Journal Issue: Volume: 55, No. 205, Jan-Mar (2017)
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Volume
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2017
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Journal ISSN
JNMA Print ISSN: 0028-2715; Online ISSN: 1815-672X
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Articles
Menopausal health status of the Nepalese women: a pilot study
(Nepal Medical Association, 2017) Rajbhandari, Swaraj; Subedi, Raj Kumar; Dangal, Ganesh; Phuyal, Anjana; Vaidya, Achala; Karki, Aruna; Tuladhar, Heera; Gurung, Bandana Sharma; Joshi, Lalita; Shrestha, Sushila
Abstract
Introduction: Menopause is an unavoidable and sometimes problematic condition in which women may suffer from a number of health problems. Knowledge of the major symptoms associated with menopause helps reduce the burden and stress associated with the condition. In this context, a study was conducted to establish baseline data regarding menopausal health problems among Nepalese women.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 2000 women aged over 40 years to identify their knowledge, attitude and practice related to menopausal health problems. Data was collected by interviewing the women and doing physical examination. Analysis was done using descriptive statistics and SPSS software was used for data analysis.
Results: A cohort of 2073 women (ages 40-60 years) participated in the research, among them 2000 yielded complete response. The study revealed that 820 (41%) women had reached menopause. The average age of menopause was 48.7 years. Majority of the women 1183 (59.2%) in the study did not know about menopausal health problems. Abnormal bleeding 353 (17.65%), sweating 315 (15.75%), hot flushes 299 (14.95%), joint/muscle pain 285 (14.25%) were the most common menopausal symptoms known by the women. Joint pain 736 (36.8%), hot flushes 584 (29.2%), irregular bleeding 582 (29.1%) were the most common experienced symptoms of menopause and only 586 (29.3%) consulted the health workers to alleviate menopausal symptoms. Moreover, most of the women 926 (46.3%) accepted menopause as a part of life.
Conclusions: The research has tried to establish the baseline of menopausal health problems in the Nepalese women. The average age of menopause was 48.7 years. Majority did not know about menopausal health problems. Further researches with nationally representative sample are recommended to further explore the menopausal health problems of Nepalese women.
Keywords: Health problems; Menopause; Nepal; Women.
Construction of multiple choice questions before and after an educational intervention
(Nepal Medical Association, 2017) Tenzin, Karma; Dorji, Thinley; Tenzin, Tashi
Abstract
Introduction: Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan, established in 2014, has ushered in a new era in medical education in Bhutan. Multiple Choice Questions are a common means of written assessment in medical education.
Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study conducted at the Faculty of Postgraduate Medicine, KGUMSB, Thimphu in December 2016. A total of 8 MCQs were prepared by four teaching faculties from different fields who had no prior training on construction of MCQs. It was delivered to a group of 16 randomly selected intern doctors. A 2 hours long workshop on construction of MCQs was conducted. After the workshop, the same MCQs were modified according to standard guidelines on developing MCQs and were tested in the same group of intern doctors. An analysis on the performance, difficulty factor, discrimination index and distractor analysis was done on the two sets of MCQs using Microsoft Excel and SPSS 20.0.
Results: For the pre- and post-workshop questions respectively, the pass percentage was 69.8% (11) and 81.3% (13), difficulty factor was 0.51 and 0.53, discrimination index was 0.59 and 0.47, distractor effectiveness was 83.3% and 74.9%.
Conclusions: The workshop on MCQ development apparently seemed highly valuable and effective in changing the learning and performances of medical educators in the development of MCQs.
Keywords: Difficulty factor; Discrimination index; Faculty development; Medical education.
Single stage management of concomitant cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis
(Nepal Medical Association, 2017) Joshi, Mukund Raj; Bohara, Tanka Prasad; Rupakheti, Shail; Singh, Deepak Raj
Abstract
Introduction: Concomitant cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis are commonly managed in two stage procedure, endoscopic management of common bile duct stone followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy in different time and setting. We perform these two procedures in same sitting in operating room set up. We evaluated the procedure in terms of outcome, feasibility and complications.
Methods: Prospective cross-sectional study carried out since April 2013 to August 2016 in all patients who had undergone single stage endoscopic and laparoscopic management of concomitant cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis. Patient’s demography, procedural time for different procedure and procedure in total and post-operative complications were recorded and analyzed with suitable statistical methods.
Results: Out of 50 cases enrolled, 2 patients were converted to open. Out of 48 patients, 3 needed re-attempt for completion. Majority were female 36 (72%), mean age was 39.48years. Mean common bile duct diameter and mean stone size was 11.43±2.63 cm and 7.99±2.01cm, respectively. Mean of total procedural time was 90.93± 33.68 minutes. In most of the cases, laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed first followed by endoscopic method (66.7%). Total procedural time was less in the patients who underwent laparoscopy first in comparison to endoscopy first. Clinically significant complications like cholangitis, pancreatitis and duodenal perforation occurred in 7 patients. Out of 4 patients who developed pancreatitis, one had severe acute pancreatitis requiring prolonged hospitalization.
Conclusion: Single stage management of common bile duct and gall bladder stone by laparoscopic and endoscopic method is feasible in our setup with acceptable results. Endoscopic treatment of common bile duct stone if performed first, is associated with longer procedural time.
Keywords: Choledocholithiasis; Cholelithiasis; Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP); laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC).
Fetal ductus venosus pulsatility index and diameter during second and third trimester of gestation
(Nepal Medical Association, 2017) Pokharel, Pratit; Ansari, Mukhtar Alam
Abstract
Introduction: The ductus venosus is a small funnel shaped vessel found posterior to the fetal liver connecting the intra-abdominal umbilical vein and the inferior vena cava. It is one of the three physiological shunts in the fetus. The main objective of this study is to construct the reference table and normogram for fetal ductus venosus Pulsatility Index and diameter with gestational age.
Methods: This was a prospective cross sectional study conducted during August 2011 to July 2012 taking 294 uncomplicated pregnancies using systemic random sampling method. Three measurements were made for ductus venosus diameter and Pulsatility Index in each fetus during period of fetal quiescence.
Results: The ductus venosus diameter at <20weeks, 20-25 weeks, 25-30 weeks, >30 weeks were 1.16, 1.31, 1.62, 1.81 and Pulsatility Index at <20weeks, 20-25 weeks, 25-30 weeks, >30 weeks were 0.41, 0.44, 0.41 and 0.41 respectively.
Conclusions: The mean diameter of the ductus venosus was linear across gestational age. The Pulsatility Index shows a scattered distribution across the gestational age.
Keywords: Ductus venosus diameter; Gestational age; Pulsatility Index.
Clinico-pathological study of malignant melanoma in a tertiary care centre
(Nepal Medical Association, 2017) Thapa, Sushma; Ghosh, Arnab; Ghartimagar, Dilasma; Prasad, Tillotama; Narasimhan, Raghavan; Talwar, OP
Abstract
Introduction: Malignant melanoma, which causes three fourth of all deaths related to skin cancer, is more common in Caucasian population compared to Asian population. There is no reliable information about malignant melanoma in Nepal hence an effort has been made to assess the clinical and pathological features of melanoma patients.
Methods: This was a retrospective hospital based study done in the department of Pathology. All cases of malignant melanoma diagnosed on biopsy during a period of 13 years were retrieved, reviewed and collated.
Results: We had 35 cases with age range from 15 to 84 years with the mean of 51.4 years and M: F of 1.3:1. The predominant site was lower extremities. Most cases were less than 3 cm. Majority of histologic subtypes were nodular melanoma 29 (82.8%) followed by mucosal lentiginous melanoma 3 (8.6%), superficial spreading melanoma 2 (5.7%) and acral lentiginous melanoma 1 (2.9%). Half (50%) of the excisional biopsies were at Clark’s level IV and 75% were at high Breslow thickness.
Conclusions: The most frequent site in males and females were lower extremities and trunk respectively in contrast to Western studies where it is opposite. Nodular melanoma was the commonest histologic subtype while in other Asian studies and in Western studies majority were acral lentiginous melanoma and superficial spreading melanoma respectively.
Keywords: Breslow thickness; Clark’s level; Malignant melanoma; Nodular melanoma.