Introduction: The outbreak of COVID-19 is taking an unprecedented mental toll on health workers worldwide. So it comes as no surprise that the mental well-being of health care workers of Bangladesh too is in serious jeopardy. This survey was aimed to assess the immediate psychological impact on doctors working in largest Covid-19 dedicated facility in Bangladesh, Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in a single-centre with response received from participating doctors between 31st May to 3rd June, 2020. Mental health variables were assessed via the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) and Hospital Anxiety Depression Score (HADS). Results: We received 192 completed questionnaires (response rate, 64.43%) among whom around 50% of the participating doctors reportedly have depression and anxiety symptoms respectively. Among them 104 doctors (54.17%) responded to have insomnia. Around 56% of the responding subjects perceived the highly contagious nature of the SARS-CoV-2 as the most striking threat of COVID-19. Conclusion: Agonizing disease process, high death toll, highly contagious nature of the responsible virus is taking a serious mental toll on physicians in the background of their heightened concern about personal health and family health, scarcity in PPE and adequate hospital facility. Psychological protective measures implemented by the hospital could be helpful. J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2020; 38(0): 50-55

Abstract

BackgroundSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disorder predominantly affecting the women of childbearing age. It often manifests with various constitutional symptoms as well as combination of organ systems involvement and outcome varies in different population with available treatment. The present study is to see the patterns of organ involvement and their outcomes at first 6 months with standard treatment.MethodsThis was a retrospective study done in lupus clinic of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh during 2010 to 2016. Patients were included based on ACR lupus diagnostic criteria and had received standard treatment. Outcomes were assessed regularly by clinical features, urinalysis and serum creatinine done in the appropriate cases. Composite endpoint was calculated by using SELENA SLEDAI in all the cases.ResultsAmong 120 patients, 111 (92.5%) were female, age ranging from 14 to 57 years with a mean of 26.5±10.68 (SD) year. Median follow up was 1.7 years. The most common manifestations were fever (70%), joint pain (72.5%), oral ulceration (49%), alopecia (40%), malar rash (28.3%), photosensitivity (25.8%) and Raynauds phenomenon (19%). Commonly involved major organ-systems were renal (40%), neuropsychiatric (19%), respiratory (14%), cardiac (6.6%) and hematological (6.6%). In lupus nephritis, proteinuria was present in 100% of cases. The other parameters of renal involvements were RBC >5/HPF and RBC or cellular cast in 37.5%. Serum creatinine was raised in 23 patients (19.17%) with a mean of 1.68±0.96 mg/dl. Renal biopsy was done in 40 (83.3%) cases. The histology showed class-II in 03 (7.5%), Class-III in 03 (7.5%), class-IV in 20 (50%) and class-V in 08 (20%) cases. With standard treatment, major reduction of mean serum creatinine, 24 hours UTP and SLEDAI were observed in most of the cases at least after 6 months. Total flare occurred in 31 (25.8%) among them renal flare was in 10 (8.33%) and non-renal flare in 21 (17.5%). Four SLE patients died during the course of treatment.ConclusionsRenal and central nervous systems are the most commonly involved major organ systems. The overall outcome is favorable with standard treatment.Funding Source(s):None

Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection may cause severe life-threatening diseases called acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) owing to cytokine storms. The mortality rate of COVID-19-related ARDS is as high as 40% to 50%. However, effective treatment for the extensive release of acute inflammatory mediators induced by hyperactive and inappropriate immune responses is very limited. Many anti-inflammatory drugs with variable efficacies have been investigated. Colchicine inhibits interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) and its subsequent inflammatory cascade by primarily blocking pyrin and nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain containing receptor 3 (NLRP3) activation. Therefore, this cheap, widely available, oral drug might provide an added benefit in combating the cytokine storm in COVID-19. Here, we sought to determine whether adding colchicine to other standards of care could be beneficial for moderate COVID-19 pneumonia in terms of the requirement for advanced respiratory support and mortality. Methods and findings This blinded placebo-controlled drug trial was conducted at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. A total of 300 patients with moderate COVID-19 based on a positive RT-PCR result were enrolled based on strict selection criteria from June 2020 to November 2020. Patients were randomly assigned to either treatment group in a 1:1 ratio. Patients were administered 1.2 mg of colchicine on day 1 followed by daily treatment with 0.6 mg of colchicine for 13 days or placebo along with the standard of care. The primary outcome was the time to clinical deterioration from randomization to two or more points on a seven-category ordinal scale within the 14 days post-randomization. Clinical outcomes were also recorded on day 28. The primary endpoint was met by 9 (6.2%) patients in the placebo group and 4 (2.7%) patients in the colchicine group (P = 0.171), which corresponds to a hazard ratio (95% CI) of 0.44 (0.13–1.43). Additional analysis of the outcomes on day 28 revealed significantly lower clinical deterioration (defined as a decrease by two or more points) in the colchicine group, with a hazard ratio [95%CI] of 0.29 [0.098–0.917], (P = 0.035). Despite a 56% reduction in the need for mechanical ventilation and death with colchicine treatment on day 14, the reduction was not statistically significant. On day 28, colchicine significantly reduced clinical deterioration measured as the need for mechanical ventilation and all-cause mortality. Conclusion Colchicine was not found to have a significant beneficial effect on reducing mortality and the need for mechanical ventilation. However, a delayed beneficial effect was observed. Therefore, further studies should be conducted to evaluate the late benefits of colchicine. Clinical trial registration Clinical trial registration no: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04527562 https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=NCT04527562.

Background: Snakebite is a neglected public health problem in many countries of the world. Being a tropical country Bangladesh is also facing this problem. In this case series we have tried to focus the illiteracy, prejudice and mismanagement happen in snake bite cases from primary to tertiary level and how effective management can save life of snake bite victim. Case presentation: Among the 29 snake bite cases admitted in a medicine ward of tertiary care hospital four were venomous bites- two male and two female. Our patients came from around Dhaka city. Though victim failed to bring the snake, by studying clinical features and syndromic approaches we suspected Kraits as the culprit in three cases and Cobra in one case. Time period between bite and attend to hospital ranged from 4 hr to 16.30 hours. All victims had inappropriate application of tourniquet to their limbs as a first aid management. Most of them first visit OZHA (traditional healer). Two of them developed respiratory failure. All cases were managed in ICU with polyvalent ASV. One developed anaphylaxis which was managed with adrenaline. All patients recovered completely. Conclusion: Arrival to hospital without delay, facilities for management with trained physicians and proper supply of ASV may reduce death from snake bite and reduce financial burden to the patient. Developing public awareness to remove prejudice about snakes and identifying venomous snake bite is also necessary. J MEDICINE JAN 2021; 22 (1) : 72-76