Interon (Norway)

BackgroundThe WHO considers anemia in pregnancy a severe public health issue when prevalence surpasses 40%. In response, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine anemia among pregnant women in Egypt, focusing on its prevalence, determinants, and associated complications.MethodsWe conducted a systematic literature search for studies published between January 1, 2010, and August 18, 2024, to identify studies from Egypt reporting on anemia in pregnant women, including its prevalence, associated determinants, and complications. A meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effects model to estimate pooled prevalence, odds ratios (OR), and standardized mean differences (SMD). Sensitivity analyses and publication bias were performed. All statistical analyses were conducted using R software.ResultsEighteen studies met the eligibility criteria with a total sample size of 14,548. The overall prevalence of anemia among pregnant women was 49% (95% CI: 42–57), with no significant difference between Upper and Lower Egypt (P = 0.66). The sensitivity analysis demonstrated the absence of influential outliers and Egger’s test indicated no evidence of publication bias (P = 0.17). Anemia prevalence was significantly higher in the third trimester (65%) compared to the second trimester (47%) (P = 0.03). Among anemic pregnant women, most cases were mild (47%) and moderate (47%). The determinants of anemia among pregnant women included being over 30 years old (OR: 1.95), residing in rural areas (OR: 1.76), illiteracy (OR: 1.93), birth spacing < 2 years (OR: 2.04), lack of iron supplementation (OR: 2.59), presence of intestinal parasites (OR: 1.38), antenatal visits < 5 (OR: 5.27), multiparity, and low income, all with statistical significance (p < 0.05). Regarding dietary determinants, a low intake of meat, vegetables, fruits, and high tea consumption was consistently associated with a higher risk of anemia. For neonatal complications, infants born to anemic mothers had significantly lower Apgar scores, gestational ages, and birth weights (P < 0.05), with birth weight being the most adversely impacted (SMD = -1.3).ConclusionsThis meta-analysis shows 49% anemia prevalence in pregnant Egyptian women, indicating severe health concern. The findings highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions aimed at addressing the key determinants identified in this study.

The Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) together with the American Nurses Association (ANA) hosted its fifth annual NursePitch competition virtually this year sponsored by Becton Dickinson (BD). NursePitch is a competition aiming to amplify the voice, opportunity, and visibility of the nursing community through the promotion of innovations led and developed by nurses. This year, the seven finalists from around the country pitched their products and ideas to a panel of judges comprising individuals with expertise drawn from various areas, including health innovation, business, and healthcare systems. The judges scored the finalists on the competitiveness and potential growth of the solution and strength of the pitch. All finalists successfully presented their viable solutions and responded to questions posed by the judges on a range of topics. The winners were awarded monetary scholarships to support the ongoing growth and development of their ideas. These nurses serve as inspiring illustrations of nursing innovation, tackling critical healthcare industry challenges, and endeavoring to create a lasting positive influence on patient care and overall well-being. “Innovation in nursing is vital to the advancement of patient care and nursing practice. By embracing innovation, nurses are creating a future where care is continually advancing, and lives are transformed,” stated Taylor Diani, director, Clinical Care, Medical Affairs, BD, who served as a mentor to the seven finalists. She added, “The nurses who presented their innovative ideas and products are paving the way for an evolving healthcare experience. I am inspired by their courage to explore pressing healthcare challenges and their ability to harness technology to improve those challenges.” HIMSS and ANA are proud to announce the winners:In first place is Frances Akubuilo, DNP, RN, the founder and CEO of matchHHa Services Inc, a home health mobile and Web app. This innovative platform tackles the recruitment and retention challenges encountered by home health agencies. matchHHa offers an efficient and affordable recruitment system, facilitating direct connections between healthcare workers and their patients. When asked what does nursing innovation mean to you, Frances stated, “I believe nursing innovation is finding creative solutions to the challenges constantly faced by patients and healthcare professionals. It means utilizing technology and new ideas to improve access to quality care, enhance efficiency, and, ultimately, make a positive impact on people's lives.” She also added she is very grateful for the opportunity to display her innovative ideas and hard work as well as highlight the issues faced daily within the home health industry. Second place was awarded to Lecresha Sewell, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, SANE, the CEO and founder of Melanated Healthcare. Melanated Healthcare is a digital health platform designed to link individuals from Black and people-of-color communities with healthcare professionals who share their racial or cultural background. By presenting a diverse roster of multidisciplinary health practitioners available on various platforms, Melanated Healthcare offers a means for patients to locate suitable care. While presently offering telehealth services exclusively on their Web site, the company has ambitions to broaden its range of services. When asked about her experience at the NursePitch competition, Lacresha stated, “This experience will help me succeed because I will not only be able to utilize the monetary prize toward my business, but I also gained connections and resources to help scale my business.” In third place is Linda Rowan, BSN, RN, founder of Impact Wearables, a groundbreaking earbud device that can monitor a two-lead electroencephalography and track variable heart rate. The data gathered by this device play a crucial role in managing attention-deficit disorder. Through the monitoring of brain waves and heart rate, Impact Wearables delivers a customized protocol to the patient. In addition, the incorporation of binaural beats assists in synchronizing the patient's brain waves, leading to enhanced focus, impulse control, and better regulation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Linda expressed, “The Pitch is a wonderful opportunity for nurses to highlight their ideas and inventions. So many nurses never get the opportunity to do anything aside from bedside care, so I really appreciated the opportunity and support.” The contenders also received valuable insights and support from seasoned mentors, including Bianca L. Gonzalez, CEO of AMPAworks and a previous NursePitch winner; Anthony Scarpone-Lambert, BSN, RN, cofounder and CEO at Adni; and Taylor Diani, MBA, MSN, RN, director of clinical care, Medical Affairs at BD. Acknowledging and endorsing innovation led by nurses play a crucial role in propelling healthcare forward. Granting nurses the authority to spearhead innovative solutions brings the industry unique perspectives, expertise, and insights that can be harnessed for its betterment. Initiatives such as NursePitch, cofacilitated by HIMSS and ANA, are instrumental in shaping the healthcare landscape's future. They cultivate an atmosphere of innovation and offer nurses the chance to share their ideas and expertise, ultimately driving the transformation of patient care.

Prezentujeme případ 32letého pacienta s Löffl erovou endokarditidou, respektive pankarditidou, jako vzácnou příčinou srdečního selhání. Pacientovi byla diagnostikována eozinofi lní granulomatóza s polyangiitidou jako sekundární příčina hypereozinofi lního syndromu. Hlavním diagnostickým prostředkem ke stanovení endomyokardiálního poškození byla magnetická rezonance srdce, která prokázala pankarditidu, pokles ejekční frakce levé komory s trombem v apexu levé komory. Pacient vyžadoval terapii akutního srdečního selhání, imunosupresivní terapii a kortikoterapii pro multiorgánové postižení. Rozhodli jsme se neprovádět myokardiální biopsii z důvodu vysokého rizika periprocedurálních komplikací, zejména systémové embolizace. Počáteční a dlouhodobá terapie přinesla dobré výsledky a vedla k remisi primárního onemocnění, reverzní remodelaci levé komory a vymizení trombu v hrotu levé komory.

<strong>Background:</strong> Poststroke seizures occur in 6-8% of the adult population that suffer an ischaemic stroke. This pathological process increases metabolic stress and cell death, the extent of vascular obstruction in the brain, the mortality rate and long term morbidity. Poststroke seizures represent one of the most important complications of stroke that must be recognised and treated in a timely fashion. These are classified as either early or late depending on the time of onset after stroke. <strong>Case Report</strong><strong>:</strong> A 51 year old woman presented to the Emergency Department of RSUD Dr Murjani following a generalised tonic-clonic seizure 3 hours prior that had lasted for two minutes. On arrival the patient subsequently had two further generalised tonic-clonic seizures with a one hour interval between. Whole body stiffness and a fixed upward gaze were observed. A non-contrast CT Head displayed a diffuse infarct of the left frontotemporoparietooccipital lobes. The patient had a history of stroke one year previously and a second stroke one month ago with resultant persistent weakness of the right upper and lower limbs. This patient was diagnosed with poststroke seizure of late onset and treated in hospital with diazepam 10mg and phenytoin 100mg three times per day. <strong>Discussion:</strong> Poststroke seizure is described as either early-onset (occurring in the first week after a stroke) or late-onset (occurring after the first week). Based on the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) definition, a single unprovoked late-onset poststroke seizure occurring more than seven days after a stroke is considered as epilepsy with a high risk (&gt;60%) of recurrent seizures that may occur for up to ten years thereafter. Hence this risk factor must be identified and treated correctly to prevent significantly increased morbidity for the patient

This report describes a case of Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia that was possibly induced by COVID-19 in a patient with history of Chronic Liver Disease and Diabetes Mellitus. Autoimmune responses like hemolytic anemia are known to be triggered by viral infections. COVID-19 is reported to be inducing Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia in susceptible individuals. This is a case report of a 65 year old male with history of chronic alcoholism, who tested positive for COVID-19 infection which was treated as per protocols and was uncomplicated at the time of discharge. After about three months he presented with complaints of breathlessness which on laboratory evaluation revealed Direct Coombs test positive hemolytic anemia. Anemia improved with blood transfusion and steroid administration but patient eventually developed hepatorenal syndrome and expired.

Chronic heart failure (HF), like any chronic disease, is a medical and socioeconomic burden. The number of patients with HF is increasing and our effort is to apply the most effective way of care in practice, preferably together with using telemedicine. Early diagnosis, therapy establishment and reduction of rehospitalizations play the key role in HF management. For patients for whom we add telemedicine (telephone consultation, physiological data transfer, data transfer from implantable devices, teleconsultation) and especially if we are able to provide the background of a well-functioning telemedicine center that is able to respond promptly to the data, we can recognize and respond to the deterioration in health status in a timely manner. Telemedicine has benefit in all aspects of care mentioned above, but mostly in the reduction of re-hospitalizations, which is related to the reduction of morbidity and mortality. Telemedicine in HF is also cost-effective.

Proximal LAD and LCx occlusion usually associated with poorer clinical outcome in ACS. Hence, a rapid and efficient tool is needed to identify those conditions and initiate reperfusion at the earliest. We studied ECG features in relation to angiographic findings to identify the culprit artery in AWMI and IWMI. This study aims to compare and correlate the ECG features with angiographic findings in STEMI. In this observational study, 73 AWMI and 59 IWMI patients having their completed ECG and coronary angiography reports were included. The required data were obtained by a pretested proforma. The ECG was analysed to predict the culprit vessel, and correlate it with angiographic finding. Among 132 patients, 71.2% were male and mean age was 60.95±11.52; whereas diabetes (35.6%) was the commonest comorbidity. The criteria with maximum specificity in prediction proximal LAD lesion in AWMI are RBBB and ST↓in inferior leads; whereas ST↓in inferior leads and ST↑V1>2.5mm had high sensitivity for proximal LAD lesion. ST↓lead I, ST↑III >II and ST↓aVL were highly specific in differentiating diseased RCA from LCx in IWMI. In identifying proximal RCA occlusion, LCx in IWMI. In identifying proximal RCA occlusion,ST↓V3/ST↑<0.5 nd ST↑V1 were the most sensitive and the most specific criteria respectively. On the other hand, ST↑lead I and ST↑II>III had the highest specificity and sensitivity respectively in locating LCx lesion. Conclusion: Those criteria help in predicting the culprit artery; but they cannot replace the invasive procedure in confirming culprit vessel. Those criteria help in predicting the culprit artery; but they cannot replace the invasive procedure in confirming culprit vessel.

We have fabricated fast room-temperature energy dispersive photon counting x-ray imaging arrays using pixellated cadmium zinc (CdTe) and cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) semiconductors. We have also fabricated fast application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) with a two dimensional (2D) array of inputs for readout from the CdZnTe sensors. The new CdTe and CdZnTe sensors have a 2D array of pixels with a 0.5 mm pitch and can be tiled in 2D. The new 2D ASICs have four energy discriminators per pixel with a linear energy response across the entire dynamic range for clinical CT. The ASICs can also be tiled in 2D and are designed to fit within the active area of the 2D sensors. We have measured several important performance parameters including; an output count rate (OCR) in excess of 20 million counts per second per square mm, an energy resolution of 7 keV full width at half maximum (FWHM) across the entire dynamic range, and a noise floor less than 20 keV. This is achieved by directly interconnecting the ASIC inputs to the pixels of the CdTE and CdZnTe sensors incurring very little additional capacitance. We present a comparison of the performance of the CdTe and CdZnTe sensors including the OCR, FWHM energy resolution, and noise floor.