Background Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is characterized by a range of physical, cognitive, affective, and behavioral symptoms that occur cyclically during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, typically resolving at the onset of menstruation. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and impact of Premenstrual syndrome among adolescent girls at a school in Tanahun. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 119 adolescent girls studying in grades 8, 9, and 10 at a school in Tanahun, Nepal, from July to September 2023. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The school and classes were selected using non-probability purposive sampling, and participants were selected using proportionate stratified sampling. Data were entered into EpiData version 4.6 and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Descriptive statistics and the Chi-square test were applied at a 5% level of significance. Results PMS was prevalent among 64.7% of participants, with 55.8% having mild and 44.2% moderate PMS. Among those affected, the most common impacts were impaired friendships (42.0%), reduced individual work performance (42.9%), reduced social activities (39.5%), and school absenteeism (31.9%). Only 4.2% reported low academic grades. A significant association was found between PMS and educational grade (p = 0.006), while no significant associations were observed with other socio-demographic or menstrual variables. Conclusions PMS is common among adolescent girls and affects interpersonal relationships and educational activities. Health education, counseling, and coping strategies may improve quality of life during the premenstrual period. Keywords: Adolescent; Menstruation Disturbances; Premenstrual Syndrome; Schools; Students.
Background Nasal bone fracture is the most common facial fracture, and closed reduction is the standard treatment. However, patient-reported quality of life (QoL) outcomes after surgery remain underexplored. The Sinonasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) is a validated tool for assessing sinonasal symptoms and postoperative recovery. This study evaluated changes in QoL following closed reduction of nasal bone fractures and identified factors associated with postoperative improvement. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted among 138 patients with nasal bone fractures who underwent closed reduction at the ENT outpatient department of College of Medical Sciences and Teaching Hospital from February 2025 to February 2026. QoL was assessed using the SNOT-22 questionnaire preoperatively, at 2 weeks postoperatively, and at 3 months follow-up. Demographic data, fracture characteristics, and postoperative complications were recorded. Paired statistical tests and multivariable analyses were performed. Results Among 138 patients, the mean age was 34.8 ± 12.6 years, and 66.7% were male. Road traffic accidents were the leading cause of injury (44.9%). The mean SNOT-22 score significantly improved from 41.6 ± 9.8 preoperatively to 18.9 ± 7.4 at 2 weeks postoperatively (p < 0.001), with sustained improvement at 3 months. Improvement was noted across all symptom domains, especially nasal obstruction and facial pain. Patients with septal deviation had relatively higher postoperative scores, although overall improvement remained significant. No sex-based differences were observed. Conclusions Closed reduction significantly improves patient-reported QoL after nasal bone fracture. Routine use of validated tools such as SNOT-22 supports comprehensive assessment of functional outcomes and patient-centered care.
Background Cervical cancer is the leading cause of death among female population of Nepal. In the low resource settings in a developing country like Nepal, where ancillary tests may not be available, a Papanicolaou (Pap) test is the mainstay of screening system for cervical cancer. Pap test is a cytological screening technique proposed by The Bethesda System for Reporting Cervical Cytology (TBSRC) at 1988. It is a simple, safe and non- invasive method for detection of epithelial cells abnormalities on cervical smear. Methods This is a hospital based cross sectional study conducted over a period of 18 months, from January 2024 to June 2025. Study included 5543 Pap smear and 149 cervical biopsies over the period. Data were collected in Microsoft excel and subjected to SPSS to see the association of pap smear test and biopsy. Results In our study, the samples were received from patients aged 21 to 83 years of age. Only 1.4% of total cases studied showed epithelial cell abnormality. The study showed that Pap smear test has high sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 77.9%, 84%, 80.3% and 81.9% respectively with diagnostic accuracy of 81.20%. Conclusions This study revealed that Pap smear test is still a good screening technique to detect epithelial cell abnormality in cervical smear with high diagnostic accuracy in the developing country like Nepal.
Background Patient restraint is a critical nursing practice in tertiary care settings, requiring adequate knowledge and appropriate attitudes to ensure patient safety and ethical care. This study assessed nurses’ knowledge and attitudes regarding patient restraint in a tertiary care hospital in Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 239 nurses selected from various clinical departments. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including Chi-square test to determine associations. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Among 239 nurses, 64.4% were aged 20-25 years and 89.5% had PCL qualification. More than one-third (34.3%) worked in the ICU, and 77.0% had no training on patient restraint. Good knowledge was found in 46.0% (95% CI: 39.7%-52.3%), while 54.0% (95% CI: 47.7%-60.3%) had poor knowledge. Positive attitude was observed in 64.9% (95% CI: 58.9%-70.9%), whereas 35.1% (95% CI: 29.1%-41.1%) had negative attitude. Knowledge was significantly associated with age, working area, and training status. Attitude was significantly associated with age, working area, training, protocol availability, and work experience. Knowledge was also significantly associated with attitude (χ² = 7.89, p = 0.005). Conclusions Although most nurses demonstrated a positive attitude, a considerable proportion had inadequate knowledge regarding patient restraint. Knowledge and attitude were significantly influenced by age, working area, and training. Strengthening training programs and ensuring implementation of clinical protocols may improve nurses’ competency in patient restraint practices.
Background Bronchial asthma is a common chronic airway disease observed in children. This study was done to find the association of body mass index with bronchial asthma severity. Methods An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted at College of Medical Sciences-Teaching over a period of 1 years. This study evaluated 120 asthmatic children aged 5-15 years. All data obtained were entered to an Excel worksheet and were analyzed using SPSS software, version 16.0. Categorical variables were analyzed using Chi-square tests. ANOVA was used to study the mean BMI with the different categories of severity of asthma. Results Out of 120 patients, 67 (55.8%) were males and 53 (44.1%) were females. Among males, 10 (14.9%) had mild intermittent, 32 (47.7%) mild persistent, 22 (32.8%) moderate persistent, and 3 (4.4%) severe persistent asthma. Among females, 2 (3.7%) had mild intermittent, 24 (45.2%) mild persistent, 27 (50.9%) moderate persistent asthma(none severe).Overall , 102 (85%) were underweight, 18 (15%) normal weight; none were overweight/obese. Among underweight children, 11 (10.7%) had mild intermittent , 52 (50.9%) mild persistent , 36 (35.2%)moderate persistent while 3 (2.9%) had severe persistent asthma. Normal BMI children presented with: 1 (5.5%) mild intermittent, 4 (22.2%) mild persistent, 13 (72.2%) moderate persistent. Mean Body Mass Index in children with mild intermittent asthma, mild persistent asthma, moderate persistent asthma and severe asthma were 15.1 (SD 2.2), 14.8 (SD 2.8), 13.3 (SD 3.3) and 12.4 (SD 0.1) respectively and the relation was statistically significant (p=0.038). Conclusions The severity of bronchial asthma has a significant relation with the Body Mass Index, with the severity increasing as the index decreases.
Background Family Adoption Program (FAP) emphasizes communication skills and community-based learning and also provides medical students with longitudinal exposure to community living conditions, cultural beliefs, lifestyle practices, and health challenges. However, its impact on student learning outcomes remains under-explored, particularly using mixed-method approaches, and context-specific assessment tools require further evaluation. This mixed-method study aimed to assess the impact of FAP on community-based learning, explore barriers and facilitators to its implementation, evaluating its effectiveness in teaching Family Health & Environmental Survey and assessing communication skills among the medical students. Methods A mixed method study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Uttar Pradesh, India over a period of 10 months from October 2024 to July 2025. Among Phase I MBBS students. Knowledge was assessed using a semi open ended questionnaire, while communication skills were evaluated using the Observation-based Communication Skills Checklist (OCSC) from 93 students. Reflective narratives of 73 students were analyzed thematically. Results Knowledge scores improved modestly (16.1 to 17.4; not significant), while communication scores increased significantly (26 to 28). Over two-thirds of students reported meaningful learning. Qualitative findings showed improved rapport-building, empathy, and confidence, often facilitated by using local language. Key strengths included family engagement and faculty support, while challenges involved time constraints, dialect barriers, and community expectations. Conclusions FAP effectively promotes community-oriented learning, enhances communication skills, and fosters empathetic, socially responsible medical professionals. Program improvements should focus on communication training, logistical support, and strengthened community engagement.
Background Chronic shoulder pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint associated with functional disability. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays a crucial role in identifying underlying structural abnormalities, particularly those related to rotator cuff pathology. This study aimed to find the demographic, clinical, and MRI characteristics of patients with chronic shoulder pain at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal. Methods A hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Radiology, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmandu, Nepal, over a period from 2081 to 2082 B.S. A total of 154 patients with clinically suspected chronic shoulder pain who underwent shoulder MRI were included. Data on socio-demographic and clinical variables were collected using a structured proforma. MRI findings were analyzed descriptively using SPSS version 20. Results The mean age of patients was 45.9 ± 18.0 years, with a predominance of the 35-65 years age group (66.23%). Males constituted 59.09% of cases. Housewives were the most affected occupational group (37.7%). The mean duration of pain was 10.04 ± 4.8 months, and 63.6% had prior treatment history. The right shoulder was more frequently involved (70.78%), and most patients presented with moderate to severe pain. MRI revealed rotator cuff pathology in 43.51% of cases, with supraspinatus tendon involvement being most common (69%). Partial tears of the supraspinatus were the predominant lesion (55.22%), while bursitis and acromioclavicular joint arthropathy were also noted. Conclusions Rotator cuff pathology, particularly supraspinatus tendon involvement with partial-thickness tears, is the leading cause of chronic shoulder pain. Early MRI evaluation is essential for accurate diagnosis and appropriate management.
Background A vital component of every medico-legal investigation is the identification of individuality. Finger prints, as a biometric technology is accepted globally, for identification in legal proceedings. Research on its application in this area of gender identification would improve the efficacy of legal process on identification issues. To examined variation of finger print patterns among medical students of College of Medical Sciences-Teaching Hospital, Bharatpur. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the forensic medicine department at College of Medical Sciences-Teaching Hospital from April to July 2025. This, study includes, MBBS students from 1st semester to 9th semester. All the ten fingerprints of the participants were obtained on a clear A4 sized paper. The dermatoglyphic patterns were recorded on paper as an arch, whorl, loop, or composite of the right and left fingers. The data were initially entered in MS Excel and later analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. The distribution of dermatoglyphic fingertip patterns on each person's two hands were analysed using descriptive statistics and their association with gender were measured using inferential statistics. P-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The most common type of fingerprint pattern was found to be a loop, which was seen in more than half of the samples 1506 (63%). This was followed by whorl 646 (27%), arch 145 (6%), and the composite which was the least common, accounting for 93 (4%) samples. Statistically significant association was found between sex and fingerprint pattern of right thumb (p-value 0.021) and ring finger (p-value 0.035). Conclusions Loop pattern was the most common in study population and statistically significant association was found between sex and fingerprint pattern of right thumb and ring finger.
Background Tendon of Achilles (TA) plays an important role in maintaining the normal gait of an individual. It can receive a stress of 3.9 times body weight during walking and 7.7 times body weight during running. The objective of the study was to determine the morphometry of TA and its length in correlation with the height of cadavers of Nepalese origin. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted at the department of Anatomy of Nobel Medical College Teaching Hospital during the time frame of Sep 2024 to Feb 2025. A total of 35 cadavers (25 M & 10 F) with 70 limbs were dissected to study their morphometry. The mean values were compared between the right and left sides in both males and females using an unpaired t-test. The proximal, middle, and distal mean values were compared using one way-ANOVA test. Results The mean length of tendon of Achilles and the various parameters were higher in male compared to female. The morphometry of the right limb was higher than the left limb in both male and female. The average height of the cadavers were 9.81 times in male and 10.16 times in female the length of TA. Conclusions The better understanding of the morphometry of tendon of Achilles will be helpful during the diagnosis and surgical repair of tendon of Achilles as it is one of the important tendons that keeps one in position.
Background Potential drug-drug interactions (pDDIs) are a major concern in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) due to polypharmacy, severe illness, and complex treatment regimens. These interactions can lead to adverse clinical outcomes. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, severity, and predictors of pDDIs among ICU patients in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Nepal. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 ICU patients at Universal College of Medical Sciences from Nov 2023 to April 2024. Patient demographics and drug profiles were collected from Cardex records. The pDDIs were identified using the Medscape drug interaction checker and classified by severity. Binary logistic regression was performed to identify predictors, and results were expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Among 150 patients, 118 (78.67%) had at least one pDDIs. A total of 433 interactions were identified from 1074 prescribed medications, with an average of 7.16 drugs per patient. Most interactions were classified as ‘monitor closely’ (53.35%), followed by minor (31.4%), serious (13.6%), and contraindicated (1.6%). Polypharmacy was observed in 71.3% of patients. It was the only significant predictor of pDDI (AOR=9.33, 95% CI: 3.78-23.2, p<0.001). Conclusions The pDDIs are highly prevalent among ICU patients. Polypharmacy is the main independent predictor, while age and comorbidities are not significantly associated. The finding highlights the importance of careful medication review and further studies to assess their clinical relevance.
Background Menstrual disorders are common among adolescents and may affect physical, psychological, and academic well-being. Body mass index (BMI) may influence menstrual patterns, but evidence remains inconsistent. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of menstrual disorders and their association with BMI among adolescent nursing students in Kathmandu, Nepal. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from October to November 2020 among 230 first- and second-year PCL nursing students from four CTEVT-affiliated campuses in Kathmandu. Cluster sampling was used. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, and menstrual disorders were assessed based on self-reported history using predefined operational definitions. Height and weight were measured to calculate BMI using WHO Asian criteria. Data were analysed using SPSS version 23 using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Chi-square test; p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results The mean age of participants was 17.06 ± 1.15 years, and the mean age at menarche was 12.84 ± 1.25 years. Most students (76.5%) had regular cycles. Dysmenorrhea was most common (76.1%), followed by menorrhagia (31.3%), irregular menstruation (23.5%), oligomenorrhea (21.3%), and metrorrhagia (13.5%). Common premenstrual symptoms were anger/irritability (62.2%) and difficulty sleeping (52.2%). Most participants had normal BMI (67.4%), while 21.7% were underweight and 10.9% overweight. No significant association was observed between BMI and menstrual interval, dysmenorrhea, pain severity, metrorrhagia, or oligomenorrhea (p > 0.05). Conclusions Menstrual disorders, particularly dysmenorrhea, were highly prevalent. However, BMI was not significantly associated with menstrual characteristics. These findings highlight the need for menstrual health education and awareness programs in educational institutions.
Background Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life is strongly recommended by the World Health Organization for optimal infant growth, immunity, and survival. However, its practice remains suboptimal, particularly among working women, due to employment-related constraints. In Nepal, where female workforce participation is increasing, balancing employment with breastfeeding continues to be challenging. This study aimed to assess breastfeeding practices among working mothers and identify factors influencing exclusive breastfeeding in Nepal. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 working mothers with children aged 6-24 months attending the immunization center of Kathmandu Medical College from August 2024 to August 2025. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire through consecutive sampling. Analysis was performed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were applied, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results Among working mothers, 77.3% practiced exclusive breastfeeding. Among those who did not, the main barriers were lack of privacy and absence of childcare facilities, each reported by 21.3%. Significant associations were observed between exclusive breastfeeding and maternal knowledge regarding recommended breastfeeding duration (p = 0.001) and bonding (p = 0.011), availability of workplace nurseries (p = 0.018), and ability to breastfeed at work (p = 0.004). Mothers able to breastfeed at work had higher exclusive breastfeeding rates than those who could not (87% vs 67.1%). Conclusions Maternal knowledge and workplace support are key determinants of exclusive breastfeeding among working mothers.
Background Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) aims to achieve sustained viral suppression and immune restoration. Understanding reasons for loss-to-follow-up (LFU) and associated factors is essential to improve adherence interventions and strengthen HIV care outcomes. The study amied to assess the profile of lost-to-follow-up people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy at the ART Plus Centre of Sir Takhtsinhji Hospital, Bhavnagar, and to explore the reasons for loss to follow-up. Methods A mixed-method study was conducted from November 2022 to March 2023 at the ART Plus Centre. Data regarding 263 PLHIV patients who were lost to follow-up during the previous five years (2018-22) were obtained from the ART Plus Center Bhavnagar. Qualitative data were collected through face-to-face interviews using in-depth interview (IDI) guides among 19 purposively selected participants. Quantitative data were summarised using frequencies, while thematic analysis was performed for the qualitative component. Results A majority of the LFU patients (40.97%) were from Bhavnagar taluka. Migration was found to be a major factor (33.33%) for lost-to-follow-up patients, followed by inability to track due to an incorrect address given by patients (30.85%) and death (4.48%) on secondary data analysis. Factors related to four main themes socio-economic, work-related, medication and ART centre related were reported as reasons for lost to follow-up in a qualitative study. Conclusions The major reasons for lost-to-follow-up as perceived by LFU PLHIVs of Bhavnagar were no felt need of medicine, side effects of medicine and poor support from the ART centre.
Background Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) secondary to COPD significantly contributes to morbidity and mortality. Early identification of this comorbidity may improve prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of PH in COPD patients and assess the association between PH severity and COPD severity using transthoracic echocardiography. Methods An observational cross-sectional study was conducted at Bir, Hospital, Kathmandu over six months from August 2019 to January 2020. Sixty-seven patients with spirometry-confirmed COPD were enrolled. PH was assessed using two-dimensional trans-thoracic echocardiography. Doppler echocardiography, defined as systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) ≥35 mmHg. COPD severity was classified according to GOLD guidelines. Results The mean age was 68.5±6.7 years; 56.7% were male. The prevalence of PH was 86.6% (58/67 patients). Among these, mild, moderate, and severe PH was observed in 25.4%, 17.9%, and 43.3% of patients, respectively. The frequency of PH increased with COPD severity: 25% in GOLD Grade 1, 80% in Grade 2, 93.1% in Grade 3, and 100% in Grade 4. The association between COPD severity and PH severity was statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusions PH was highly prevalent in this cohort of COPD patients, with both frequency and severity increasing with worsening airflow obstruction. Echocardiography represents a useful non-invasive tool for PH detection in COPD, particularly in patients with advanced disease. However, findings should be interpreted cautiously given study limitations.
Background Dental anxiety is a significant barrier to accessing regular dental care, frequently leading to delayed treatment and the progression of oral diseases. This study aimed to assess the levels of dental and general anxiety and to evaluate their impact on dental treatment-seeking behavior among adult patients in Nepal. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted From December 2022 and July 2023 among 359 patients aged over 16 years attending the dental outpatient department at Kathmandu Model Hospital. Data was collected using a self-reported proforma that included the validated Nepali translations of the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS-N) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results The mean MDAS score was 11.09, indicating a moderate level of dental anxiety, while the mean BAI score was 26.4. The results showed a statistically significant moderate positive correlation between dental anxiety and general anxiety (ρ = 0.425, p < 0.001). Females exhibited significantly higher levels of both dental and general anxiety compared to males (p < 0.001). Additionally, the duration of delay in seeking treatment was found to be significantly dependent on both dental anxiety (p = 0.006) and general anxiety (p = 0.013). Conclusions Moderate dental anxiety is prevalent among dental patients in Nepal and is closely tied to generalized anxiety. This fear disproportionately affects women and directly drives patients to delay necessary care. Integrating brief anxiety screenings into routine dental visits could help practitioners identify and address these psychological barriers.
Background Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute, self-limiting vasculitis predominantly affecting children under five years of age and is a leading cause of acquired heart disease in children. It is characterized by prolonged fever and mucocutaneous inflammation, with a risk of developing coronary artery abnormalities if left untreated. We report two cases of infantile Kawasaki disease with variable clinical presentations. The first case involved a 1-year-old female presenting with prolonged fever, mucocutaneous features, and elevated inflammatory markers, consistent with typical KD. The second case involved a 4.5-month-old infant with incomplete clinical features but significant coronary artery aneurysmal dilatation on echocardiography. Both patients were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and aspirin, resulting in clinical improvement. These cases highlight the importance of early recognition of both typical and incomplete Kawasaki disease, especially in infants, to prevent cardiac complications.
Background Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy are major contributors to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. They complicate approximately 5-10% of pregnancies and are among the most common medical disorders encountered during pregnancy. This study aimed to evaluate maternal and fetal outcomes among hypertensive pregnancies compared with normotensive pregnancies. To compare maternal and fetal outcomes between hypertensive and normotensive pregnancies at a tertiary care hospital in Nepal. Methods A hospital-based prospective matched comparative study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dhulikhel Hospital, Nepal, from August 2025 to February 2026. A total of 240 pregnant women were enrolled, including 120 hypertensive and 120 normotensive women. Case and Controls were matched by parity. . Data were collected using structured questionnaires, interviews, and medical record review. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using SPSS version 21. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Antepartum hemorrhage (OR=3.14, p=0.016), postpartum hemorrhage (OR=2.43, p=0.026), NICU admission (OR=5.52, p<0.001), and low birth weight (OR=3.80, p=0.001) were significantly higher among hypertensive pregnancies. Neonatal death and low Apgar score were higher but not statistically significant. Conclusions Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy were associated with significantly increased maternal and fetal complications. Early diagnosis, close monitoring, and timely management are essential to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Background Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Systemic inflammation in COPD may cause endothelial dysfunction, potentially increasing urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), a marker of microvascular damage. This study aimed to investigate the association between UACR and COPD severity based on GOLD classification, to evaluate its potential as an independent biomarker for risk stratification and prognosis in COPD patients. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Nepal, from May to October 2023. A total of 70 clinically stable COPD patients were recruited using purposive sampling. Severity was classified according to GOLD 2023 guidelines. UACR was measured from a single spot urine sample. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v20, with Kruskal-Wallis and Spearman’s correlation tests. Results The median UACR increased progressively with COPD severity: GOLD 1 (15.2 mg/g), GOLD 2 (21.8 mg/g), GOLD 3 (38.5 mg/g), and GOLD 4 (61.3 mg/g). Significant differences in UACR were observed among severity groups (p<0.001). A strong positive correlation (r=0.68, p<0.001) was found between UACR and GOLD staging. UACR also showed significant associations with exacerbation frequency, CAT score, and mMRC dyspnea grade. No significant difference was observed between males and females. Median UACR in frequent exacerbators was 47.6 mg/g vs. 19.4 mg/g in infrequent ones (p=0.002). Conclusions UACR significantly correlates with COPD severity, indicating its potential as a non-invasive biomarker for disease progression and systemic involvement in COPD patients.
Background Adequate sleep is vital for learning, cognitive performance, and mental well-being. However, medical students are particularly prone to sleep disturbances due to academic pressure, irregular schedules, and lifestyle behavior. This study is done to find out the prevalence of poor sleep quality among undergraduate medical students and its association with gender, different phases of medical training and physical activity levels as per energy expenditure recorded according to Metabolic Equivalent Task (MET-min/week). Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 267 undergraduate medical students using a semi-structured self-administered questionnaire. Sleep quality was evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), where a global score ≥5 indicated poor sleep. Data on demographics, academic year (≤2 years vs >2 years), and physical activity (<600 vs ≥600 MET-min/week) were collected. Group comparisons were performed using appropriate statistical tests, with p < 0.05 considered significant. Results Overall, 57.7% of students had poor sleep quality. Females reported significantly more frequent sleep disturbances (92.3% vs 75.3%) and daytime dysfunction (82.1% vs 56.0%) than males (p < 0.001 for both). Junior students (≤2 years) had a higher prevalence of poor sleep (64.9% vs 50.4%, p = 0.016), more weekly sleep disturbances (94.8% vs 70.7%, p < 0.001), and greater daytime dysfunction (74.6% vs 60.2%, p = 0.012) compared with senior students. Students with low physical activity experienced more frequent sleep disturbances (86.3% vs 76.8%, p = 0.046) and higher daytime dysfunction (72.0% vs 59.6%, p = 0.036) than moderately active peers. Poor sleep was more common among students with low physical activity (61.9% vs 50.5%). Conclusion Poor sleep quality affected over half of medical students. Females had more frequent sleep disturbances and daytime dysfunction. Junior students showed significantly poorer sleep than seniors. Lower physical activity was associated to significantly more frequent sleep disturbances and daytime dysfunction.
Background Styloid process is a pointed bony projection extending downward from the temporal bone. The normal length of styloid process is approximately 20-30 mm. Keur JJ considered the length of styloid process longer than 30 mm to be styloid process elongation. The study was aimed to measure and observe the different types of elongated styloid process and find the prevalence of Type I elongated styloid process among dental patients visiting radiology department. Methods This was a descriptive cross-sectional study comprising 120 digital panoramic radiographs of dental patients of a teaching hospital. Ethical clearance was taken from Institutional Review Committee of a tertiary dental college. Convenient sampling was done. The length of styloid process measured in millimeters were tabulated and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20 to calculate the frequency and percentage for each type of styloid process. Results Type I elongated styloid process (52.00%) was found to be the most prevalent with 52.08% in right side and 54.16% in left side. Type I was found in 56 (46.66%) of total male and 69 (57.50%) of total female patients. Mean value of length of Type I styloid process was found to be 33.19± 1.19 and 32.91± 1.04 in total male and female patients respectively. Conclusions The prevalence of Type I elongated styloid process was found higher than most of the studies conducted in similar settings.
