Journal of Biomedical Sciences

Marburg virus disease: In a nutshell

Bedanta Roy — 2023-06-26

No abstract available.

Factors related to delay in cervical cancer diagnosis and treatment among women in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study

Md Moinul Hoque — 2023-06-26

Background: Bangladesh has a large proportion of women at risk of developing cervical cancer. Though it is considered preventable, it is the second commonest cancer of women in Bangladesh. This study explored the factors influencing the delays in seeking cervical cancer care.

Material and methods: Three hundred and ninety nine (399) randomly selected women with cervical cancer attending clinical care in a tertiary hospital were enrolled. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were followed. Face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured and in-depth questionnaire were carried out. The univariate analysis measured the association with statistical significance set at p<0.05. Content and context analyses were performed for a qualitative segment of the study.

Results: The mean age of the respondent was 54.3 years (Mean ± SD, 54.3±11.7). The median duration of primary, secondary and tertiary delays was 45, 45 and 60, respectively. The association between primary delay and personal factors, e.g., lack of knowledge, was statistically significant (p<0.05). Economic factors were closely associated with secondary delay (p=0.000). Issues like healthcare facilities were significant for tertiary delay (p=0.000).

Conclusion: This study identified multiple factors that can be addressed to reduce delays regarding cervical cancer diagnosis and treatment. Steps to reduce these delays can be expected to improve clinical care and the outcome of this cancer in women in Bangladesh.

Analysis of mid-trimester maternal serum β-hCG and AFP as markers of preterm and term adverse pregnancy outcomes form a tertiary care hospital, Morang, Nepal

Ram L. Mallick — 2023-06-26

Background: Mid-trimester maternal serum markers have been used for prenatal aneuploidy screening for a long time. The aim of the study was to assess the mid-term serum levels of β-human chorionic gonadotropin and alpha-fetoproteins for placenta-mediated adverse pregnancy outcomes (PMAPOs) in preterm and term pregnancies.

Material and methods: A prospective cohort study involving nulliparous women with singletons without aneuploidy or fatal fetal abnormalities was carried out a tertiary care hospital, Morang, Nepal. AFP and β-hCG levels were estimated between 13 and 17 weeks of gestation in the mother's serum. All values were in multiples of the median (MoM) and compared between women with PMAPOs.

Results: The serum levels of AFP and β-hCG were obtained in 176 out of 300 nulliparous women. The MoM of serum β-hCG (1.3 vs 1.1) and AFP (1.4 vs 1.1) were higher in PMAPOs-affected women than in controls.

Conclusion:Preterm PMAPOs, but not term PMAPOs, are more likely in the present study when maternal serum AFP or β -hCG levels are more significant than 2.0 MoM. If fetal growth is within the normal range at 37 weeks of gestation, it is advisable that women with increased serum β-hCG or AFP receive regular prenatal care.

Comparative analysis of ELISA, FEIA and CLIA techniques in diagnostic immunoassays for thyroid stimulating hormone: A cross-sectional study form Morang, Nepal

Ram L. Mallick — 2023-07-27

Background: TSH and circulating thyroid hormones are measured in serum as part of a thyroid function test (TFT), which evaluates the thyroid gland's ability to produce and regulate thyroid hormones. The objective of the current study was to compare the technical performance between ELISA, FEIA and the currently marketed automated CLIA for measuring the TSH level.

Material and methods: A total of 1,200 participants were enrolled in the study. Subjects were chosen randomly, either OPD patients or inpatients of Birat Medical College Teaching Hospital. Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (CLIA), Enzyme-linked Immunoassay (ELISA) and Fluorometric Enzyme Immunoassay (FEIA) technologies were performed.

Results: The total number of patients (1200) was categorized into group I, normal TSH (n = 680); group II, elevated TSH (n = 300); and group III, decreased TSH (n = 220). CLIA and FEIA based results were significantly more sensitive compared to ELISA results for TSH detection.

Conclusion: Chemiluminescence assay system, when compared to FEIA and ELISA, is far superior in terms of accuracy and sensitivity for reporting both subnormal and above normal TSH levels and can be helpful in the detection of subclinical thyroid dysfunction (SCTD) and in the screening of thyroid diseases.