Introduction Low back pain (LBP) is a serious health issue that may impact a person at some point in their life, which negatively impacts the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of those affected people. This study aimed to investigate the HRQOL of patients with LBP in Bangladesh.Methods A multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted between August 2024 and February 2025, including 369 patients with LBP. This study recruited both male and female individuals aged 18 to 60 years with a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, as well as bivariate and multivariate analyses, were conducted to analysed the data. The significance level was set at <0.05.Results Widowed/divorced LBP survivors encounter significantly greater challenges in mobility (adjusted OR (aOR) 29.37, 95% CI 4.75 to 181.87) and self-care (aOR 8.30, 95% CI 1.51 to 45.83) relative to single/married survivors. Individuals with a previous history of spinal surgery experienced significant challenges in self-care (aOR 4.78, 95% CI 1.01 to 22.64) and usual activity (aOR 4.78, 95% CI 1.01 to 22.64), in comparison to those without such surgical history. LBP survivors experiencing severe pain exhibited a 13-fold increase in mobility (aOR 12.91, 95% CI 1.26 to 132.48), nearly a 7-fold increase in self-care (aOR 6.78, 95% CI 1.85 to 23.56), approximately a 15-fold increase in usual activity (aOR 14.56, 95% CI 2.45 to 46.12) and nearly 13-fold increases in anxiety/depression (aOR 12.67, 95% CI 1.78 to 32.07) when compared with patients with mild pain.Conclusion This study indicated that patients with LBP reported having problems in multiple dimensions of quality of life. Several factors drive LBP, which is associated with significant disability and overall HRQOL. Multidisciplinary management strategies, especially those targeted toward improving pain control and physical and psychological well-being, could reduce disability and improve quality of life.
Globally, undergraduate students exhibit a higher tendency towards tobacco and other substance use. Although there are almost 50,000 undergraduate medical students studying in Bangladesh currently, evidence regarding the prevalence of tobacco other substance use among them is very limited, let alone the predictors. This research aims to investigate the prevalence of tobacco or other substance use among medical students in Bangladesh and to investigate the factors associated with tobacco or other substance use. This cross-sectional study was conducted between May 2023 and August 2024 in sixteen medical colleges in Bangladesh. A total of 1,129 medical students were selected by convenience sampling, and data were collected using an online self-reported semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, t-test, and multiple logistic regression model were used to report the study findings. The mean age of the students was 22.3 (± 2) years, with slightly higher female preponderance (52.3
Background Urinary tract infections are one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide, with a substantial socioeconomic burden, particularly in lower- and middle-income countries, where the rise of antimicrobial resistance further complicates treatment. In Bangladesh, misuse of antibiotics due to widespread availability without prescriptions has been a key contributor to the development of this resistance. Hence, clinicians need to be equipped with knowledge of current resistance patterns to provide effective empirical therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the distribution of uropathogens and their antimicrobial resistance profiles. Methods Culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing data from 9,625 samples collected between July and December 2025 were obtained from the Microbiology departments of Dhaka Medical College, Rajshahi Medical College, and Mymensingh Medical College, in this retrospective cross-sectional study. The samples were cultured on MacConkey agar, Cysteine Lactose Electrolyte Deficient agar, and blood agar; species identification was performed via Gram staining and other standard biochemical tests. The Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method on Mueller-Hinton agar was utilized for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Growth positivity, distribution of isolated uropathogens, antibiotic susceptibility and resistance, and resistance classification were assessed using descriptive statistics. Results 1730 (17.97%) samples were growth-positive, of which 1032 (59.7%) were samples from female patients. Infections were most prevalent in patients belonging to the ≤ 20 years (28.0%) and 40–59 years (27.5%) age groups. Gram-negative uropathogens were most frequently isolated, with Escherichia coli being predominant (42.9% of culture-positive samples), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (16.9%). Escherichia coli infections were significantly more common in female patients (65.9%), whereas Pseudomonas aeruginosa was more prevalent among male patients (62.8%). E coli and K. pneumoniae showed considerable resistance to co-amoxiclav, co-trimoxazole, ciprofloxacin, and ceftriaxone. Fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin, amikacin, and meropenem were effective antimicrobials against gram-negative uropathogens; for gram-positive pathogens, vancomycin and linezolid were most effective. Conclusions Several commonly prescribed antimicrobials were demonstrated to have a considerable loss of susceptibility. This denotes an increased possibility of treatment failures following standard empirical treatment and highlights the need for evidence-based therapy guided by antimicrobial susceptibility testing alongside the development and enforcement of hospital antibiotic policies.
Quadricuspid aortic valve (QAV) is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly that typically presents in any age with progressive aortic regurgitation. A 55-year-old Bangladeshi woman came with a 3 weeks history of progressive dyspnea, intermittent chest tightness, and palpitations. Trans-esophageal echocardiography confirmed a QAV with central leaflet malcoaptation and mild aortic root dilatation. Further assessment with cardiac computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging enabled detailed anatomical characterization, severity assessment, and operative planning. Multimodality imaging is crucial for accurate diagnosis, risk stratification and surgical decision-making. This case highlights the value of comprehensive imaging and individualized surgical planning in achieving favorable outcomes in patients with QAV.
Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common causes of bacterial infections worldwide. Rising antibiotic resistance among urinary pathogens to commonly prescribed antibiotics has become a significant therapeutic challenge. Objective: Our study aims to investigate the patterns of antibacterial susceptibility in E. coli among patients residing in the densely populated industrial area of Gazipur, Bangladesh. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology at Tairunnessa Memorial Medical College, Gazipur, Bangladesh from July 2023 to January 2024. The study included 100 adult patients admitted to the Medicine Indoor Department with confirmed UTI, based on clinical symptoms, signs, supportive investigations, and urine culture results (positive or negative). Results: Urine samples were taken several times from the 100 patients. Among the 1000 urine samples analyzed, 256 tested positive for pathogenic organisms. Escherichia coli was isolated in 128(50.0%) of the positive samples, followed by Klebsiella species (28.0%,), Pseudomonas species (13.7%), Enterococcus species (5.5%) and Proteus species (2.8%). Escherichia coli exhibited the highest sensitivity to nitrofurantoin (92.5%), meropenem (92.5%), amikacin (84.6%), and gentamicin (71.8%). However, it showed resistance to commonly used antibiotics such as cefixime (78%), cefuroxime (77.5%), ciprofloxacin (62.5%) and ceftriaxone (62.5%). Conclusions: Gram-negative bacilli were identified as the primary causative agents of UTI, with Escherichia coli being the most prevalent pathogen. The most effective antibiotics were nitrofurantoin, meropenem, amikacin, and gentamicin. In contrast, frequently prescribed antibiotics like cefixime, cefuroxime, cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin, and ceftriaxone demonstrated high resistance rates against E. coli. Journal of Monno Medical College, June, 2025; 11(1) : 44-48
