Omar Irfan

Correlation of TP53 overexpression and clinical parameters with five-year survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

Introduction TP53 mutation and overexpression have been correlated with poor survival in many cancers including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We aim to understand the role of TP53 overexpression in OSCC in our population and correlate it with five-year survival to test its viability as a prognostic marker for OSCC patients. Materials and methods Patients with biopsy proven OSCC at Aga Khan University Hospital from January 2000 to January 2008 were recruited. Immunohistochemistry was used to establish TP53 status and the results were published. Following up on these patients, five-year data were collected and correlated with TP53 status and other clinicopathologic parameters. Results Overexpression of TP53 was not significantly associated with five-year survival (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.543; 95% CI: 0.911-2.612; p = 0.107). Conclusion Although we had proven statistical relevance when correlated with overall survival in our previous study, we were unable to extend the same relevance to TP53 overexpression when it comes to five-year survival.

Impact of caregiving on various aspects of the lives of caregivers

Objective This study was designed to assess the impact of caregiving on the lives of the caregivers. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between July and September 2015 at a teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Participants who were more than 18 years old and were involved in caregiving (former or current) of a family member were invited to participate in the study. The participants were recruited through consecutive sampling technique. A total of 400 caregivers were interviewed. Written informed consent was obtained from all the participants. A pretest structured questionnaire was used for data collection and included sections on demographic details and impact of caregiving on various aspects of the lives of caregivers. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 19 (IBM, NY, USA). Results Information about a total of 400 caregivers (215 men and 185 women) was included in the final analysis. The majority (57.0%) of the participants were aged between 18 and 30 years. About three-fifths (60%) of the participants were single and the majority of the participants were students. Approximately 64% of the participants were currently involved in caregiving and about 48% of the participants responded that caregiving has an overall negative impact on various aspects, such as physical (40.8%), psychological (47.8%), and professional aspects (51.8%) of their lives. Conclusion Negative impact of caregiving was observed among caregivers due to extensive demands of caregiving and limited resources. Therefore, it is imperative for health care providers to explore, identify and support caregivers to cope in a better way to the challenging task of caregiving.

Pharmacological Threat to Lungs: A Case Series and Literature Review

Drug-induced organ damage stands as a prevalent yet much-neglected issue globally. Keeping in view it’s rising frequency, health care providers stand obliged to be well versed with the de-merits of the agents they prescribe. Drug therapies causing damage present with a non-specific clinical presentation, histological findings or radiology, which further elaborates on the necessity of a conscientious diagnosis. Pulmonary architecture ranging from the airways, lung parenchyma, mediastinum, pleura, pulmonary vasculature or the neuromuscular system, all can fall victim to the dreaded outcomes of this menace. In order to establish successful diagnosis, the definite temporal relation between initiation of drug therapy and the development of the respiratory symptoms needs to be drawn. The most common form of pharmacologically arising lung toxicity is drug-induced pneumonitis or interstitial lung disease. Unfortunately, there is no adequate data available to review the extensiveness of this medication-associated risk in Pakistan which further highlights the necessity of carefully monitoring this overlooked yet assessable malady. Furthermore, identification and surveillance of this drug attributed peril shall help diminish burden on healthcare resources of the country. We present three recent cases of different types of drug-induced lung damage under treatment at our University Hospital.

Guilt and Its Impact among Care Givers : Results of Survey from Teaching Hospital in Karachi , Pakistan

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted between July and September, 2015. A total of 400 Care Givers were interviewed. Participants were asked to fill out a consent form. Human rights were protected under the Declaration of Helsinki. Selection criteria included were age more than 18 years older and the participant was required to be a current or a former Care Giver of a family member. The demographic variables recorded include age, home town, occupation and education status. Variables included duration of care giving, current Care Giver or Care Giver in previous five years, family member who received care, whether guilt occurred due to care giving. Questions were included on ways of countering guilt and making care giving a better experience for both the care giver and the receiver. The data was entered using SPSS software. Chi-squared test was used to compare categories. P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The questionnaire was administered in English and Urdu languages.