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Abstract : Comorbidities were suspected and now have been known to increase patients’ susceptibility to contracting COVID-19 and the severity of a person who has been infected by Sars-CoV-2. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus and heart disease are pre-existing chronic conditions which were considered to increase the risk of infection and severity of infection, because of their prevalence in COVID-19 patients in Indonesia. An observational analytic study using a case-control approach was conducted. Total sampling method was used as the sampling method in this study. One hundred and two (102) patients with the radiographic depiction of pneumonia in Prof. dr. I.G.N.G. Ngoerah General Hospital from March 2020 until December 2020 met the inclusion criteria of the study. Additional information collected includes age, gender, COVID-19 RT-PCR test, history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and heart disease and all the data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Of 102 subjects, 63 (61.8%) patients have been confirmed positive for COVID-19 by RT-PCR testing. Male and female COVID-19 patient proportion is similar (54.9% vs. 45.1%). It was found that the proportion of old middle-aged adults was the highest among all COVID-19 patients (44 patients, 43,1%). History of hypertension was found in one-third of all COVID-19 patients (69 patients, 32,75%), diabetes mellitus also in one-third of all COVID-19 patients (63 patients, 29,8%) and some with heart disease (36 patients, 17%). A positive correlation was found between patients with symptomatic COVID-19 patients and hypertension (p=0.017), diabetes mellitus (p=0.013) and heart disease (p=0.283). At the moment this study was conducted, a large proportion of radiographic pneumonia patients are caused by Sars-CoV-2 infection. This study also found a positive significant correlation between the history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and heart disease with symptomatic COVID-19. Age and gender have no role in determining susceptibility and severity of COVID-19. Further studies are needed to describe other chronic diseases as a comorbidity in COVID-19 infection concerning their magnitude in causing a difference in susceptibility and severity in COVID-19 patients.

Abstract : Due to high mortality rates of Fournier Gangrene (FG), this type of gangrene appears to be a potentially fatal disease and has been included as emergency cases in urology. Recent studies have used several methods to estimate the FG patients' prognosis, including the Fournier Gangrene Severity Index (FGSI) and Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) methods. A descriptive study with a cross-sectional approach using secondary data from the medical records (2017-2021 data) of the Department of Surgery, Urology Division, Haji Adam Malik General Hospital Medan, was carried out (approved by the Research Ethics LP Committee). A higher FGSI score (>5.5) was determined, implying to a risk of a Fournier gangrene condition with a sensitivity and specificity of 60% and 60%, respectively, and a positive predictive value of 42.85%. Higher PLR results (> 228.04) which was found from the records are potentially to be used as a prognostic factor to determine the outcome of a Fournier gangrene condition with a pretty good sensitivity and specificity of 90.00% and 90.00%, respectively as well as a predictive value positive of 81.81%. FGSI and PLR can be used as prognostic factors for cases of Fournier Gangrene.

Abstract : Over the last decades, air pollution in the urban atmosphere has seriously affected human health and the environment. Carbon monoxide exposure causes impaired oxygen delivery, impairs oxygen use and respiration at the cellular level and enhances the inflammatory response. The number of vehicles passing emission tests for three years (2007-2011) in Makassar has increased, but several parameters such as hydrocarbons have doubled. A cross-sectional study was taken on, 31 subjects of traffic police and 34 subjects of staff police, Harbor Police, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The subject’s carbon monoxide level is measured with the SafeBreath (SP.CO analyzer). Based on this study, 47.7% of subjects are traffic police, 84.6% are men and 66.2% are non-smokers. The carbon monoxide level among traffic police is 3.61 ppm and among staff police is 4.38 ppm. According to statistical analysis, we found only one correlation between smoking and carbon monoxide level. Traffic police have a higher risk of pollutant exposure, especially carbon monoxide. Cigarette smoking is the only factor that attenuates the effect of lung pathology in exposure to carbon monoxide.

Abstract : To analyze the effect of an evidence-based insulin injection technique education program on insulin injection technique practice and HbA1c values. A quasi-experimental with non-equivalent control group pretest-postest approach. Sixty respondents were applied and selected by purposive sampling. The practice of insulin injection technique was measured using the Worldwide Injection Techniques Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using paired sample t-test and independent sample t-test. The evidence-based insulin injection technique education program had an effect on the practice of insulin injection technique (p=0.004) and had an effect on the HbA1c value (p=0.000). The education program for providing evidence-based practice-based insulin injection techniques affects the HbA1c value of diabetes mellitus type 2 patients, so it is recommended for the hospital to hold an educational program for providing evidence-based practice-based insulin injection techniques so that the glycemic levels of diabetes mellitus type 2 patients can be controlled.

Abstract : Gabapentin is increasingly prescribed for neuropathic pain. The drug is not metabolized and excreted by the kidney. Gabapentin-induced myositis is extremely rare. The mechanism of myositis induced by gabapentin is not fully understood and autoimmune and idiosyncrasy were suggested. We report a case of gabapentin-induced myositis in a unilateral upper limb in a 25year-old Saudi male on the first dose of oral gabapentin 100mg. The patient was diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy and presented with neck pain, which radiates down to the lateral side of the upper limb up to the right thumb finger. The pain did not respond to various drugs including etoricoxib and baclofen. Thus, gabapentin was started with steroid injection. However, the patient presented with right hand swelling next day, all investigations including ultrasound were normal and a diagnoses of gabapentin-induced myositis was diagnosed after resolution of the swelling after the disappearance of the swelling and exclusion of all other possible causes. Previously reported cases (seven) were mostly among elderly patients with renal impairment and other comorbidities and taking high doses of gabapentin. Gabapentin-induced myositis is rare, the mechanism of development remained to be elucidated, we reported a case of young male with normal renal profile and small dose of gabapentin pointing to the possibility of allergic reaction.