Bullous Drug Reaction with Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (DPP-4) Inhibitors

Hypoglycemic drugs in the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor class are used as a second-line treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus. With DPP-4 inhibitors, there have been a few reports of cutaneous side effects such as bullous response, fixed drug eruption, and photosensitivity. There is no definitive pathophysiology for the above mentioned allergic reactions. Sitagliptin phosphate belongs to the DPP-4 inhibitor class. This is a case report of a sitagliptin-induced bullous drug reaction manifesting three weeks after starting therapy. He had bullous pemphigoid-like eruptions all over the body. The patient showed improvement once sitagliptin was discontinued alon with oral and topical steroid treatment.

Pelvic bone indices as effective parameters of sex determination in skeletal remains: a cross-sectional study.

Background: With racial differences, it’s difficult to implement a uniform method for determining sex. Therefore, the need for present study to be carried out was felt. An attempt has been made by carrying out this study to arrive at appropriate conclusions regarding sex determination using dry hip bones representing South-Eastern India (Kancheepuram district region of Tamil Nadu) in relation to the two important indices, the Coxal index (CI), and the Genoves' sciatic notch index(GSI). Methods: Material for the cross-sectional study included 25 dry hip bones of known gender (left sided were 14, right were 11, male hip bones were 15, and female were 10). Coxal index, Genoves' sciatic notch index, Mean and standard deviation (SD) for the indices were calculated. Significance of these indices in sex determination of the hip bones was assessed implementing unpaired t test. Results: When unpaired t test was applied on the mean and standard deviation of Coxal & Genove’s sciatic notch indices of the two groups, Males (n=15) & Females (n=10), the result was statistically very significant. Conclusions: Coxal index values of our present study can be reliably applied for sex determination of dry hip bones of Indian origin. But, our study values can be considered more reliable when using Genoves’ sciatic notch index in determining sex of hip bones of South-Eastern region only (keeping racial variations in mind).

Our experience of fibrin sealant-assisted implantation of Ahmed glaucoma valve.

Aim: To report our experience with the fibrin sealant as a suture substitute for securing the human scleral patch graft during implantation of Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV). Materials and Methods: A retrospective, non-comparative study of 12 eyes of 12 patients who underwent an AGV implantation with fibrin sealant for part of the procedure during June 2009 to September 2010. Results: The mean patient age was 21.5 ± 20.6 years. Male: Female ratio was 2 : 1. Seven (58.3%) patients were monocular. The indications for AGV were varied. The mean number of intra-ocular surgeries prior to an implantation of AGV was 1.8. The mean follow-up duration was 24.5 ± 17.9 weeks. There was a statistically significant reduction in the mean IOP and in the mean number of anti-glaucoma medications at the final visit compared to the pre-operative values (P < 0.01, paired t test). Conjunctival retraction was seen in 1 (8.3%) case. The scleral patch graft was retracted posteriorly in another (8.3%) case. There was no case of AGV tube exposure, tube-cornea touch, or conjunctival erosion. Vision threatening complication viz. late post-operative rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, unlikely to be related to the use of the fibrin sealant, occurred in 2 (16.6%) eyes. Conclusion: The fibrin sealant offers the advantages of safety and convenience to the placement of a scleral patch graft during an AGV implantation.

Boston keratoprosthesis and Ahmed glaucoma valve for visual rehabilitation in congenital anterior staphyloma.

Congenital anterior staphyloma entails grave visual prognosis. The majority of reported patients have undergone enucleation. We report a promising result of staphylectomy with implantation of a keratoprosthesis and a glaucoma drainage device in a seven-month-old child with a large, congenital anterior staphyloma.

Gestational Age-specific Centile Charts for Anthropometry at Birth for South Indian Infants.

Objective: To construct centile charts for birth weight, length and head circumference for infants born from 24 to 42 weeks of gestation and to compare with the other national and international growth charts. Study design: Observational descriptive study. Subjects: All consecutively live born singleton infants from 24 to 42 weeks of gestation. Methods: Data were retrieved for the birth weight, length and head circumference of infants born from July 1999 to October 2009. Smoothened percentile curves were created separately for the male and female infants by Lambda Mu Sigma (LMS) method. The new curves were compared with the other Indian and international growth charts. Results: Raw and smoothened curves for weight, length and head circumference centiles at birth were created from 31,391 (males: 16,054 and females: 15,337), 28,812, (males: 14,730 and females: 14,082), and 28,790 (males: 14,724 and females: 14,066) infants, respectively. Females infants were lighter than the male infants, especially from 35 weeks onwards. On comparing the study curves with the other Indian growth curves, for infants less than 35 weeks, the mean birth weight for the study infants were similar or lower and for infants greater than 35 weeks, they were higher. On comparison of our weight centiles with the international data, across all gestations and across all centiles, our birth weights are lower. Conclusion: The updated centile charts in this study may be used as reference charts for the birth weight, length and head circumference for the local population. Using earlier growth charts or the Western charts would misclassify the infants at birth into SGA or LGA.

Bilateral epithelial defects after laser in situ keratomileusis. Clinical features, management and outcome.

PURPOSE: To describe the preoperative characteristics, intraoperative details, management, and postoperative in patients with bilateral epithelial defects after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). METHODS: Retrospective non-comparative case series. RESULTS: Six patients with bilateral epithelial defects after LASIK were part of a cohort of 605 patients undergoing bilateral LASIK at our center from December 2001 to April 2003. The mean age of the patients (5M:1F) was 28.5 +/- 7.9 years, and the average pretreatment myopic spherical equivalent (SE) refraction was 7.3 +/- 0.7 D (-4, -12.25D). An epithelial flap was present in 6 eyes and an epithelial defect with a mean diameter of 3 mm (2mm, 6mm) was seen in 6 eyes. In four patients the epithelial disturbance was bilaterally similar. All defects occurred in the inferior cornea and the epithelial flaps had the hinge positioned superiorly. None of the patients had ocular or systemic risk factors that could have resulted in this complication. A bandage contact lens was used in 6 eyes. At last follow-up of 5.5 +/- 9.5 months (0.25, 21 months), unaided visual acuity was 6/9 or better in 10 eyes. Best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) was maintained in 8 eyes, while 4 eyes lost one line of BSCVA. Recurrent corneal erosions were not reported in the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: These patients represent a hitherto unrecognised group of individuals who appear to have a subclinical weakness of adhesion of the corneal epithelium to the underlying structures, which is not evident on clinical examination. This results in bilateral epithelial disturbances after LASIK. Appropriate management results in satisfactory clinical outcomes. Other options for treatment of the fellow eye of such patients include the use of a different microkeratome, release of suction during the reverse pass of the Hansatome microkeratome, and photorefractive keratectomy if the refractive error is low.

Papillary cystic tumor of pancreas--report of two cases.

Two cases of Papillary cystic tumor of pancreas--one metastasizing to lymph node and the other non-metastasizing are reported for their rare occurrence. Both occurred in young females and presented with heaviness and pain in the left hypochondrium with palpable mass. On radiological examination, mass was arising from tail of pancreas and had typical gross features. The histological findings seen in metastasizing tumor were capsular invasion, infiltration to surrounding pancreatic tissue and vascular invasion with metastasis to lymph node. Difference in nuclear grade or mitosis was not observed. Adjuvant chemotherapy was given for metastasizing tumor and patient is symptom free after 56 month. Non-metastasizing case is well after 15 months.