Transfer of Guided Emergence Profile Developed Using Customized Provisional Implant Restoration and Cementation Using an Abutment Replica Technique: A Case Report.

The long-term success of dental implants depends not only upon implant osseointegration, but also on the surrounding soft tissue health and profile. An ideal emergence profile contributes to the aesthetics of an implant restoration. It maintains long-term implant health by preventing potential food accumulation and forming a barrier against bacterial ingress. This article describes a method for obtaining an impression of implants that will capture the custom guided peri-implant soft tissue contours accurately, thus contributing to a final restoration with favorable aesthetics. We also describe a technique for reducing excess cement in a cement retained implant crown, thereby contributing to the health of the peri-implant tissues.

Enhancing encapsulation of filarial antigen Brugia malayi thioredoxin in nano-liposomes: The role of lecithin composition.

Background and purpose: Lymphatic filariasis is a debilitating infectious disease prevalent in endemic areas, necessitating the development of an effective vaccine for eradication. Although recombinant vaccine candidates have been deemed safe, they often fail to provide sufficient protection, which can be overcome by encapsulating them in nano-liposomes. In this study, we have optimised the liposomal composition for enhanced stability and encapsulation of filarial antigen Brugia malayi thioredoxin (Bm-TRX). Experimental approach: Nano-liposomes were prepared using egg phosphatidylcholine (EPC) and cholesterol via thin-film hydration, followed by sonication and characterizing. Encapsulation efficiency was optimised using different weight ratios of EPC to cholesterol (8:2, 7:3, and 6:4) and total lipid (EPC+Cholesterol) concentration to antigen Bm-TRX (10:1, 10:2, and 10:3) followed by release kinetics study. Key results: Optimised parameters yielded spherical liposomes measuring 209 nm in diameter with narrow polydispersity. Our findings demonstrated the highest encapsulation efficiency of 70.685 % and stability of 10 hours for an EPC to cholesterol weight ratio of 7:3. The in silico study proved the antigenic nature of TRX. Conclusion: The liposomal formulations loaded with TRX, as optimized in this study, hold promise for improving antigen efficiency by enhancing stability, bioavailability, and prophylactic effects by acting as immune potentiators.

In-silico structural studies on anti-inflammatory activity of phytocompounds from the genus Andrographis.

Plant species from the genus Andrographis were used in Ayurveda and in other folklore medicines for treating ailments for centuries. In this study, we have hypothesized to evaluate the secondary metabolites as potent anti-inflammatory agents from the genus Andrographis. A library of secondary metabolites of the said genus was curated from the PubChem database and was subjected to energy minimization using UCSF Chimera software employing the AMBER force field. Initially, molecular docking was performed to evaluate the binding affinity of the curated library against the enzymes cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LOX) using AutoDock Vina. This resulted in shortlisting of two metabolites Echioidinin 5-O-glucoside was bound and 5,2',6'-Trihydroxy-6,7,8-trimethoxy flavone 2'-O-glucoside with high binding affinity than standard drugs Ibuprofen and Zileuton. In addition, molecular dynamic simulation studies confirm that these compounds form relatively more stable complexes than standard drugs with the above-said enzymes. The free binding energy values using MMGBSA of the above said ligands with COX-1, COX-2, and 5-LOX were found to be -49.18 kcal/mol, -38.60 kcal/mol, and -54.27 kcal/mol respectively, Whereas the standards have -21.77 kcal/mol, -9.96 kcal/mol, and -10.29 kcal/mol. Moreover, the in-silico ADMET analysis confirms the druggability of the shortlisted compounds. Later, this work will act as a base for in-vitro and in-vivo experimental studies to validate the anti-inflammatory potential of the same.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

In silico, in vitro antimicrobial and antimycobacterial evaluation of newly synthesized 2r, 6c-diaryl-3t-methylpiperidin-4-one arylsulphonylhydrazones.

Eight 2r,6c-diaryl-3t-methylpiperidin-4-one arylsulphonylhydrazones 4(a-d) and 5(a-d) was synthesized by the condensation of benzenesulphonylhydrazide (2) or p-toluenesulphonylhydrazide (3) with 2r,6c-diaryl-3t-methylpiperidin-4-ones 1(a-d). The structural and molecular confirmations of the synthesized hydrazones were interpreted using 1D, 2D NMR spectra and CHNS analysis. The in silico studies of synthesized compounds 4(a-d) and 5(a-d) against b-ketoacyl-ACP-synthase III (FabH) indicated excellent anti-tubercular efficacy. The hydrazones were evaluated for antimicrobial activity and it was found that they exhibited significant antimicrobial activities. The in vitro evaluation of the compounds against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv indicated that 4b and 5b had high inhibitory efficiency at the lowest concentration of 3.13 and 6.25 µg/ml, respectively. Hence our novel compounds can be used as an alternative drug against tuberculosis.

An Insilico evaluation of phytocompounds from Albizia amara and Phyla nodiflora as cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme inhibitors.

PURPOSE: The enzyme Cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2) catalyze the formation of prostaglandin, a mediator of the inflammatory pathway. Inflammation related pathological conditions may be alleviated by targeting the Cox enzymes.COX-2 inhibitors that are currently available in the market causes undesirable side effects. Our present study focuses on the in-silico inhibition of COX -2 enzyme by the phytocompounds from Albizia amara and Phyla nodiflora. METHODS: The phytochemicals present in Albizia amara and Phyla nodiflora were analyzed for their COX-2 inhibition potential. Eight compounds from Albizia amara and eleven compounds from Phyla nodiflora obtained from GC-MS analysis was used for the current study. Molecular docking was performed using AutoDock vina. The crystal structure of COX-2 (PDB ID: 5IKR) was obtained from Protein data bank. PyMol was used to remove any solvent, organic and inorganic molecules. Energy minimization of the protein was carried out using SPDBV software. Geometrical optimizations of the ligands were performed using Avogadro software. Celecoxib was used as the positive control. ADMET properties of the compounds were analyzed using SwissADME and ProtoxII online servers. Molecular mechanics/generalized born surface area (MM/GBSA) calculations were performed to evaluate the binding efficiency. Molecular dynamics of the protein and protein-ligand complex was studied for about 100 ns using Desmond package of Schrodinger suite. RESULTS: Among the eighteen compounds, Squalene present in both the plants showed a better binding energy of -7.7 kcal/mol, when compare to other phytocompounds present in the extract. The control celecoxib showed a binding energy of about - 9.4 kcal/mol. The toxicity and ADMET properties of squalene indicated that it is non-toxic and followed Lipinski's rule. Molecular Dynamics (MD) analysis showed that the binding of squalene to the enzyme was stable. CONCLUSION: Squalene could potentially inhibit COX2 and o wing to its properties, squalene can be formulated in gels/creams and could be possibly used for external edema and inflammation.

Acid stable α-amylase from Pseudomonas balearica VITPS19-Production, purification and characterization.

In the present study, α-amylase from Pseudomonas balearica VITPS19 isolated from Kolathur, Tamil Nadu, India was studied. Initially, one factor at a time (OFAT) approach was used to optimize the medium parameters like pH, temperature, carbon and nitrogen sources and the presence of metal ions to enhance the amylase activity. After the optimization, 6.5-fold increase in the enzyme production was observed. Enzyme purification was carried out in three stages. The molecular weight of purified α-amylase was estimated to be 47 kDa.The optimum activity for the purified enzyme was observed at pH 6 in 0.1 M phosphate buffer at 25 ± 2 °C and the activity is enhanced in the presence of ions like Mn2+, Mo6+, Na+, Mg2+and Zn2+ and was inhibited in the presence of Hg2+ ions. Compounds such as Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), urea and ß- mercaptoethanol reduced the amylase activity. The Km and Vmax of the α-amylase was estimated to be 45.23 mM and 20.83 U/mL, respectively.

Flexible and self-standing nickel ferrite-PVDF-TrFE cast films: promising candidates for high-end magnetoelectric applications.

Polymer-based magnetoelectrics are identified as a newly emerging area of research due to their profound potential applications centered on spintronic technology. In line with this, we have developed a novel, flexible nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4)-PVDF-TrFE (NF-PVDF-TrFE) polymer based magnetoelectric film, with excellent magnetoelectric coupling at room temperature. Nanocomposite films were prepared by the solution cast method, in which the nickel ferrite nanoparticles with different weight percentages (2, 4, 8 and 16%) were incorporated in the electroactive PVDF-TrFE polymer matrix. The ferroelectric ß-crystalline phase of PVDF-TrFE was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman studies. Dielectric and thermal properties of the composite films were found to be substantially improved with the addition of magnetic nanoparticles. Ferroelectric and magnetic characteristics of the composite films were also considerably improved with an increase in NiFe2O4 concentration. A magnetic saturation (Ms) of 4.81 emu g-1 and a ferroelectric maximum polarization of 18.9 µC cm-2 were shown by the composite film at room temperature for 16 wt% loading of NF nanoparticles. Besides these functionalities, ac and dc magnetoelectric coupling coefficients of 69 mV cm-1 Oe-1 and 90 mV cm-1 Oe-1 were obtained for 16NF-PVDF-TrFE along with excellent mechanical stability. These flexible and self-standing magnetoelectric composite films with enhanced magnetoelectric coupling coefficients at room temperature could be suitable candidates for the development of ultramodern information storage devices, memory devices, signal processing devices etc.

Dopamine functionalization of BaTiO3: an effective strategy for the enhancement of electrical, magnetoelectric and thermal properties of BaTiO3-PVDF-TrFE nanocomposites.

Electro-active polymer-ceramic composite systems are emerging materials in the fields of nanoelectronic, microelectromechanical and macroelectronic device applications. Still more precise and concise research studies have yet to come in the areas of energy storage, harvesting, energy conversion, etc. In line with this, we have synthesized and analyzed PVDF-TrFE based nanocomposites of both functionalized and non-functionalized BaTiO3 (BTO). All the samples were prepared as free standing films by employing a solvent cast method. A systematic study of structural, morphological, thermal, dielectric, ferroelectric, piezoelectric and magnetoelectric (ME) properties has been carried out. It has been reported that the addition of BTO nanoparticles (with and without functionalization) into a polymer matrix substantially improved the properties of the nanocomposite. By performing the above mentioned characterization, it could be proved that dopamine functionalized BTO (DBTO) samples are better choices for the above mentioned applications including magnetoelectric applications, than the non-functionalized ones.

Pegylated interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin for treatment of chronic hepatitis C.

AIM: To study the safety and efficacy of pegylated interferon alfa-2b, indigenously developed in India, plus ribavirin in treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV). METHODS: One-hundred HCV patients were enrolled in an open-label, multicenter trial. Patients were treated with pegylated interferon alfa-2b 1.5 µg/kg per week subcutaneously plus oral ribavirin 800 mg/d for patients with genotypes 2 and 3 for 24 wk. The same dose of peginterferon plus weight-based ribavirin (800 mg/d for ≤ 65 kg; 1000 mg/d for > 65-85 kg; 1200 mg/d for > 85-105 kg; 1400 mg/d for > 105 kg body weight) was administered for 48 wk for patients with genotypes 1 and 4. Serological and biochemical responses of patients were assessed. RESULTS: Eighty-two patients (35 in genotypes 1 and 4 and 47 in 2 and 3), completed the study. In genotype 1, 25.9% of patients achieved rapid virologic response (RVR): while the figures were 74.1% for early virologic response (EVR) and 44.4% for sustained virologic response (SVR). For genotypes 2 and 3, all patients bar one belonged to genotype 3, and of those, 71.4%, 87.5%, and 64.3% achieved RVR, EVR, and SVR, respectively. In genotype 4, 58.8%, 88.2%, and 52.9% of patients achieved RVR, EVR, and SVR, respectively. The majority of patients attained normal levels of alanine aminotransferase by 4-12 wk of therapy. Most patients showed a good tolerance for the treatment, although mild-to-moderate adverse events were exhibited; only two patients discontinued the study medication due to serious adverse events (SAEs). Eleven SAEs were observed in nine patients; however, only four SAEs were related to study medication. CONCLUSION: Peginterferon alfa-2b, which was developed in India, in combination with ribavirin, is a safe and effective drug in the treatment of HCV.

Full mouth rehabilitation of a patient with mandibular implant screw retained Fp-3 prosthesis opposing maxillary acrylic removable over-denture.

A hybrid denture is one that is fabricated over a metal framework and retained by screws threaded into the implant abutments. The anterior part of a mandibular hybrid denture is fixed on implants while the posterior part of the denture is extended and cantilevered from implants. This article presents the fabrication of a maxillary over-denture opposing mandibular implant retained hybrid prosthesis. A total of four implants were placed in the mandibular arch. Castable abutments were used to produce the optimal angulations. Framework was waxed, cast recovered, and the fit was refined until the framework seated passively on the master cast. The mandibular denture teeth were waxed to the hybrid framework, and a final wax try-in was performed to verify and correct maxillomandibular relations before processing. The prosthesis was inserted after verification of occlusion, retention, and stability. The rehabilitation of edentulous patients with hybrid dentures has been observed to achieve greater masticatory function and psychological satisfaction than with conventional over-dentures. Producing a passive-fitting substructure for a fixed removable screw retained hybrid prosthesis is arguably one of the most technically complex tasks in implant dentistry. The technique presented may not initially produce a perfectly passive framework, but use of disclosing media and adjusting the internal aspect of the casting can result in non-binding, fully seated prostheses.

Effect of four different surface treatments on shear bond strength of three porcelain repair systems: An in vitro study.

BACKGROUND: Ceramic fracture in metal ceramic restorations are serious and pose an aesthetic and functional dilemma both for the patients and the dentist. This has created a demand for the development of practical repair options which do not necessitate the removal and remake of entire restorations. AIM: To evaluate and compare the effect of four different surface treatments on shear bond strength of metal ceramic specimens with three commercially available porcelain repair systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Specimens were fabricated with a base-metal ceramic alloy and divided into three groups, to evaluate three porcelain repair systems. Each group was divided into four subgroups based on surface treatment (A) sandblasting, (B) sandblasting followed by etching with 9% HF (Hydrofluoric acid) on surrounding ceramic, (C) Use of a diamond bur on exposed metal followed by etching with 37% H3PO4 and (D) Control groups (D1, D2, D3 for three groups of porcelain repair system which was not subjected to further treatment after finishing with 240 grit silicon carbide paper grinding. Shear bond strength of each group of specimens based on surface treatment were evaluated with a universal testing machine after storing in distilled water for 7 days. One way ANOVA and Tukey-HSD procedure were used to compare the mean values between and among the groups. RESULTS: The mean shear bond strength of group III (10.402 ± 1.055) were significantly higher than group I (8.647 ± 0.990) and group II (8.099 ± 0.600) for all surface treatments. However the mean values of shear bond strength of sub-group A were significantly higher than sub-group C and D but were not significantly higher than sub-group B. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that in fractured metal ceramic restorations the exposed metal surface treated with sandblasting or sandblasting and etching the surrounding ceramic surface with HF can increase the shear bond strength of the repaired metal ceramic area. Porcelain repair systems which contain hybrid composites and 4-META as primer had increased bond strength.

Comparison of the efficiency of photography-assisted shade selection to visual shade selection.

This study sought to compare the efficacy of digital photographs and graphic software for shade matching to that of conventional visual shade selection. Thirty-one postgraduate students were used and shade selection was analyzed through 1 of 4 different techniques: digital spectrophotometer, conventional visual shade selection, visual shade selection assisted by digital photography, and shade selection by color difference formulas and computer software. Shade selection done with digital photography and graphic software using color difference formulas offered better and statistically significant shade matching compared to conventional visual shade selection and visual shade selection assisted by digital photography.

An In vitro Evaluation of Flexural Bond Strength of Indirect Composites Fused to Metal.

With the advent of newer indirect composite resin materials for crown and bridge prosthesis, it has become imperative to evaluate their strength to serve as long term replacements as a substitute to metal ceramic restorations. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the flexural bond strength of three composite resin veneering material to metal, cured by different methods. Specimen were fabricated with pattern resin by duplicating it with machined metal die and divided into three groups. Three composite resin materials were used in this study. Group (A) received Adoro, Group (B) received Targis and Group (C) received Tescera. The bond strength of all specimens was tested with Lloyd's universal testing machine under three point loading. The highest values for fracture resistance were displayed by light, heat and pressure cured composites followed by composites cured using a temperature of 104 °C and composites with curing temperature of 95 °C. The results indicate that there is a significant difference between the three groups, with the Tescera group specimens exhibiting the highest flexural bond strength. Of the other two groups, Adoro group exhibited higher flexural bond strength than Targis group. The results of this study suggest that Tescera group with curing temperature of 130 °C and pressure of 80 Psi, cured with metal halide unit exhibited the highest flexural bond strength when compared to Adoro and Targis groups.

Full mouth rehabilitation of a patient with reduced vertical dimension using multiple metal ce ramic restorations.

Rehabilitation of a patient with severely worn dentition after restoring the vertical dimension is a complex procedure and assessment of the vertical dimension is an important aspect in these cases. This clinical report describes the full mouth rehabilitation of a patient who was clinically monitored to evaluate the adaptation to a removable occlusal splint to restore vertical dimension for a period 1 month and provisional restorations to determine esthetic and functional outcome for a period of 3 months. It is necessary to recognizing that form follows function and that anterior teeth play a vital role in the maintenance of oral health. Confirmation of tolerance to changes in the vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO) is of paramount importance. Articulated study casts and a diagnostic wax-up can provide important information for the evaluation of treatment options. Alteration of the VDO should be conservative and should not be changed without careful consideration.

Comparative evaluation of tensile bond strength of a polyvinyl acetate-based resilient liner following various denture base surface pre-treatment methods and immersion in artificial salivary medium: An in vitro study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: This study was formulated to evaluate and estimate the influence of various denture base resin surface pre-treatments (chemical and mechanical and combinations) upon tensile bond strength between a poly vinyl acetate-based denture liner and a denture base resin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A universal testing machine was used for determining the bond strength of the liner to surface pre-treated acrylic resin blocks. The data was analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and the t-test (α =.05). RESULTS: This study infers that denture base surface pre-treatment can improve the adhesive tensile bond strength between the liner and denture base specimens. The results of this study infer that chemical, mechanical, and mechano-chemical pre-treatments will have different effects on the bond strength of the acrylic soft resilient liner to the denture base. CONCLUSION: Among the various methods of pre-treatment of denture base resins, it was inferred that the mechano-chemical pre-treatment method with air-borne particle abrasion followed by monomer application exhibited superior bond strength than other methods with the resilient liner. Hence, this method could be effectively used to improve bond strength between liner and denture base and thus could minimize delamination of liner from the denture base during function.

Management of long span partially edentulous maxilla with fixed removable denture prosthesis.

Restoration of a long span partially edentulous maxilla with tooth supported prosthesis is challenging because of inherent anatomic limitations and unfavourable biomechanics present after the loss of teeth. A tooth supported fixed-removable prosthesis is a treatment option for restoration of such long span partially edentulous maxillary arches. This prosthesis meets the requirements for esthetics, phonetics, comfort, and hygiene, as well as favourable biomechanical stress distribution to the remaining natural tooth abutments. This article presents a procedure for fabrication of a fixed-removable prosthesis that has cement-retained custom cast bar metal substructure and a ball attachment retained removable superstructure prosthesis.

Free radical scavenging and reducing power of Lawsonia inermis L. seeds.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the antioxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoid content of Petroleum ether extract (PE), Dichloromethane extract (DCM), Ethanol extract (ET) and aqueous extract (AQ) of henna seeds. METHODS: Total antioxidant assay (phosphomolybenum method), DPPH radical scavenging assay, reducing power assay and lipid peroxidation inhibition assay were used to ascertain the potential of seeds as an antioxidant. RESULTS: In all the assays carried out ET showed a greater potential to scavenge DPPH radical, reduce MO (VI) to MO (V) complex and Fe (III) to Fe (II) and to inhibit lipid peroxidation. The IC(50) of ET was far greater than that of the standard, ascorbic acid (AS) in the lipid peroxidation assay. The activity of AQ was lesser when compared with that of ET but greater than PE and DCM. The amount of phenolics and flavonoids were present in higher amounts in ET followed by AQ. Trace amounts of phenolics were detected in PE and DCM, but the amount of flavonoids were below the detection level. The study showed that the antioxidant activity and the concentrations of phenolics and flavonoids are proportionate to each other. CONCLUSIONS: Ethanolic extract of henna seeds are efficient antioxidants, which can be utilized for further isolation of active compounds and pharmaceutical applications.

Free radical scavenging and reducing power of Lawsonia inermis L. seeds

OBJECTIVE@#To determine the antioxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoid content of Petroleum ether extract (PE), Dichloromethane extract (DCM), Ethanol extract (ET) and aqueous extract (AQ) of henna seeds.@*METHODS@#Total antioxidant assay (phosphomolybenum method), DPPH radical scavenging assay, reducing power assay and lipid peroxidation inhibition assay were used to ascertain the potential of seeds as an antioxidant.@*RESULTS@#In all the assays carried out ET showed a greater potential to scavenge DPPH radical, reduce MO (VI) to MO (V) complex and Fe (III) to Fe (II) and to inhibit lipid peroxidation. The IC(50) of ET was far greater than that of the standard, ascorbic acid (AS) in the lipid peroxidation assay. The activity of AQ was lesser when compared with that of ET but greater than PE and DCM. The amount of phenolics and flavonoids were present in higher amounts in ET followed by AQ. Trace amounts of phenolics were detected in PE and DCM, but the amount of flavonoids were below the detection level. The study showed that the antioxidant activity and the concentrations of phenolics and flavonoids are proportionate to each other.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Ethanolic extract of henna seeds are efficient antioxidants, which can be utilized for further isolation of active compounds and pharmaceutical applications.

Chronic hepatitis C treatment response to combination therapy: Experience of RIPAS Hospital

Introduction: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection is an important cause of chronic and end stage liver disease. Treatment response has improved with combination therapy. We review our experience with combination therapy in CHC patients. Materials and Methods: All patients who had completed at least one course of combination therapy (> 6 months) and had longer than 6 months of follow-up were retrospectively reviewed. Results: There were 28 (22 males, mean age 40.7 ± 9.9 years old) patients who completed one course of treatment. Intravenous drug use (IDU) accounted for 61% of the aetiology. The end of treatment biochemical response was 92.6%. The overall sustained viral response (SVR) was 64.3%. Comparing IDU to the others (non-IDU), there was no difference in treatment SVR (64.7% vs. 63.6%, p = 0.954). Responders had significantly higher pretreatment serum alanine aminotransferase (p = 0.018). Overall treatment side effects were observed in 64% (flu-like symptoms 58.3%, haematological 50% and depressive mood 8%). Conclusions: Our response rates are comparable to published data. There was no difference in treatment response rate between the IDU and non-IDU. CHC infected IDU should be offered treatment.

Chronic pancreatitis. A prospective nationwide study of 1,086 subjects from India.

CONTEXT: Chronic pancreatitis is common in India. However, its risk factors are not clear. There is sparse data on the current prevalence of tropical pancreatitis in India. OBJECTIVE: To undertake a prospective nationwide study of the risk factors and clinical profile of chronic pancreatitis. SETTING: Thirty-two major centers from different regions of India contributed data on 1,086 patients to a common online website (www.ipans.org). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Risk factors, clinical features complications and treatment of chronic pancreatitis. RESULTS: Of the 1,086 subjects, complete data on risk factors were available for 1,033 subjects. Idiopathic pancreatitis was the most common form of pancreatitis (n=622; 60.2%) and alcoholic chronic pancreatitis accounted for about a third of the cases (n=400; 38.7%); the rest (n=11; 1.1%) had rare risk factors. Smoking and cassava intake were documented in 292 (28.3%) and 189 (18.3%) subjects, respectively. Using well-defined criteria, only 39 (3.8%)cases could be labeled as 'tropical pancreatitis'. Pain occurred in 971 patients (94.0%). Four hundred and eighteen (40.5%) subjects had diabetes mellitus. Of alcohol consumers, alcoholism and female gender were independent risk factors for diabetes in subjects with chronic pancreatitis (OR=1.48, P=0.003; and OR=1.75, P<0.001, respectively). The most common complications were pseudocysts (15.8%) and biliary obstruction (8.2%). Pancreatic cancer occurred in 42 subjects (4.1%). Ultrasound detected calculi in 69.7%, ductal dilatation in 63.4% and atrophy in 27.3%. The majority of patients were on medical therapy (n=849; 82.2%); endotherapy and surgery accounted for the rest. About 50% percent of the patients with diabetes required insulin (198/418). CONCLUSIONS: In this first nationwide prospective survey of chronic pancreatitis in India, idiopathic pancreatitis was the most common form, followed by alcoholic pancreatitis. The classical form of tropical chronic pancreatitis is becoming less common.