Background There is conflicting literature pertaining to the risk factors of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASBU) in diabetic women. ASBU is a well-established risk factor for frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs), and the risk factors that predispose diabetic women to ASBU should, therefore, be evaluated. Objectives This study aims to discern these aforesaid risk factors in type-2 diabetic women, define a population subset at particularly high risk for ASBU, and gauge the efficacy inherent in adhering to an antibiotic regimen in combatting ASBU. Methods An analytical, case-control study was conducted at the Diabetic Clinic of the Holy Family Hospital (HFH), Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The participants included were type-2 diabetic women reporting to the clinic for routine follow-up. Six hundred and sixty-seven urine samples from these type-2 diabetic women were evaluated. Positive cases were those in which patients were diagnosed with ASBU according to the guidelines, while those with no ASBU constituted the control group. Common risk factors for UTI were excluded in both groups. Age, socioeconomic status, hygiene practices, and contraceptive use were matched between cases and controls. Results Nineteen percent of type-2 diabetic women presented with ASBU in our study. The significant risk factors for ASBU were a higher HbA1c level (OR 1.97), more years since the initial diagnosis of diabetes (OR 1.49), a prior UTI history (OR 2.49), excessive antibiotic use (OR 2.72), sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor use (OR 1.75), and proteinuria (OR 1.88) in the multivariate model. Body mass index (BMI), age of the patients, pyuria, and voiding dysfunction manifested no association with ASBU. Antibiotic use was significantly associated with the type of bacterial species precipitating the ASBU. Conclusion The clinicians must keep in mind the association between the various patient parameters and ASBU, especially in prescribing antibiotics to diabetic women. More studies are needed to further elaborate on these risk factors and revise the patient management in at-risk cases for ASBU and UTIs.

Background To date, several pharmacological agents have been employed in the treatment and management of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). While the utility of corticosteroids in severe COVID-19 infection is now widely touted, their efficacy in thwarting the progression of non-severe disease remains elusive. Methods A retrospective cohort study involving 25 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of non-severe COVID-19 infection was conducted. Subjects were assigned to either the steroid or the non-steroid group. A low-dose, short-course corticosteroid regimen was administered for seven days and the disease outcomes were recorded and compared among the two groups. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was employed to discern the data normality. Results In patients treated with low-dose, short-course steroids, the overall all-cause mortality was significantly lower compared with the non-steroid group (8.3% and 61.5%, respectively; p = 0.005). The prevalence of acute respiratory distress syndrome in the steroid group was significantly lower than that in the non-steroid group at the seven-day mark (16.7% and 84.6%, respectively; p = 0.002). Within the steroid group, the incidence of developing secondary complications was also markedly lower than that in the non-steroid group. Conclusions In patients afflicted with non-severe COVID-19, the employment of low-dose, short-course corticosteroids may confer a therapeutic advantage, significantly curtailing the mortality rate, the length of hospital stay, and the risk of developing secondary complications.

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Introduction Soft tissue sarcomas remain an exceedingly rare malignancy. While soft tissue sarcomas boast a high mortality rate, their characteristics and behavior patterns are poorly understood. This study aims to evaluate the various aspects that pertain to soft tissue sarcomas, including their histology, tumor characteristics, survival rates, and therapeutic modalities. Methods A retrospective study analyzing the data from 19 patients presenting over four years with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of soft tissue sarcomas was conducted. The patients were studied for various parameters, including tumor site and the particular pathological subtypes. The data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS 23.0 statistical software (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY), and the results were then tabulated. Results A total of 19 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of a soft tissue sarcoma were included in the study. The mean age of the patients included was 45.32 ± 16.88 years. Wide local excision was the most common surgical procedure employed for the resection of these tumors. Within the cohort, the mortality rate was noted to hover at 10.52%. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors were observed in 21% of the patients and were therefore the most common histological subtype. Of the patients included, 42.10% required blood transfusion during the perioperative time. Most of the tumors were noted to be intermediate grade, with high-grade tumors observed in 26.3% of the cases. Conclusion Soft tissue sarcomas remain a rare but potent cause of death in developing countries. The diversity of the tissues that they afflict renders their prompt detection a diagnostic challenge. A meticulous exploration of the various characteristics honed by soft tissue sarcomas, such as the particular histological subtype and the associated mortality rates, can better elucidate the prognosis and the eventual disease outcomes.

BackgroundBeta-thalassemia major, a genetic disorder, delineates a vast spectrum of hematological and endocrinological complications. Elevated serum ferritin levels in beta-thalassemia patients represent various transfusion-related complications including infection, hemochromatosis, and severe iron overload that might lead to endocrinopathies such as hypogonadism leading to sexual underdevelopment. Our study, thus, aims to explore the role of ferritin in determining sexual underdevelopment in such patients. MethodsThis multicentric cross-sectional study included a total of 120 beta-thalassemia patients. The sexual development of the patients was assessed using the Tanner staging system. Serum ferritin levels and other demographical parameters of the patients were collected. Independent-samples t-test, chi-square test, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to analyze the data. ResultsOut of 120 patients, 70 patients were males with a mean age of 18.95 ± 4.21 years. According to the Tanner staging system, 48 patients were sexually underdeveloped while 72 patients achieved sexual maturity. ROC curve analysis showed that ferritin levels at a cutoff value of 4900 mg/dL were 73.7% sensitive and 71.1% specific to predict sexual underdevelopment in beta-thalassemia patients. ConclusionsElevated serum ferritin levels were moderately sensitive and specific in predicting sexual underdevelopment in beta-thalassemia patients. This can serve as a low-cost parameter in determining sexual underdevelopment in such patients. More prospective cohort studies are needed to establish the association between elevated serum ferritin levels and sexual underdevelopment.