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  1. Article ; Online: Integrating a Community-Based Health Information System with a Patient-Centered Medical Home to improve care of patients with hypertension: a longitudinal observational study protocol.

    Khan, Unab I / Shah, Sabeen / Viswanathan, Shankar / Qureshi, Asra / Noornabi, Yasmeen / Niaz, Mahnoor / Wylie-Rosett, Judith

    BMC health services research

    2024  Volume 24, Issue 1, Page(s) 540

    Abstract: Background: The primary healthcare system in Pakistan focuses on providing episodic, disease-based care. Health care for low-middle income communities is largely through a fee-for-service model that ignores preventive and health-promotive services. The ... ...

    Abstract Background: The primary healthcare system in Pakistan focuses on providing episodic, disease-based care. Health care for low-middle income communities is largely through a fee-for-service model that ignores preventive and health-promotive services. The growing burden of cardiovascular illnesses requires restructuring of the primary health care system allowing a community-to-clinic model of care to improve patient- and community-level health indicators.
    Methods: We propose a model that integrates a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) with a Community-Based Health Information System (CBHIS) using hypertension (HTN) as an example. This protocol describes the integration and evaluation of the PCMH-CBHIS infrastructure through a population-based, observational, longitudinal study in a low-middle income, urban community in Pakistan. Participants are being enrolled in CBHIS and will be followed longitudinally over two years for HTN outcomes. A mixed-methods approach is adopted to evaluate the process of integrating PCMH with CBHIS. This involves building partnerships with the community through formal and informal meetings, focus group discussions, and a household health assessment survey (HAS). Community members identified with HTN are linked to PCMH for disease management. A customized electronic medical record system links community-level data with patient-level data to track changes in disease burden. The RE-AIM evaluation framework will be used to monitor community and individual-level metrics to guide implementation assessment, the potential for generalization, and the effectiveness of the PCMH in improving HTN-related health outcomes. Ethical clearance has been obtained from the Ethics Review Committee at Aga Khan University (2022-6723-20985).
    Discussion: This study will evaluate the value of restructuring the primary care health system by ensuring systematic community engagement and measurement of health indicators at the patient- and community-level. While HTN is being used as a prototype to generate evidence for the effectiveness of this model, findings from this initiative will be leveraged towards strengthening the management of other acute and chronic conditions in primary care settings. If effective, the model can be used in Pakistan and other LMICs and resource-limited settings.
    MeSH term(s) Humans ; Patient-Centered Care/organization & administration ; Hypertension/therapy ; Longitudinal Studies ; Pakistan ; Community Health Services/organization & administration ; Primary Health Care/organization & administration ; Quality Improvement/organization & administration ; Male ; Female
    Language English
    Publishing date 2024-04-27
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article ; Observational Study ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
    ZDB-ID 2050434-2
    ISSN 1472-6963 ; 1472-6963
    ISSN (online) 1472-6963
    ISSN 1472-6963
    DOI 10.1186/s12913-024-11012-0
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  2. Article ; Online: Effectiveness of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infections among healthcare personnel in Pakistan: a test-negative case-control study.

    Khan, Unab Inayat / Niaz, Mahnoor / Azam, Iqbal / Hasan, Zahra / Hassan, Imran / Mahmood, Syed Faisal / Ali, Asad

    BMJ open

    2023  Volume 13, Issue 6, Page(s) e071789

    Abstract: Objective: During the COVID-19 pandemic, several vaccines that were efficacious in randomised controlled trials were authorised for mass vaccination. In developing countries, inactivated vaccines were widely administered. While inactivated vaccines have ...

    Abstract Objective: During the COVID-19 pandemic, several vaccines that were efficacious in randomised controlled trials were authorised for mass vaccination. In developing countries, inactivated vaccines were widely administered. While inactivated vaccines have been deemed effective in reducing disease severity, for healthcare personnel (HCP), effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infections is essential to reduce the risk to vulnerable patients and ensure a stable healthcare workforce. There are limited studies examining inactivated vaccines' effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) in real-world settings. We estimated the effectiveness of inactivated vaccines (BBIBP-CorV and CoronaVac) against reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR)-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections among HCP in the setting of emerging SARS-CoV-2 VOCs in Pakistan.
    Design: A retrospective matched, test-negative case-control analysis using existing data from an Employee Health database on HCP at a large, private healthcare system in Pakistan.
    Participants: 4599 HCP were tested between 1 April and 30 September 2021. Each case (PCR positive) was matched to two to six controls (PCR negative) by the date of the RT-PCR test (±7 days) to reduce bias.
    Primary and secondary outcome measures: The primary outcome was vaccine effectiveness (VE) against SARS-CoV-2 infection. The secondary outcome was VE against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. Per cent VE was calculated using (1-OR)*100, with the OR of getting a PCR-confirmed SARS-COV-2 infection estimated using conditional logistic regression, after adjusting for age, gender, work area and history of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
    Results: Inactivated vaccines were ineffective against SARS-CoV-2 infections after receiving the first dose (VE 17%, 95% CI -10, 39; p=0.261). They showed modest effectiveness ≥14 days after the second dose against SARS-CoV-2 infections (VE 30%, 95% CI 7, 48; p=0.015) and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections (VE 33%, 95% CI 6, 52; p=0.002).
    Conclusions: Inactivated vaccines show modest effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infections in the setting of emerging VOCs. This builds a strong case for boosters and/or additional vaccination.
    MeSH term(s) Humans ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; COVID-19/epidemiology ; COVID-19/prevention & control ; Case-Control Studies ; Retrospective Studies ; Pakistan/epidemiology ; Pandemics ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Vaccines, Inactivated
    Chemical Substances sinovac COVID-19 vaccine ; BIBP COVID-19 vaccine ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Vaccines, Inactivated
    Language English
    Publishing date 2023-06-27
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article
    ZDB-ID 2599832-8
    ISSN 2044-6055 ; 2044-6055
    ISSN (online) 2044-6055
    ISSN 2044-6055
    DOI 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-071789
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  3. Article ; Online: Effectiveness of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infections among healthcare personnel in Pakistan: a test-negative, case-control study.

    Khan, Unab / Hassan, Imran / Niaz, Mahnoor / Azam, Iqbal / Hasan, Zahra / Mahmood, Faisal / Ali, Asad

    medRxiv

    Abstract: Objective: During the COVID-19 pandemic, several vaccines that were efficacious in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were authorized for mass vaccination. In developing countries, inactivated vaccines were widely administered. While inactivated ... ...

    Abstract Objective: During the COVID-19 pandemic, several vaccines that were efficacious in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were authorized for mass vaccination. In developing countries, inactivated vaccines were widely administered. While inactivated vaccines have been deemed effective in reducing disease severity, for healthcare personnel (HCPs), effectiveness against COVID-19 infections is also essential to reduce the risk to vulnerable patients and ensure a stable healthcare workforce. In addition, there are limited studies examining effectiveness of inactivated vaccines against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants in real-world settings. We aimed to estimate the effectiveness of inactivated vaccines (BBIBP-CorV and CoronaVac) against RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infections among HCPs in the setting of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants in Pakistan. Design, setting and participants: A retrospective matched test-negative case-control analysis of existing data of HCPs at a private healthcare system in Pakistan. Methods: HCPs tested between April 1 and September 30, 2021, were included. Each case was matched to two to six controls by the date of the RT-PCR test (± 7 days) to reduce bias. We compared demographics, reasons for testing, and vaccination status between cases and controls using chi-square for categorical variables and t-test for continuous-level data. The odds of getting a PCR-confirmed SARS-COV-2 infection were calculated using conditional logistic regression, after adjusting for age, gender, and work area. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) was calculated as percent VE using (1-OR)*100. Results: Inactivated vaccines were ineffective against COVID-19 infections ≥ 14 days after receiving the first dose [VE: 20% (95% CI: -10, 41; p=0.162)]. The vaccines showed modest effectiveness ≥ 14 days after the second dose against COVID-19 infections [VE: 33% (95% CI: 11, 50; p=0.006)], and symptomatic COVID-19 infections [VE: 36% (95% CI: 10, 54; p=0.009)]. Conclusions: Inactivated vaccines show modest effectiveness against COVID-19 infections in the setting of emerging VOCs. This builds a strong case for boosters and/or additional vaccination.
    Keywords covid19
    Language English
    Publishing date 2023-01-09
    Publisher Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
    Document type Article ; Online
    DOI 10.1101/2023.01.09.23284342
    Database COVID19

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  4. Article: Knowledge, attitude, and perceptions about cancer genetic testing in clinical practice in Karachi, Pakistan.

    Shafqat, Shameel / Naseem, Masooma / Rana, Masooma / Naseem, Zehra / Ahmed, Warda / Musharraf, Muhammad Daniyal / Zaheer, Arisha / Shaikh, Ahmed Safiullah / Musharraf, Muhammad Bazil / Niaz, Mahnoor / Khan, Saifullah / Irfan, Rabiya / Imran, Areeba / Mehmood, Zahid

    Journal of community genetics

    2023  Volume 14, Issue 3, Page(s) 337–344

    Abstract: Healthcare professionals (HCP) play an important role in the practical application of genetic screening tests but often feel inadequately prepared for cancer genetic testing (CGT) in clinical care. As the complexity of gene-related malignancies increases, ...

    Abstract Healthcare professionals (HCP) play an important role in the practical application of genetic screening tests but often feel inadequately prepared for cancer genetic testing (CGT) in clinical care. As the complexity of gene-related malignancies increases, it demands HCPs' preparedness to cater to patients' needs. Therefore, the aim of our study is to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of HCPs in Pakistan regarding the application of cancer genetics. Our cross-sectional survey was conducted from April 2022 to June 2022 amongst HCPs at a private and a governmental institution in Karachi, Pakistan. Non-probability random convenience sampling was used to select the population; however. non-clinical HCPs, as well as Interns, were excluded from our study. A total of 210 HCPs, 56.7% (119) bearing an experience of over 5 years of clinical experience, were included in this study. Most respondents from both hospitals deemed their knowledge inadequate, with only 2% (2) and 1.8% (2) being extremely knowledgeable, respectively. 68.6% (144) HCPs displayed a positive attitude towards CGT, with 55.2% (116) participants perceiving CGT in a positive light. As compared to the private sector, significantly more HCPs in the public sector dedicated ≥ 5 h/week for CME (P = 0.006), and were better prepared to counsel patients (P = 0.021) and interpret results concerning CGT (P = 0.020). Additionally, screening tests for specific cancer types were popularly considered a worthwhile avenue of investment to improve the current state of CGT in our healthcare system [47.6% (N = 100)]. Demonstrating a lack of knowledge among Pakistani doctors, our results call upon the need for additional training concerning CGT in both the public and private sectors alike. Understanding specific gaps in knowledge may further help enhance post-graduate training programs and eventually lead to effective incorporation of CGT into our healthcare setting.
    Language English
    Publishing date 2023-05-05
    Publishing country Germany
    Document type Journal Article
    ZDB-ID 2543127-4
    ISSN 1868-6001 ; 1868-310X
    ISSN (online) 1868-6001
    ISSN 1868-310X
    DOI 10.1007/s12687-023-00650-2
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  5. Article: Cellular senescence in brain aging and cognitive decline.

    Shafqat, Areez / Khan, Saifullah / Omer, Mohamed H / Niaz, Mahnoor / Albalkhi, Ibrahem / AlKattan, Khaled / Yaqinuddin, Ahmed / Tchkonia, Tamara / Kirkland, James L / Hashmi, Shahrukh K

    Frontiers in aging neuroscience

    2023  Volume 15, Page(s) 1281581

    Abstract: Cellular senescence is a biological aging hallmark that plays a key role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Clinical trials are currently underway to evaluate the effectiveness of senotherapies for these diseases. However, the impact of ... ...

    Abstract Cellular senescence is a biological aging hallmark that plays a key role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Clinical trials are currently underway to evaluate the effectiveness of senotherapies for these diseases. However, the impact of senescence on brain aging and cognitive decline in the absence of neurodegeneration remains uncertain. Moreover, patient populations like cancer survivors, traumatic brain injury survivors, obese individuals, obstructive sleep apnea patients, and chronic kidney disease patients can suffer age-related brain changes like cognitive decline prematurely, suggesting that they may suffer accelerated senescence in the brain. Understanding the role of senescence in neurocognitive deficits linked to these conditions is crucial, especially considering the rapidly evolving field of senotherapeutics. Such treatments could help alleviate early brain aging in these patients, significantly reducing patient morbidity and healthcare costs. This review provides a translational perspective on how cellular senescence plays a role in brain aging and age-related cognitive decline. We also discuss important caveats surrounding mainstream senotherapies like senolytics and senomorphics, and present emerging evidence of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and immune-directed therapies as viable modalities for reducing senescent cell burden.
    Language English
    Publishing date 2023-11-23
    Publishing country Switzerland
    Document type Journal Article ; Review
    ZDB-ID 2558898-9
    ISSN 1663-4365
    ISSN 1663-4365
    DOI 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1281581
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  6. Article ; Online: SARS-CoV-2 epitopes inform future vaccination strategies.

    Shafqat, Areez / Omer, Mohamed H / Ahmad, Omar / Niaz, Mahnoor / Abdulkader, Humzah S / Shafqat, Shameel / Mushtaq, Ali Hassan / Shaik, Abdullah / Elshaer, Ahmed N / Kashir, Junaid / Alkattan, Khaled / Yaqinuddin, Ahmed

    Frontiers in immunology

    2022  Volume 13, Page(s) 1041185

    Abstract: All currently approved COVID-19 vaccines utilize the spike protein as their immunogen. SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) contain mutations in the spike protein, enabling them to escape infection- and vaccination-induced immune responses to cause ... ...

    Abstract All currently approved COVID-19 vaccines utilize the spike protein as their immunogen. SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) contain mutations in the spike protein, enabling them to escape infection- and vaccination-induced immune responses to cause reinfection. New vaccines are hence being researched intensively. Studying SARS-CoV-2 epitopes is essential for vaccine design, as identifying targets of broadly neutralizing antibody responses and immunodominant T-cell epitopes reveal candidates for inclusion in next-generation COVID-19 vaccines. We summarize the major studies which have reported on SARS-CoV-2 antibody and T-cell epitopes thus far. These results suggest that a future of pan-coronavirus vaccines, which not only protect against SARS-CoV-2 but numerous other coronaviruses, may be possible. The T-cell epitopes of SARS-CoV-2 have gotten less attention than neutralizing antibody epitopes but may provide new strategies to control SARS-CoV-2 infection. T-cells target many SARS-CoV-2 antigens other than spike, recognizing numerous epitopes within these antigens, thereby limiting the chance of immune escape by VOCs that mainly possess spike protein mutations. Therefore, augmenting vaccination-induced T-cell responses against SARS-CoV-2 may provide adequate protection despite broad antibody escape by VOCs.
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-11-25
    Publishing country Switzerland
    Document type Journal Article ; Review
    ZDB-ID 2606827-8
    ISSN 1664-3224 ; 1664-3224
    ISSN (online) 1664-3224
    ISSN 1664-3224
    DOI 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1041185
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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