Low toxicological impact of wastewaters on drinking water sources.

Surface waters may contain varying levels of wastewater effluent associated with de facto reuse, which may influence their toxicological properties both prior to and following treatment. This study examined the genotoxic response of three surface waters containing a range of wastewater effluent (5%, 10%, and 25% by volume). The SOS Chromotest™ was used to assay the genotoxicity of both chlorinated and unchlorinated mixtures.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Presenting as Optic Neuropathy: A Case Report.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory disease with a wide variety of clinical presentations as a result of its effect on several organ systems. Optic nerve involvement in SLE is very uncommon, but optic neuritis can be the initial manifestation of SLE. A previously healthy 47-year-old woman developed blurring of vision in the left eye for the last three weeks and associated periorbital pain that worsened with eye movement.

A case of Vogt Koyanagi Harada disease in a 16 year old girl.

Vogt Koyanagi Harada (VKH) is an autoimmune disease with widespread systemic manifestations. It typically presents with bilateral sudden painless loss of vision. It is mainly characterized by serous retinal detachment, iridocyclitis and choroidal swelling.

Non arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy; does Anticoagulation help?

Background: Non Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION) is the most common acute optic neuropathy in patients over 50 years of age. This study was conducted to determine the beneficial effects of anticoagulation with Heparin and Warfarin in patients with NAION presenting within 4 weeks of onset of symptoms.

Methods: A prospective, interventional, pilot study was conducted in Eye- A unit of Khyber Teaching Hospital from July 2010 onwards on patients with NAION presenting within 4 weeks of onset of symptoms.

Comparison of the efficacy of subtenon with peribulbar local anesthesia without hyaluronidase in patients undergoing cataract surgery.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of subtenon with peribulbar local anesthesia without hyaluronidase in patients undergoing cataract surgery.

Study Design: A randomized controlled trial.

Place And Duration Of Study: Eye "B" Unit, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, from October 2009 to October 2010.

Vogt Koyanagi Harada disease: treatment and visual prognosis.

Vogt Koyanagi Harada (VKH) disease is a chronic, bilateral, granulomatous panuveitis associated with central nervous system, auditory and integumentary manifestations. The study was conducted from January 2001 to December 2010 at the Department of Ophthalmology, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar. A total of 9 patients with diagnosis of Vogt Koyanagi Harada disease were included in the study.

Ocular injuries in blast victims.

Objective: To study the type and severity of ocular injuries in blast victims.

Methods: It was a descriptive case series. The study was conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology, Khyber Teaching Hospital and Iqbal Eye Clinic Peshawar from March 2010 to May 2011.

Non-viral microbial keratitis: etiology, clinical features and visual outcome.

Objective: To determine the etiology, clinical features and visual outcome in non-viral microbial keratitis.

Study Design: An observational study (case series).

Place And Duration Of Study: Department of Ophthalmology, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan, from January 2007 to December 2009.

Half-molar sodium-lactate solution has a beneficial effect in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objective: To compare two solutions for fluid resuscitation in post-coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery patients: Ringer's lactate (RL) versus a new solution containing half-molar sodium-lactate (HL).

Design: Prospective randomized open label study.

Setting: The first 12 h post-CABG surgery in an intensive care unit (ICU).

Lactate metabolism in acute uremia.

Lactate is a key metabolite that is produced by every cell and oxidized by most of them, provided that they do contain mitochondria. Its metabolism is connected to energetic homeostasis and the cellular redox state. It is well recognized as an indicator of severe outcome in severely ill patients, however, it is not a detrimental factor per se.

Intensive care in developing countries in the Western Pacific.

The rapid economic, scientific, and technologic development in Asia probably is the most important in the world today. Eventually, the development of health care and critical care medicine in the Western Pacific will be affected. Even with the problems that have to be faced, the future of critical care medicine in the region looks promising.

Effect of cardiopulmonary bypass on lactate metabolism.

Objective: We have investigated the role of cardiopulmonary bypass on lactate metabolism in patients undergoing uncomplicated surgery for elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Design: Prospective non-randomized observational study.

Settings: National Cardiovascular Center.

Metabolic and nutritional support in acute cardiac failure.

Purpose Of Review: Cardiovascular disease is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in western countries, generating an increasing number of admissions to intensive care units. Cardiac failure has long been associated with nutritional disorders, malnutrition and cachexia being frequent during the late phases of congestive heart failure: undernutrition is also a determinant of outcome, even after cardiac transplantation.

Recent Findings: It has been shown that early metabolic support can improve the recovery of the ischaemic heart.

Metabolic and hemodynamic effects of hypertonic solutions: sodium-lactate versus sodium chloride infusion in postoperative patients.

Although hypertonic saline has been proposed as an intravenous resuscitation fluid, the beneficial effects of the sodium load are associated with potentially deleterious effects of chloride. Since the physiological lactate anion is well metabolized, hypertonic lactate solution could represent an interesting alternative. The aim of this study was to compare metabolic and hemodynamic effects of hypertonic infusion of sodium lactate versus sodium chloride in three groups of surgical patients who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Lactate: A key metabolite in the intercellular metabolic interplay.

Most physicians involved in intensive care consider lactate solely as a deleterious metabolite, responsible for high morbidity and bad prognosis in severe patients. For the physiologist, however, lactate is a key metabolite, alternatively produced or consumed. Many studies in the literature have infused animals or humans with exogenous lactate, demonstrating its safety and usefulness, but the bad reputation of lactate is still widespread.