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BACKGROUND: There are epidemiological lacunae in literature of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We report a prospective observational study of asymptomatic HCV infected patients from a tertiary care Government Hospital. METHODS: All consecutive asymptomatic antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) positive patients were studied from July 2011 to April 2016. Patients were reviewed for demographic factors including symptom profile, risk factors, family screening, and point prevalence in relation to various districts of Punjab and Haryana. RESULTS: One thousand twelve patients were studied with median age of 52 years (range:13-85) with a male to female ratio of 0.87. Eight hundred (79.25%) patients were from Punjab and 110 (10.67%) from Haryana. Forty percent patients were in 40-60 age group. Six hundred seventy patients (66.21%) did not have any apparent risk factor, 274 (27.08%) had one risk factor, and 68 patients (6.72%) had > 2 risk factors. Commonest risk factor was h/o surgery in 243 patients (24.01%), 32 patients had h/o IV drug abuse and 29 among them were < 30 years. Three hundred and sixty-seven families and children were screened, and 27 spouses and 16 children were found to be anti-HCV positive. The risk factor of IV drug abuse was more common in the younger adults with age ≤ 30 years as compared with age > 30 years (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: HCV infection was common in certain districts of Punjab and common in adults of 40-60 years. This finding needs to be confirmed in larger population-based study. The IV drug abuse is the risk factor of concern among young adults.
RESUMO
There are reports of acute pancreatitis with the use of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (gliptins). This class of drugs is widely being prescribed for type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) in our country. We evaluated the incidence of acute pancreatitis with the use of gliptins during the period January 2012-June 2013. Patients of type 2 DM on treatment with any of the gliptins (Sitagliptin, vildagliptin, or saxagliptin) for at least 1 month duration were included. A total of 185 patients were included (205.3 patient years of follow-up). Five of them had history of acute pancreatitis (all mild) >6 months prior to inclusion with complete resolution and no chronic pancreatitis. One patient (0.48 per 100 patient years) presented with mild acute pancreatitis which resolved in 8 days. Asymptomatic elevation of serum amylase > 3× upper limit of normal was noted in five patients (2.4 per 100 patient years), without any sonological evidence of pancreatitis, which resolved on withdrawal of gliptins. None of the patients with previous history of pancreatitis had a recurrence of pancreatitis. In a group at low risk of acute pancreatitis, incidence of acute pancreatitis is low with the use of gliptins.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: This prospective randomized controlled study was carried out with the purpose of assessing the efficacy of sublingual misoprostol in decreasing intraoperative blood loss and the need for additional uterotonic agents at cesarean delivery. METHODS: One hundred seventy-four women undergoing elective or emergency cesarean delivery were assigned randomly to receive either 400 µg misoprostol or placebo sublingually at the time of cord clamping. An intravenous infusion of 20 units of oxytocin was started in all women at the same time. The primary outcome measures were intraoperative blood loss, need for additional uterotonic agents, and perioperative hemoglobin (Hb) fall. RESULTS: The maternal demographic factors, indications for cesarean delivery, and high-risk factors were similar between the two groups. Mean intraoperative blood loss was significantly less in misoprostol group as compared with placebo group (595 ± 108 vs. 651 ± 118 ml, P = 0.025). Fewer women needed additional uterotonic agents in misoprostol group (22.2 vs. 42.8 %; P = 0.0035; RR 0.52, 95 % CI 0.33-0.82). Perioperative Hb fall was significantly less in misoprostol group (0.87 ± 0.29 vs. 1.01 ± 0.26 g, P = 0.0018). CONCLUSION: Sublingual misoprostol decreases intraoperative blood loss and the need for additional uterotonic agents at cesarean delivery.