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Objective: To determine the diagnostic value of rapid COVID-19 antigen test (Panbio, Abbott) in comparison with Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) in suspected community cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection at a tertiary care center in Pakistan Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Pathology Department, Combined Military Hospital, Lahore Pakistan, from Jun 2020 to Jun 2021. Methodology: The diagnostic value of the Panbio®COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test (Panbio, Abbott), was determined in comparison with RT-PCR in suspected community cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection at a tertiary care center on samples taken simultaneously. 200 individuals reporting to the hospital with signs and symptoms of potential COVID infection or history of significant contact exposure (>1 hour without masking and social distancing) to a RT-PCR positive COVID patient and concurrently requiring a rapid COVID antigen test due to an underlying health condition were included in the study by consecutive sampling. Results: Out of 200 individuals, 53(26.5 %) were COVID positive by RT-PCR whereas 147(73.5%) were clearly negative with no cases of indeterminate viremia on RT PCR. 32(60.3%) out of 53 RT-PCR positive COVID cases were also found to be positive by COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test, whereas 21(39.6%) were negative. Out of 147 RT-PCR negative COVID cases, 146(99.3%) were negative by COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test as well whereas 1(0.68%) was positive. Conclusion: COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test is suitable adjunct to RT-PCR testing in suspected cases in emergent settings in early days of admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road traffic accidents are quite common in developing countries like Pakistan and mainly affect middle aged men. Objectives: To determine the frequency of epidural hematoma in different ages due to road traffic accidents on Computed Tomography scan brain. Study Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting: Emergency Radiology Department, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore. Period: August 2017 to November 2017. Material & Methods: One hundred fifteen patients were selected who visited to emergency due to road traffic accidents. The individuals with head injury bearing hematoma were included. Axial computed tomography scan brain without contrast was performed. The frequency of epidural hematoma in different ages was determined. Result: Total one hundred fifteen patients were enrolled in the study; epidural hematomas were 49 (42.60%) while no epidural hematomas were 66(57.39%). Out of 49 epidural hematoma cases males were 38(77.55%) and females were 11 (22.45%) with a mean age of 19 years with a range of 2-55 ± 9.59 years. All the individuals with head injury were categorized into three groups. The frequency of epidural hematoma in different ages was 75.51% (15-44 years) followed by 20.40% (<14years) and then 4.08% in (>45years). Conclusion: It was concluded from this study that epidural hematoma determined by computed tomography scan brain is more frequent in middle age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the diagnostic value of rapid COVID-19 antigen test (Panbio, Abbott) in comparison with Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) in suspected community cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection at a tertiary care center in Pakistan Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Pathology Department, Combined Military Hospital, Lahore Pakistan, from Jun 2020 to Jun 2021. Methodology: The diagnostic value of the Panbio®COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test (Panbio, Abbott), was determined in comparison with RT-PCR in suspected community cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection at a tertiary care center on samples taken simultaneously. 200 individuals reporting to the hospital with signs and symptoms of potential COVID infection or history of significant contact exposure (>1 hour without masking and social distancing) to a RT-PCR positive COVID patient and concurrently requiring a rapid COVID antigen test due to an underlying health condition were included in the study by consecutive sampling. Results: Out of 200 individuals, 53(26.5%) were COVID positive by RT-PCR whereas 147(73.5%) were clearly negative with no cases of indeterminate viremia on RT PCR. 32(60.3%) out of 53 RT-PCR positive COVID cases were also found to be positive by COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test, whereas 21(39.6%) were negative. Out of 147 RT-PCR negative COVID cases, 146(99.3%) were negative by COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test as well whereas 1(0.68%) was positive. Conclusion: COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test is suitable adjunct to RT-PCR testing in suspected cases in emergent settings in early days of admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is toxic even in the very trace amounts and shows adverse effects on the human being and his environment. Current studies were performed to evaluate the Cd concentration in soil of Lahore (Pakistan) and the results were compared with those reported from other cities of Pakistan. The metal concentration evaluated by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer (GFAAS). Cd concen-tration was found to be 1.39-20.82 μg/L, 1.38-93.60 μg/L, 2.42-94.60 μg/L, 2.25-93.98 μg/L and 1.15-8.14 μg/L in GT road, Misri shah, river Ravi, fertilized land of Raiwind side and unfertilized land of Raiwind side, respectively. The higher Cd concentration (2.42-94.60 μg/L) at "River Ravi" as compared to the other investigated areas (1.15-93.98 μg/L) is owed to the dumping of untreated waste from all industrial, sewage, domestic and agricultural zones in "River Ravi". The fertilized land was found to possess higher amount of Cd as compared to the unfertilized land. The awareness in farmers and the periodic monitoring of soil are important to eradicate the sources of Cd poisoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]