Methotrexate Toxicity-Induced Pancytopenia and Mucocutaneous Ulcerations in Psoriasis.

Methotrexate (MTX) is a commonly used immunosuppressant and chemotherapeutic agent, widely prescribed for autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and certain malignancies. It functions by inhibiting dihydrofolate reductase, leading to impaired DNA synthesis and cell proliferation. While generally well-tolerated, MTX has a narrow therapeutic index, and its adverse effects can be severe, including hepatotoxicity, pulmonary toxicity, and hematological complications such as pancytopenia.

Preparation of self-preserving personal care cosmetic products using multifunctional ingredients and other cosmetic ingredients.

The development of self-preserving personal care cosmetics represents a significant advancement in the cosmetics industry, offering safer and more natural alternatives to consumers. This study focused on the preparation of such formulations using multifunctional ingredients along with other cosmetic components. Five unique multifunctional ingredients (MFIs) were identified based on their antimicrobial properties: sodium coco PG-dimonium chloride phosphate, ricinoleic acid, palmitoleic acid, raspberry ketone, and sorbitan caprylate.

Epidemiology of Coronavirus Disease 2019 during the Second and Third Wave in Chennai, India: An Analysis of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Surveillance System, February 2021-February 2022.

Introduction: Analysis of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) surveillance system in the first wave indicated that the data-driven approach helped in resource allocation and public health interventions.

Objectives: We described the epidemiology of COVID-19 cases in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, from February 2021 to February 2022.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed the COVID-19 surveillance data from Chennai City, Tamil Nadu, India's Greater Chennai Corporation.

Face mask use in the city of Chennai, India: Results from three serial cross-sectional surveys, 2021.

Introduction: The Government of Tamil Nadu, India, mandated wearing face masks in public places to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. We established face mask surveillance and estimated the prevalence of appropriate mask use (covering the nose, mouth, and chin) in the slums and non-slums of Chennai at different time points in 2021.

Methods: We conducted three serial cross-sectional surveys in the outdoors and indoors of Chennai in March, July, and October 2021.

Respectful Maternity Care Practices During Normal Delivery at the Public Health Facilities in Tamil Nadu, Southern India: A Descriptive Study.

Introduction: The quality of maternity care in Tamil Nadu has significantly improved in the past few years and various public health initiatives have helped to reduce crucial indicators like Maternal Mortality Ratio and Infant Mortality Rate. The improvement in quality of interface between the mothers and service providers in term of language, behaviour and attitude for ensuring 'Respectful Maternity Care' would support further enhancement of maternal and new born outcomes. Delivery of appropriate and respectful care to each pregnant woman would not only go a long way in reducing mortality and morbidity for the woman and new-born but also help in improved cognitive development of the baby.

Implementation of a Triage Protocol Outside the Hospital Setting for Timely Referral During the COVID-19 Second Wave in Chennai, India.

India experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases during the second wave in the period of April-June 2021. A rapid rise in cases posed challenges to triaging patients in hospital settings. Chennai, the fourth largest metropolitan city in India with an 8 million population, reported 7564 COVID-19 cases on May 12, 2021, nearly 3 times higher than the number of cases in the peak of COVID-19 in 2020.

Colonoscopic Profile of Lower Gastrointestinal Bleed in Adults: A Tertiary Care Center-based Study in South India.

Introduction: Lower Gastro intestinal bleeding (LGIB) is one of the most important clinical symptoms which have significant morbidity and mortality. It has an annual admission rate of 0.15% with mortality rate of 5-10%.

Correlation between Severity of Thrombocytopenia and Portal Hypertensive Gastropathy in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease.

Introduction: Portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) is known but under detected complication of cirrhosis of liver. Patients with stable liver disease are more prone to internal bleeding due to portal hypertension. Thrombocytopenia is a common complication associated with chronic liver disease and it is associated with poor prognosis.

Precipitating Factors and Outcome of Hepatorenal Syndrome in Liver Cirrhosis.

Introduction: Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a functional renal failure due to intense renal vasoconstriction that frequently develops in patients with cirrhosis. Past studies reported that in almost half of the cases of HRS, one or more precipitating factors can be identified. We conducted a study to determine the Precipitating factors and outcome of hepatorenal Syndrome in liver cirrhosis.

Experiences, Challenges, and Lessons Learned During Implementation of a Remote Monitoring Program for Home-Isolated COVID-19 Patients in Chennai, India.

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the majority of the identified COVID-19 patients in Chennai, a southern metropolitan city of India, presented as asymptomatic or with mild clinical illness. Providing facility-based care for these patients was not feasible in an overburdened health system. Thus, providing home-based clinical care for patients who were asymptomatic or with mild clinical illnesses was a viable solution.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice towards face mask use among residents of Greater Chennai Corporation, India, March 2021.

Background: Wearing a mask is one of the simplest ways to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Studies reported poor mask compliance in Greater Chennai Corporation, India. Hence, we described the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding mask use among adults (≥18 years) in Greater Chennai Corporation, Tamil Nadu, India.

Effectiveness of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Coronavirus Vaccine (Covishield) in Preventing SARS-CoV2 Infection, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, 2021.

We estimated the effectiveness of two doses of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (Covishield) vaccine against any COVID-19 infection among individuals ≥45 years in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. A community-based cohort study was conducted from May to September 2021 in a selected geographic area in Chennai. The estimated sample size was 10,232.

High incidence of PI3K pathway gene mutations in South Indian cervical cancers.

Introduction: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in India. The phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) signaling is one of the most commonly activated pathways in cancer and comprises key molecules commonly targeted in cancer therapy. This study analyzed six PI3K pathway gene mutations.

Surveillance for face mask compliance, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, October-December, 2020.

Purpose: Government of Tamil Nadu, India, mandated the face mask wearing in public places as one of the mitigation measures of COVID-19. We established a surveillance system for monitoring the face mask usage. This study aimed to estimate the proportion of the population who wear face masks appropriately (covering nose, mouth, and chin) in the slums and non-slums of Chennai at different time points.

Age- & sex-specific infection fatality ratios for COVID-19 estimated from two serially conducted community-based serosurveys, Chennai, India, 2020.

Background & Objectives: Infection fatality ratio (IFR) is considered a more robust and reliable indicator than case fatality ratio for severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Age- and sex-stratified IFRs are crucial to guide public health response. Infections estimated through representative community-based serosurveys would gauge more accurate IFRs than through modelling studies.

Donor-derived Cell-free DNA: Advancing a Novel Assay to New Heights in Renal Transplantation.

Despite advances in transplant immunosuppression, long-term renal allograft outcomes remain suboptimal because of the occurrence of rejection, recurrent disease, and interstitial fibrosis with tubular atrophy. This is largely due to limitations in our understanding of allogeneic processes coupled with inadequate surveillance strategies. The concept of donor-derived cell-free DNA as a signal of allograft stress has therefore rapidly been adopted as a noninvasive monitoring tool.

Precision Medicine in Kidney Transplantation: Just Hype or a Realistic Hope?

Desirable outcomes including rejection- and infection-free kidney transplantation are not guaranteed despite current strategies for immunosuppression and using prophylactic antimicrobial medications. Graft survival depends on factors beyond human leukocyte antigen matching such as the level of immunosuppression, infections, and management of other comorbidities. Risk stratification of transplant patients based on predisposing genetic modifiers and applying precision pharmacotherapy may help improving the transplant outcomes.

The impact of chest radiography and Xpert MTB/RIF testing among household contacts in Chennai, India.

Tuberculosis prevalence surveys have demonstrated the benefit of screening with chest x-ray (CXR) and sensitive diagnostic tests compared to symptoms and smear microscopy. However, in programmatic practice there is little evidence on the yield of different algorithms. We implemented contact tracing in Chennai, India for adult sputum-positive TB patients registered from January 2015 to March 2016.

Understanding why at-risk population segments do not seek care for tuberculosis: a precision public health approach in South India.

Introduction: Delaying care-seeking for tuberculosis (TB) symptoms is a major contributor to mortality, leading to worse outcomes and spread. To reduce delays, it is essential to identify barriers to care-seeking and target populations most at risk of delaying. Previous work identifies barriers only in people within the health system, often long after initial care-seeking.