Psychological assessment and lived experiences of recovered COVID-19 patients who presented for convalescent plasma donation.

BACKGROUND: Increasingly, it has been seen that patients recovering from COVID-19 may face a second battle of coping with its mental health ramifications. These psychological issues can even be experienced by patients who were asymptomatic or had mild to moderate symptoms, potentially impacting their quality of life. METHODOLOGY: This was a prospective observational study to analyse the psychological impact of COVID-19 in recovered patients who presented as prospective convalescent plasma (CP) donors. An interview for the psychological assessment of the prospective donors was carried out. Depression and anxiety in the participants were assessed by HAM-A, and HAM-D scores and Quality of Life were assessed using the WHOQOL-BREF scale. RESULTS: A total of 51 prospective donors were assessed, with a mean age of 34.37 (±9.08) years, with the majority being males (46). No clinically significant depression and anxiety were found on the basis of HAM-D and HAM-A scores. The worst affected quality of life parameter, based on the WHOQOL-BREF scale, was physical quality of life followed by environmental, psychological, and social relationships. Moreover, due to infection, social stigma was experienced by 49.02% of the donors, while 21.97% had anxiety related to convalescent plasma donation as a common livid experience. CONCLUSION: Poor quality of life and social stigma during the recovery phase is prevalent in COVID-19 recovered patients, for which formulation of holistic support strategies are the need of the hour.

Tracheal tube fixation: the effect on depth of insertion of midline fixation compared to the angle of the mouth.

Following successful placement of a tracheal tube (TT), it is frequently moved from the midline to the angle of the mouth. This study investigates the tracheal tube tip position in the two fixation positions in 200 adult patients. Following tracheal intubation, a fibreoptic bronchoscope (FOB) was introduced through a swivel connector and the distances from the swivel connector to the lips, carina, tip of TT and the crico-tracheal membrane were measured with the TT in the midline and at the right angle of the mouth. The mean (SD) TT tip to carinal distance decreased from 3.60 (1.50) cm to 2.28 (1.55) cm in female patients, and 5.04 (1.43) cm to 3.69 (1.65) cm in male patients on moving the tracheal tube to the angle of the mouth. We conclude that there is a significant movement of the tracheal tube towards the carina on moving the TT from midline to angle of mouth and the depth of insertion of the tube should be adjusted accordingly.

Dextrose prolotherapy for recalcitrant coccygodynia.

PURPOSE: To present the results of dextrose prolotherapy undertaken for chronic non-responding coccygodynia in 37 patients. METHODS: 14 men and 23 women (mean age, 36 years) with chronic coccygodynia not responding to conservative treatment for more than 6 months were included. 27 of them had received local steroid injections. A visual analogue score (VAS) was recorded for all patients before and after injection of 8 ml of 25% dextrose and 2 ml of 2% lignocaine into the coccyx. In 8 patients with a VAS of more than 4 after the second injection, a third injection was given 4 weeks later. RESULTS: The mean VAS before prolotherapy was 8.5. It was 3.4 after the first injection and 2.5 after the second injection. Minimal or no improvement was noted in 7 patients; the remaining 30 patients had good pain relief. CONCLUSION: Dextrose prolotherapy is an effective treatment option in patients with chronic, recalcitrant coccygodynia and should be used before undergoing coccygectomy. Randomised studies are needed to compare prolotherapy with local steroid injections or coccygectomies.

Computed tomography-guided radiofrequency ablation of osteoid osteomas.

PURPOSE: To report on 14 patients with osteoid osteomas treated by computed tomography-guided radiofrequency ablation. METHODS: Nine males and 5 females aged 13 to 45 (mean, 25) years with osteoid osteomas were included. The proximal tibia was the commonest site involved. A bipolar 18-gauge radiofrequency probe with a 9- mm active tip was used. A 4.5-mm hollow drill was introduced into the nidus. Energy application was started at 2 W and increased to a maximum of 5 W. Heat was applied for 4 to 6 minutes at 90 degrees Celsius. RESULTS: 12 (86%) of the 14 patients had prompt pain relief; the remaining 2 underwent a repeat ablation. After a mean follow-up period of 19 (range, 9-25) months, no patient had pain recurrence. CONCLUSION: Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive and cost-effective treatment for osteoid osteomas.

Tuberculosis of the sternum: a clinical study.

A series of 14 patients suffering from tuberculosis of the sternum with a mean follow-up of 2.8 years (2 to 3.6) is presented. All were treated with antitubercular therapy: ten with primary therapy, two needed second-line therapy, and two required surgery (debridement). All showed complete healing and no evidence of recurrence at the last follow-up. MRI was useful in making the diagnosis at an early stage because atypical presentations resulting from HIV have become more common. Early adequate treatment with multidrug antitubercular therapy avoided the need for surgery in 12 of our 14 patients.

Long-term changes in glutamatergic synaptic transmission in phenylketonuria.

The cellular mechanisms that underlie impaired brain function during phenylketonuria (PKU), the most common biochemical cause of mental retardation in humans, remain unclear. Acute application of L-Phe at concentrations observed in the PKU brain depresses glutamatergic synaptic transmission but does not affect GABA receptor activity in cultured neurons. If these depressant effects of L-Phe take place in the PKU brain, then chronic impairment of the glutamate system, which may contribute to impaired brain function, could be detected as changes in postsynaptic glutamate receptors. This hypothesis was tested by using a combination of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, patch-clamp, radioligand binding and western blot approaches in forebrain tissue from heterozygous and homozygous (PKU) Pah(enu2) mice. Brain concentrations of L-Phe were nearly six-fold greater in PKU mice (863.12 +/- 17.96 micromol/kg) than in their heterozygous counterparts (149.32 +/- 10.23 micromol/kg). This concentration is significantly higher than the K(B) of 573 microM for L-Phe to compete for N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Receptor binding experiments with [3H]MK-801 showed significant up-regulation of NMDA receptor density in PKU mice. Consistent with the depressant effects of L-Phe, expression of NMDA receptor NR2A and (RS)-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor Glu1 and Glu2/3 subunits was significantly increased, whereas expression of the NR2B subunit was decreased. There was no change in GABA alpha1 subunit expression. Given the role of the glutamatergic system in brain development and function, these changes may, at least in part, explain the brain disorders associated with PKU.

Isolated tuberculosis of the coccyx.

Vertebral disease constitutes approximately 50% of all skeletal tuberculosis. We describe a patient who developed a discharging sinus at the tip of the coccyx. Extensive examination revealed isolated tuberculosis of the coccyx. Although rare, the condition should be suspected in patients presenting with a chronic sinus in the sacrococcygeal area and a lytic lesion in the coccyx on CT or MRI, particularly in the developing world.

Treatment of aneurysmal bone cysts with percutaneous sclerotherapy using polidocanol. A review of 72 cases with long-term follow-up.

Aneurysmal bone cyst is a rare tumour-like lesion which develops during growth. Our aim was to determine the efficacy of the administration of percutaneous intralesional 3% polidocanol (hydroxypolyaethoxydodecan) as sclerotherapy. Between July 1997 and December 2004 we treated 72 patients (46 males, 26 females) with a histologically-proven diagnosis of aneurysmal bone cyst, at various skeletal sites using this method. The sclerotherapy was performed under fluoroscopic guidance and general anaesthesia or sedation and local anaesthesia. The mean follow-up period was 34 months (26.5 to 80). The patients were evaluated using the Enneking system for functional assessment and all the lesions were radiologically quantified into four grades. The mean age of patients was 15.6 years (3 to 38) and the mean number of injections was three (1 to 5). Ten patients were cured by a single injection. The mean reduction in size of the lesion (radiological healing) was found to be 76.6% (61.9% to 93.2%) with a mean clinical response of 84.5% (73.4% to 100%). Recurrence was seen in two patients (2.8%) within two years of treatment and both were treated successfully by further sclerotherapy. Percutaneous sclerotherapy with polidocanol is a safe alternative to conventional surgery for the treatment of an aneurysmal bone cyst. It can be used at surgically-inaccessible sites and treatment can be performed on an out-patient basis.

Activity and stability of Bacillus cereus penicillinase entrapped in aerosol OT reverse micelles.

The kinetics of enzyme catalyzed hydrolysis of penicillin G and stability of the enzyme alpha-penicillinase, entrapped in aerosol OT reverse micellar droplets have been investigated spectrophotometrically. Various physical parameters, such as, water pool size (related to Wo), pH and temperature, were optimized for maximum activity of penicillinase in water/aerosol OT/isooctane reverse micelles. The enzyme showed maximum activity of Wo - 14 and pH, 7.0. At any temperature the enzyme was to be more active in reverse micelles than in aqueous solution. At optimum conditions of Wo, pH and temperature the enzyme was 100% more active in reverse micelles than its maximum activity in aqueous solution. In both the systems, the activity starts falling at and above 25 degrees C. CD Spectral studies showed that the enzyme in reverse micelles possesses more helical structure than it has in aqueous solution and at the optimum conditions in which it showed maximum activity, the alpha-helicity was also maximum. The enzyme was very stable in reverse micelles at and above room temperature compared to the same in aqueous solution.

Comparison of surgical treatment and nonoperative management for radial longitudinal deficiency.

We compared the radiological and functional outcomes in patients with radial longitudinal deficiency treated surgically with those managed nonoperatively and correlated the ease of performance of activities with radiological and functional parameters in the two groups. A retrospective analysis was done in 446 type 3 and 4 hands (modified Bayne classification) over 20 years comparing the subjective assessment, objective and functional scores in nonoperatively managed hands (Group 1; n = 137) to hands managed with centralization or radialization (Group 2; n = 309). The subjective, objective and functional measures were significantly better in Group 2. Improved alignment, finger and wrist range of motion and grip strength were related to improvement in functional score. Surgical treatment of radial longitudinal deficiency provides improvement in cosmesis, function and ease of performance of activities when compared with nonoperatively managed hands.

Warthin's tumour with coexistent tuberculosis.

A 81-year-old man presented with a 2-month history of swelling of the right angle of the jaw. On histopathological examination a diagnosis of Warthin's tumour with coexistent tuberculosis of the parotid gland was made. PCR for tuberculosis was positive. Tuberculosis of the parotid gland is very rare and coexistence with Warthin's tumour is extremely rare. This case is being reported for its rarity.

Aerosol-OT microemulsions as transdermal carriers of tetracaine hydrochloride.

The aerosol-OT (AOT)/water/isopropyl myristate microemulsion was investigated as a carrier in transdermal drug delivery of tetracaine hydrochloride. The study included in vivo analgesic studies on rats and histopathological, irritation, and oxidative stress measurements on mice. The tetracaine hydrochloride encapsulated in AOT/water/isopropyl myristate showed an eightfold enhancement in the analgesic response of drug compared to the aqueous solution of the drug as measured by the tail-flick method. The analgesic response of tetracaine hydrochloride, however, highly depended on the concentration of AOT and water of the microemulsion. The preliminary histopathological, irritation, and oxidative stress studies showed that AOT/water/isopropyl myristate microemulsion system is a safe transdermal carrier of tetracaine hydrochloride with a concentration of AOT in isopropyl myristate up to 21:79 w/w.

Effect of simultaneous isoniazid administration on pharmacokinetic parameters of pyrazinamide.

Pyrazinamide (PZN) was administered to 10 patients of pulmonary tuberculosis (for 7 consecutive days) each day after an overnight fast. On 8th day serum levels and urinary elimination were measured at 2,4,6 and 8 hours. Simultaneous administration of isoniazid to same patients significantly decreased the peak serum concentration (Cmax). Although, time to peak serum concentration (Tmax) remained unaffected, serum half life (t1/2) prolonged, the elimination rate constant (Kel) and area under serum concentration time curve (AUC) decreased and apparent volume of distribution (Vd) and plasma clearance (Clp) of PZN increased significantly. However, the cumulative per cent dose of PZN excreted in urine was not changed significantly. Although, serum levels of PZN were decreased at 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours, PZN levels remained above minimum effective concentration thereby not affecting the therapeutic status of PZN administered in combination with isoniazid, if PZN is administered in moderate doses.