Aim and MethodThe aim of the study was to get an estimate of oral health needs of in-patients on ... more Aim and MethodThe aim of the study was to get an estimate of oral health needs of in-patients on acute general adult wards in an inner-city psychiatric unit. Information was collected by means of a cross-sectional survey with patient interviews and a brief oral examination.ResultsA significant majority of patients had carious teeth, inflammation of gums and oral plaque. A majority of patients complained of pain during the preceding 3 months and problems with teeth.Clinical ImplicationsOral health of patients admitted to an acute psychiatric unit is worse than compared to the general population. There appears to be a need for basic dental health education and easy access to dental care on psychiatric wards.
Background: The microdebrider technique was introduced in clinical practice to provide a better o... more Background: The microdebrider technique was introduced in clinical practice to provide a better outcome in nasal obstruction caused by inferior turbinate hypertrophy. We conducted this systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness of this technique, by comparison with the radiofrequency-assisted modality. Methodology: PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases were searched to retrieve relevant randomised studies published prior to November 2019. Randomised Trials in English that studied the difference between the two techniques among adult patients were eligible for the current review. Data extraction and study inclusion were guided by PRISMA guidelines. The outcome measures were visual analogue scale (VAS, 0-10) for nasal obstruction, anterior active rhinomanometry, and acoustic rhinometry. A meta-analysis was carried out to quantify the difference between the two techni- ques, for each measured outcome. Results: Seven randomised tr...
In order to compare the efficacy and toxicity of methotrexate and leflunomide for the treatment o... more In order to compare the efficacy and toxicity of methotrexate and leflunomide for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, a double-blind randomized clinical trial was carried out at the Department of Medicine, Jinnah Medical College Hospital, Korangi, Karachi. The sample size was 240 patients and the duration of the study was 1 year. The patients enrolled were randomly divided into two groups (methotrexate and leflunomide). RA activity was clinically assessed by noting changes in the four primary (tender joint count, swollen joint count, physician and patient global assessment score) and three secondary (morning stiffness, pain intensity, HAQ) clinical efficacy end-points. Data were expressed as the mean ± SD. A P value of \0.05, calculated by paired t test, was considered significant. A total of 368 subjects were enrolled in this study. Of these, 128 subjects were withdrawn during the screening phase. Of the 240 subjects who were randomized and treated, 129 received leflunomide and 111 received methotrexate. The difference between the baseline and 12 month end-point measurements of all primary clinical efficacy end-points was significantly greater in methotrexate-treated than in leflunomide-treated subjects. Both leflunomide and methotrexate resulted in significant improvements in all secondary clinical efficacy end-points after 1 year of treatment. In both treatment groups, the most common reason for withdrawal during the treatment was adverse events. The results of this study indicate that both leflunomide and methotrexate are effective drugs for the long-term treatment of RA. It was concluded that methotrexate, which is a much cheaper drug than leflunomide, is the drug of choice, especially for patients who belong to low socioeconomic groups.
Aim and MethodThe aim of the study was to get an estimate of oral health needs of in-patients on ... more Aim and MethodThe aim of the study was to get an estimate of oral health needs of in-patients on acute general adult wards in an inner-city psychiatric unit. Information was collected by means of a cross-sectional survey with patient interviews and a brief oral examination.ResultsA significant majority of patients had carious teeth, inflammation of gums and oral plaque. A majority of patients complained of pain during the preceding 3 months and problems with teeth.Clinical ImplicationsOral health of patients admitted to an acute psychiatric unit is worse than compared to the general population. There appears to be a need for basic dental health education and easy access to dental care on psychiatric wards.
Background: The microdebrider technique was introduced in clinical practice to provide a better o... more Background: The microdebrider technique was introduced in clinical practice to provide a better outcome in nasal obstruction caused by inferior turbinate hypertrophy. We conducted this systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness of this technique, by comparison with the radiofrequency-assisted modality. Methodology: PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases were searched to retrieve relevant randomised studies published prior to November 2019. Randomised Trials in English that studied the difference between the two techniques among adult patients were eligible for the current review. Data extraction and study inclusion were guided by PRISMA guidelines. The outcome measures were visual analogue scale (VAS, 0-10) for nasal obstruction, anterior active rhinomanometry, and acoustic rhinometry. A meta-analysis was carried out to quantify the difference between the two techni- ques, for each measured outcome. Results: Seven randomised tr...
In order to compare the efficacy and toxicity of methotrexate and leflunomide for the treatment o... more In order to compare the efficacy and toxicity of methotrexate and leflunomide for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, a double-blind randomized clinical trial was carried out at the Department of Medicine, Jinnah Medical College Hospital, Korangi, Karachi. The sample size was 240 patients and the duration of the study was 1 year. The patients enrolled were randomly divided into two groups (methotrexate and leflunomide). RA activity was clinically assessed by noting changes in the four primary (tender joint count, swollen joint count, physician and patient global assessment score) and three secondary (morning stiffness, pain intensity, HAQ) clinical efficacy end-points. Data were expressed as the mean ± SD. A P value of \0.05, calculated by paired t test, was considered significant. A total of 368 subjects were enrolled in this study. Of these, 128 subjects were withdrawn during the screening phase. Of the 240 subjects who were randomized and treated, 129 received leflunomide and 111 received methotrexate. The difference between the baseline and 12 month end-point measurements of all primary clinical efficacy end-points was significantly greater in methotrexate-treated than in leflunomide-treated subjects. Both leflunomide and methotrexate resulted in significant improvements in all secondary clinical efficacy end-points after 1 year of treatment. In both treatment groups, the most common reason for withdrawal during the treatment was adverse events. The results of this study indicate that both leflunomide and methotrexate are effective drugs for the long-term treatment of RA. It was concluded that methotrexate, which is a much cheaper drug than leflunomide, is the drug of choice, especially for patients who belong to low socioeconomic groups.
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