Compliance with Ethical Standards

Our research strictly adhered to the ethical guidelines outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. The study’s protocol, including all methodologies and procedures involving human participants, was reviewed and approved by our Institutional Review Board.

Conflict of Interest

We hereby declare that there are no conflicts of interest that could have influenced the outcome of this research. The study was conducted objectively, without any bias stemming from financial or personal relationships.

Ethical Approval

Ethical approval for this study was granted by the Institutional Review Board of Command Hospital Air Force Bangalore, under the registration number IRB/AFCME/06/Jul 2019. This approval confirms that our study was conducted in compliance with the board’s ethical standards and guidelines.

Informed Consent

Written informed consent was obtained from all participants involved in the study. Participants were thoroughly informed about the study’s purpose, procedures, potential risks, and benefits, as well as their right to withdraw from the study at any point. The confidentiality of their data and adherence to standard-of-care treatment were guaranteed.

Trial Registration

The trial was duly registered with the Institutional Review Board, with the registration number IRB/AFCME/06/Jul 2019. This registration facilitates transparency and public accessibility of trial details, ensuring the study’s adherence to predefined protocols and ethical standards.