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Background: Hearing impairment (HI) is a common barrier to communication which impacts the HI in achieving higher educational goals, impacts them at work and leisure and can result in social exclusion. Objective: To developed Urdu Spondee Words List for establishing Speech Recognition Threshold in Urdu speaking hearing impaired population. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in twin cities of Rawalpindi & Islamabad from July 2018 to January 2019. Study involved development of a tool called Urdu Spondee Word list (USWL) and familiarity judgement utilizing a sample of N=50 Urdu speaking participants of both genders aged 10-16 years utilizing convenience sampling, and finally voice analysis on PRATT software. SPSS version 21 was used for data analysis. Results: The results revealed that the final selected list of 18 spondee words has equally stressed syllables, with the accomplishment of the criteria of familiarity judgment for the participants. The recorded list shows minimum and maximum intensity variation of 3db to 8db in the homogenous audibility of the words making it suitable for speech recognition threshold measures. Conclusion: The developed 18 item Urdu Spondee Word list (USWL) with criteria of familiarity and homogenous audibility of words is suitable for speech recognition threshold measurement for Urdu speaking population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the symptoms, demographic parameters and health profile of post-menopausal women and factors related to the deranged health profile. Study Design: Comparative cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jun 2019 to Aug 2021. Methodology: Five hundred post-menopausal women were included in this study via convenience sampling. Menopause was confirmed based on clinical and laboratory information. A consultant Gynecologist inquired about details of clinical symptoms and demographic profile. Relationship of age, body mass index, use of hormonal replacement therapy and living with husband was assessed with the presence of deranged health profile among the post-menopausal women participating in this study. Results: Out of 500 post-menopausal women studied in the given period, 323 (64.6%) had at least one clinical symptom of a deranged health profile, while 177 (35.4%) did not report any such symptom. The mean age of the study participants was 58.47 ± 4.561 years. Hot flushes 200 (40%) were the most commonly reported symptoms, followed by urinary tract infections 121 (24.2%) and palpitations 121 (24.2%). After applying the statistical analysis, high body mass index and not using hormonal replacement therapy emerged as factors associated with deranged health profiles in the study participants (p-value <0.001). Conclusion: Most of the women had at least one clinical symptom after menopause. Hot flushes, urinary tract infections and palpitations were commonly reported symptoms. Patients with high body mass index and no hormonal replacement therapy were more likely to have a deranged post-menopausal health profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To ensure family spacing in our low socio-economic class. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Jan 2018 to Dec 2019. Methodology: Two hundred females using oral contraceptive pills for spacing of children coming to Pak Emirates Military Hospital were selected. The problems of using contraceptive pills were identified. Out of these 87 women agreed to choose an intrauterine copper device (IUCD). Results: Out of 200 women 87 converted from oral contraceptive pills to intrauterine copper device use. Most of them faced daily dosage problems 168 (84%). Nausea was encountered by 123 (61.5%) women and later settled in 89 (44.5%) women. About 31 (15.5%) were worried about the chances of uterine perforation and 56 (28%) were worried about lost intrauterine copper device resulting in laparotomy. About 65 (32.5%) were afraid of infection, backache and vaginal discharge. About 91 (45.5%) women thought to have gastric problems with the intrauterine copper device. About 71 (81%) agreed to have a spacing of children for about five years and removal whenever desired. Conclusion: Intrauterine contraception is a very safe and efficient method for contraception as compared to oral pills. If expertise is, available it should be used and couples should be fully educated for its safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To measure the frequency of heart failure in patients with segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with PPCI and to associate it with ischemic time. Study Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Emergency Department, Catheterization Laboratory and Coronary Care Unit of Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology and National Institute of Heart Diseases, Rawalpindi from May 2018 to December 2018. Material and Methods: All patients presenting to Emergency Department with acute STEMI and undergoing PPCI were included while STEMI patients who already have established heart failure on arrival to ER were excluded from the study. All patients with the diagnosis of STEMI treated with PPCI were assessed. The initial standard 12 lead ECG, recorded immediately after the patient’s admission to the emergency department, were considered as baseline. Continuous bedside monitoring was carried out and any of the symptoms or signs of heart failure according to KILLIP class occurring over the following 72 hours were noted. All patients were separated in defined groups and were compared for different variables and will be recorded on a data collection tool. Results: Total 500 patients of STEMI were recruited for the study out of which 384 (76.9%) were male patients while 116 (23.0%) were female patients. Mean age of the patients was found to be 58 ± 8.6 years. The most common risk factor was hypertension in 445 (89.0%) patients followed by smoking history in 373 (74.7%), Diabetes Mellitus, Family history of coronary artery disease, Grade III obesity and Previous PCI/CABG. Within ≤90 minutes of ischemic time only five patients developed heart failure in next 72 hours, 16 (3.2%) patients developed heart failure in 91-150 minutes, 49 (9.8%) patients in 151-360 minutes and 65 (13.1%) patients developed heart failure >360 minutes. Conclusion: Total ischemic time was associated with mortality. The present study suggests that additional efforts are needed to shorten total ischemic time including patient and pre-hospital systemic delay for better prognosis after primary PCI [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Determination of an individual's HCV genotypes prior to antiviral therapy has become increasingly important for the deciding clinical management and predicting prognosis of HCV infection. Relative genotype proportions are needed to inform to healthcare models, which should be geographically tailored. To our knowledge, there are no studies reporting genotype pattern in Rawalpindi/Islamabad region. We aimed to determine the frequency of different genotypes in HCV positive cases in the population of Rawalpindi/Islamabad over the period of five years. Methods: Data of total of three thousand eight hundred and eighteen (n=3818) HCV positive adult of both genders were screened for genotype testing over the period of six years were analyzed. Results: Most frequent genotype identified in our study was genotype 3, accounting for 95.8% (n=3657) of HCV positive cases. The second most common genotype was Type 1 accounting for 2.9% (n=109) of HCV positive cases. Other genotypes were Type 2 (0.3%, n=12) and Type 4 (0.1%, n=5). Mixed genotype (Type 1 and 3) were detected in almost 1 % (n=35) of cases. We did not find genotype 5 and 6 in our study sample. No significant difference was observed among males and females in genotype distribution (P>0.05). Conclusion: The most common genotype among HCV patients were found to be genotype 3 followed by genotype 1 as the second most common in Rawalpindi/Islamabad region during the study period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]