Journal of Sheikh Zayed Medical College (JSZMC)

Effect of Sleep Quality on Academic Performance and Class Attendance of Medical Students during Ramadan

Fatima Arshad Majeed — 2024-02-15

Background: Fasting is an important part of many religions and it may affect sleep and health of the individuals.

Objective: To determine sleep quality of medical students in the month of Ramadan and associate this relation to their academic performance and class attendance.

Methodology: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted on undergraduate medical students in Central Park Medical College, Lahore, from 1^st April to 1^st June, 2022. Demographic data including gender, age, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were collected. Academic performance and class attendance of students during and after Ramadan were compared with all scores of PSQI. The association between PSQI score and academic achievement and attendance in class was determined using Pearson's Chi square. A p-value of ≤0.05 was taken as significant.

Results: The average PSQI score was 9.91±3.07. The average attendance and test results of the participants in the month of Ramadan was 71.45±4.24 (in %) and 62.23±4.32 SD (in %) respectively. The average attendance and test result of the participants after the month of Ramadan was 80.26±7.29 (in %) and 84.76 ± 5.94 SD (in %) respectively. Pearson product moment correlation showed that correlation between the average attendance and the average results during the Ramadan was statistically insignificant (p=0.14) while the correlation between the average attendance and the average result after the Ramadan was statistically highly significant (p=0.00).

Conclusion: Our study concluded that poor sleep quality of students in Ramadan affects their academic performance and class attendance.

Awareness about Physiotherapy Techniques among doctors of Nishtar Medi-cal University Multan

Mr. Sohail Safdar — 2024-03-03

Background: Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession that assesses, diagnoses, treats and works to prevent diseases and disability by physical means.

Objective: To assess the awareness of physiotherapy techniques among doctors working at a tertiary care hospital of south Punjab.

Methodology: Study design; Cross-sectional study. Study setting: Nishtar Medical University, Multan. Study duration. Januray to March 2022. The sample size of 110, was selected by a non-probability convenient sampling technique. All 110 self-administered questionnaires that were distributed, and collected back from the participants. The questionnaire included variables including age, gender, designation, working department, questions of knowledge of physiotherapy techniques, and questions about the roles of physiotherapists e.g. use of EMG (Electromyography) and TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), treatment of Multiple Sclerosis, fit orthotic and ICU management. Data analysis: Data was entered in SPSS 20

Results: Out of 110 doctors included in the study, 45.5% of participants were House Officers, 24.5% were Medical Officers and 30% were Postgraduate medical students. Only 51.8% of doctors used to refer patients to the physiotherapy department. This study revealed that 60 (54.5%) of participants knew mechanical traction, 75 (68.2%) of participants had knowledge of hot packs application, 41 (37.3%) of participants had knowledge of ultrasound application, 70 (63.63%) of participants had awareness about the use of EMG equipment to aid in muscle re-education, 91 (82.7%) of participants had awareness about physiotherapy on-field treatment for Sports injuries, 66.4% of participants had awareness about management of ICU patients.

Conclusion: There is inadequate awareness about the physiotherapy techniques and roles of physiotherapists. a huge number of these doctors had poor knowledge of physiotherapy. There is a need to increase awareness about physiotherapy for the well-being of patients.

Frequency of Spinal Tuberculosis in Patients with Complaint of Backache on Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Malik Liaqat Ali Jalal — 2024-03-01

Background: MRI is an effective method for evaluating patients presenting with spinal TB. It is non-ionizing and non-invasive; has a high sensitivity, and therefore it can also be useful in the follow-up of patients with spinal TB.

Objective: To determine the frequency of spinal Tuberculosis in patients complaining of back pain and a history of weight loss on MRI in the Radiology Department of Nishtar Medical University Multan.

Methodology: Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Radiology Department of Nishtar Medical University Multan. Duration: From June to December 2023. All male and female patients having radiating back pain and a history of weight loss were included in this study. They were referred for MRI study by senior neurologists and from Neurology, Orthopedics ward, and OPD. A total of 102 patients were selected for this study, informed verbal consent was taken and MRI reports were interpreted by Consultant Radiologist. All data was recorded on a predesigned proforma which included questions about age, history like previous pulmonary TB, GIT infection, or any spinal deformity.

Results: Out of 102 patients, only five (4.9%) were having spinal TB. The mean age of patients was 43.93±14.63 years. Out of 102 patients, only 17 (16.7%) patients were having a history of pulmonary TB. This table shows that out of 102 patients, 10 (9.8%) patients were having paravertebral abscess formation. This study shows that out of 102 patients complaining of backache, diagnosed on Magnetic Resonance Imaging only 22 (21.6%) patients had spinal deformity.

Conclusion: This study found that a notable proportion of patients complaining of back pain and weight loss, have TB as diagnosed on Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy of Early OGTT in Prediction of GDM taking 2nd Trimester OGTT as Gold Standard

Saadia Khatoon — 2024-02-19

Background: Early diagnosis of gestational diabetes may have the potential to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes.

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of early OGTT in the prediction of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus by taking 2nd-trimester OGTT as a gold standard.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that enrolled 420 pregnant women with single pregnancy between 18 and 40 years of age, who had their ﬁrst prenatal visit in PAF hospital at 1^st or early 2^nd trimester, from 1^st August 2022 to 31^st January 2023. All the women in their first trimester were subjected to 75g OGTT and the values of the plasma glucose concentration were recorded at fasting level, after 1-hr and after 2-hrs respectively. All these results were compared with 2^nd-trimester OGTT of the same patients taking 2^nd-trimester OGTT as a gold standard.

Results: The mean age of the women was 27±4 years. The mean BSF and 2-hr plasma glucose of women in 1^st OGTT were 4.74±0.36 mmol/L and 6.58±0.63 mmol/L respectively. The mean BSF and 2-hr plasma glucose of women in 2^nd OGTT were 4.89±0.32 mmol/L and 6.04±0.97 mmol/L respectively. The prevalence of GDM in 1^st OGTT was 6.4% and in 2^nd OGTT it was 20.5%. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of the 1^st OGTT performed between 10 to 17 weeks of gestation were found as 26.7%, 98.8%, 85.18%, and 83.97% respectively.

Conclusion: The early OGTT performed during 10-17 weeks of gestation has good specificity, with good positive predictive and negative predictive values but poor sensitivity, taking the late 2^nd-trimester OGTT as a gold standard.