Effect of doxycycline in patients of moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with stable symptoms.

Background: The protease-antiprotease hypothesis proposes that inflammatory cells and oxidative stress in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) produce increased levels of proteolytic enzymes (neutrophil elastase, matrix metalloproteinases [MMP]) which contribute to destruction of parenchyma resulting in progressive decline in forced expiratory volume in one second. Doxycycline, a tetracycline analogue, possesses anti-inflammatory properties and inhibits MMP enzymes.

Objectives: To assess the effect of 4 weeks doxycycline in a dose of 100 mg once a day in patients of moderate to severe COPD with stable symptoms.

Clinical and laboratory profile of patients with TB/HIV coinfection: A case series of 50 patients.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is said to be one of the commonest opportunistic infection in patients with HIV/AIDS.

Objective: To study the clinical and laboratory profile of patients with HIV/TB coinfection.

Materials And Methods: Fifty adult TB patients having confirmed HIV seropositivity were included in randomized manner.