Intravenous iron sucrose when administered to moderately anemic pregnant women raises the hemoglobin concentration and replenishes body iron at 6 months.

Introduction: Intravenous iron sucrose (IVIS) is a rapidly acting, safe, and effective treatment for moderate anemia among pregnant women. The effectiveness of IVIS at 6 months post IVIS infusion was unknown. We, therefore, assessed the mean increase in hemoglobin concentration and body iron replenishment status at 6 months after the last dose of IVIS infusion.

Efficacy of two novel antifungal lipopeptides, AF and AF of bacillomycin D family in murine models of invasive candidiasis, cryptococcosis, and aspergillosis.

Invasive fungal diseases are an important public health concern due to an increase in the at-risk population and high mortality associated with these infections. Managing invasive fungal infections poses a significant challenge given the limited antifungal options and the emergence of resistance in key fungal pathogens. Through a comprehensive approach, we evaluated the in vitro antifungal activity and the in vivo efficacy of two novel lipopeptides, AF and AF in murine models of disseminated candidiasis, cryptococcosis, and aspergillosis.

Topical Tacrolimus in Vitiligo: Consensus Paper from the Pigmentary Disorders Society.

Background: Tacrolimus, a topical calcineurin inhibitor (TCI) with immunomodulatory effects, is considered a viable treatment option for vitiligo. A consensus building exercise was undertaken to determine the role and clinical utility of topical tacrolimus in the management of vitiligo using input from experts in the field of dermatology.

Methods: Seventeen experts collaborated to create consensus statements using a modified Delphi methodology.

Short-chain fatty acids as a novel intervention for high-fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is driven by a complex interplay of genetic, lifestyle, and dietary factors, leading to weight gain, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and chronic inflammation. Gut microbiota dysbiosis has been recently recognized as a key contributor to MetS, leading to advancements in gut microbiome-based interventions to improve health outcomes. Considering the unique challenges associated with the use of pre/probiotics, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), also known as postbiotics, have emerged as promising therapeutic agents due to their role in modulating host metabolism and physiology.

Genetic and allelic heterogeneity in 248 Indians with skeletal dysplasia.

Skeletal dysplasias are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of rare disorders. Studies from large cohorts are essential to provide insights into the disease epidemiology, phenotypic spectrum, and mutational profiles. Here we enumerate additional 248 Indians from 197 families with a skeletal dysplasia, following a similar study earlier.

Clinical Characteristics, and Prevalence of Hepatic and Bone Mineral Density Abnormalities in Patients With Sheehan Syndrome: Data From a Tertiary Care Center.

Objective: Sheehan syndrome (SS), or postpartum pituitary necrosis, occurs due to reduced vascular supply to pituitary gland after postpartum hemorrhage, often linked to coagulation abnormalities, and pituitary antibodies. A smaller sella turcica volume is a risk factor for SS, consequent to compressive effects on the pituitary stalk. Hypopituitarism in SS increases the risk of metabolic liver and bone diseases.

Endoscopic Suturing of Skull Base Dura and its Effectiveness in Preventing CSF Leak.

Proper skull base repair is essential in preventing postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak following endonasal endoscopic skull base surgery. Direct suturing of the skull base dura is desirable but difficult. Here, we discuss the effectiveness of endoscopic suturing of skull base dura in cases of skull base lesions with intraoperative CSF leak.

Diagnostic work-up of bile duct strictures: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Guideline.

1: ESGE recommends the combination of endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition (EUS-TA) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-based tissue acquisition as the preferred diagnostic approach for tissue acquisition in patients with jaundice and distal extrahepatic biliary stricture in the absence of a pancreatic mass. 2: ESGE suggests that brushing cytology should be completed along with fluoroscopy-guided biopsies, wherever technically feasible, in patients with perihilar biliary strictures. 3: ESGE suggests EUS-TA for perihilar strictures when ERCP-based modalities yield insufficient results, provided that curative resection is not feasible and/or when cross-sectional imaging has shown accessible extraluminal disease.

Flow-cytometric Analysis of Reactive Oxygen Species in Blood Cells: A Potential Tool for Predicting Restenosis - Insights from a Cohort Study.

Introduction: In-stent restenosis (ISR) is a recurrence of a blockage in a section of the coronary artery that has previously been treated with a stent. Molecular/biochemical pathways underlying ISR are not fully understood, but inflammation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced oxidative stress play a significant role in the pathogenesis of restenosis. As blood cells are highly sensitive to oxidative stress and blood is readily accessible compared to other tissues, the current study flow cytometrically investigated intracellular ROS and cytokine profile of blood cells as possible markers of restenosis.

Spinal intradural malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor at the foramen magnum in a non-neurofibromatosis child.

Primary spinal intradural malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are rare neoplasms, especially in children with a non-neurofibromatosis background. Scarce pediatric data exist with regard to such tumors. A 4-year-old child with a history of spastic limb weakness was operated for a foramen magnum spinal lesion (intradural and extradural) with imaging suggestive of schwannoma; the histopathology, however, was that of a MPNST.

Molecular Characteristics of Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant , Hospital-Acquired MRSA Isolates, and PVL in one of the Indian hospitals.

Unlabelled: Community-acquired methicillin resistant (CA-MRSA) strains are increasingly replacing hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) strains in hospitalized patients leading to poor clinical outcomes. Hence, this study aimed to characterize clinical isolates of MRSA (HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA) and to understand their clonal origin. A total of 400 consecutive clinical isolates were collected from the clinical bacteriology lab of a tertiary care hospital.

Albumin orchestrates a natural host defense mechanism against mucormycosis.

Mucormycosis is an emerging, life-threatening human infection caused by fungi of the order Mucorales. Metabolic disorders uniquely predispose an ever-expanding group of patients to mucormycosis via poorly understood mechanisms. Therefore, it is highly likely that uncharacterized host metabolic effectors confer protective immunity against mucormycosis.

Conventional Synthetic Disease-modifying Drugs Remain the Mainstay of Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis in India.

Background: There are limited data on the real-world utilization of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in Indian patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of a multicentric observational cohort of RA patients across rheumatology clinics at six centers across India. Patients who met the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2010 criteria for RA were included.

Efficacy and safety of Nusinersen among children with spinal muscular atrophy from North India: A prospective cohort study (NICE-SMA study).

Background: Intra-thecal Nusinersen has been approved for the treatment of Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Limited data is available regarding the efficacy and safety of Nusinersen in children with SMA type 2 and 3 from North India.

Objective: To study the efficacy and safety of Nusinersen among children with SMA type 2 and 3 from North India compared to standard of care (SOC) over 12 months.

Management of facial asymmetry assisted with digitally designed surgical guide for 3-dimensional maxillary repositioning: A case report.

Orthodontists play a pivotal role in diagnosing, planning, and preparing patients for orthognathic surgeries. Digital technologies like cephalometry, intraoral scans, CBCT scans, CAD-CAM-assisted 3-D planning, and printed surgical splints, have largely replaced conventional techniques. The automated software produces surgical splints with a design similar to conventional which may not address complex scenarios, involving symmetric and asymmetric maxillary impaction.

Carbapenem-resistant raises global alarm for new antibiotic regimens.

Carbapenem-resistant (CRAB) is a top-priority pathogen causing a nosocomial infection that increases morbidity and mortality. Treatment options for CRAB are relatively limited by pharmacokinetic restrictions, such as substantial toxicity. Therefore, we must better understand this pathogen to develop new treatments and control strategies.

Steri-Strip Sling Technique - A Simple Procedure for the Management of Ingrown Toenails - A Prospective Study.

Background: Ingrown toenail is a nail disorder that commonly affects great toenails. Surgical modalities are commonly used as first-line treatment. A conservative approach is preferable as surgical procedures lead to pain and affect routine activities.

Crescentic Glomerulonephritis in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection.

The spectrum of kidney disease among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients is extensive. We describe a young male who was recently detected with HIV infection and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) negative pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis. The patient had no extrarenal vasculitis involvement.