There are about 3285 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Pakistan. The country of the clinical trial is determined by the location of where the clinical research is being studied. Most studies are often held in multiple locations & countries.
Many non-invasive ventilatory choices are available for COVID-19 patient who are having mild to moderate respiratory distress and their use will decrease the chance of ICU admission, intubation and mechanical ventilation in severe cases of COVID-19. However, all these respiratory supports and oxygen supply devices are aerosol generating and their selection should be precised enough to control nosocomial spread. High flow nasal cannula HFNC is a device that delivered the warmed and humid air on high flow rate through nose. It is used to treat severe respiratory distress in COVID-19 patients, a non-invasive ventilatory approach which is relative comfortable by using humidified and pre-heated air containing large concentration of oxygen. In acute respiratory failure HFNC is proven to be very effective and it also reduced the need of mechanical ventilation in severe patients. Apart from the supply of oxygen, HFNC generating positive airway pressure and decreasing the rebreathing from anatomical dead space. Prone position is also a save therapy and has been proven to be effective for refractory hypoxia by increasing tidal volume, oxygenation and diaphragmatic functions in ARDS patients. Recent studies showed that prone positioning and HFNC might avoid the prerequisite of intubation in moderate to severe patients of ARDS and as a result it decreases the nosocomial infection in physicians who are doing these aerosol generating procedures.
Remdesivir is a monophosphoramidate prodrug of an adenosine analogue and it has a broad-spectrum antiviral activity against paramyxoviruses, falviviruses and coronaviruses. It showed in vitro activity on human airway epithelial cells against SARS-CoV-2. It is an investigational drug and granted an Emergency Use Authorization by Food and Drug Administration FDA, so it is under clinical trial. The potent mechanism of action of this drug is still unclear but it effects through several processes. It can interfere with nsp12 polymerase even when exoribonuclease proofreading is intact. It can also produce nucleoside triphosphate NTP that acts pharmacologically active alternate substrate of RNA-chain terminator, as a result NTP can constrain active triphosphates into viral RNA of coronaviruses. There is evidence of high genetic barrier to develop resistance against Remdesivir in coronavirus as a result of which is maintains its effectiveness in antiviral therapies against these viruses. Effectiveness of Remdesivir has been reported against different groups of coronaviruses including Alphacoronavirus NL63 and several SARS/MERS-CoV coronaviruses.
The most accepted description of severe COVID-19 disease is development and over production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Autopsy studies have been done on COVID-19 patients proved that severe disease is resulted due to deviant host-immune response and cytokine storm. Elevated inflammatory biomarkers like C-Reactive protein (CRP) and pro-inflammatory cytokines shown to be higher in severe disease of COVID-19. Several studies on severe COVID-19 have revealed raised levels of plasma cytokines like IL-6, IL-2, IL-10, Gamma interferon (INF), Tumor necrosis factor Alpha TNF. The Cytokines release syndrome (CRS) is a hyperinflammatory deadly syndrome characterized by release of uncontrolled immune system activation which is responsible for multi-organ failure. It has the main role in ARDS due to SARS-CoV-2 virus which binds to alveolar epithelium and resulting in IL-6 release that is responsible for increase alveolar-epithelium permeability. In many studies it has been observed that IL-6 have played a main role in CRS induction. Previous experiences from hyperinflammatory and cytokine storm syndromes recommends that early involvement of inhibiting CRS is essential to prevent lethal tissue damage and poor clinical outcome. In this scenario the judgement of clinical specialist who are suggesting that evidence of CRS can be cured with glucocorticoids, I/V immunoglobulin and anti-cytokine therapy cannot be ignored.
In COVID-19 deep airway and alveolar destruction occurred due to inflammatory reaction resulting into severe pneumonia. In COVID-19, lung injury is not only due to viral damage to tissue, but it is also due to immune response that leads to activation of inflammatory cells and release of cytokines. In COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome ARDS is produced due to mucinous or cellular fibromyxoid exudates, desquamation of pneumocytes and alveolar damage and hyaline membrane development and within 5-7 days disease become more aggressive due to pneumonia and respiratory failure. It is important to start the prompt and strengthen treatment for suppression of inflammatory response and cytokine storm. Methylprednisolone are the traditional immunosuppressive drugs. They are important and effective to delay the pneumonia progression and treating the ARDS. Corticosteroids are broadly used as treatment for ARDS and there was an evidence for its efficacy for treating SARS and decreasing mortality of SARS in the past. However for COVID-19 corticosteroids efficacy and safety usage is still under clinical trials
Evidence has shown that knee osteoarthritis causes an increase in base of support and a decrease in stride length and gait velocity which results in an increase in energy expenditure during walking. This increase in energy cost of walking is suggested to result in walking related performance fatigability. However, fatigue is not commonly considered in the clinical settings in term of neither assessment nor management of knee osteoarthritis. One common tool used to evaluate walking relate performance is six minute walk test and the purpose of this study is to determine the reliability of using six minute walk test to determine walking related performance fatigability in persons with knee osteoarthritis.
Lack of research oriented health care facilities especially rehabilitation department in Pakistan. 30-50 % of population of age 65 years and above have some problems with balance (3) and 75 % of people aging 70 years and above have poor balance which leads to fall related injuries (5). So fall and related injuries are major problem in this age group. All studies conducted so far addresses only one or two aspects of balance training not to all. This study will address all the aspects and develop a comprehensive balance training protocol and will try to contribute to this under research area.
This study examines the effect of self designed school-based interventions on physical activity and psychological outcomes (i.e., internalizing and externalizing behavioral symptoms, self-concept, and academic achievement among a community sample of adolescents from Taxila, Pakistan
A global study for a better understanding of the cardiovascular conditions that increase the risk of developing severe COVID-19, and a better characterization of cardiovascular complications in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
The objective of this study is to measure the effect of Iodine complex in treating the COVID-19 patients to clear viral load of SARS-CoV-2 along with reduction in severity of symptoms and length of hospitalization of patients with COVID-19.
To measure the effect of Ivermectin (sub-cutaneous) with or without zinc in treating the COVID-19 patients to clear viral load of SARS-CoV-2 along with reduction in severity of symptoms and length of hospitalization of patients with COVID-19.