MRI pattern in asymptomatic natalizumab-associated PML.

Objective: To investigate the MRI manifestation pattern of asymptomatic natalizumab-associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: 18 patients with MS with natalizumab-associated PML lesions on MRI were included. In 6 patients, the PML lesions were identified on MRI prospectively and in 12 patients PML lesions were identified retrospectively.

Modified safe technique for circumcision.

We have used surgical gauze under the prepuceal skin as a pack in 20 cases prior to marking incision for circumcision. The prepuceal adhesions were first dissected and seperated. The method allows a stable, well-supported prepuceal surface for marking incisions and avoids injuries to the glans.

Difficulties encountered with the use of antiretroviral drugs in India.

The improved availability and drastically reduced cost of antiretroviral therapy, largely due to generic manufacturing, has enabled an increased number of HIV-positive Indians to undergo antiretroviral therapy. But unless these drugs are used judiciously, treatment failures will cause the emergence of drug-resistant HIV strains. This is a grave danger not only to India but to the entire world.

Efficacy and safety of butenafine in superficial dermatophytoses (tinea pedis, tinea cruris, tinea corporis).

Superficial dermatophytoses of skin are very common infections seen in clinical practice. Besides topical imidazoles, triazoles and allylamines, topical butenafine (a benzylamine derivative) is a novel agent with broad antifungal activity. One hundred and eleven patients with tinea infections were enrolled in this multicentric, randomised, single-blind non-comparative study, which involved application of butenafine (1%) cream in tinea pedis (4 weeks) and tinea cruris and tinea corporis (2 weeks) cases.

Evaluation of safety and efficacy of ketoconazole 2% and zinc pyrithione 1% shampoo in patients with moderate to severe dandruff--a postmarketing study.

A postmarketing study was conducted on 236 patients from 23 centres suffering from moderate to severe dandruff with a combination of ketoconazole and zinc pyrithione (1%) for a duration of 4 weeks with 2 weeks further follow-up. Scoring of dandruff was done on a 0-10 scale for each of the 6 regions of scalp at each week up to 6 weeks. The results indicate that there was a consistent improvement in dandruff scores over the treatment period and a reduction of > 90% was seen for all areas of scalp individually as well as collectively as compared to baseline.

Clinical evaluation of ointment containing mupirocin and betamethasone in infected dermatoses.

The aim of the trial was to study the efficacy and safety of the ointment containing mupirocin 2% and betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% in the treatment of infected dermatoses. Patients having either primary infection complicated by dermatoses or dermatoses infected secondarily were included in their study.

Modulation of humoral immune responses by Tinospora malabarica in experimental animals.

Effect of alkaloidal fraction of aqueous extract of T. malabarica (Tm) was studied on humoral antibody responses in rats and guineapigs. The anti-SRBC haemagglutination titre was found to be enhanced in rats pretreated with Tm (2.