ABSTRACT
Background: Corticosteroids are being widely used in conditions related to allergy and inflammation. There are great species differences in the responses to glucocorticoids that mean a “steroid resistant” species. Steroids have profound effect on inflammatory response by way of vasoconstriction, decreased chemotaxis and interference with macrophages. There still are enormous gaps in our knowledge of the action of glucocorticosteroids in patients of chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD).Methods: This study was done in the department of general medicine at SKIMS, Srinagar from December 2017 to December 2018 on patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A total number of 100 patients were enrolled for the study but 20 patients, 10 from each group lost their follow up. To see the effect of steroids on pulmonary function tests, patients were divided into case and control group. Patients in case group were given prednisolone 30 mg orally for two week (tapering dose). Patients in control group were given placebo for the same duration of two weeks. Steroid response was defined as 15% improvement in baseline forced expiratory volume (FEV).Results: Steroid response was defined as 15% increase in forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) after receiving tapering dose of prednisone 30 mg for 2 weeks, no patients in case group showed increase in FEV1/FVC of 15%. The change in pulmonary function tests was comparable in each group (p>0.5).Conclusions: The change in pulmonary function tests were comparable in each group (p>0.5). So, steroids in stable patients of COPD are best to be avoided.
ABSTRACT
Background: Chemotherapy involves highly complex regimens and hence accounts to high susceptibility towards Adverse Drug Reactions. All antineoplastic drugs have potential to cause one or more Adverse Drug Reactions which may vary from mild to severe form. So the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Adverse Drug Reactions in patients treated with chemotherapy.Methods: After getting approval from the Institutional Ethical Committee, the prospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Pharmacology in association with Department of Radiation Oncology and Department of Medicine, Government Medical College, Srinagar between April 2015 to October 2016. All patients of either sex and any age receiving anti-cancer drugs in the inpatient department of radiation oncology were included. The mean age of the study population was 51 years and 53.9% of them were males and 46.1% of them were females. The WHO-UMC system was used for assessment of case programme and case reports. The severity of adverse drug reactions was determined by using modified Hart wig and Siegel scale.Results: Most of the reported ADR’s were moderate to mild in severity according to modified Hart wig and Siegel scale. Most of the frequent ADR’s were certain followed by probable and possible according to WHO-UMC causality assessment.Conclusions: Antineoplastic drugs have a narrow therapeutic index and the dosage needed to achieve a therapeutic response usually proves toxic to the body’s rapidly proliferating cells. Measures need to be put into place to reduce the physical, emotional and economic burden on the patient due to adverse drug reactions. Therefore, there is a need for vigilant ADR monitoring to decrease morbidity and mortality due to ADR’s which require further studies on large populations.
ABSTRACT
Background: In a climate of economic uncertainty, cost effectiveness analysis is a potentially important tool for making choices about health care interventions. Patients with knee osteoarthritis are treated mostly with Diclofenac (NSAID) + Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) and Tramadol (Opioids) in everyday practice.Aim: Present study was aimed to assess clinical effectiveness, adverse events and cost-effectiveness between Diclofenac + PPI and Tramadol.Methods: Authors conducted prospective randomised control open label study on 40 patients at Orthopedic OPD of tertiary care hospital. Patients were given either Tramadol controlled releases tablets (200mg CR OD) or Diclofenac sustained release tablets (100mg SR OD) + PPI (Omeprazole 20mg OD) for two weeks. Clinical effectiveness was assessed by KOOS osteoarthritis index score consisting of five parameters and visual analogue scale. Suspected ADRs were recorded and incremental cost effective ratio for both drugs was calculated.Results: After application of KOOS questionnaire Authors found net quality gain in symptoms was 24.45 in diclofenac +PPI group which was much higher against 14.15 found in tramadol group. Again ADR profile of tramadol was 29 with nausea and somnolence topping the list which was far more than only 10 in DIC +PPI group. Lastly cost-effective analysis was done where again DIC+PPI showed average cost effective ratio 5.73 verses tramadol 11.8 with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of -2.72.Conclusions: Diclofenac +PPI is as effective as tramadol in the treatment of pain due to knee osteoarthritis with the potential for feAuthorsr side effects. Diclofenac + PPI was also found to be cost-effective when compared with tramado.