Pak J Med Sci
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To determine the frequency of A2 and A2B subgroups among blood groups A and AB in healthy donors. ⋯ Blood group A2 and A2B do exist in blood donors of Punjabi ethnicity. The knowledge of presence of these blood groups' phenotypes in our population can provide a better base for transfusion staff to do troubleshooting in compatibility testing and to avoid any rare but hazardous transfusion outcome.
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Emergency Departments (EDs) play a major role in managing acute and chronic illnesses, especially in low-to-middle-income countries like Pakistan, which lacks effective primary healthcare. This study reports the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of patients presenting over a two-year period at the Indus Hospital and Health Network (IHHN) adult ED in Karachi, Pakistan. ⋯ Knowledge of epidemiology and clinical characteristics of patients can help facilitate timely planning of staff deployment and allocation of resources to avoid overcrowding, improve patient outcomes, and increase patient satisfaction through timely management.
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Breast cancer prevalence in Pakistan is among the highest in Asian countries. Recent changes in the temporal trends of breast cancer are largely unknown and examination of these trends can provide a direction in national planning for future health programs. The aim of this study was to examine recent changes in breast cancer incidence in Pakistan. ⋯ The findings indicate the trend in age-standardized prevalence increased significantly in all age groups with noticeably larger increases observed among older and post-menopausal women from 2011 to 2015. The results warrant the need for more targeted interventions to high-risk groups and a sound foundation for cancer control program planning and policy development in Pakistan to reduce the increasing incidence of breast cancer.
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The pre-analytical phase, encompassing all preparatory steps leading to the analytical process, represents a critical stage prone to laboratory errors. An assessment of the occurrence and categories of laboratory errors, specifically within the pre-analytical phase of laboratory procedures, can guide in taking timely actions for rectifying errors responsible for damage and loss of samples. This study aimed to assess the frequency and types of pre-analytical errors within a clinical laboratory at the Multan Institute of Kidney Diseases over two years. ⋯ The overall percentage of sample rejections in the laboratory was 0.67%. This study provided valuable insights into various reasons, and causes that require improvements to enhance the efficiency and quality of laboratory processes.
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To evaluate thyroid function tests (TFTs) during pregnancy in women with previous history of miscarriage or stillbirth. ⋯ In pregnant women with a history of miscarriage or abortion, thyroid functions abnormalities are common therefore routine thyroid testing is advised in pregnant women to prevent adverse perinatal outcomes.