The in vitro study of interaction between antacids and anti-diabetic drug sitagliptin in the treatment of type II diabetes.

Hyperglycemia is a long-lasting syndrome that occurs either when the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin, or the body cannot effectively utilize that insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Non-insulin-dependent hyperglycemia, also known as type II diabetes, causes a common consequence of severe damage to many of the body's organs mainly the blood vessels and nerves. The majority of people around the world are suffering from non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The present work showed a great effort to investigate any possible interaction between antacids and sitagliptin (anti-diabetic drug) in the treatment of type II diabetes with gastrointestinal tract problems. The in vitro studies were carried out in simulated gastric juice pH 2.0 and intestinal pH 7.4 at 37oC. MgCO3, NaHCO3, Mg(OH)2, Al(OH)3 and CaCO3 were used as antacids in these studies. It has been observed that % release of sitagliptin was significantly enhanced in the presence of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonates.

Clinical outcomes of prophylactic platelet transfusion in patients with dengue: A retrospective study of patients at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the benefit of prophylactic platelet transfusion on clinical outcomes in patients with dengue fever. METHODS: The retrospective cohort study was conducted at Patel Hospital, Karachi, and comprised record of patients fulfilling World Health Organisation's diagnostic criteria for dengue between 2009 and 2015. We excluded patients with known auto-immune thrombocytopenia, isolated infection with a pathogen other than dengue virus, drug-induced thrombocytopenia and patients requiring therapeutic transfusion. SPSS 21 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Of the 639 dengue patients, 209(32.7%) were transfused platelets (group 1) while 430(67.3%) were not (group 2). There was a significant difference in minor bleeding episodes (65(31.1%) in the transfused group vs. 59(13.7%) in the non-transfused group; p=0.000). Similarly, 4(1.9%) patients died in group 1vs. 1(0.2%) in group 2 (p=0.024). The mean cost of hospital stay was Rs26,733±5,780 in group 1 vs. Rs5,266±3,627 in group 2 (p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic transfusion in dengue patients provided little or no clinical benefit in preventing bleeding complications, and substantially increased medical costs.