Umer Farooq

PESHAWAR: The country's political leadership has asked the military brass to engage with Afghanistan to address Pakistan's internal security problems.

The governor noted that the bill proposed inclusion of advisers and special assistants, where the word minister appeared in the existing law, rules

Pakistan faces critical security challenges on both eastern and western borders, including TTP militancy supported by Afghan Taliban and India's disruptive military advancements, demanding urgent strategic reforms.

In striking contrast to the improved and increased yield at this farm set up in 1972, the workers' lives move in the reverse direction. Nothing changes but for the worst.

ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to investigate the predisposing factors, disease course, potential complications, role of primary prophylaxis, and overall clinical outcomes of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in cancer patients.MethodsThe study was conducted at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan. We analyzed the medical records of cancer patients diagnosed with CDI from July 2015 to July 2024 and collected data about demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, predisposing factors, treatment, complications, and mortality rates. We used SPSS version 25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) for data analysis.ResultsOut of 61 patients, 55.7% (n=34) were men, and most of the patients belonged to the age group of 41-65 years (49.1%; n=30). Of the patients, 34.4% (n=21) had underlying hematological malignancy, while the majority of patients (63.9%; n=39) had underlying solid organ malignancy. A total of 45.9% (n=28) of patients had mild severity, whereas 16.3% (n=10) and 6.55% (n=4) were at severe and fulminant stages of CDI, respectively. The creatinine levels of 80.3% (n=49) of patients were less than 1.5 mg/dL. We also observed the prior antimicrobial use, previous hospitalization within the last four weeks, recent chemotherapy, and use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)/H2 antagonists in the past four weeks as predisposing factors in 78.6% (n=48), 72.1% (n=44), 55.7% (n=34), and 75.4% (n=46) of patients, respectively. A greater proportion of patients (68.8%; n=42) had hospital/ICU stays of less than 15 days. Of the patients, 29.6% (n=18) had comorbid conditions such as diabetes mellitus (DM), chronic kidney disease (CKD), hypertension (HTN), ischemic heart disease (IHD), hepatitis, and atrial fibrillation. Oral vancomycin was administered as the primary treatment in 78.6% (n=48) of patients. We noted the resolution of symptoms in 91.8% (n=56) of patients, while 83.6% (n=51) of patients developed no complications. Additionally, the radiological findings of the patients were negative for toxic megacolon. Moreover, 4.91% (n=3) of patients had recurrent infections, whereas all-cause 30-day mortality was 13.1% (n=8). The mortality rate was higher in patients with solid organ tumors (17.9%; n=7) as compared to those having hematological malignancy (4.76%; n=1). Regression analysis showed that recent chemotherapy had an odds ratio (OR) of 11.550 (95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.332-100.9; p=0.998).ConclusionCancer patients, especially those with solid tumors presenting with symptoms suggestive of CDI and prior chemotherapy exposure, need careful evaluation and preemptive treatment as CDI-related mortality is higher in cancer patients. Early diagnosis and treatment in this population can be lifesaving. Moreover, all cancer patients should receive CDI prophylaxis when indicated.

PESHAWAR/ KURRAM: In order to rid restive Kurram of miscreants and secure the highway connecting the district with other parts of the country, a

Pakistan's military dominance relies on its crafted image of omnipotence, yet its political interventions often backfire, eroding credibility as public

PESHAWAR / KURRAM: A convoy of 61 vehicles carrying relief supplies reached Kurram on Wednesday under tight security, officials confirmed.