R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital,West Bengal University of Health Sciences

Management of burn wounds is challenging. Dressing changes, especially in paediatric burn patients, are a major concern. To address these challenges, numerous methods and advanced dressing materials have been developed. Collagen, a biocompatible material easily derived from natural sources, has emerged as a promising option. The primary goals are early wound healing, reduced pain sensitivity, and fewer dressing changes in the paediatric population. A prospective observational study was conducted among 38 paediatric patients, under 12 years of age, with scald burns. The study was conducted from 1st January 2024 to the end of October 2024. When a patient was admitted with scald burn, the wound was cleaned with normal saline and collagen materials were applied over the wound. This was followed by paraffin impregnated gauze and dry dressing. The first dressing was opened on day 5 and followed by dressing every 3 to 4 days until the wound healed. Thirty-three out of 38 patients (87%) were discharged within 12 days. Infection was found in 5 patients. No adverse reaction due to the application of collagen was observed. Collagen-based dressing is an important dynamic for burn wound management. Frequent change of dressing is avoided, with a significant impact on pain and psychological trauma among the paediatric population.

Background:Assessing physical workload is the most important step in deciding whether the workload is high and adopting appropriate control strategies to reduce physical workload. Objective:To assess physical workload, maximum working capacity (MWC), and relative load (RL) of study participants engaged in manual material handling. Methods and Materials:A cross-sectional observational descriptive study was conducted in two aluminum processing metallurgy factories in the Howrah district of the Indian state of West Bengal. The sample size for the proposed research work was 424 workers. Data was collected on a predesigned and pretested questionnaire and was subsequently analyzed by using a suitable statistical package. Results:Mean age of the workers was 45.46 ± 10.25 years. Most of the (28.54%) respondents had completed the Primary level of education. The majority of respondents were from the upper middle class (34.67%). Most of the workers (63.44%) were engaged in "workers doing other types of job," whereas 12.03% workers were operating machines, and 7.31% workers were doing manual material handling. The majority of the workers (48.39%) were manual material handlers who had moderate physical workload, and 32.26% and 19.35% manual material handlers had heavy and light physical workload, respectively. Conclusion:About one-third of the manual handlers of the present study were subjected to RL beyond the acceptable limit because of disproportionate physical workload and MWC.

INTRODUCTION:Historically, childhood depression was overlooked due to perceived developmental immaturity. However, modern paradigms recognize it as a complex disorder often presenting with "masked" symptoms that differ from adult manifestations. In India, prevalence rates show an increasing trend, yet research on younger children remains sparse. This study aimed to delineate the clinical features, temperamental traits, and family environmental correlates of childhood depressive episodes in an eastern Indian hospital setting, while quantifying the perceptual gap between children and parents. METHODS:This institution-based, case-control study screened 145 children aged 5-12 years, resulting in a final population of 34 cases (diagnosed via the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Diagnostic Criteria for Research) and 34 age- and sex-matched controls. Assessment tools included the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC), Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC), Draw-a-Person Test (DAP) for evolving personality traits, and the Family Environmental Scale (FES). Statistical analysis data were tabulated in Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA) and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). Categorical variables were summarized as frequencies and percentages, while numerical variables were expressed as means and standard deviations (SD). Inferential statistics included the chi-squared (χ2) test for categorical associations. Data were found to be normally distributed via the Shapiro-Wilk test (p = 0.413). Independent t-tests were done to compare numerical means between groups. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r), Crammer's V, and Cohen's d were calculated to quantify the magnitude of categorical variables. RESULTS:Depressive episode was diagnosed in 23.44% (n = 34) of children. Most cases were aged 9-12 years (n = 26, 76.5%) with a slight male preponderance (n = 18, 52.29%). Frequent symptoms included sleep disturbances (n = 28, 82.35%), irritability (n = 26, 76.47%), and somatic complaints (n = 22, 64.7%). Environmental stressors such as bullying (χ2 (1, n = 68), 11.691, p = 0.001, V = 0.415) and a lack of close friends (χ2 (1, n = 68), 23.611, p = 0.00, V = 0.589) were significantly more prevalent in cases. FES results indicated that depressed children lived in domestic environments characterized by lower cohesion (p = 0.032) and higher conflict (p = 0.00) and control (p = 0.00). DAP testing revealed significantly higher scores for anxiety (p = 0.00), low self-esteem (p = 0.001), and internalized aggression (p = 0.001) in the case group. Also noted was high discordance in illness perception (88%, n = 30), as parents' severity ratings did not match the child's self-report, with 64.7% (n = 22) of parents underestimating the severity. CONCLUSION:Children with depression present with varied symptoms, including somatic and behavioral problems. Childhood depression is a multi-dimensional disorder that correlates with the family environment and temperament of the child. The significant parent-child perceptual gap highlights the need for child-centric assessment tools and enhanced parental awareness to ensure early diagnosis and minimize long-term social impairment.

Introduction: Diabetic neuropathies are the most common, yet least understood and recognised long-term complications of diabetes. With rising Glycated Haemoglobins (HbA1c) levels, nerve conduction velocities slow and amplitudes decrease, indicating ongoing damage to the myelin sheaths and axonal loss. Worsening glycaemic control leads to increased Oxidative Stress (OS), which has been proposed to play a significant role in the progression of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN). Aim: To evaluate peripheral nerve damage and Oxidative Stress levels in newly diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients using Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) and to assess their association with HbA1c levels. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 60 newly diagnosed T2DM patients aged 40-60 years and 60 non-diabetic controls in the Department of Physiology, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, from February 2023 to January 2024. Motor NCS were performed on the bilateral ulnar, median, and posterior tibial nerves, and sensory NCS were conducted on the bilateral median and sural nerves. OS levels were assessed by measuring the antioxidant enzyme catalase using spectrophotometry. Blood samples were collected for estimation of catalase activity, Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), Postprandial Blood Sugar (PPBS), and HbA1c. Statistical analyses included Pearson’s correlation coefficient and the unpaired t-test. Results: Among the 60 patients (mean age 57 years; male:female ratio=1:1), 40% exhibited DPN. Distal motor latency of the bilateral median, ulnar, and tibial nerves was significantly increased in cases compared with controls. Motor nerve conduction velocity was significantly reduced in the patient group. Sensory nerve conduction velocity and sensory nerve action potential amplitudes of the bilateral sural nerves were decreased, while distal sensory latency was prolonged in cases compared with controls. A significant negative correlation was observed between HbA1c levels and catalase activity (r= -0.78, p<0.0001). Conclusion: Newly diagnosed T2DM patients demonstrated significant abnormalities in nerve conduction parameters and a strong association between poor glycaemic control and OS. These findings suggest early nerve involvement and increased oxidative damage even at the time of diagnosis.

Introduction: Idiopathic frozen shoulder (IFS) is a common musculoskeletal condition characterized by progressive shoulder stiffness and pain. Diabetes mellitus is a known risk factor for adhesive capsulitis, yet many cases of diabetes remain undiagnosed in patients presenting with IFS. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes among patients with idiopathic frozen shoulder. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted over a period of one year in the Department of Orthopedics at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. The study included patients presenting to the orthopedic outpatient clinic with idiopathic frozen shoulder who had no prior diagnosis of diabetes. A total of 116 patients meeting the inclusion criteria were enrolled and evaluated during the study period. Results: The mean random blood sugar (RBS) levels differed significantly among the three glycemic groups (p < 0.001). Patients in the nondiabetic group (n = 26) had a mean RBS level of 101.58 ± 18.58 mg/dL, whereas the prediabetic group (n = 59) showed a higher mean value of 112.64 ± 30.80 mg/dL. The diabetic group (n = 31) demonstrated a markedly elevated mean RBS level of 175.54 ± 93.31 mg/dL. Conclusion: A substantial proportion of patients with idiopathic frozen shoulder may have undiagnosed diabetes. Routine screening for hyperglycemia in patients presenting with IFS is recommended to enable early diagnosis and management, potentially improving shoulder outcomes and overall health.