Assessment of Nutritional Status and Correlation of Factors With Body Mass Index of Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Decreased diet intake and malnourishment have profound implications on cancer patients' quality of life and survival. Malnutrition increases the risk of postoperative complications, increases hospital length stays, reduces patient's tolerance to radiation and chemotherapy treatment, and results in poor response to treatment. In the present study, we intended to assess the nutritional status of cancer patients and find the correlation of body mass index with anthropometric and blood parameters.

MATERIAL & METHODS

The study was prospective and cross-sectional, and 104 patients with newly diagnosed solid tumors were included. Patient demographics, symptoms, and anthropometric and blood parameters were collected. The correlation was estimated with Pearson's correlation coefficient. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

The association between stages of the disease, dental status, type of diet, and BMI was p=0.701, 0.216, and 0.422, respectively, and was not statistically significant. The anthropometric parameters mid upper arm circumference (MUAC cm), mid arm circumference (MAC cm), and triceps skinfold thickness (TSF mm) correlated with body mass index (BMI kg/m2) and had statistically significant p values of 0.0001, 0.0001, and 0.033, respectively. The correlation was assessed between hemoglobin, red cell distribution width, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and serum albumin levels with BMI, but except for albumin (p=0.05), no other blood parameter correlated.

CONCLUSION

Nutritional assessment is vital in recognizing patients at risk of treatment-associated complications and poor responders to treatment. In this study, BMI correlated with anthropometric parameters MUAC, MAMC, and TSF. Baseline dietary assessments of patients will help focus on the nutritional build-up of patients before starting treatment.

Assessment of patient's knowledge, attitude, and beliefs about cancer: An institute-based study

INTRODUCTION

Knowledge about cancer, treatment, and likely treatment outcomes is critically important for decision-making regarding adherence to the treatment. Hence, it seems imperative to find out the attitude and belief of cancer patients to determine the efficacy of cancer diagnostic and treatment available along with assessing the efficacy of prevention. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of knowledge, belief, and attitude of cancer patients who came to our facility.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present study was a descriptive cross-sectional study which was conducted at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, from July 2020 to December 2020. One hundred fifty-six newly diagnosed cancer patients were recruited. The participants were provided with a validated 44 key questionnaire divided into four different categories including the sociodemographic profile, knowledge, belief, and attitude subheading. Mean, frequency, percentage, and Chi-square test were calculated to do data analysis using SPSS version 23.0.

RESULTS

Out of the total of 156 newly diagnosed cancer patients, only 130 patients provided responses so the overall response rate was 84.3%. Most of cancer patients had moderately adequate knowledge (79 [60.5%]), poor belief (111 [86%]), and neutral attitude (69 [54%]) regarding cancer. The Chi-square test revealed a link between educational level and cancer knowledge (P = 0.01). Males showed a more positive attitude than females, and this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Cancer patients need to be made more aware of the red flag signs of cancer and improvise their attitude toward cancer. Cancer care programs should not only involve cancer patients but also involve their caregivers because the understanding of family members is of utmost importance to fight this disease.

Fear, Anxiety, Stress, and Depression of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Among Patients and Their Healthcare Workers - A Descriptive Study

PURPOSE

Disease pandemics are known to cause psychological distress. The ensuing mental health issues are not only restricted to the patients and their relatives/friends but affect the healthcare workers (HCWs) as well. Our study aims to assess these psychological trends during the COVID-19 pandemic between the two most affected population groups, that is, patients and frontline healthcare workers.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A survey questionnaire, including scales to assess fear, anxiety, stress, depression - PSS 10, and DASS 21, was distributed and sent to all COVID-19 suspected/confirmed individuals and healthcare workers at a tertiary care center along with a second visit after 14 days of answering the first questionnaire and this continued as follow-up. Data were analyzed with the SPSS version 23 using various tests of significance.

RESULTS

In the community, COVID-19 patients in the age group 41-50 with respiratory tract symptoms and those who were home isolated/quarantined experienced a greater tendency of mental health problems. Healthcare workers posted in COVID-19 designated areas of the hospital displayed higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression.

CONCLUSION

The high degree of uncertainty associated with novel pathogens has a profound effect on the psychological state of suspected/confirmed cases as well as healthcare workers. Within the community, individuals suspected of having COVID-19 display a significant mental health burden, while HCWs also experience an unprecedented amount of stress, anxiety, depression and fear during such enduring situations.

Continuous glucose monitoring system--useful but expensive tool in management of diabetes

Until recently, self monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) was the only tool used for monitoring blood glucose levels. The limitation of SMBG is that it cannot continuously monitor blood glucose levels. In this paper, we present our initial experience with the continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) in three different clinical situations. With reduction in cost and further refinement in technology, CGMS could become a valuable tool for clinical practice and research studies in diabetes.

Prevalence of non-diabetic renal disease in type 2 diabetic patients in a diabetes centre in Southern India

OBJECTIVE

The Aim of Study is to determine the prevalence of non-diabetic renal disease among South Indian type 2 diabetic subjects based on renal biopsy.

METHODS

Three thousand five hundred and ninety subjects with complete records were included for the study. One hundred and forty subjects who had proteinuria but no evidence of retinopathy undertook a 24 hour proteinuric estimation. Of these 140 subjects, 28 subjects had proteinuria > 1,000 mg/day and were subjected to renal imaging. Seven subjects were excluded due to renal calculi, cysts or contracted kidneys. Of the remaining 21 diabetic subjects, one subject was excluded as he had a mild diabetic retinopathy on fundus fluorescein angiography. Of the 20 subjects included 18 participated in the renal biopsy study (response rate--90%). Renal pathology of these subjects were studied.

RESULTS

Of the 18 renal biopsies, two were excluded due to different reasons. Out of 16 patients, eight (50%) had pathological changes suggestive of diabetic etiology, five (33.3%) had classical membranous nephropathy, one (6.2%) had tubulo-interstitial disease and two (12.5%) were categorized as others with minimal changes. The subjects with non-diabetic renal disease had significantly higher creatinine clearance (p = 0.024), serum cholesterol (p = 0.036), triglyceride levels (p = 0.045) and LDL cholesterol (p = 0.048) compared to subjects with diabetic nephropathy.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that even in subjects clinically suspected to have non-diabetic renal disease many may turn out to have diabetic nephropathy on renal biopsy.