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Background: The deficiency or insufficiency of Vitamin D has been widely reported to be linked with autoimmune thyroid diseases. Several studies were evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and its counterparts in autoimmune diseases especially in autoimmune thyroiditis. Aim and Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the Vitamin D status in children with autoimmune thyroiditis at tertiary care hospital, Sangareddy, Telangana. Materials and Methods: A source of 80 newly diagnosed cases with autoimmune thyroiditis and similar volume of age and sex matched control subjects between ?6 and 12 years were included in the study. Parameters such as thyroid function tests, serum calcium, serum phosphorus, serum alkaline phosphatase, 25(OH)D, and antithyroid antibodies levels were assessed. The antithyroid antibodies levels were assessed through chemiluminescence assay. Results: The 25(OH)D levels were 14.98ng/ml in cases and 17.46 ng/ml in control subjects. The mean levels of 25(OH)D, serum calcium, and alkaline phosphatase were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The levels of Vitamin D and four groups of antithyroid peroxidase antibody and antithyroglobulin antibody among cases and control subjects were not significant (P > 0.05). The estimation of Vitamin D in high-risk group may be helpful in designing the treatment strategies to decrease the morbidity.
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Background: Dengue fever is an acute febrile illness, ranging from asymptomatic to severe state in connection with hosts immune response. Several biochemical markers such as decreased platelet count, prolonged prothrombin duration, and increased hematocrit level have been recommended to evaluate disease severity. Due to lack of their clinical relevance, evaluation of serum ferritin is distinguishing feature to predict the disease severity at the early stage of infection. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the levels of serum ferritin as an early predictor of infection severity in children with dengue fever. Materials and Methods: Seventy-four patients diagnosed with dengue fever by non-structural protein 1 antigen positive and ?12 years of age were recruited. Hematological investigation such as platelet count, C-reactive protein (CRP), complete blood picture, liver function tests, renal function tests, and serum ferritin was assessed. Cases were monitored for disease progression status and platelet count too. Categorical variables were assessed by Chi-square test and descriptive statistics were used to represent demographic data. Results: The mean differences of the levels of platelet count, CRP, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein were statistically significant among severe and non-severe dengue cases. Serum ferritin levels in children with severe dengue fever showed 876.42 ng/ml, 1048.94 ng/ml and 1573.20 ng/ml on 3rd, 4th, and 5th day, respectively. Whereas, cases with non-severe dengue showed 431.12 ng/ml, 612.20 ng/ml, and 698.41 ng/ml on 3rd, 4th, and 5th day, respectively. Conclusion: Serum ferritin levels were significantly increased with severity dengue fever on 3rd, 4th, and 5th day of infection. Thus, serum ferritin is an efficient biomarker in estimating the dengue fever severity and progression at early stage of infection in children.
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Background: Donor hemovigilance is an important aspect of the hemovigilance system and contributes to decrease the blood donor’s complications and improving blood donor safety and functioning of blood bank. Reporting of adverse reactions associated with blood donations has been covered under National blood donor vigilance programme. This study was carried out to estimate the adverse events in blood donors and to promote their safety.Methods: The study was conducted over a period of 6 months, from 1st January 2017 to 30th June 2017 after getting approval from institutional ethics committee at tertiary care teaching hospital. Prior informed consent was obtained and donor confidentiality was ensured. The donors were observed for adverse event during or after donation. For delayed reactions, donors were requested to contact the researcher or designated departmental staff. Data was collected in case record form. Data entry was done in excel 2013 and appropriate Statistical test (chi square) was applied.Results: During study period total 7970 donors were registered, out of which 53.27% donors have donated their blood in blood camps and 46.72% have in blood bank. Incidence of donor reactions was 1.54%. Incidence of adverse reaction was higher at blood camps (58.53%). Authors found highest number of cases of mild vaso vagal type reactions (53%). Other types of reactions observed were painful arm, hematoma, delayed bleeding, tingling and moderate type of vaso vagal reaction.Conclusions: Authors did not find any major serious events like convulsion, thrombophlebitis or arterial puncture during study period. It considers that safety of donors was maintained.
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Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is a severe, potentially life-threatening acute adverse drug reaction (ADR), typically characterized by a long latency period (2-6 weeks to 3 months) from drug exposure. DRESS syndrome is defined by the presence of fever, cutaneous eruption, lymphadenopathy, systemic or asymptomatic internal organ involvement (e.g. Hepatitis, carditis, interstitial nephritis, interstitial pneumonitis, etc.) and haematological abnormalities, mainly leucocytosis, eosinophilia and sometimes atypical lymphocytosis. There are around 50 culprit drugs which cause DRESS syndrome e.g. carbamazepine, phenytoin, allopurinol, sulfa derivatives, antidepressants, antiepileptics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antimicrobials. The incidence of DRESS syndrome has been estimated to be between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 10,000 drug exposures. There are many reported cases of DRESS syndrome due to carbamazepine, phenytoin, vancomycin, levitiracitam, ceftriaxone etc. Author presented a case of DRESS syndrome by carbamazepin. RegiSCAR and Japanese consensus group have developed specific criteria for making the diagnosis of DRESS syndrome. The patient described here met the majority of criteria according to RegiSCAR scoring guidelines for a diagnosis of DRESS syndrome induced by carbamazepine. As per RegiSCAR diagnostic criteria author had concluded that this was a “Definite” case of DRESS (Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptom) syndrome induced by carbamazepine. Carbamazepine is most common broad-spectrum antiepileptic drugs so, this case report will raises awareness among physician to suspect DRESS syndrome in patients who present unusual complaints and skin findings after starting antiepileptic drugs.
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Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is an acute, highly-contagious and life-threatening vector borne disease. The CCHF virus causes severe viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks, with a case fatality rate of 10-40%. CCHF virus isolation and/or disease has been reported from more than 30 countries in Africa, Asia, South eastern Europe and Middle east. Jan 2011 marks first ever reports of outbreak of CCHF in India, total 5 cases were detected of CCHF from Gujarat. CCHF has recently in news again, 6 human cases and 32 animal samples test positive for CCHF from Kariyana village of Amreli district (Gujarat state) July 2013. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), member of genus Nairovirus in the family Bunyaviridae. Numerous genera of ixodid ticks serve both as vector and reservoir for CCHFV. Human infections occurred through tick bites, direct contact with blood or tissue of infected livestock, or nosocomial infections. Human infections begin with nonspecific febrile symptoms, but progress to a serious hemorrhagic syndrome with a high case fatality ratio. The most definitive way of diagnosis is the demonstration of virus or viral genome in sera samples. Hospitalization in special care unit with constant effort to prevent haemorrhagic complication along with laboratory monitoring is cornerstone for treatment of CCHF. Till date there is no FDA approved drug or definitive treatment for CCHF, ribavirin is tried by many physician need to be evaluated further. Current article is an effort to update existing knowledge about CCHF by due focus on various aspects especially prevention of this zoonotic disease. Much of the real life queries about this disease are elaborated after extensive literature research.
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Background: Spontaneous reporting is an important tool in pharmacovigilance. However, its success depends on cooperative and motivated prescribers. In order to improve the reporting rate, it is essential to improve the Knowledge, Attitude and the Practices (KAP) of the healthcare professionals with regards to the ADR reporting and the pharmacovigilance. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of pharmacovigilance among private prescribers of Rajkot city. Methods: It was a prospective questionnaire based survey type of study which was carried out among the private practitioners of Rajkot city. A questionnaire which was suitable for assessing the basic Knowledge, Attitude and the Practice (KAP) of pharmacovigilance was designed and distributed among the private doctors and filled up forms collected back and analyzed by microsoft excel 2007. Results: Out of 600 distributed forms 332 forms were received back, reflecting a response rate of 55.33%. 13.86% doctors didn’t know about the term pharmacovigilance. 76.80% doctors experienced ADR during their clinical practices. 17.77% doctors maintain the record for patient safety and medico legal aspect.13.25% doctors reported ADR at different places. Lack of knowledge and awareness and medico legal problems were common reasons for under reporting of ADR.78.30% doctors agreed to keep ADR monitoring mandatory. Preferred methods for reporting ADR were electronic media and personal communication. Conclusions: There was a great need to create awareness among the private doctors to improve the reporting of ADRs. Even though ADR reporting make compulsory by doctors unless there is no strict government rules and regulation success of pharmacovigilance programme is questionable.
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Advanced ceramic materials such as Zirconia have great potential as substitutes for traditional materials in many biomedical applications. Since the end of 1990’s, the form of partially stabilized zirconia has been promoted as suitable for dental use due to its excellent strength and superior fracture resistance as a result of its inherent transformation toughening. The purpose of this review is to know the evolution of zirconia as a biomaterial, to explore the materials physical, chemical, biological and optical properties of the material.
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Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the serious secondary complications of diabetes, which results in end-stage renal failure. Reports on the progressive nature of early phase DN especially with respect to kidney parameters such as kidney weight, type IV collagen excretion, total kidney and urinary glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are few. This work was undertaken to determine systematically the progression of early phase DN in relation to various kidney-related parameters for a period of four months. Experimentally-induced diabetic rats were grouped based on fasting blood glucose levels. Various basic and kidney-related parameters such as kidney weight, microalbuminuria, urinary excretion of GAGs and type IV collagen, total kidney GAGs, histopathology, glomerular area and glomerular volume were examined in control and diabetic rats. There was a progressive increase in fasting blood sugar, urine sugar, kidney weight, microalbuminuria, urine glycosaminoglycans, urine type IV collagen, glomerular area and glomerular volume but there was a progressive decrease in kidney glycosaminoglycans. Glomerular sclerotic condition was aggravated with the increase in duration of diabetes from 1 to 4 months. Onset of DN in rats begins subtly after one month of diabetes but gets vitiated and more pronounced at the end of four months.