Risk factors for mortality in community acquired pneumonia among children aged 1-59 months admitted in a referral hospital.

Objective: To determine the case fatality rate and factors for death in community acquired pneumonia among children aged 1 month to 59 months admitted in a referral Hospital.

Design: Hospital based retrospective study.

Setting: Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children, Chennai.

Cold agglutinins in HIV-seropositive participants and diagnosis of respiratory disease due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Objectives: Cold agglutinin (CA) titers are one among the first pathological indicators for diagnosing Mycoplasma pneumoniae disease. We prospectively studied the prevalence of CAs in 300 HIV-positive and 75 HIV-negative individuals with respiratory disease in Chennai, India.

Methods: The cold agglutination test was used and retrospectively compared with the results of a particle agglutination test.

Alpha-fetoprotein as a tumor marker in hepatocellular carcinoma: investigations in south Indian subjects with hepatotropic virus and aflatoxin etiologies.

Objectives: The prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is reportedly the main cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in India, where hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated HCC is believed to be relatively less prevalent. We verified the usefulness of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) as a tumor marker and analyzed the influence of viral etiology on AFP levels in HCC.

Methods: Of a total of 1012 cases with liver disease, 202 were investigated for the presence of AFP (142 HCC cases, 30 cirrhosis cases, and 30 chronic liver disease (CLD) cases).

Relationship between T-lymphocyte cytokine levels and sero-response to hepatitis B vaccines.

Aim: To investigate the cellular defects by analyzing the (Th1/Th2) cytokine levels in vaccine responders and non-responders.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) from responders and non-responders were stimulated with or with out recombinant HBsAg or PHA. Broad spectrum of cytokines viz (Th1) IFN-gamma, IL-2, TNF-alpha, IL-12 and (Th2) IL-10, IL-4 were measured after in vitro stimulation with recombinant HBsAg and were compared with respective antibody titers.

Prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni and enteric bacterial pathogens among hospitalized HIV infected versus non-HIV infected patients with diarrhoea in southern India.

A prevalence study on Campylobacter jejuni and other enteric bacterial pathogens was carried out in 200 HIV infected and 200 non-HIV infected subjects with diarrhoeal symptoms at an AIDS Hospital in southern India. Diarrhoeal specimens were inoculated onto standard culture media as well as onto Columbia and Campylobacter blood agar media for C. jejuni isolation.

Patients' preferences towards antiepileptic drug therapy following first attack of seizure.

Background: Antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy following first unprovoked seizure is controversial.

Aim: To study the patients' preferences towards AED therapy following first unprovoked generalized tonic clonic seizure (GTCS).

Design: Prospective cohorts with one year follow-up study.

Detection of pulmonary Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in HIV-infected subjects using culture and serology.

Objective: The true prevalence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections involving the respiratory tracts of HIV-infected individuals is still unclear. This study examined the prevalence of M. pneumoniae in 100 HIV-infected individuals at an AIDS care center in Chennai, India, using conventional laboratory techniques and interpretation criteria.

Seroprevalence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in HIV-infected patients using a microparticle agglutination test.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is increasingly recognized as a common and important pathogen in community settings, and is responsible for various pulmonary and extrapulmonary conditions in the normal population. However, the seroepidemiology of acute M. pneumoniae infection in HIV-infected individuals is still unclear worldwide.

Physical growth and psychomotor development of infants exposed to antiepileptic drugs in utero.

Objective: To evaluates the physical growth and psychomotor development of infants born to women with epilepsy on regular Anti Epileptic Drugs (AEDs).

Setting: Govt. Stanley Medical College and Hospital, Tertiary care referral centre, Chennai.

Serosurveillance of acute Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection among HIV infected patients with pulmonary complaints in Chennai, Southern India.

Background: The true seroepidemiology of acute Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in HIV infected individuals is ambiguous.

Methods: This study examined the serosurveillance of IgM antibodies to M. pneumoniae in HIV infected patients presenting with pulmonary symptoms at a tertiary AIDS care center in Chennai, Southern India, using cold-haemagglutination test and commercial enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in acute serum specimens.

Effect of combined supplementation of fish oil with garlic pearls on the serum lipid profile in hypercholesterolemic subjects.

Background: Elevated total cholesterol, especially low-density lipoprotein has been documented as the leading risk factor for the coronary artery disease among Indians. Studies with fish oil supplementation alone have shown an increase in low-density lipoprotein, thereby enhancing the risk associated with incidence of coronary artery disease in hypercholesterolemic subjects. In view of this, the effect of a combined supplementation of fish oil with garlic pearls on the serum lipid profile of hypercholesterolemic subjects was studied.

Nonepileptic attack disorder among married women.

Aim: To study the clinical features, precipitating stressful life events and prognosis of nonepileptic attack disorder (NEAD) among married women.

Design: Prospective cohort study with 1-year follow-up.

Setting: A tertiary care teaching hospital.