Intravenous iron infusions in pediatric patients: A retrospective review of efficacy and safety.

Pediatric iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is often treated with oral iron supplementation as the first-line therapy despite poor adherence. This single-institution retrospective chart review of pediatric patients was conducted to assess the safety, efficacy, and adherence of intravenous (IV) iron infusions compared to oral iron therapy in patients who had failed a trial of oral iron supplementation. We reviewed medical records of patients aged 1-21 with IDA who received at least one IV iron infusion at Cooper University Hospital between 2016 and 2021.

High level of psychological stress in COVID-19 recovered individuals: role of copeptin as a potential biomarker.

Background: Study aimed to assess stress in COVID-19 recovered individuals using a validated questionnaire PSS-10 score and stress biomarkers - salivary cortisol and serum copeptin.

Methods: A total of 83 subjects of which 54 subjects (66.3%) who were hospitalized were recruited 8-20 weeks following recovery from COVID-19.

Overview of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Scientific Understanding of the Disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder, is characterised by persistent synovial inflammation, erosion of bones and cartilage, leading to joint destruction. Clinical manifestations are morning stiffness, pain in shoulder, neck and pelvic girdle, loss of mobility with fever, fatigue, malaise, loss of body weight, and development of rheumatoid nodules. Environmental and genetic factors are important contributors in its susceptibility.

COVID-19 Antibody Response in Patients with Thalassemia.

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can severely affect people with comorbidities such as those with diabetes, hypertension, chronic lung disease, cancer, and hemoglobinopathies. Studies assessing the clinical characteristics and immune response to COVID-19 infection in patients with thalassemia are limited. Objectives The primary objective of the study was to study the clinical pattern and the immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) compared to patients without thalassemia.

Spherocytosis in Newborn Secondary to Novel Heterozygous Mutation in Gene: Case Report.

This case report describes a novel mutation of the gene as a potential pathogenic cause of spherocytosis. A 3-week-old male presented with clinical and laboratory signs consistent with hemolytic spherocytosis, including jaundice, hyperbilirubinemia, anemia, reticulocytosis, negative Coombs test, no ABO or Rh incompatibility, and a peripheral blood smear notable for numerous spherocytes. His laboratory work demonstrated persistent anemia despite daily folate prompting next-generation sequencing which revealed a novel mutation in the gene resulting in a nonfunctioning protein product.

Chemotherapy-Induced Oxidative Stress in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Introduction Plasma antioxidant capacity in children receiving chemotherapy decreases due to the effect of the disease and chemotherapy. Increased oxidative stress (OS) predisposes to an increased risk for chemotherapy-related toxicity and febrile neutropenic episodes. Materials and methods We conducted this case-control study in the hematology-oncology unit of the department of pediatrics of a tertiary hospital in Delhi, India, from November 2017 to March 2019 to compare OS between children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and healthy controls.

Divulging the Intricacies of Crosstalk Between NF-kB and Nrf-2/Keap1 Pathway in the Treatment of Arthritis by Dimethyl Fumarate.

The aim of this study was to examine the hypothesis that use of dimethyl fumarate (DMF) may mitigate arthritic symptoms in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats through activation of NF-E2-related factor 2(Nrf-2) and suppression of NF-kB pathway. Arthritis in rats was induced by subcutaneous injection of collagen type II (200 µl) at the base of the tail. After induction arthritic rats were treated with DMF (25 mg/kg b.

Efficacy of Oral vs. Intravenous Calcium Supplementation for Continuation Therapy in Hypocalcemic Seizures: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.

Objective: To evaluate efficacy of oral vs. intravenous calcium supplementation for continuation therapy in hypocalcemic seizures.

Methods: Sixty children between 1 mo and 5 y presenting with hypocalcemic seizures without any other underlying febrile, chronic systemic disease, or acute neurological illness were included.

Reticulocyte Count: The Forgotten Factor in Transfusion Decisions for Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants.

Objective: Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants often receive transfusions of packed red blood cells (PRBCs). Long-term outcomes of infants treated with liberal versus restricted transfusion criteria have been evaluated with conflicting results. Clinicians incorporate a reticulocyte count (RC) in their transfusion decisions.

Oxidative Stress in Cerebrospinal Fluid During Treatment in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Introduction Central nervous system (CNS) treatment using intrathecal chemotherapy and cranial radiation to enable long-term disease-free survival from childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) comes at the cost of neurotoxic side effects and long-term sequelae. We investigated oxidative stress as a possible mechanism of chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity in children with ALL. Materials and methods In this case-control study, we estimated the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), a DNA damage product, in children with B-cell ALL and control children.

Prevalence and predictors of hypocalcaemia in severe acute malnutrition.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and predictors of hypocalcaemia in under-five children (1-59 months) hospitalised with severe acute malnutrition (SAM).

Design: A cross-sectional study was designed to determine the prevalence of hypocalcaemia among children hospitalised with SAM. Serum Ca and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-(OH)D) were estimated.

Stigmasterol protects rats from collagen induced arthritis by inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder, in which imbalance in synthesis and production of inflammatory cytokines promotes cartilage and bone destruction. Out of the numerous factors contributing to RA prognosis, the transcription factor NF-kBp65 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) signaling module has been well implicated as a key regulator of inflammation and downstream signaling events in RA. Stigmasterol (STG) is a natural plant based product exhibiting anti-inflammatory activity, however, the mechanism through which it exhibits anti-inflammatory activity has not been completely understood.

Cardiac autonomic tone, plasma BDNF levels and paroxetine response in newly diagnosed patients of generalised anxiety disorder.

The study examined the effect on cardiac autonomic tone via heart rate variability (HRV), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in newly diagnosed generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) cases with paroxetine-controlled release (PX) CR intervention. Fifty GAD cases using DSM-5 criteria, matched with healthy controls (HC) were assessed with clinical measures (Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), Clinical Global Impression- Severity Scale (CGI-Severity), General Health Questionnaire -12 (GHQ-12), HRV, plasma BDNF levels initially and 6 weeks postintervention with paroxetine CR. HRV parameters were significantly lower in GAD vs HC at baseline for standard deviation of normal to normal intervals (SDNN) and proportion of differences in consecutive NN intervals that are longer than 50 ms (pNN50).

Chemokines: A Potential Therapeutic Target to Suppress Autoimmune Arthritis.

Background: Chemokines are a family of low molecular weight proteins that induce chemotaxis of inflammatory cells, which mainly depends on the recognition of a chemo-attractant gradient and interaction with the substratum. In Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), abundant chemokines are expressed in synovial tissue, cause inflammatory cells migration into the inflamed joint that necessitates the formation of new blood vessels i.e.

Correlation of C1q/TNF-Related Protein-3 with Cardiac Autonomic Tone and Metabolic Parameters in Obesity.

Objectives: The current study aimed at investigating the correlation of circulating levels of serum C1q/TNF-related protein-3 (CTRP3) with cardiac autonomic functions and metabolic parameters in obesity.

Methods: Thirty drug naïve subjects newly diagnosed with obesity and body mass index (BMI) 25 - 35 kg/m of both genders aged 19 - 40 years, with no associated comorbidity were recruited as cases. Same number of age, gender and socioeconomic status matched subjects with BMI 19 - 23 kg/m were taken as controls.

In vivo, Extract from Withania somnifera Root Ameliorates Arthritis via Regulation of Key Immune Mediators of Inflammation in Experimental Model of Arthritis.

Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a devastating disease characterized by continual addition of leukocytes and T cells within the articular cavity causing inflammation and cartilage destruction. Withania somnifera is one of the most precious medicinal herbs, reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous extract of Withania somnifera roots (WSAq) in Collagen Induced Arthritic (CIA) rats.

Interleukin10-1082 A/G polymorphism: Allele frequency, correlation with disease markers, messenger RNA and serum levels in North Indian rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology. IL-10 stimulates B cell survival and is involved in antibody isotype switching. The serum IL-10 levels are increased in RA patients.

Association of polymorphic variants in IL1B gene with secretion of IL-1β protein and inflammatory markers in north Indian rheumatoid arthritis patients.

The proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) is a key mediator of inflammation which affects cell proliferation and differentiation. IL-1β is considered to contribute to the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Polymorphisms in cytokine genes are highly influenced by ethnicity.

Tumor necrosis factor-α -308 polymorphism in North Indian rheumatoid arthritis patients and association with mRNA and serum TNF-α.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a severely disabling chronic autoimmune disorder that leads to progressive inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. TNF-α, a potent proinflammatory cytokine, plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of RA. The endogenous formation of TNF-α may be influenced by TNF-α promoter polymorphisms.

Effect of Low Level Subchronic Microwave Radiation on Rat Brain.

Objective: The present study was designed to investigate the effects of subchronic low level microwave radiation (MWR) on cognitive function, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) level and DNA damage in brain of Fischer rats.

Methods: Experiments were performed on male Fischer rats exposed to microwave radiation for 90 days at three different frequencies: 900, 1800, and 2450 MHz. Animals were divided into 4 groups: Group I: Sham exposed, Group II: animals exposed to microwave radiation at 900 MHz and specific absorption rate (SAR) 5.

Association of organochlorine pesticides with the mRNA expression of tumour necrosis factor-alpha () & cyclooxygenase-2 () genes in idiopathic preterm birth.

Background & Objectives: Preterm birth (PTB) is an important cause of prenatal death, neonatal morbidity and mortality and adult illness. Increased inflammation occurs in normal parturition, and inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress are found to be higher in PTB cases. The present study was planned to investigate the association of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) with mRNA expression of inflammatory pathway genes such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in preterm delivery (PTD) cases.

Low intensity microwave radiation induced oxidative stress, inflammatory response and DNA damage in rat brain.

Over the past decade people have been constantly exposed to microwave radiation mainly from wireless communication devices used in day to day life. Therefore, the concerns over potential adverse effects of microwave radiation on human health are increasing. Until now no study has been proposed to investigate the underlying causes of genotoxic effects induced by low intensity microwave exposure.

Profile of oxidative stress in response to treatment for type 1 leprosy reaction.

Objective: To measure oxidative stress in Type 1 leprosy reaction, and to document the effect of anti-leprosy multidrug therapy (MDT) and anti-reaction drugs on measures of oxidative stress.

Materials And Methods: A prospective study was carried out at a teaching hospital involving consecutive patients with Type 1 reaction. MDA (malondialdehyde), FRAP (ferric reducing ability of plasma) and GSH (reduced glutathione) were measured in venous blood samples as measures of oxidative stress and compared at inclusion, after 4 weeks of initial therapy (following standard guidelines including MDT, NSAIDS, and systemic steroids), and 4 weeks after clinical remission.

Effect of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) root extract on amelioration of oxidative stress and autoantibodies production in collagen-induced arthritic rats.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory autoimmune disorder. Withania somnifera Dunal (Solanaceae) (WS), is a common medicinal plant used in traditional systems of medicine for the treatment of arthritis, and is an ingredient of anti-arthritic polyherbal formulations such as Habb-e-Asgand® and Arthritin™. In the present study, we evaluated the antioxidant and anti-arthritic activity of aqueous extract of WS root (WSAq) in collagen-induced arthritic (CIA) rats.