Tacrolimus as the first-line agent in adult-onset minimal change disease: A randomized controlled study.

Steroids have been the cornerstone of first-line therapy in adult-onset minimal change disease (MCD). The period of exposure to high dose steroids may be longer in adult MCD patients and would result in higher rates of steroid-related side effects. Although tacrolimus (TAC) is known to be effective in steroid-dependent/resistant MCD as well as in nephrotic syndrome due to other causes, there are minimal data available for assessing the effectiveness of TAC as the first-line agent in adult MCD.

Comparison between Macintosh, Miller and McCoy laryngoscope blade size 2 in paediatric patients - A randomised controlled trial.

Background And Aims: Paediatric airway needs special consideration as it is not a miniature replica of adult airway, rather it has different anatomy with different proportion and angulations. This study was conducted with the aim to find a laryngoscope blade that provides best laryngoscopic and intubation conditions in paediatric patients of age 2-6 years.

Methods: This trial was conducted in a total of 75 children age 2-6 years, either gender, with American Society of Anesthesiologists grade I or II scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia.

Spectrum of renal allograft biopsy: A five-year experience at a tertiary care center of Eastern India.

Renal allograft dysfunction (RAD) can have myriad causes and presentations. Allograft biopsy remains the gold standard for optimum management. This is a retrospective study carried out at a tertiary care institute from August 2011 to March 2016.

Neck Circumference to Height Ratio is a Reliable Predictor of Liver Stiffness and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Prediabetes.

Background And Objectives: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and dysglycemia are public health challenges. There is urgent need for anthropometric surrogates for NAFLD screening. This study evaluated role of neck circumference (NC) and neck-height ratio (NHtR) as predictors of liver stiffness measure (LSM) in individuals with prediabetes (IPD).

Mortality following surgery for trauma in an Indian trauma cohort.

Background: India accounts for 20 per cent of worldwide trauma mortality. Little is known about the quality of trauma surgery in an Indian setting. The aim of this study was to estimate the overall perioperative mortality rate, and to assess the association between type of acute surgical intervention and perioperative mortality among adult patients treated for trauma in an urban Indian setting.

The burden of iron-deficiency anaemia among women in India: how have iron and folic acid interventions fared?

Iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) among women in India is a problem of major public health significance. Using data from three waves of the National Family Health Survey, this article discusses the burden of and trend in IDA among women in India, and discusses the level of iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation and its potential role in reducing the burden of IDA. Between 2005-2006 and 2015-2016, IDA in India decreased by only 3.

Palmitate induced Fetuin-A secretion from pancreatic β-cells adversely affects its function and elicits inflammation.

Islets of type 2 diabetes patients display inflammation, elevated levels of cytokines and macrophages. The master regulator of inflammation in the islets is free fatty acids (FFA). It has already been reported that FFA and TLR4 stimulation induces pro-inflammatory factors in the islets.

Impact of Self-monitoring of Blood Glucose Log Reliability on Long-term Glycemic Outcomes in Children with Type 1 Diabetes.

Introduction: Logbooks of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) are useful in the modulation of insulin regimens, which aid in achieving glycemic control in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, discrepancies in SMBG charting may impede its utility. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of log entries and its impact on long-term glycemic control.

Neck height ratio is an important predictor of metabolic syndrome among Asian Indians.

Background And Aims: The predictive potential of neck circumference (NC) based indices (a measure of upper body fat distribution) for predicting metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components among Indians is not known. This study aimed to evaluate the role of NC and neck height ratio (NHtR) as independent predictors of MetS and its components as compared to traditional anthropometric indices.

Materials And Methods: A total of 451 individuals from 867 screened individuals, 30-80 years age, without any co-morbid state who gave informed written consent underwent clinical, anthropometric, and biochemical assessment.

Validation of international trauma scoring systems in urban trauma centres in India.

Introduction: In the Lower-Middle Income Country setting, we validate trauma severity scoring systems, namely Injury Severity Score (ISS), New Injury Severity Scale (NISS) score, the Kampala Trauma Score (KTS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS) score and the TRauma Injury Severity Score (TRISS) using Indian trauma patients.

Patients And Methods: From 1 September 2013 to 28 February 2015, we conducted a prospective multi-centre observational cohort study of trauma patients in four Indian university hospitals, in three megacities, Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi. All adult patients presenting to the casualty department with a history of injury and who were admitted to inpatient care were included.

Systemic immunologic and inflammatory response after transperitoneal versus retroperitoneal laparoscopic donor nephrectomy: A prospective observational study.

Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) can be performed via either transperitoneal or retroperitoneal approach. Very few studies have been carried out till now, comparing immunologic and inflammatory responses in donors after these two approaches. This is a prospective observational study.

Macrodystrophia lipomatosa: Review of clinico-radio-histopathological features.

We report clinical, radiological, and pathological features of three cases of macrodystrophia lipomatosa, which is characterized by progressive proliferation of all mesenchymal elements, with a disproportionate increase in fibroadipose tissue. The peculiarity in our report is the involvement of contralateral hand and feet in our 1(st) case in contrast to usual presentations of this rare condition, which is often unilateral. In our 2(nd) case, the lateral aspect of foot was involved as against the usual finding of involvement of medial aspect in lower limbs, also another surprising finding in this case is increase in the size of lesion after puberty.

A clinicoepidemiological study of young age bladder tumors: An eastern Indian scenario.

Introduction: Though, bladder cancer is one of the most common urological malignancies, studies addressing the young age group bladder tumors are rare. Present study was done to determine the clinicoepidemiological aspects of bladder tumor diagnosed in young age patients and to compare these aspects with elderly patients.

Patients And Methods: Patients with urinary bladder tumor were selectively divided into two groups; young (<40 years) and elderly (>60 years).

Vitamin D supplementation reduces thyroid peroxidase antibody levels in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease: An open-labeled randomized controlled trial.

Background And Aims: Although Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disorders (AITD), the impact of Vitamin D supplementation on thyroid autoimmunity is not known. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Vitamin D supplementation on thyroid autoimmunity (thyroid peroxidase antibody [TPO-Ab] titers) in patients with newly diagnosed AITD in a randomized controlled trial.

Materials And Methods: One hundred two patients with newly diagnosed AITD (TPO-Ab > 34 kIU/L and/or sonographic evidence of thyroiditis) patients were randomized into Group-1 (intervention group) and Group-2 (control group).

Superficial Basal Cell Carcinoma on the Face is a Diagnostic Challenge.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common non-melanoma skin cancer. The incidence of BCC is rising. The nodular, superficial spreading, and infiltrating variants are the three most commonly encountered types of BCC in descending order of prevalence.

Sacrococcygeal teratoma with complete adrenal gland.

Sacrococcygeal teratoma is the most common congenital neoplasm in neonates. We came across a post term (42 weeks) newborn baby girl delivered by normal vaginal route. The baby presented with a large soft, cystic mass over the sacrococcygeal region.

Aspirin Suppresses the Acquisition of Chemoresistance in Breast Cancer by Disrupting an NFκB-IL6 Signaling Axis Responsible for the Generation of Cancer Stem Cells.

Acquired chemoresistance has curtailed cancer survival since the dawn of chemotherapy. Accumulating evidence suggests a major role for cancer stem cells (CSC) in chemoresistance, although their involvement in acquired resistance is still unknown. The use of aspirin has been associated with reduced cancer risk and recurrence, suggesting that the anti-inflammatory drug may exert effects on CSCs.

Traumatic transfers: calibration is adversely affected when prediction models are transferred between trauma care contexts in India and the United States.

Objective: We evaluated the transferability of prediction models between trauma care contexts in India and the United States and explored updating methods to adjust such models for new contexts.

Study Design And Settings: Using a combination of prospective cohort and registry data from 3,728 patients of Towards Improved Trauma Care Outcomes in India (TITCO) and from 18,756 patients of the US National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB), we derived models in one context and validated them in the other, assessing them for discrimination and calibration using systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and Glasgow coma scale as candidate predictors.

Results: Early mortality was 8% in the TITCO and 1-2% in the NTDB samples.

Comparison between intrathecal isobaric ropivacaine-fentanyl and bupivacaine-fentanyl in elective infraumbilical orthopedic surgery: A randomized controlled study.

Background And Aims: We aimed to evaluate and compare the block characteristics and duration of analgesia of intrathecal isobaric ropivacaine-fentanyl and bupivacaine-fentanyl combination in adult patients undergoing lower limb orthopedic surgery.

Material And Methods: Seventy-four American Society of Anesthesiologists' I and II adult patients undergoing lower limb orthopedic surgery under subarachnoid block were randomized to receive either 3 ml 0.5% isobaric ropivacaine and 25 mcg fentanyl (Group R) or 3 ml 0.

Unilateral neuropathic arthropathy of the shoulder secondary to syringomyelia: Diagnostic challenges.

Neuropathic arthropathy of the shoulder is a rare disorder characterized by joint degeneration, and is associated with loss of sensory innervation. Syringomyelia is a disease in which fluid-containing cavities (syrinxes) form within the spinal cord. Here, we report a case of neuropathic arthropathy of the shoulder secondary to syringomyelia in a 40-year-old woman.

Demographic and clinicopathological profile of patients with chronic pancreatitis in a tertiary referral teaching hospital of West Bengal: Personal experience.

Background: There is a paucity of data on the demographic and clinicopathological profiles of patients with chronic pancreatitis from the eastern part of India. This study documents the demographic and clinicopathological profiles of patients with chronic pancreatitis presenting to a general surgery unit of a tertiary referral hospital of Kolkata.

Methods: The records of 145 patients presenting with chronic pancreatitis over a 5-year period were scrutinized and their demographics, clinical profile, and complications and morphological changes of the pancreas are described.