The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether working capital management affect the performance of non-financial listed firms in Pakistan. Panel econometric technique namely pooled ordinary least squares is used to estimate the relationship between working capital and firm performance. Data were taken from the annual reports of non-financial firms listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange Pakistan during 2007-2010. Three performance measures namely gross profit margin, return on asset, and return on equity are used to estimate the impact of working capital variables such as average age of inventory, average collection period, and average payment period. Empirical results indicate that average age of inventory is positively related to gross profit margin and return on asset, whereas it is negatively related to return on equity but the relationship is found insignificant. Although the relationship is insignificant but positive sign may be because of increasing sales which leads to higher profit and thus fewer inventories. Average collection period is significantly and positively related to gross profit margin and return on assets. This finding shows that management of receivables has a positive impact on firm performance. Moreover, it confirms the prediction that reduction in average collection period improves the accounts receivable turnover which in turn positively affects the firm's profitability. Although average collection period is positively related to return on equity but the relationship is found insignificant. Average payment period is positively related to gross profit margin and negatively related to return on asset but the relationship is found insignificant. However, average payment period is positively and significantly related to return on equity. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social SciencesJune , Vol. 4, No. 6 ISSN: 2222 This finding indicates that stretching the payment period increases the firm's ability to utilize creditors' money in their operation which in turn enhances the firm value. As far as control variables are concerned, a significant positive relationship is observed between firm size and two performance measures such as gross profit margin and return on asset. Alternatively, firm size is negatively related to return on equity but the relationship is found insignificant. Leverage is negatively and significantly related to gross profit margin and return on asset. Alternatively, an insignificant and positive relationship is observed between leverage and return on equity. The negative relationship between leverage and profitably confirms the predictions of the pecking order theory which suggests that profitable firms tend to borrow less due to their ability generate funds from internal sources. Finally, firm age is negatively related to gross profit margin and return on asset whereas it is positively related to return on equity. However, the relationship is found insignificant. In sum these empirical findings indicate that management of working cap...

To assess the effect of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine on cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in adult patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) having mild to moderate symptoms. Methods:This blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized study was conducted in the Department of Medicine, Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from June 1-15, 2020. A total of 150 hospitalized patients were enrolled after diagnoses with COVID-19 through reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). They were divided into three groups: hydroxychloroquine plus general care (HGC, n=50), chloroquine plus general care (CGC, n=50); and only general care (OGC, n=50). The HGC group received treatment with hydroxychloroquine 400 mg every 12 hours for day one and 200 mg for the next 4 days. The CGC group received treatment with chloroquine 250 mg every 12 hours for 7 days. The OGC group was kept as a control with only general care. After 12 days, the patients were screened for development of CRS through detection of interleukin 6 (IL-6) in serum samples by using Roche cobas e411 electrochemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer. Results:The mean duration from onset of symptoms to randomization was 7.65 days (SD = 3.287 days; range, 2-15 days). The mean age of patients was 37.57 (range 19-63) years. Results showed that out of a total 150 patients, only 10 patients (6%, mean=1.93; P=0.651) developed CRS in all study groups. Four patients (8%) developed CRS in the HGC group, 2 patients (4%) in the CGC group, and 4 patients (8%) in the OGC group. There was no significant difference in the mean level of CRS among study groups. Conclusion:Administration of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine has no effect in reducing the development of CRS in patients with COVID-19 having mild to moderate symptoms.

Background: The role of various corticosteroids in the management of COVID-19 is evolving. Following an initial lack of evidence, the relatively novel data, supporting the survival benefit to severe and critical COVID-19 patients, is of limited scale.Materials and methods: This retrospective study observed medical records and disease outcomes of 200 patients with moderate, severe and critical COVID-19 receiving methylprednisolone (MP). The dose of methylprednisolone was 0.5 to 2 mg per kg in these patients.Results: Median age of presentation was 59 years. The median duration of symptoms at presentation was five days. The most common presenting symptoms were cough (77.5%), fever (67.5%) and shortness of breath (63.5%). Majority of patients (85%) presented in the first week of illness. One or more comorbidities were present in 75% of patients. Complications seen in the study cohort were cytokine release syndrome (CRS) 92 (46%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) 44 (22%) and multi-organ dysfunction 17 (8.5%). The median time for initiation of corticosteroid therapy was four hours. Overall survival (OS) in patients receiving methylprednisolone was 83.5%. The OS for patients with moderate, severe and critical diseases was 97.8%, 86.2% and 62%, respectively (p<0.001). Conclusion:Steroids like methylprednisolone are useful in COVID-19 admitted patients and provide excellent survival outcomes.

Objective: The objective of this study is to document the initial presentation of COVID 19 cases reporting to hospital.Study Design: Cross sectional study.Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at COVID-19 ward of Tertiary care hospital, Rawalpindi from May to June 2020.Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 647 patients admitted at COVID-19 ward. Data was collected from the patient’s presenting complaints, history taking, examination, charts, treatment and nursing records. Pattern of clinical presentation was taken as the presenting symptoms and signs of the patients. They were grouped as mild, moderate and severe by chest computed tomography severity score. The data was presented as frequency distribution tables.Results: Out of 647 patients 84% were male while 16% were females.48.5% of the cases were asymptomatic while 41.5% cases were having symptoms. The most common clinical presentation was fever (38%) followed by dry cough (32.9%), fatigue (31.1%), productive cough (25.3%) and headache (24.7%). Majority of the patients (71.8%) presented with mild severity on HRCT.Conclusion: This study gives the insight into the clinical picture of the patients presenting with COVID-19. Majority of the patients presented with the mild to moderate severity. Many patients being asymptomatic are overlooked and become carrier for COVID-19 Disease. How to cite this: Siddiqui FA, Hassan N, Sehar B, Khan JA, Asmat F. Presentation of COVID 19 Patients: An Experience at Military Hospital Rawalpindi. Life and Science. 2022; 3(2): 65-69.  doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.213 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited