Pak J Med Sci
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HIV/AIDS is mostly seen in people who inject recreational drugs (PWID). Adherence has to be optimum for its treatment to be effective. Compliance to HIV medication has been problematic in PWID making HIV control difficult. Many studies in the past have validated educational activities like rehabilitation programs beneficial in maintaining regularity in medication intake. This brought us to the question of looking at such programs and its effects on our population. This study was conducted to assess the impact of other perspectives of abstinence and adherence including family support and employment status on a person's willingness for treatment continuation and avoidance of drugs. ⋯ Family and spousal support and employment promote optimal ARV compliance and should be encouraged when starting ARVs. Enrollment in a long-term complementing educational program would further enhance ARV intake and abstinence.
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Maintaining privacy and ensuring confidentiality with patients is paramount to developing an effective patient-provider relationship. This is often challenging in over-crowded Emergency Departments (EDs). This survey was designed to explore patients' perceptions on maintenance of privacy and confidentiality and their subsequent interactions with providers in a busy tertiary care hospital in Karachi. ⋯ Despite the often over-crowded and busy environment of the ED, patients generally felt that privacy and confidentiality were maintained. Given the correlation between perception and behavior and the importance of an effective patient-provider relationship, particularly in the acute setting when morbidity and mortality is high, initiatives that focus on maintaining privacy and confidentiality should be pursued.
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This study aimed to evaluate the etiology, outcomes and prognostic factors associated with status epilepticus (SE) admissions in Neurology Department of a tertiary care hospital. ⋯ Male gender, poor control of seizures, CNS infections, prolonged seizures, delayed hospital arrival and refractory/super-refractory status epilepticus were key determinants of mortality in our setting. Previous history of status epilepticus, and acute and symptomatic etiologies were associated with higher morbidity.
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This paper introduces the surgical procedure of "terminal ileum suspension" in the radical resection for low rectal cancer patients and evaluates the possibility of its clinical application. ⋯ "Terminal ileum suspension" is a safe, effective and feasible surgical method for laparoscopic radical resection of low rectal cancer, which can be applied in clinical practice.
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To study the effect of a seven-step rehabilitation training program on cardiac function and quality of life in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). ⋯ The seven-step rehabilitation training program has a significant effect on improving AMI patient quality of life and cardiac function post-PCI, and is worthy of continued study and promotion.