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Authors are the souls of any journal, and deserve much respect. To publish a journal manuscripts are needed from authors. Authors have a great responsibility for producing facts of their work in terms of number and results truthfully and an individual honesty is expected from authors in this regards. Both ways its true "No authors-No manuscripts-No journals" and "No journals–No manuscripts–No authors". Reviewing a manuscript is also a very responsible and important task of any peer-reviewed journal and to be taken seriously. It needs knowledge on the subject, sincerity, honesty and determination. Although the process of reviewing a manuscript is a time consuming task butit is expected to give one's best remarks within the time frame of the journal.
Salient features of the JCDR: It is a biomedical, multidisciplinary (including all medical and dental specialities), e-journal, with wide scope and extensive author support. At the same time, a free text of manuscript is available in HTML and PDF format. There is fast growing authorship and readership with JCDR as this can be judged by the number of articles published in it i e; in Feb 2007 of its first issue, it contained 5 articles only, and now in its recent volume published in April 2011, it contained 67 manuscripts. This e-journal is fulfilling the commitments and objectives sincerely, (as stated by Editor-in-chief in his preface to first edition) i e; to encourage physicians through the internet, especially from the developing countries who witness a spectrum of disease and acquire a wealth of knowledge to publish their experiences to benefit the medical community in patients care. I also feel that many of us have work of substance, newer ideas, adequate clinical materials but poor in medical writing and hesitation to submit the work and need help. JCDR provides authors help in this regards.
Timely publication of journal: Publication of manuscripts and bringing out the issue in time is one of the positive aspects of JCDR and is possible with strong support team in terms of peer reviewers, proof reading, language check, computer operators, etc. This is one of the great reasons for authors to submit their work with JCDR. Another best part of JCDR is "Online first Publications" facilities available for the authors. This facility not only provides the prompt publications of the manuscripts but at the same time also early availability of the manuscripts for the readers.
Indexation and online availability: Indexation transforms the journal in some sense from its local ownership to the worldwide professional community and to the public.JCDR is indexed with Embase & EMbiology, Google Scholar, Index Copernicus, Chemical Abstracts Service, Journal seek Database, Indian Science Abstracts, to name few of them. Manuscriptspublished in JCDR are available on major search engines ie; google, yahoo, msn.
In the era of fast growing newer technologies, and in computer and internet friendly environment the manuscripts preparation, submission, review, revision, etc and all can be done and checked with a click from all corer of the world, at any time. Of course there is always a scope for improvement in every field and none is perfect. To progress, one needs to identify the areas of one's weakness and to strengthen them.
It is well said that "happy beginning is half done" and it fits perfectly with JCDR. It has grown considerably and I feel it has already grown up from its infancy to adolescence, achieving the status of standard online e-journal form Indian continent since its inception in Feb 2007. This had been made possible due to the efforts and the hard work put in it. The way the JCDR is improving with every new volume, with good quality original manuscripts, makes it a quality journal for readers. I must thank and congratulate Dr Hemant Jain, Editor-in-Chief JCDR and his team for their sincere efforts, dedication, and determination for making JCDR a fast growing journal.
Every one of us: authors, reviewers, editors, and publisher are responsible for enhancing the stature of the journal. I wish for a great success for JCDR."
Thanking you
With sincere regards
Dr. Rajendra Kumar Ghritlaharey, M.S., M. Ch., FAIS
Associate Professor,
Department of Paediatric Surgery, Gandhi Medical College & Associated
Kamla Nehru & Hamidia Hospitals Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462 001 (India)
E-mail: drrajendrak1@rediffmail.com
On May 11,2011
Dr. Shankar P.R.
"On looking back through my Gmail archives after being requested by the journal to write a short editorial about my experiences of publishing with the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research (JCDR), I came across an e-mail from Dr. Hemant Jain, Editor, in March 2007, which introduced the new electronic journal. The main features of the journal which were outlined in the e-mail were extensive author support, cash rewards, the peer review process, and other salient features of the journal.
Over a span of over four years, we (I and my colleagues) have published around 25 articles in the journal. In this editorial, I plan to briefly discuss my experiences of publishing with JCDR and the strengths of the journal and to finally address the areas for improvement.
My experiences of publishing with JCDR: Overall, my experiences of publishing withJCDR have been positive. The best point about the journal is that it responds to queries from the author. This may seem to be simple and not too much to ask for, but unfortunately, many journals in the subcontinent and from many developing countries do not respond or they respond with a long delay to the queries from the authors 1. The reasons could be many, including lack of optimal secretarial and other support. Another problem with many journals is the slowness of the review process. Editorial processing and peer review can take anywhere between a year to two years with some journals. Also, some journals do not keep the contributors informed about the progress of the review process. Due to the long review process, the articles can lose their relevance and topicality. A major benefit with JCDR is the timeliness and promptness of its response. In Dr Jain's e-mail which was sent to me in 2007, before the introduction of the Pre-publishing system, he had stated that he had received my submission and that he would get back to me within seven days and he did!
Most of the manuscripts are published within 3 to 4 months of their submission if they are found to be suitable after the review process. JCDR is published bimonthly and the accepted articles were usually published in the next issue. Recently, due to the increased volume of the submissions, the review process has become slower and it ?? Section can take from 4 to 6 months for the articles to be reviewed. The journal has an extensive author support system and it has recently introduced a paid expedited review process. The journal also mentions the average time for processing the manuscript under different submission systems - regular submission and expedited review.
Strengths of the journal: The journal has an online first facility in which the accepted manuscripts may be published on the website before being included in a regular issue of the journal. This cuts down the time between their acceptance and the publication. The journal is indexed in many databases, though not in PubMed. The editorial board should now take steps to index the journal in PubMed. The journal has a system of notifying readers through e-mail when a new issue is released. Also, the articles are available in both the HTML and the PDF formats. I especially like the new and colorful page format of the journal. Also, the access statistics of the articles are available. The prepublication and the manuscript tracking system are also helpful for the authors.
Areas for improvement: In certain cases, I felt that the peer review process of the manuscripts was not up to international standards and that it should be strengthened. Also, the number of manuscripts in an issue is high and it may be difficult for readers to go through all of them. The journal can consider tightening of the peer review process and increasing the quality standards for the acceptance of the manuscripts. I faced occasional problems with the online manuscript submission (Pre-publishing) system, which have to be addressed.
Overall, the publishing process with JCDR has been smooth, quick and relatively hassle free and I can recommend other authors to consider the journal as an outlet for their work."
Dr. P. Ravi Shankar
KIST Medical College, P.O. Box 14142, Kathmandu, Nepal.
E-mail: ravi.dr.shankar@gmail.com
On April 2011 Anuradha
Dear team JCDR, I would like to thank you for the very professional and polite service provided by everyone at JCDR. While i have been in the field of writing and editing for sometime, this has been my first attempt in publishing a scientific paper.Thank you for hand-holding me through the process.
Dr. Anuradha
E-mail: anuradha2nittur@gmail.com
On Jan 2020
Original article / research
Full Version
Association of the Electrolyte Disturbances (Na+, K+) with the Type and Severity of the Malarial Parasitic Infection
Correspondence Address :
Jasmin H. Jasani
C-13, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth Campus, Piparia–Vadodara
Gujarat, India - 391760
Phone: 09978440069
E-mail: Drjasmin27@gmail.com
Background and Objective: Malaria is a life-threatening disease which is caused by malaria parasite. It is a major public health problem in India. The purpose of this study was to examine the possible changes in the electrolytes (Na+ and K+) in cases of malaria, on the basis of their severity.
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the severity of hyponatraemia and hypokalaemia and their association with the severity of malaria in a large cohort of known patients of malaria, which was caused by the P.falciparum and the P.vivax species of Plasmodium.
Material and Methods: The serum sodium and serum potassium levels were analyzed in two cohorts, each comprising 400 diagnosed cases of P. Falciparum and P. Vivax (200 +200) malaria respectively, in a tertiary care hospital in Vadodara, Gujarat, India. The patients were divided into two groups of severe (200) and non-severe (200) cases of malaria, based on the WHO guidelines and criteria.
Statistical Analysis: The data from the study were analyzed separately by using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The results were presented as Mean ± SD. A p value of <0.05 were considered to be significant.
Results: The mean levels of serum sodium and serum potassium in the cases of P. Falciparum malaria were significantly reduced as compared to those in the cases of P.vivax malaria. Hyponatraemia and hypokalaemia were more common in P.falciparum than in P.vivax malaria. The levels of sodium and potassium are significantly reduced in the severe malaria cases as compared to those in the non severe malaria cases.
Conclusion: Hyponatraemia and Hypokalaemia are common in malaria and they are associated with severe falciparum and vivax malaria. Correction of the electrolyte imbalance in the severe cases is of great significance in the management of the patients.
Malaria, Sodium, Potassium, Severity
INTRODUCTION
Malaria is life threatening disease, with nearly half of the world’s population being vulnerable to this infection (1). Malaria accounts for an estimated 2-3 million deaths annually and it is also responsible for the untold morbidity in approximately 300 -500 million people annually (1). Four species of Plasmodium cause malaria in humans. These are P.falciparum, P.vivax, P.malariae and P.Ovale. P.falciparum is responsible for most of the deaths and most of the severe complications which result from malaria (2), which include cerebral malaria, anaemia and renal failure (3) Malaria, is endemic in many states of India and even in Gujarat. It is a mosquito borne disease which spreads by the bite of the anopheles mosquito and rarely by blood transfusion. The species which are mainly prevalent in India are P.falciparum and P. vivax (4). Electrolyte disturbances are known to be common in severe complicated malaria. Hyponatraemia has long been recognized as a complication of malaria. It had not been investigated previously how hyponatraemia was distributed among the various Plasmodium species, and its association with the severity of malaria is unknown.
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hyponatraemia and other electrolyte imbalances and their association with the severity of malaria in a large cohort of patients with malaria which was caused by various Plasmodium species (5). The pathophysiology of the hyponatraemia in malaria remains unclear, but several studies have suggested that an increased secretion of vasopressin, either appropriately or inappropriately, plays an important role (6). Hyponatraemia is a decrease in the plasma sodium concentration to less than 135m.mol/l. The common causes are: integumentary loss (sweating, burns), gastrointestinal loss, renal loss, hepatic cirrhosis, etc.
The Grades of Hyponatraemia: Mild: 131 to 135 m.mol/l, moderate: 126 to 130 m.mol/l and severe: < 126 m.mol/l (7). Hyperkalemia is defined as an increase in the plasma potassium level to >5.0 m.mol/l. The common causes are: renal failure, hypo-aldosteronism, drugs like ACE inhibitors, etc. Hypokalaemia is defined as a decrease in the plasma potassium level to <2.5 m.mol/l. The common causes are burns, dehydration, etc. (8). The aim of the study was to establish an association between the electrolyte imbalance, the type of the Plasmodium species and the severity of malaria.
This was a prospective study which was carried out over a period of 1 year in the S.B.K.S.M.I. and R.C Dhiraj General hospital, Piparia, Vadodara, Gujarat, India. The Dhiraj hospital is a 1226 bedded, multispecialty hospital which caters to the rural populations of Vadodara and Waghodia. All the admitted patients with clinically suspected malaria (as per the WHO criteria) and who were willing to participate, were enrolled in the study. Before their enrolment in the study, the nature and purpose of the study were explained to all the participants. The diagnosis of malaria was made after the examination of the peripheral smears (thick and thin) and on the basis of the malarial antigen detection rapid card test. There were 400 diagnosed cases of P. falciparum and P. vivax malaria (200 +200). The patients were divided into two groups of severe (200) and non severe (200) cases of malaria, based on the WHO guidelines and criteria. They are further divided on the basis of age into six groups.
Severe Malaria The patients were considered as having severe P. falciparum malaria, if they met the predefined, modified World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for severe malaria on admission or during hospitalization (“severity criteria”) : • A Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of < 11 (which indicated cerebral malaria) or • Anaemia (haematocrit -< 0.20 L/L with a parasite count of > 100.000/μL) or • Jaundice (serum bilirubin -> 50 μmol/L with a parasite count of > 100.000/μL) • Renal impairment (urine output- < 400 mL/24 h and serum creatinine- > 25 μmol/L) or • Hypoglycaemia (blood glucose -< 2.2 mmol/L) or • Hyperparasitaemia (> 10% parasitaemia) or • Shock (systolic blood pressure- < 80 mm Hg with cold extremities) • Fulfilment of any one of the above criteria was considered as suggestive of severe malaria.
Inclusion Criteria 1. All the confirmed patients of malaria above 1year of age. 2. Willingness in giving an informed consent. Exclusion Criteria 1. Unwillingness in giving an informed consent. 2. Already enrolled in the study. For all the patients who were willing to participate in the study, their demographic profile, their complete history with vitals and relevant system examination with relevant laboratory investigations was recorded in a preformed proforma and they were subjected to the following investigations: — Complete Blood Count (CBC) : [Hb, TC, DC and platelet] — Peripheral Smear examination for the malaria parasite — Serum billirubin — Serum Creatinine — Serum electrolyte (Na+, K+) The methodology of the procedures to be followed: 1. CBC by using (“Sysmex KX-21 Three Part Differential Automated Haematology Analyser”). 2. PSMP by the thick and thin smear methods; staining with the Giemsa stain. 3. Evaluation of serum billirubin and creatinin by using a semiautomated biochemistry analyser. 4. Evaluation of serum electrolyte (Na+, K+) by using a Prolyte fully automated electrolyte analyser. Statistical Analysis: The data from the study was analyzed separately by using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The results were presented as Mean ± SD (Standard deviation) and a p value of <0.05 was considered as significant.
The above Table shows that males were more commonly affected than females. P.falciparum was more prevalent in the 13 to 30 years age group and P.vivax was more prevalent in the 31-50 years age group.
The above Table shows that hyponataemia and hypokalaemia were more common in P.falciparum than in P.vivax malaria.
The tables and the charts which are shown above revealed that hyponataemia and hypokalaemia were more common in the severe cases of malaria than in the non severe cases of malaria.
Malaria is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the tropical regions in the world. An estimated 300-500 million persons suffer from malaria every year and more than 1 million die each year (9). P.Falciparum is the species which is most commonly associated with the severe and complicated forms of this disease (10). The results of this study showed that the malaria infection led to a reduction in the levels of both sodium and potassium. Hyponatraemia and hypokalaemia were more common and moresevere in the severe cases of malaria than in the non severe cases of malaria. Hyponatraemia and hypokalaemia were also more common in the P.faciparum then P.vivax cases in both the severe and the non severe forms of malaria. Fryatt RJ, et al suggested that the mild hyponatraemia that could be seen in the acute stages of malaria did not affect the mortality and the morbidity (11). Some observations also suggested that in the non severe cases, there was a very mild reduction in the sodium and potassium levels.
Dworak et al (1975) (12) stated that there was a progressive decrease in the Na+ and K+ levels within 12 hrs of the parasite’s occupancy, whereas Kakkilaya (2002) (13) reported mild hyponetraemia in the malaria patients. Ebele J Ikekpeazu et al (2010) (14) reported that there was a reduction in the Na+ and K+ level in the cases of malaria. Heindricks et al reported that the reduction in the K+ levels was because the host cells lost up to 75 to 80 % of their normal potassium content during the course of the malaria attack (15). The observation that hyponatraemia which was seen in malaria was caused by any Plasmodium species, suggested that the hyponatraemia per se was unlikely to represent an exclusive feature of falciparum malaria, but that it merely reflected the effects of the severity of the disease.
A limitation of our study was that we did not compare the electrolyte levels between the hospitalized patients and the outpatients. But it seems unnecessary to assess the electrolyte levels in the outpatients with malaria due to the limitation of the costs and the measurement availability in the developing countries. Besides the clinical suspicion, the response to the anti-malarial treatment suffices in most of the outpatients. The importance of assessing hyponatraemia that complicates severe malaria is in the fact that hyponatraemia is associated with adverse outcomes and that it should be specifically and aggressively treated.
Hyponatraemia and hypokalaemia are common in malaria and they are associated with the severe forms of falciparum and vivax malaria than with non severe malaria. Hyponatraemia and hypokalaemia are more common in P.falciparum than in P.vivax malaria. This study drew attention to the need to manage the electrolyte derangements for the overall management of the malaria infections. From the clinical point of view, hyponatraemia is an indicator of the disease severity. In general, serum electrolytes should be estimated in the malaria patients of all the age groups to prevent the complications which might result from electrolyte depletion, as these may produce grave consequences. The precise patho physiological mechanisms of the hyponatraemia in malaria need to be further studied.
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