Occurrence & predictors of osteoporosis & impact of body composition alterations on bone mineral health in asymptomatic pre-menopausal women with HIV infection

Background & objectives: Data on bone mineral density (BMD) and sarcopenia are scant from young females with HIV. This study was conducted to determine occurrence, predictors and impact of body composition alterations on osteoporosis in pre-menopausal women with HIV. Methods: A total of 214 females with serologically documented HIV infection were screened, of whom 103 pre-menopausal women, 25-45 yr age, clinically stable, having at least one year follow up data, underwent hormonal and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry analysis for BMD and body composition. Seventy five matched controls were also evaluated. Results: Females with HIV had significantly lower BMD and Z-score at lumbar spine (LS), total femur, neck of femur (NOF), and radius ultra-distal (UD) compared to controls. Osteoporosis at least at one site was observed in 34.95 per cent patients, compared to eight per cent in controls (P<0.001). Most common site of osteoporosis in females with HIV was radius UD (24.27%), followed by radius 33 per cent (17.48%), radius total (15.53%) and greater trochanter, NOF and LS (6.80% each). HIV patients had significantly lower bone mineral content, lean mass (LM), fat per cent, android (A) fat, gynoid (G) fat, and A/G ratio. LM and fat mass (FM) were ?15.65 and ?11.54 per cent lower in HIV patients, respectively. Osteoporosis patients had significantly higher use of antiretroviral therapy and lower LM, FM and fat per cent. On logistic regression, LM followed by A/G ratio and BMI were the best predictors of osteoporosis. Sarcopenia was observed in 17.5 per cent patients. Interpretation & conclusions: Our results showed that osteoporosis and sarcopenia were significant problems in young women with HIV. HIV was associated with greater LM loss, which was critical for bone health. Sarcopenia may predict low BMD in HIV.

Presence, patterns & predictors of hypocortisolism in patients with HIV infection in India

Background & objectives: Adrenal insufficiency (AI) is rarely diagnosed in patients with HIV infection, in spite of autopsy studies showing very high rates of adrenal involvement. This study was aimed to determine the presence, patterns and predictors of AI in patients with HIV infection. Methods: Consecutive HIV patients, 18-70 yr age, without any severe co-morbid state, having at least one-year follow up at the antiretroviral therapy clinic, underwent clinical assessment and hormone assays. Results: From initially screened 527 patients, 359 patients having good immune function were analyzed. Basal morning cortisol <6 ?g/dl (<165 nmol/l; Group 1), 6-11 ?g/dl (165-300 nmol/l; Group 2), 11-18 ?g/dl (300-500 nmol/l; Group 3) and ?18 ?g/dl (500 nmol/l; Group 4) were observed in 13, 71, 199 and 76 patients, respectively. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test revealed 87 patients (24.23%) to have AI. AI in groups 1-4 was 100, 56.34, 17.09 and 0 per cent, respectively. AI patients were more likely to be females (P<0.05), having longer disease duration (P<0.05), immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, hyperkalaemia (P<0.01), lower fasting glucose (P<0.01), dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) and vitamin D. Regression analysis revealed morning cortisol and DHEAS to be best predictors of AI (P=0.004 and 0.028, respectively). Interpretation & conclusions: AI is a significant problem in HIV-infected individuals, observed in nearly a quarter of patients. Diagnosis warrants high index of suspicion and low threshold for screening, especially in those having low DHEAS and hyperkalaemia. Morning cortisol is a reasonable screening test, with ACTH stimulation warranted to confirm diagnosis, especially in patients with morning cortisol <11 ?g/dl (300 nmol/l).

Laparo-endoscopic single-site left adrenalectomy using conventional ports and instruments

Laparo-endoscopic single-site adrenalectomy [LESS-A] is commonly performed using specialized access devices and/or instruments. We report a LESS-A in a 47-year-old woman with a left aldosteranoma via a subcostal approach utilizing conventional laparoscopic ports and instruments. The feasibility and cost-effectiveness of this approach are highlighted and the literature on the subject is reviewed

Evaluation of wound healing activity of extracts of plantain banana (Musa sapientum var. paradisiaca) in rats.

Plantain banana (M. sapientum var. paradisiaca, MS) has been shown to possess ulcer healing activity. The present work with plantain banana was undertaken with the premise that the drug promoting ulcer healing could have effect on wound healing also. Wound healing activity of MS was studied in terms of (i) percent wound contraction, epithelization period and scar area; (ii) wound breaking strength and (iii) on granulation tissue antioxidant status [estimation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH), free radical (lipid peroxidation, an indicator of tissue damage) and connective tissue formation and maturation (hexuronic acid, hydroxyproline and hexosamine levels)] in excision, incision and dead space wound models respectively. The rats were given graded doses (50-200 mg/kg/day) of aqueous (MSW) and methanolic (MSE) extracts of MS orally for a period of 10-21 days depending upon the type of study. Both extracts (100 mg/kg) when studied for incision and dead space wounds parameters, increased wound breaking strength and levels of hydroxyproline, hexuronic acid, hexosamine, superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione in the granulation tissue and decreased percentage of wound area, scar area and lipid peroxidation when compared with the control group. Both the extracts showed good safety profile. Plantain banana thus, favoured wound healing which could be due to its antioxidant effect and on various wound healing biochemical parameters.

Adapalene pretreatment increases follicular penetration of clindamycin: in vitro and in vivo studies.

BACKGROUND: Topical retinoids normalize desquamation, reduce comedogenesis and may enhance the penetration of other topicals providing more effective treatment of acne. AIM: We evaluated the effect of adapalene on skin penetration of clindamycin phosphate when it is applied concomitantly or after various time durations following adapalene application. METHODS: The in vitro studies were carried out using excised rat skin, whereas the in vivo studies were conducted on healthy human volunteers. Radioactive clindamycin phosphate (1%) gel was applied to rat skin sections and to the hands of human volunteers concomitantly and after the pretreatment of the skin for 3, 5 and 10 min with 10 mg of adapalene (0.1%) gel. Quantification of clindamycin phosphate was performed by liquid scintillation. RESULTS: In vitro skin penetration and distribution of clindamycin phosphate was affected by the pretreatment time. Significantly higher skin concentration of clindamycin phosphate (15.5%) with largest proportion in viable skin layer (9.4% of applied dose) was found when clindamycin phosphate gel was applied after the pretreatment of the skin with adapalene gel for 5 min. Further increase in pretreatment time has no additive influence on the penetration of clindamycin phosphate. In vivo results were in corroboration with the in vitro results and demonstrate significantly higher concentration of clindamycin phosphate (19%) in the skin following pretreatment with adapalene gel for 5 min. Adapalene acts as a penetration enhancer and increases the penetration of topical clindamycin phosphate. CONCLUSION: Application of clindamycin phosphate gel after the pretreatment of skin with adapalene gel for 5 min may contribute significantly to the increased efficacy of therapy.

Immuno-pathotyping of Karnal bunt (Tilletia indica) isolates of wheat using anti-mycelial antibodies.

Two types of polyclonal antibodies raised against whole lyophilized (LMA) and fractionated mycelial antigen (FMA) of most virulent, Pantnagar isolate of T. indica were used for the development of immunoassay systems, viz. dot immuno-binding assay (DIBA) and indirect enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) procedures. The immuno-assays were developed by performing antigen concentration kinetics and antibody dilution curves analyses. These assays were employed for immuno-analysis of diversity amongst KB pathogen based on antibodies reactivity pattern and subsequently categorization into distinct sero-groups. The reactivity of two polyclonal antibodies was tested with 15 (P1-P15) isolates of T. indica. When anti-LMA antibodies were tested, four serologically distinct groups were formed based on percent reactivity (>75%, highly reactive; 60-75%; moderately reactive, <50-25%; low reactive and <25%, non-reactive). However, when anti-FMA antibodies were used, two distinct sero-groups were formed based on reactivity patterns (group I, highly reactive P1, P3, P4, P11 and P13, group II, less reactive P2, P4, P5, P6, P7, P8, P9, P10, P12, P14 and P15).