BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are essential for advancing evidence-based healthcare by evaluating the effectiveness and safety of health interventions. Despite the increasing recognition of clinical research, the Philippines has had limited contributions to global RCT output. This bibliometric analysis aims to assess the trends, characteristics, and impact of RCTs conducted in the Philippines and published online.

A systematic search of Medline (PubMed), and EMBASE, along with Acta Medica Philippina, was conducted to identify published RCTs from January 1990 to October 2022. Eligible studies were screened and analyzed based on publication trends, funding sources, study designs, research settings, and institutional contributions. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize key findings.

A total of 391 RCTs were identified, with a notable increase in number of RCTs published over time. Most studies (91.8%) were published in international journals, and funding was primarily sourced from pharmaceutical companies (47.1%). The predominant RCT design was two-arm parallel (64.7%), with hospitals being the most common research setting (54.2%). Research areas were led by infectious diseases, particularly vaccine-preventable illnesses (23.8%). While the University of the Philippines Manila (21.1%) and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (13.7%) were the leading institutions in terms of highest number of published RCTs, foreign authors accounted for nearly half (47.3%) of primary authorships. The most cited studies focused on cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, and oncology.

The increasing number of published RCTs in the Philippines reflects growth in research capacity and institutional engagement. Strengthening national research dissemination platforms and fostering regional collaborations will be essential in advancing the Philippines’ contribution to global clinical research.

OBJECTIVES

This study protocol aims to explore the perceptions of OT educators in the Philippines regarding the use of AI in OT education and to identify perceived facilitators and barriers to its implementation in OT educational settings.

A qualitative descriptive design will be employed using purposive sampling. Approximately 10–12 OT educators from a higher education institution in Metro Manila, Philippines, will be recruited. Data will be collected through a focus group discussion to elicit in-depth perspectives on AI use in OT education. Thematic analysis will be conducted to identify recurring patterns and overarching themes related to AI integration.

The study protocol includes its expected results, which are to provide context-specific insights into the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating AI in OT education in the Philippines. Findings may inform instructional strategies, curriculum development, institutional policies, investment in technological infrastructure, and faculty development initiatives related to AI adoption

OBJECTIVES

While many healthcare workers (HCWs) contracted COVID-19 during the pandemic, more information is needed to fully understand the potential for adverse health effects in this population segment. The aim of the present study is to examine the association between healthcare worker status and neurologic and clinical outcomes in COVID-19 infected inpatients.

Using the nationwide database provided by the retrospective cohort Philippine CORONA study, we extracted relevant data and performed a secondary analysis primarily focusing on the presentation and outcomes of healthcare workers. Propensity score matching in a 3:1 ratio was performed to match HCWs and non-HCWs. We performed multiple logistic and Cox regression analyses to determine the relationship between HCWs and COVID-19 clinical outcomes.

We included 3,362 patients infected with COVID-19; of which, 854 were HCWs. Among the HCWs, a total of 31 (3.63%) and 45 (5.27%) had the primary outcomes of in-hospital mortality and respiratory failure, respectively. For both overall and 3:1 propensity-matched cohorts, being an HCW significantly decreased the odds of the following outcomes: severe/critical COVID-19 at nadir; in-hospital mortality; respiratory failure; intensive care unit admission; and hospital stay >14 days.

We found that being an HCW is not associated with worse neurologic and clinical outcomes among patients hospitalized for COVID-19.

Endometriosis is defined as the presence and growth of the glands and stroma of the lining of the uterus in an aberrant or heterotopic location. The cause of endometriosis is uncertain and involves many mechanisms including retrograde menstruation, vascular dissemination, metaplasia, immunologic, and hormonal influences to name a few. Primary umbilical endometriosis is a rare disorder defined as the presence of ectopic endometrial tissue within the umbilicus. It commonly presents with catamenial pain and bleeding from an umbilical nodule. It is a rare condition and treatment has not been standardized yet due to the limited number of cases. Surgical management is the treatment of choice to avoid local recurrence while hormone therapy may be used preoperatively for symptomatic relief. This paper reports a series of recently observed cases of primary umbilical endometriosis with main aim of discussing the different approaches in the management of this rare condition.

Diffuse cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis (dsSSc) is an uncommon subtype of Scleroderma or Systemic Sclerosis (SSc), a multisystemic autoimmune disease. Philippine reports remain limited, hence there is a need to review this condition to accurately diagnose and manage Filipino patients. We present the case of a 52-year old Filipino female with a one-year history of pruritus and generalized skin thickening presenting as multiple, well-defined, hyperpigmented patches and plaques. She also presented with systemic symptoms like fever, dysphagia, and finger tenderness, swelling, numbness, and color changes upon exposure to extreme temperatures known as Raynaud’s Phenomenon. Clinical findings, alongside dermoscopic, histopathologic, nail capillaroscopy, and diagnostic data, confirmed dsSSc diagnosis with complications like Barrett’s Esophagus and Interstitial Lung Disease. Treatment options include corticosteroids, emollients, immunosuppressants, biologics, and phototherapy. Multidisciplinary teams are essential to address systemic complications.

This pilot study aimed to investigate the effects of regional and seasonal variations on the prevalence of Theileria orientalis and the hematological profile of non-grazed dairy cows in Korea. A total of 365 clinically healthy lactating Holstein Friesian cows from 26 dairy farms in 7 provinces that were categorized into northern, central, and southern regions were sampled during the warm period from July to August and the cold period from October to December. The detection of T. orientalis major piroplasm surface protein gene and the hematology non-grazed dairy cows were analyzed using peripheral blood samples. The T. orientalis prevalence was 20.0% (73/365). The prevalence in the southern region was 35.9%, which was significantly higher than that in the central (21.6%) and northern (12.9%) regions (P < 0.05). The prevalence during warm period was higher (43.0%) than that during the cold season (13.5%). The infected cows showed significantly lower erythrocyte counts in the southern region (5.8 ± 0.6 M/µl) and during the warm period (5.8 ± 0.7 M/µl) compared with those in the central and northern regions and during the cold season, which affected the extended RBC parameters, including hematocrit and hemoglobin concentrations. Our findings revealed the prevalence of T. orientalis in Korea, highlighting its high occurrence during warm periods and in certain geographical regions. Climatic factors could contribute to the health and productivity of cattle, as evidenced by the prevalence of T. orientalis and its negative impact on animals.

Objectives: While many healthcare workers (HCWs) contracted COVID-19 during the pandemic, more information is needed to fully understand the potential for adverse health effects in this population segment. The aim of the present study is to examine the association between healthcare worker status and neurologic and clinical outcomes in COVID-19 infected inpatients. Methods: Using the nationwide database provided by the retrospective cohort Philippine CORONA study, we extracted relevant data and performed a secondary analysis primarily focusing on the presentation and outcomes of healthcare workers. Propensity score matching in a 3:1 ratio was performed to match HCWs and non-HCWs. We performed multiple logistic and Cox regression analyses to determine the relationship between HCWs and COVID-19 clinical outcomes. Results: We included 3,362 patients infected with COVID-19; of which, 854 were HCWs. Among the HCWs, a total of 31 (3.63%) and 45 (5.27%) had the primary outcomes of in-hospital mortality and respiratory failure, respectively. For both overall and 3:1 propensity-matched cohorts, being an HCW significantly decreased the odds of the following outcomes: severe/critical COVID-19 at nadir; in-hospital mortality; respiratory failure; intensive care unit admission; and hospital stay >14 days. Conclusion We found that being an HCW is not associated with worse neurologic and clinical outcomes among patients hospitalized for COVID-19.
Health Personnel ; COVID-19 ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Cohort Studies

BACKGROUND

As the aging population increases, health conditions in older adults require increased attention. Geriatric syndromes are clinical conditions that do not belong to specific disease categories but are concomitantly occurring that significantly affect the functionality and quality of life of older adults. The importance of routine screening of geriatric syndromes was emphasized as this will help in identifying the current conditions and health-related problems of the elderly population in the community, and its implication to their quality of life.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of the geriatric syndromes among elderly patients seen in the Rizal Tagak Community Geriatrics clinic.

This research is a cross-sectional descriptive using the locally available DOH Geriatric Screening Tool for Senior Citizens and FRAIL Index Assessment tool.

Forty-six patients were included in the study. The results of the study showed that the most prevalent geriatric syndrome is frailty (78.26%), followed by polypharmacy (73.91%), visual problems (67.40%), fall risk (56.62%), urinary incontinence (45.65%), and memory impairment (41.30%). Less prevalent geriatric syndromes were malnutrition (13.04%), depression (10.87%), physical functional incapacity (8.7%), and hearing problems (6.52%).

Routine screening for geriatric syndromes among the elderly is very important as these conditions have serious consequences and impact on the quality of life of the older adults. Early detection of geriatric syndromes will help in implementing early and appropriate interventions to prevent further complications which will be beneficial in promoting healthy aging.

Objective: The epidemiology of invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella (iNTS) in the Philippines is not well elaborated. The present study describes the serotype distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of iNTS in the Philippines from 2014 to 2018. Methods: Invasive NTS isolates were collected through the Department of Health’s Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program (ARSP). The identification of the isolates was confirmed using automated (Vitek®, bioMérieux, Marcy l’Étoile, France) and conventional methods. The isolates were serotyped using the slide agglutination method, and susceptibility testing was performed using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Demographic data were collected from the ARSP database. Results: There were 138 isolates collected from human invasive specimens with 97.8% from blood samples. The most common serotypes were Salmonella Enteritidis (n = 84, 60.9%) and Salmonella Typhimurium (n = 18, 13.0%). Most of the isolates were from males (n = 88, 63.8%) and from the 0–5-year age group (n = 61, 44.2%). The proportions of iNTS isolates resistant to first-line antibiotics were as follows: ampicillin (23.2%), chloramphenicol (9.6%), ciprofloxacin (8.7%), ceftriaxone (2.2%) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (8.8%). The proportion of isolates with multi-drug resistance was 13.0% (18/138) with the most common resistance profile being resistance to ampicillin-chloramphenicol-ciprofloxacin from Salmonella Enteritidis isolates (n = 5). Discussion: Resistance to first-line antibiotics limits the therapeutic choices for Salmonella infection. Relevant local antimicrobial resistance data on iNTS may support appropriate empiric therapy among vulnerable populations.

BACKGROUND: The practice of Unang Yakap or Essential Intrapartum and Newborn Care (EINC) during the COVID-19 pandemic poses a safety concern with regards to a newborn’s exposure to their COVID-19 suspected mother. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to describe the experiences of COVID-19-suspected mothers and explore the factors influencing their decision to allow healthcare professionals to practice full EINC. Specifically, it aims to: 1) describe the experiences of mothers prior to, during, and immediately after delivery, and during postpartum care leading to their decision; and 2) explore the factors that influence the participant’s decision to practice EINC amidst the pandemic. METHODOLOGY: For this phenomenological case study, online interviews with nine (9) participants were conducted using a 13-item questionnaire describing their experience. Thematic analysis using the inductive and semantic approach was conducted to identify the common themes or factors. RESULTS: Of the nine (9) participants, five (5) experienced EINC, while four (4) did not. The COVID-19 status and the choice to undergo Unang Yakap were not a causal relationship. Two main influences, mother-related factors, and hospital-related factors, were identified and were found to have weight in decision-making. The mother-related factors include prior knowledge and perception towards EINC, COVID-19 status, personal beliefs, and information from social media; while the hospital-related factors are hospital facilities, hospital protocols, and HCW-patient relationship. CONCLUSION By delineating the different factors that influence mothers’ decisions, this study allows for the identification of possible bottlenecks in the practice of EINC, as well as effective and efficient means to encourage its practice.
COVID-19