisfaction (p=0.008). The higher the experience period, the higher the job satisfaction. Conclusion:This study offers an overview for the way the hospitals of ministry of health (MOH) are managed and for its policies regarding several aspects of human resources to improve the use of healthcare manpower in future Hajj seasons.
American Journal of Clinical Medicine Research. 2020, 8(2), 37-42. DOI: 10.12691/ajcmr-8-2-3
Pub. Date: July 27, 2020
3231 Views669 Downloads2 Likes
by Riyadi Adrizain, Nisa Fauziah and Lia Faridah
Original Research
Context: In endemic countries, most of dengue fever cases clinically resembles other diseases or just flu-like syndrome, it is important to detect dengue infection in patient with acute fever 1 to 4 day and which serotype of dengue virus that circulation to determine the risk of severe case of dengue to occur in primary health care. Aims: The aim of this study was to identify the incidence of dengue viral infection among children with acute fever in endemic area, and which serotype of dengue virus that circulating in community in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. Settings and Design: Prospective cohort analysis study. Methods and Material: patients age 0 to 18 years old with acute fever from Sukajadi, Neglasari, and Padasuka Primary Health Centre form march to October 2018. These primary health centers represent three subdistricts with high dengue case every year in Bandung. Inclusion criteria: Fever at least 37.6oC, 1-4 days, with or not taking antipyretics. Name, age, and sex, nutritional status, and laboratorium examination that has been done by primary health centre was collect. Rapid NS1 antigen test is done as an additional check, multiplex real time RT-PCR assay for dengue virus (1-4) was perform from blood sample that NS1 antigen positive. Statistical analysis used: independent t-test analysis. Results: A total of 178 blood samples from patients with acute fever collected. 40 (22,5%) samples were positive with rapid NS1 antigen test, mean body temperature significantly higher in confirmed dengue virus cases (37,66 (±2,07) vs 38,33 (±0,83); p<0,005) while mean leucocyte count (8.964 (±5.369) vs 4803.91 (±2.197); p>0,005) and platelet count (239.218 (±99.402) vs 164.739,13 (±98.259); p>0,005) is lower in confirmed dengue virus cases. From 40 positive NS1 antigen test, 17 (42,5%) showed all serotype (Den 1-4) of dengue can be found, with 8 (47,05%) is Den 3. Conclusions: Incidence of dengue cases in patient with acute febrile in endemic urban area is quite high, and all serotype of dengue virus can be found, so the risk of secondary dengue virus infection is imminent.
American Journal of Clinical Medicine Research. 2020, 8(2), 32-36. DOI: 10.12691/ajcmr-8-2-2
Pub. Date: June 29, 2020
3254 Views693 Downloads
by Anwar A. Sayed
Original Research
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a complex haematological malignancy characterised by a clonal expansion of the myeloid progenitor. Factors such as molecular/cytogenetic abnormalities influence the prognosis of this condition. However, gender predominance in AML and how it influences the outcome of the condition has not been studied. Raw data of 20,000 gene expressions in 180 AML patients were retrospectively retrieved from the Cancer Genome Atlas Genomic Data Commons portal. A linear model was fitted to calculate the impact of each gene on the overall survival. The coefficient value was set to 2, and a P value of < 0.01 was set to denote significance. Almost twice as many male patients were at poor cytogenetic risk than females regardless of their vital status. Male-abundant genes were highly expressed in patients with poor prognosis. However, none of these genes correlated with previously reported genes, such as FLT3. It was noted that many of the highly expressed genes in patients with poor prognosis were dominant in male patients. The lack of correlation between these genes and previously established genes indicate that male patients are at a higher risk of developing more severe forms of AML and carry a poorer prognosis than females.
American Journal of Clinical Medicine Research. 2020, 8(2), 28-31. DOI: 10.12691/ajcmr-8-2-1
Pub. Date: June 16, 2020
3570 Views683 Downloads