Asian Journal of Research in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Association between Diet, Sleep Pattern, and Menstrual Cycle among Female Medical Students

Michelle Cheline Anugrah Rambu Hutar — 2026-06-03

Background: Female medical students are exposed to high academic stress, irregular sleep, and variable dietary habits, which may affect hormonal balance and menstrual health. This study examines the relationship between diet, sleep patterns, and menstrual cycle characteristics in this population.

Aims: The present study reveals the interconnectedness between diet, sleep pattern and menstrual cycle among female medical students

Study Design: A simple cross-sectional study using a structured questionnaire regarding demographic information, diets, sleep pattern, menstrual cycle and also the history of initial menarche.

Place and Duration of Study: Study conducted in the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Kristen Indonesia, Jakarta-Indonesia. from October 2025 until April 2026.

Methodology: Using simple random sampling methods, sampling technique will be related to the determination of the number of sample using the Slovin formula to estimate population proportion, where population size=112 and acceptable margin error (e)= 5% and the number of respondents using Slovin's formula is calculated as 87.5, rounded into 88. All data obtained from electronic structured questionnaire consist of demographic, diet pattern, sleep pattern and menstrual cycle pattern. All instrument has been tested for validity and reliability. Electronic data then collected and analyzed further using Chi-square (p= 0.05).

Results: Most respondents had good diets, good sleep patterns, and regular menstrual cycles. Bivariate analysis showed no association between age at menarche and menstrual cycle (p=0.250), diet and menstrual cycle (p=0.391), or sleep patterns and menstrual cycle (p=0.391).

Conclusion: Age of menarche, diet, and sleep patterns are not related to the menstrual cycle, so other factors likely play a greater role in influencing the menstrual cycle.

Evaluation of the Anti Ulcer Effect of Extract of Chromolaena odorata Leaves on Ethanol and Indomethacin Induced Ulcer Models

Hannah Ndidiamaka Okorie — 2026-06-04

Public health is greatly impacted by peptic ulcer disease, a chronic illness marked by sores in the lower oesophagus, duodenum, or stomach. In ethnomedicine, Chromolaena odorata has long been used to treat ulcers. The study evaluated the anti-ulcer properties of the methanol extract and fractions of C. odorata leaves. The methanol extract and its n-hexane, ethyl-acetate, and n-butanol fractions were subjected to anti-ulcer screening using the in vivo ulcer models in ethanol and indomethacin-induced experimental rats. Important parameters, such as the pH, total acidity, free acidity, and ulcer index, were measured from the rats treated with extract and fractions (200 and 400 mg/kg doses) and standard omeprazole. The extract (4.67 %w/w yield) and its fractions contained different amounts of flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, saponins, phenol, tannins, alkaloids, and cardiac glycosides. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s t-test, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. The ethyl acetate (400 mg/kg) exhibited a 56.7% gastroprotective effect with an ulcer index of 1.30 ± 0.20, while the crude (400 mg/kg) showed an inhibition rate of 50.0% with an ulcer index of 1.50 ± 0.25, lower than omeprazole (63.3%) in the ethanol-induced model. In the indomethacin-induced ulcer model, the 400 mg/kg extract (400 mg/kg) and ethyl acetate fraction (400 mg/kg) elicited 77.6% and 63.5% ulcer inhibition compared with the omeprazole standard (83.11%). All the fractions significantly decreased stomach acidity by elevating pH. Significant anti-ulcer efficacy is demonstrated by C. odorata, with the most effective portion being ethyl acetate, which could provide anti-ulcer lead compounds. The gastroprotective properties are probably aided by the presence of bioactive substances, including flavonoids and tannins.

Serum Urea and Creatinine Profiles among Hypertensive Patients in Enugu, Nigeria: A Hospital-based Cross-sectional Study

Hector Okechukwu Obianyido — 2026-06-17

Background: Hypertension is associated with renal morbidity, and serum urea and creatinine remain commonly used biochemical markers for routine assessment of renal function, particularly in settings where advanced renal investigations may be limited. This study assessed demographic and clinical variations in serum urea and creatinine levels among hypertensive patients attending a tertiary hospital in Enugu, Nigeria.

Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 hypertensive patients receiving care at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. Participants with chronic kidney disease, diabetes, cardiovascular conditions other than hypertension, pregnancy, use of smedications known to affect kidney function, or other chronic illnesses that could influence blood urea and creatinine levels were excluded. Sociodemographic and clinical variables, including age, sex, duration of hypertension, and blood pressure control status, were recorded. Venous blood samples were collected, and serum creatinine was determined using the modified Jaffe kinetic method, while serum urea was analysed using the Diacetyl Monoxime method. Data were analysed using GraphPad Prism version 8.0. Continuous variables were summarised as mean ± standard deviation, and group comparisons were performed using Student’s t-test and one-way analysis of variance, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

Results: Serum urea and creatinine levels differed significantly across demographic and clinical categories. Mean urea and creatinine increased across age groups from 6.25 ± 1.74 mmol/L and 1.01 ± 0.27 mg/100 ml in participants aged 40 years to 8.77 ± 1.82 mmol/L and 1.33 ± 0.16 mg/100 ml in those aged 51–60 years. Males had higher mean urea and creatinine levels than females. Patients with hypertension for more than 10 years had higher mean values than those with shorter disease duration. Uncontrolled blood pressure was associated with higher urea and creatinine levels than controlled blood pressure.

Conclusion: Age, sex, duration of hypertension, and blood pressure control status were associated with variations in serum urea and creatinine among hypertensive patients in this hospital-based study.

System-Level Responses and Outcomes of Medical Emergencies: A Systematic Review

Ugochukwu Chinedu Nwauwa — 2026-05-28

Background: Medical emergencies are highly time-sensitive events in which delays in recognition, dispatch, transport, triage, escalation, and definitive treatment can alter survival, complications, and length of stay.

Aim: This systematic review synthesised contemporary evidence on how emergency response processes and emergency-system interventions influence outcomes across prehospital and hospital settings, with deliberate attention to Nigeria and other African countries.

Methods: A PRISMA 2020-aligned systematic review with narrative synthesis was undertaken. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched for peer-reviewed studies published between January 2014 and March 2026, while seminal older reviews were used selectively in the background, where they remained conceptually important. Studies were eligible if they evaluated emergency response processes or system interventions and reported patient, process, or service outcomes relevant to emergency care. Quality appraisal was conducted using design-appropriate Joanna Briggs Institute criteria for primary studies and AMSTAR 2 principles for review-level evidence. Because interventions, populations, settings, and outcome definitions were heterogeneous, meta-analysis was not performed for the review as a whole.

Results: Twenty-four studies were included in the final synthesis: ten systematic reviews/meta-analyses and fourteen primary studies. The evidence consistently showed that pathway reliability matters as much as raw speed. Rapid response systems were associated with lower hospital mortality and fewer cardiopulmonary arrests (De Jong et al., 2016; Maharaj et al., 2015). Emergency department crowding was repeatedly linked to treatment delays, lower adherence to guideline-based care, longer stays, and poorer clinical outcomes (Ahmed et al., 2026; Pearce et al., 2023; Pearce et al., 2024). Sepsis alert systems and earlier antibiotic delivery improved adherence and were associated with lower mortality in several analyses (Kim et al., 2024; Leung et al., 2024). African studies added critical contextual insight: Nigerian hospitals demonstrated moderate but uneven emergency-care capacity (Umoga et al., 2026); EMS awareness in Abuja exceeded actual utilisation (Nto et al., 2024); trauma treatment delay in Sokoto was associated with worse outcomes (Nuradeen et al., 2025); Lagos sepsis mortality remained high with low compliance to key diagnostics (Akase et al., 2023); and studies from Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Ethiopia, Ghana, and South Africa highlighted the importance of workforce supervision, training, critical care readiness, referral pathways, and context-appropriate transport systems.

Conclusion: The review concludes that emergency outcomes are shaped by the quality of the whole pathway rather than by a single time target alone. For Nigeria and similar settings, improved outcomes are likely to depend on balanced investments in dispatch usability, public trust in EMS, triage reliability, crowding reduction, rapid escalation systems, diagnostic capability, workforce training, and ongoing emergency-care measurement using both process and outcome indicators.

The Efficacy of Resilience Training Interventions in Mitigating Burnout among Nursing Staff: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Reem Alshotiri — 2026-06-02

Background: Burnout is a major occupational problem among nurses, characterised by emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and reduced personal accomplishment, with negative consequences for both healthcare workers and patient care.

Aims: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesise evidence on the effectiveness of resilience-training interventions in reducing burnout among nursing staff.

Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methodology: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. Eligible studies included randomised controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies involving registered nurses in clinical settings that reported sufficient data to estimate effect sizes. The risk of bias was assessed using the RoB 2 and JBI tools. Data were pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis.

Results: Eight studies (496 nurses) met the inclusion criteria. Resilience training significantly reduced total burnout (mean difference = −6.53, 95% CI: −11.43 to −1.64, P=.008) with substantial heterogeneity (I² = 69.2%). Emotional exhaustion also significantly improved (standardised mean difference = −0.48, 95% CI: −0.73 to −0.24, P=.001) with low heterogeneity (I² = 20.7%). Effects on depersonalisation (SMD = −0.17, 95% CI: −0.63 to 0.30, P=.47) and personal accomplishment (SMD = −0.08, 95% CI: −0.61 to 0.46, P=.77) were not statistically significant, with high heterogeneity (I² = 78.6% and 82.1%, respectively). Egger’s test showed no publication bias (P=.13).

Conclusion: Resilience training effectively reduces total burnout and emotional exhaustion among nursing staff but does not significantly improve depersonalisation or personal accomplishment. Healthcare administrators should consider integrating these interventions into workplace wellness initiatives, particularly for nurses in high-acuity settings.

Intimate Partner Violence and Women's HIV Risk: A Scoping Review of Pathways Across the HIV Care Continuum

Evelyn Foster-Pagaebi — 2026-06-12

Background: Women are among the most vulnerable populations affected by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. A Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS report revealed that women accounted for 53% of all people living with HIV globally as of 2024. And one of the structural factors identified to predispose women to HIV risk is intimate partner violence. This scoping review aimed to synthesize evidence on the mechanistic pathways linking intimate partner violence to HIV infection, treatment engagement, and clinical outcomes among women globally.

Method: This scoping review followed the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and was guided by the Arksey and O’Malley framework. The Population, Concept, and Context framework was used to define eligibility. A thorough search in PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar identified articles that were published between January 2015 and March 2026. Studies that examined intimate partner violence and HIV outcomes among women were eligible.

Result: There were 1,847 studies that were obtained in the database search. Following the selection process, 29 studies were found eligible and included in the final synthesis. The most assessed forms of intimate partner violence were physical and sexual. Across studies, intimate partner violence was associated with decreased condom negotiation, less autonomy, as well as poor treatment outcomes, including antiretroviral therapy adherence, interruption in treatment, reduced viral suppression, and poor mental health outcomes.

Conclusion: Intimate partner violence operates through mechanistic pathways to influence HIV outcomes among women globally. The findings underscore the urgent need for integrated, trauma-informed, and gender-responsive approaches to HIV prevention and treatment. Addressing intimate partner violence is not peripheral to HIV programming, it is key to achieving equitable outcomes for women globally.