Background: Vitamin D deficiency affects over one billion people globally, which results in the progression of severe health consequences and chronic diseases. Literature indicates high rates of vitamin D deficiency in the Pakistani population. Thereby, this current study was aimed to determine the status of vitamin D deficiency in the population of Karachi. Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted during January to December 2017 at the Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education (DIHE). A total of 1159 healthy individuals aged between 18-72 years were selected for the study. Data was collected through a questionnaire seeking the demographics of the participants. For the quantitative colorimetric immune-enzymatic determination of 25(OH) vitamin D concentrations in the human plasma level, venous blood was collected and was analyzed using a vitamin D Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 20.0. Results: A total of 1159 participants were included in the study with the mean age of 40.1±15.2 years. It was observed that 59.1% of participants had deficient vitamin D levels, while 22.6% of participants had sufficient vitamin D levels. There was a significant association between gender and vitamin D status (p < 0.05), as the majority of females (68.5%) were vitamin D deficient as compared to males (31.5%). In contrast, no significant association was found between age and vitamin D levels, with the most deficient age group being 18 to 28 years. Conclusion: It is concluded from the study results that vitamin D deficiency was prevalent in the studied population, despite increased exposure to sunlight. The initial screening for early detection and correction of the condition must be considered as an essential component of the national health strategy, as there is a need to detect and combat the burden of vitamin D deficiency in the country.

Objective: To look for the role of intravenous magnesium sulphate in acute status migranous among the patients reporting at neurological emergency. Study Design: Prospective longitudinal study. Place and Duration of Study: Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Jan to Jun 2019. Methodology: A total of 51 patients were enrolled in the study presenting with acute headache in the neurological emergency and diagnosed as suffering from acute status migranous by the consultant neurologist. Pain was measured by using the visual analogue scale (VAS 10) at the time of arrival and other symptoms were also noted. 1gm Intravenous Magnesium sulphate was administered over 15 minutes and pain and other symptoms were noted again after half an hour of administration of magnesium sulphate. Results: 20 (39.2%) patients were males and 31 (60.8%) were females. Mean age of the patients was 34.2 ± thirty minutes after the infusion of magnesium sulphate was 2.31 ± 1.113. There was a statistically significant difference in the visual analogue scale score before and after the administration of intravenous magnesium sulphate. Conclusion: Magnesium sulphate emerged as an effective tool when administered intravenously with a dose of 1gm for relieving the symptoms of acute status migranous. It not only worked for headache but also proved to be effective for the associated symptoms.

Objective: To assess the frequency of patients positive for the presence of anti-ganglioside antibodies and factors related to it among the patients diagnosed with Guillian Barre Syndrome (GBS) at our hospital. Study Design: Prospective longitudinal study. Place and Duration of Study: Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Jan to Jun 2019. Methodology: Patients were included in the study once detailed assessment and investigations have been carried out by the consultant neurologist and he has declared the patient suffering from Guillian Barre Syndrome. Anti-ganglioside antibodies were performed on all the patients diagnosed with Guillian Barre Syndrome from the immunology department of the laboratory of our hospital. Factors like age, gender, preceding gastrointestinal infection; sensory involvement and need for mechanical ventilation were related with the presence of Guillian Barre Syndrome in our target population. Results: A total of 30 patients were enrolled in the study. Out of these 22 (73.3%) were positive for the presence of antiganglioside antibodies while 08 (26.4%) did not show the presence of detectable levels of these antibodies in their serum. On fisher exact test preexisting gastrointestinal infection and sensory involvement were statistically significantly related to the presence of anti-ganglioside antibodies among the patients suffering from Guillian Barre Syndrome. Conclusion: Relationship of presence of anti-ganglioside antibodies was strong with the Guillian Barre Syndrome among the patients enrolled in our study. It was even stronger in among the patients who presented with the sensory involvement or those who had a gastrointestinal infection prior to the onset of symptoms of...........

Objective: To assess the clinical profile and outcome of patients admitted with the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) at neurology unit of a tertiary care teaching hospital of Pakistan. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Neurology department, Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Dec 2018 to Jun 2019. Methodology: This study was conducted on 69 patients of tuberculous meningitis admitted. Demographic profile included age, gender, and the symptoms with which the patient presented. Neurological complications were also documented among the target population. Outcomes included recovery, shifting to intensive care unit and death. Results: A total of 69 patients admitted in neurology ward diagnosed and managed as tuberculous meningitis in the study duration time. Male to female ratio was 1.4:1. Mean age of patients diagnosed with tuberculous meningitis in our study was 34.23 ± 3.915 years. Most of the patients presented with the fever followed by headache. Out of 69 patients, 41 (59.4%) recovered, 22 (31.9%) were shifted to the intensive care unit and 6 (8.7%) died. Seizures were the commonest neurological complication faced by the patients followed by cranial nerve palsies. Conclusion: Fever and headache were common symptoms with which patients of tuberculous meningitis presented in our study population. Most of the patients recovered in the ward but a high percentage required intensive care unit admission as well. Seizures and cranial nerve palsies were commonly experienced complication by patients included in our study.