Medico Research Chronicles

Pharmacy vs. Doping: Educating for a Cleaner Sport

Anju Choudhary — 2024-08-26

From a legal standpoint, doping refers to the use of prohibited substances or methods by athletes to enhance performance, which is illegal under national and international laws governing sports A major public health concern, doping in sports is on the rise and becoming more complex, using physiological, mechanical, and pharmaceutical methods. In the context of sports, doping is defined as the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) or other banned substances and methods by athletes to gain an unfair advantage in competition. Combating doping is an important responsibility of pharmacy practitioners. Although most in the pharmaceutical sector are in favor of outlawing performance-enhancing drugs from athletic competition, more specific training on anti-doping and doping is necessary.

The average pharmacist's knowledge score on the illegal status of pharmaceuticals is 53.2%, (according to a survey in Qatar) and their understanding of doping and anti-doping is minimal. Around half of the students in India had some ideas of which medications are illegal for athletes to consume. The knowledge level of pharmacy students is modest. Statements against doping in sports were also met with unfavorable views from them.

The purpose of this research was to examine the pharmaceutical industry's involvement in anti-doping medications and the pharmacists' understanding, perspective, and behavior about doping in athletic competition.

Incidence of neonatal pneumothorax in rural tertiary care hospital in preHFOV era

Shubham Chaudhari — 2024-08-30

Pneumothorax is a critical condition characterized by the presence of air in the pleural space, which can lead to significant morbidity in neonates. This descriptive longitude+,inal observational study was conducted to assess the incidence of neonatal pneumothorax in a rural tertiary care hospital during the pre-High-Frequency Oscillation Ventilation (HFOV) era. The study involved all neonates admitted to inborn and outborn Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) from December 2020 to December 2022 at Dr. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil Rural Medical College, Loni. A total of 27,954 inborn neonates were delivered during the study period, of which 38 developed pneumothoraxes, resulting in a prevalence of 0.2%. Among the total admitted NICU patients (7,395), 60 neonates developed pneumothorax, corresponding to a prevalence of 0.8%. Risk factors such as respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), mechanical ventilation, and meconium aspiration syndrome were evaluated. The study found that early detection via bedside transillumination tests followed by chest X-rays facilitated timely diagnosis. Treatment options varied from observation for small pneumothoraxes to CPAP, needle aspiration, and chest tube insertion for more severe cases. The study's findings align with other research in the field but note lower incidence rates due to the limited study duration compared to others. The study concludes that neonatal pneumothorax remains a significant concern, with a call for future research involving larger sample sizes and advanced ventilation modalities such as HFOV to reduce the incidence and improve outcomes in rural settings. Limitations included the exclusive use of conventional mechanical ventilation during the study.

Efficacy of Biodegradable Implants in Orthopedic Surgery: A Systematic Review

Madhusmita Sahoo — 2024-09-14

Background: Biodegradable implants have emerged as an alternative to traditional metallic hardware in orthopedic surgery, offering potential advantages such as elimination of removal surgeries and gradual load transfer to healing tissue. This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and clinical outcomes of biodegradable implants across various orthopedic applications. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science for studies published between January 2000 and December 2023. Randomized controlled trials, prospective cohort studies, and retrospective studies with a minimum of 20 patients and 12 months follow-up were included. Two independent reviewers screened studies, extracted data, and assessed quality using appropriate tools. Results: Forty-two studies (n=3,874 patients) met inclusion criteria. Biodegradable implants demonstrated comparable efficacy to metallic implants in fracture fixation (union rate: 92.7% vs. 94.1%, p=0.38) and ligament reconstruction (failure rate: 3.8% vs. 3.2%, p=0.42). The overall complication rate for biodegradable implants was 12.3% (95% CI: 9.8% - 14.8%), with foreign body reaction (3.7%) being the most common. Biodegradable implants significantly reduced the need for removal surgeries compared to metallic implants (1.2% vs. 7.5%, p<0.001). Subgroup analyses revealed better outcomes in pediatric patients and low-load bearing applications. Conclusion: Biodegradable implants demonstrate efficacy comparable to metallic implants in many orthopedic applications, with the added benefit of reducing secondary removal surgeries. However, their use should be carefully considered based on patient factors, anatomical location, and mechanical requirements. Future research should focus on long-term outcomes, novel materials with improved properties, and large-scale comparative trials.

Case report: Breast Cancer in a 57-year-old Obese Male

Hasiba Wadia Alhallak — 2024-08-20

Male breast cancer accounts for approximately 0.9% of all breast cancer cases, and its true etiology remains largely unknown. The recognized risk factors include age, Klinefelter syndrome, BRCA2 mutation, diabetes, and elevated estrogen levels. Some studies have also identified obesity as a risk factor. Here, we present a case of a 57-year-old obese male diagnosed with breast cancer. His medical and family history were unremarkable, with no apparent genetic risk factors contributing to his condition.