Methods: This is a case report. Results: A 7-year-old boy was diagnosed to have Bardet-Biedl syndrome based on the presence of five of the six primary manifestations of the disease: retinitis pigmentosa, obesity, postaxial polydactyly, learning disabilities, hypogenitalism, and renal dysfunction. Conclusion: Bardet-Biedl has ocular and systemic manifestations requiring a multidisciplinary approach to treatment.
Human ; Male ; Child ; BARDET-BIEDL SYNDROME ; RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA ; POLYDACTYLY ; OBESITY ; RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA

Abstract: CA-MRSA infection is a global concern. It is important to determine the local prevalence of CA-MRSA skin and soft-tissue infection as this information will provide a more accurate and rational basis for empiric treatment, improve management and outcomes in patients, and reduce the economic burden associated with failed treatment. This study was conducted to determine the clinical profile and prevalence of CA-MRSA skin and soft tissue infections among pediatric patients admitted at the Philippine General Hospital. Methods: A prospective, observational study was performed involving all pediatric patients admitted at U-PGH for skin and soft tissue infections from September to December 2012. Demographic profile, clinical characteristics of patients, results of laboratory examinations, the outcome of treatment were described and summarized. Risk factors for acquisition of MRSA were also determined. Period-prevalence was computed. Results: There were 25 children admitted for SSTIs, 16 have positive cultures and 62.5% of these had CA-MRSA. The majority were male children younger than 5 years old without identifiable risk factors. infections presented as solitary masses and cellulitis usually at the head and neck area. isolates were taken from aspirates during incision and drainage. Invasive infections were seen 3 patients. The length of hospital stay, type of antibiotics used and surgery performed was variable. All patients were discharge well and there were no mortalities. The period prevalence of CA-MRSA among children with SSTI was 0.36. Conclusion CA-MRSA as a cause of SSTIs in Filipino children is an emerging concern, especially in very young patients even without risk factors. management of SSTI’s should include incision and drainage of abcesses and prompt submission of aspirates for culture and antibiotic sensitivity testing. The period prevalence of pediatric patients with SSTI is high among hospitalized patients. Empiric antibiotics with MRSA coverage such as clindamycin and vancomycin should be considered clinical situations wherein MRSA is deemed likely.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Objective The objective of the study was to evaluate toxicity, anti_stress activity and hepato_protective properties of Kombucha tea. Method Kombucha tea was fed orally for 15 days using three different doses i.e. normal dose, five and ten times the dose. Rats were then sacrificed and various biochemical, and histological parameters were estimated. Anti_stress activity was evaluated either by 1) by exposing animals to cold and hypoxia and estimating the levels of malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione in plasma/ blood or 2) by subjecting the animals to restraint stress and recording faecal output. Hepato_toxicity was induced by challenging the animals to an acute dose of paracetamol (1 gm/kg) orally and determining the plasma levels of SGPT, SGOT and MDA. Results The effect of oral administration of different doses of K_tea to albino rats was examined and the results indicate that K_tea has no significant toxicity as revealed by various biochemical and histopathological parameters. K_tea has been found to prevent lipid peroxidation and fall in reduced glutathione level when rats were exposed to cold and hypoxia in simulated chamber. Further, K_tea has also been found to decrease the Wrap_restraint faecal pellet output in rats. K_tea has also been found to decrease paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity significantly. Conclusion The study shows that K_tea has anti_stress and hepato_protective activities.

INTRODUCTION: Stigmatizing attitudes are barriers to treatment of mental health disorders. The burden of stigma has not been established locally. This study aimed to assess the stigma in the community by determining the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of barangay residents towards mental health and persons with mental health illness. METHODS: A total of 422 participants were included using convenience sampling. Participants were given self-administered questionnaires that consisted of the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS), Community Attitudes Towards the Mentally Ill (CAMI), and Reported and Intended Behavior Scale (RIBS) tools. The mean scores and percentages were computed and compared across the sociodemographic data of the respondents. RESULTS: Knowledge levels were relatively high with a mean score of 26.63. Depression, stress, bipolar disorder and drug addiction were recognized as mental illnesses by the majority of the participants. Scores in the stigmatizing ideologies authoritarianism (3.07) and social restrictiveness (2.58) were low, while the positive ideologies benevolence (3.76) and community health ideology (3.85) had higher scores. Participants were reluctant to work with mentally-ill people (3.18) but were willing to be friends with them (3.87). CONCLUSION This study concludes that the respondents were generally knowledgeable about mental health illness. There was a general acceptance and less stigmatizing attitude, and a willingness to interact with people with mental illness.
psychiatry ; Mental health ; Social Stigma

Introduction: Myocarditis is a rare but serious complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Existing literature on adult Filipino SLE patients with myocarditis is limited. This study aims to determine clinical characteristics and outcomes of myocarditis in Filipino patients with lupus. Methods: Review of medical records (between 2015 and 2017) of eight adult patients with lupus myocarditis in a tertiary government hospital was done. Clinical features, electrographic and echocardiographic findings, management, and outcomes were described. Results: All patients were females with a mean lupus duration of 10 months at the time myocarditis was diagnosed. Half of them had severe lupus activity, mostly with concomitant hematologic activity (100%) and nephritis (75%). Echocardiography showed wall motion abnormalities in all patients, with 63% having global hypokinesia and 75% having moderate to severe hypokinesia of the left ventricular wall. Treatment included methylprednisolone pulse therapy (88%) and high-dose steroids (13%). One patient died from cardiogenic and septic shock prior to receiving MPPT. Most patients (75%) were clinically improved at the time of discharge. Conclusion Filipino patients with lupus typically present with myocarditis early in the course of the disease, with high disease activity and concomitant hematologic activity and nephritis. Outcomes are generally favorable with early immunosuppressive therapy.
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Myocarditis

Congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles (CFEOM) is a rare, congenital, non-progressive disorder presenting with partial or total ophthalmoplegia, with variable degrees of ptosis in both eyes. We present the clinical manifestations of congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles in two patients. Both patients presented with bilateral ptosis and variable ophthalmoplegia with a chin-up posture. The ocular deviations have been noted since birth. No patient demonstrated a Marcus-Gunn jaw-winking phenomenon. Both patients had a mild refractive error with with-the-rule astigmatism. Deviation for both patients revealed exotropia with varying amounts of hypotropia and limitations in the movement of extraocular muscles. Both patients presented no abnormalities in the pupils. Neuroimaging revealed atrophy of the extraocular muscles. Diagnosis of CFEOM in a resource-poor setting is also challenging due to inaccessible gene testing. Manifestations of CFEOM vary across affected patients. CFEOM proposes challenges to the ophthalmologist with regards to management.
congenital fibrosis ; extraocular muscles ; congenital cranial dysinnervation disorders

Silver-Russell Syndrome (SRS) is a rare disorder associated with prenatal and postnatal growth retardation with associated characteristic facial and ocular features including strabismus. We report the outcome of strabismus surgery performed for exotropia in a 4-year-old patient with SRS. The patient presented with decreased visual acuity and constant exotropia of the right eye noted since 3 months of age. Systemic SRS characteristics consisted of relative macrocephaly, short stature, forehead prominence and stunted growth pattern. An X-pattern exotropia is consistent with bilateral tight lateral recti muscles with overelevation in adduction of the left eye was present. Patient underwent unilateral right lateral rectus recession and right medial rectus resection for a 50-prism diopter constant exotropia. Patient had a favorable outcome of within 8 prism diopters from orthotropia at 1st, 3rd-, 6th- and 12th-month post-operatively.
Russell Syndrome ; exotropia ; macrocephaly

BACKGROUND: Pectin is a heteropolysaccharide used in pharmaceutical formulations as a binding agent. Importation of pectin costs billions of Philippine pesos, but the local laboratory-scale production of this excipient from fruit peel wastes is estimated to be cheaper by 80%.

OBJECTIVE: To address economic and environment concerns associated with pectin production, this study aimed to optimize the isolation and purification of pharmaceutical grade pectin from pomelo (Citrus maxima Merr.) fruit peel as basis for commercial-scale production.

METHODS: Pectin was extracted from pomelo using different solvents: 6.2% w/w citric acid, 1N acetic acid, 3N hydrochloric acid, 3N nitric acid, and 3N sulfuric acid. Temperatures for extracting pectin were explored at 40°C, 60°C, and 90°C. Obtained pectin samples were characterized based on the following parameters: equivalent weight (EW), methoxyl content (MC), ash content (AC), anhydrouronic acid content (AUA), and degree of esterification (DE).

RESULTS: Highest pectin yield (9.25%) was obtained using 3N nitric acid and 3N sulfuric acid at 90°C.Based from the pharmacopeial standards (MC ? 6.7, AUA ? 74.0), all the samples did not pass the parameters, except the pectin extracted using 3N sulfuric acid at 90°C (MC = 6.76, AUA = 74.61).

CONCLUSION: Among the different solvents used for extraction, 3N sulfuric acid produced the highest percent yield of pharmaceutical grade pectin from pomelo fruit peel. Its optimum temperature for extraction was at 90°C. The sample passed the USP standards of MC values not less than 6.76 and AUA values not less than 74. Under the following conditions, pomelo fruit peel have the potential for commercial-scale production of pharmaceutical grade pectin.

In March 2020, the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) designed and rapidly implemented a national surveillance system for the utilization of hospital beds by patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to produce complete and timely data for use by various levels of governance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The DOH launched the DOH DataCollect (DDC) Bed Tracker system, a web-based application that collects information from all 1906 public and private hospitals and infirmaries across the country using a modular data collection tool. Data on the maximum number of occupied COVID-19-designated beds (n = 28 261), hospital bed utilization rate (71.7%), and mechanical ventilator number (n = 1846) and utilization rate (58.5%) were recorded in September 2021 during the Delta surge of cases in the Philippines. Data on human resources, personal protective equipment and supplies, and other operational indicators were added to the system during various modifications. Information from the DDC was used to inform the COVID-19 response and operations at national and local levels and facilitated research at academic and nongovernmental agencies. The development of the DDC system demonstrates that an effective surveillance system for use by all health-care facilities is achievable through strong national leadership, the use of available technology and adaptive information systems, and the establishment of networks across different health facilities and stakeholders.

INTRODUCTION: The Philippines tops globally for time spent on social media. This study aimed to explore the association between social media addiction, body image, and social comparison among young adult Filipino women aged 18-25 years old in Metro Manila. METHODS: The Social Media Addiction Scale (SMAS), Body Image Questionnaire (BIQ), and Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM) were used to assess social media addiction, body image, and social comparison, respectively. PRR (CI 95%) assessed the association between SMA and BI, and SMA and SC. RESULTS: Majority of participants had social media addiction (91.11%), while most reported a neutral body image (87.64%). Additionally, more than half of the participants exhibited a high tendency towards social comparison (53.15%). The study found a positive association between social media addiction and negative body image, as well as a significant positive association between social media addiction and social comparison. Obesity showed a significant positive association with negative body image perception, while being overweight was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of having a positive body image. Spending at least 4 hours per day on social media was significantly associated with a higher tendency towards social comparison. CONCLUSION These findings suggest the presence of social media addiction among young adult Filipino women and its association with body image and social comparison. Awareness of these associations can contribute to the development of targeted interventions and educational programs to promote healthier social media use and positive body image among young adults.
Social media addiction ; body image ; social comparison