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Introduction: Chronic headaches account for a significant proportion of people leading a poor quality of life. Chronic cluster headaches can be defined as episodes of headache usually around the eye in the pattern of a cluster lasting 15-180 minutes each followed by multiple similar episodes occurring at a frequency of 1-8 times per day.Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi. One hundred patients who were diagnosed cases of chronic cluster headaches were asked to fill the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Headache Impact Test (HIT), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).Results: Of our study subjects, 57 were males and 43 were females. The mean HIT-6 score among these patients was found to be 60.5±7.67 (p-value = 0.04). The mean BHS score among these patients was found to be 13±6.87. The mean HADS reporting anxiety (HADS-A) was found to be 12.54 ± 5.65; whereas, the mean HADS reporting depression (HADS-D) was found to be 7.65 ± 4.65.Conclusion: Patients with chronic cluster headaches have higher scores than the general population. There is an association between headache syndromes and depression which require further investigation.

Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS) is a very rare phenomenon strongly associated with long-term indwelling catheterization that results in an increased risk of urinary tract infection. The color change in the urine bag results from the altered metabolism of tryptophan into color pigments by certain bacteria which produce sulfates and phosphates enzymes. Although it is benign in nature, PUBS results in greater anxiety among patients and their families. The most important risk factors include long-term catheterization, female gender, chronic constipation, old age and bed-bound patients. Here, we present a case of PUBS in a middleaged woman with a history of the neurogenic bladder that needed long-term catheterization along with chronic constipation.

IntroductionThere are various factors responsible for hyperuricemia in children, however, there is extremely limited local data available. In this study, we aim to determine the causes and risk factors associated with hyperuricemia. This study will assist pediatric consultants to identify children who might be at risk of hyperuricemia and manage them accordingly. MethodsThis study was conducted in pediatric outpatient departments of various tertiary care hospitals from January 2018 to December 2019. Five thousand (n = 5000) children of either gender between the age group of 1-14 years, were enrolled in the study after informed consent from their parents. Uric acid levels were assessed by using the UASure blood uric acid monitoring handheld device. ResultsIn our study, n = 1301 (26.02%) children had hyperuricemia. Hyperuricemia was more common in male compared to females (65.49% vs. 34.51%; p-value <0.00001) and in older children (9 ± 2 years vs. 7 ± 3; pvalue <0.00001). In hyperuricemia patients, the most common disorder was gastroenteritis (23.98%), followed by respiratory infection (23.14%) and asthma (15.45%). ConclusionHyperuricemia in children is very prevalent in the local setting. Patients with pre-existing conditions like congenital heart disease, asthma, epilepsy, and cancers should routinely be screened for hyperuricemia and managed accordingly to avoid long-term complications associated with hyperuricemia.

Introduction Lower back pain is an extensive problem globally, and quite prevalent in Pakistan as well. In most cases of lower back pain, the cause is lumbar disc herniation. To treat this pain, there are various treatment options available. In this study, we aim to find the efficacy and safety of pregabalin in lower back pain due to lumbar disc herniation. Methods We conducted an open-label prospective trial in a public tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan, for a duration of five months, i.e. from July 2019 to December 2019. A total of 105 patients were randomized into two groups: pregabalin group and placebo group, and they were required to respond to visual analog scale (VAS) on day 0 and week 12 of the study. Results The results showed a significant reduction in pain over time in both the groups: pregabalin (p-value < 0.0001) and placebo (p-value < 0.0001). However, the difference in pain reduction between pregabalin and placebo was not significant (p-value = 0.57). The most commonly reported side effects were somnolence and dizziness. Conclusion Based on the results of this study, we conclude that adding pregabalin to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and physiotherapy had no significant effect on pain reduction. Further large-scale studies are needed to evaluate the role of gabapentoids in lower back pain due to lumbar disc herniation.