A randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, comparative safety, and efficacy trial of oral co-artemether versus oral chloroquine in the treatment of acute uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in adults in India.

In India, treatment of acute, uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria is becoming increasingly difficult due to resistance to chloroquine, thus there is a need for new antimalarial drugs. CGP 56697 (co-artemether), a new drug, is a combination of artemether and lumefantrine in a single oral formulation (one tablet = 20 mg of artemether plus 120 mg of lumefantrine). In a double-blind study, 179 patients with acute uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria were randomly assigned to receive either CGP (n = 89) given as a short course of 4 x 4 tablets over a 48-hr period or chloroquine (n = 90) given as four tablets (one tablet = 150 mg of chloroquine base) initially, followed by two tablets each at 6-8, 24, and 48 hr. Due to a death in the chloroquine group and a decrease in the chloroquine cure rate to < 50% (based on the blinded overall cure rate at that time), recruitment was terminated prematurely. CGP 56697 showed a superior 28-day cure rate (95.4% versus 19.7%; P < 0.001), time to parasite clearance (median = 36 versus 60 hr; P < 0.001), and resolution of fever (median = 18 versus 27 hr; P = 0.0456). This drug provides a safe, effective, and rapid therapy for the treatment of acute uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria.

Predictors of response to pneumatic dilatation in achalasia cardia.

BACKGROUND: The role of esophageal laboratory testing in predicting response to balloon dilatation in patients with achalasia cardia has been evaluated in the West; data in Indian patients are scant. AIM: To study the predictors of response to pneumatic balloon dilatation in Indian patients with achalasia cardia. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with achalasia cardia who had earlier undergone esophageal manometry before balloon dilatation (Group A) were recalled for clinical evaluation. Another consecutive 25 patients with newly diagnosed achalasia (Group B) underwent esophageal manometry and isotope transit studies before and after dilatation. RESULTS: The overall symptom response to dilatation in the 50 patients at median (range) follow up of 26 (1-60) months was 64%. Pre-dilatation clinical and laboratory parameters did not predict outcome. All patients with 1-week post-dilatation lower esophageal sphincter (LES) basal pressure less than or equal to 10 mmHg and residual pressure less than 6 mmHg were asymptomatic at follow up. CONCLUSION: Post-dilatation LES basal pressure less than or equal to 10 mmHg and residual pressure less than 6 mmHg are predictors of symptom response to balloon dilatation in patients with achalasia cardia.

Bone imaging in sports medicine.

Increased participation in sports by the general public leads to increase in sports induced injuries including stress fractures, shin splints, arthritis and host of musculotendenous maladies. We have studied twenty patients referred from sports clinic for bone scanning to evaluate clinically difficult problems. It showed stress fracture in twelve patients, bilateral shin splint in five patients and normal bone scan in three patients. Present study highlights the utility of bone imaging for the diagnosis of various sports injuries in sports medicine.

Hepatic perfusion index in portal hypertension of cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic aetiologies.

The hepatic perfusion index (HPI), the ratio of hepatic arterial to total liver blood flow, was determined by radionuclide angiography in 28 subjects with normal livers and 62 patients with portal hypertension of various aetiologies. The latter group comprised 50 patients with cirrhosis (14 Child class A, 20 Child class B, 16 Child class C) and 12 patients with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension (7 non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis, 5 extrahepatic portal venous obstruction). The mean (+/- S.D.) HPI was significantly higher among the patients with cirrhosis (Child class A, 53.9 +/- 18.1; Child class B, 65.6 +/- 29.4; Child class C, 78.6 +/- 33.5) and non-cirrhotic portal hypertension (54.9 +/- 17.7) compared with the subjects with normal livers (35.6 +/- 10.5). The patients with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension had a mean value similar to that of the cirrhotic patients in Child class A. A higher HPI was associated with worsening liver status. We conclude, therefore, that the HPI will be high in portal hypertension irrespective of aetiology and a rise in the HPI may indicate a deterioration in the condition of the liver.

Scintigraphic detection of bile leak and follow-up in a post-cholecystectomy patient with recognition of tail sign.

Early detection of site and extent of biliary tract disruption can significantly reduce mortality and morbidity in a postoperative biliary leak. We report a case in whom extent and location of post surgical biliary leak was detected with the help of 99mTc BULIDA cholescintigraphy and showed a good correlation with "T" tube cholangiography. Cholescintigraphy was also useful in assessing the follow up of this patient. We conclude that 99mTc BULIDA cholescintigraphy is a non-invasive, safe, simple and sensitive procedure in the detection of the site, extent of the leak and in follow up of the postoperative biliary leak.

Detection of medullary carcinoma of thyroid, with liver metastasis, using 99mTc DMSA(V) scintigraphy.

A sixty year old female referred for thyroid and liver scintigraphy had a clinical history of progressive swelling in the neck with hepatomegaly. A large cold area was detected in the right thyroid lobe using 99mTc pertechnetate and in the right lobe of liver using 99mTc phytate. Subsequent whole body scan with 99mTC DMSA(V) showed avid tracer uptake in right lobe of thyroid and liver. Aspiration cytology of thyroid and liver showed medullary carcinoma of thyroid with its metastasis in liver. Histopathology following thyroidectomy confirmed the diagnosis. Thus 99mTc pentavalent DMSA contributes specificity to diagnose medullary carcinoma of thyroid and metastatic lesions.

The stapedial reflex in cephalic tetanus.

Three patients are presented with cephalic tetanus following injuries to the face. Two were adults and one a child. All three had bilateral VIIth cranial nerve involvement and one patient also presented with involvement of the IIIrd, IVth and VIth cranial nerves. The patients initially an ipsilateral VIIth cranial nerve weakness which later in the course of the illness developed into hyperactivity of the VIIth cranial nerve. The contralateral VIIth cranial nerve demonstrated a similar pattern. The stapedial reflex was tested serially. The stapedius muscle activity preceded that of the muscles of the face thus serving as an indicator of improvement or impending deterioration. Deflections measuring more than 1 cm, on stapedial reflex threshold testing, were indicative of stapedial reflex spasm. In the stapedial reflex decay test, both ill-sustained (intermittent) and sustained spasms of the stapedius muscle were seen.

Clinical and bacteriological profile of the ear in otogenic tetanus: a case control study.

Twenty two patients presented with otogenic tetanus. Seventeen patients had acute histories with only a single episode of otitis media with otorrhoea. Fifteen patients had unilateral central perforations, five had bilateral central perforations and two had no perforations but had acutely congested tympanic membranes which were bulging suggesting the presence of purulent fluid behind them. All patients with perforations had a purulent pulsatile discharge. A coexisting aerobic infection was seen in 85 per cent of the cultures and 59 per cent of these were due to staphylococcus aureus (versus 25 per cent in the controls). Only one patient had received partial immunization. Tetanus resulting from otitis media is not an indication for surgery.

Pulmonary metastases on bone scan in a patient with osteogenic sarcoma.

This paper describes a young man who was treated with amputation for osteogenic sarcoma of the lower end of the right tibia. Pre-operative whole body bone scan with 99 mTc did not reveal abnormal tracer concentration in the lungs. A similar follow-up bone scan six months post-operatively demonstrated an area of abnormal tracer concentration in the lower lobe of each lung.

Gastric colonization and pneumonia in intubated critically ill patients receiving stress ulcer prophylaxis: a randomized, controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of pharmacologically increasing gastric pH on gastric colonization and the development of pneumonia in intubated critically ill patients. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: Medical ICU in a university hospital. PATIENTS: Thirty-four tracheotomized patients with tetanus. INTERVENTIONS: Sixteen patients received iv ranitidine to increase gastric pH greater than 4 (ranitidine group), while 18 patients received no prophylaxis for upper gastrointestinal bleeding (control group). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Mean gastric pH was higher in the ranitidine group (median 4.7, range 3.6 to 6.1) than in the control group (median 2.1, range 1.2 to 4.9; p less than .05). Gastric colonization occurred in 15 (94%) of 16 patients who received ranitidine, 2 days (median; range 1 to 5) after intubation; gastric colonization also occurred in all control patients (median 4 days, range 1 to 9; p less than .05). Pneumonia occurred in 13 (81%) of 16 patients who received ranitidine, 3 days (median, range 1 to 5) after intubation and in nine (50%) of 18 control patients (p less than .01) 5 days after tracheal intubation (median, range 3 to 14; p less than .01). Prior gastric colonization by the pathogen that caused pneumonia was demonstrable in nine (56%) of 16 patients who received ranitidine vs. eight (44%) of 18 control patients (p greater than .05). The risk for developing pneumonia in the ranitidine-treated group was highest in the first 4 days after tracheal intubation. There was no difference in the frequency of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacologically increasing gastric pH increases the risk for developing pneumonia in intubated critically ill patients. The pneumonia occurs earlier than in untreated control patients.

In vitro effect of intravenous immunoglobulin supplementation on serum opsonic activity in tracheostomised patients.

An in vitro study of the effect of immunoglobulins (mainly IgG) on opsonophagocytic activity of polymorphs was carried out in 17 tracheostomised patients admitted in medical intensive care unit of our hospital. The opsonic and phagocytic activities were tested against Staphylococcus aureus by modified polymorphonuclear leucocyte overlay method; and serum IgG and serum IgM levels were estimated by single radial immunodiffusion technique. As compared to healthy volunteers, opsonophagocytic activity was significantly lower in tracheostomised patients. However, this activity improved markedly after immunoglobulin supplementation (P less than 0.01). The same degree of enhancement was also observed in normal controls.

Radionuclide assessment of peritoneovenous shunt patency.

Denver shunt patency can be easily assessed by sequential scintigraphy with a Gamma camera after an intraperitoneal injection of 99mTc sulphur colloid. If the shunt is patent, the tracer will be seen throughout the shunt upto it's opening into the right atrium. The following case report illustrates the application and usefulness of this procedure.

Hereditary spherocytosis: experience of 145 cases.

145 patients were diagnosed to have hereditary spherocytosis (HS) over a period of 25 years. Jaundice (66.9%), fever (65.5%), weakness (44.8%), and abdominal pain (35.8%) were the commonest complaints. 94.5% had splenomegaly (JP-17 cm) and 71.7% had hepatomegaly (JP-6 cm). Spherocytes were detected in the peripheral smears of all patients at presentation on careful examination. 67 patients had been investigated elsewhere and spherocytes missed in 86.6%. Gall stones were seen in 20 of the 54 patients investigated. Family history suggestive of HS was available in only 16.6% of cases, whereas examination and investigations revealed HS in almost all families. Splenectomy was done in all symptomatic patients. In the 39 patients followed up for 1-9 years after splenectomy.

Hypothermia due to transient hypothalamic dysfunction in tuberculous meningitis with hydrocephalus.

We report two patients with tuberculous meningitis and hydrocephalus who developed hypothermia that reversed after inserting a ventricular shunt for the hydrocephalus. Pressure on the thermoregulatory centre in the posterior hypothalamus near the dilated third ventricle might have been responsible. One patient developed hypotension during the transient hypothermia, which persisted and proved fatal.

Ribavirin in acute viral hepatitis.

Sixty-four patients suffering from acute viral hepatitis (excluding those suffering from hepatitis B) were selected for the double blind clinical trial. They were randomly allocated to either ribavirin therapy (200 mg four times a day) or placebo. Four patients were lost to follow up and therefore final analysis was carried out on 60 patients (thirty had received ribavirin and the rest placebo). Patients receiving ribavirin showed significant rapid improvement, with the disappearance of annoying symptoms (e.g., nausea, vomiting, etc) and return of good appetite; moreover, the abnormal blood parameters showed significant rapid changes towards normal values in ribavirin treated patients as compared to those observed in placebo group. Ribavirin was well tolerated and there were no side effects. Since acute viral hepatitis is endemic with outbreaks of epidemics in many areas at various times and as yet there is no effective anti-viral drug available with the physicians in India, ribavirin is indeed a most welcome drug for its therapy.

Scintigraphic right-to-left liver lobe ratio and liver-to-spleen ratio in cirrhosis and non cirrhotic liver diseases.

Various criteria are used together for the scintigraphic diagnosis of cirrhosis as no single criterion may be reliable. However, low right-to-left hepatic lobe uptake ratio has been reported to be sensitive and specific for alcoholic cirrhosis. A low liver-to-spleen uptake ratio has also been reported in various hepatocellular disorders. We tested these ratios in patients with cirrhosis and non cirrhotic causes of portal hypertension. The right-to-left lobe uptake ratio was significantly lower (1.59 +/- 1.23 vs 2.36 +/- 0.63 in normals; p = 0.037) in only Child's C alcoholic cirrhosis, but the sensitivity of this ratio was low (40%) even in this subgroup of cirrhosis (mean +/- SD 1.72 +/- 1.08) as against 1 of 10 patients with non cirrhotic portal hypertension (3.57 +/- 1.33; p = 0.0005). We conclude that the right-to-left hepatic lobe uptake ratio is not a discriminatory scintigraphic sign in liver disease. A low liver-to-spleen uptake ratio can distinguish cirrhosis from non cirrhotic causes of portal hypertension.