Comparative evaluation of effects of combined oral anti-diabetic drugs (sulfonylurea plus pioglitazone and sulfonylurea plus metformin) over lipid parameters in type 2 diabetic patients.

Background: Type 2 diabetes is associated with significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Dyslipidemia, which affects almost 50% of patients with type 2 diabetes, is a cardiovascular risk factor characterized by elevated triglyceride levels, low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, and a preponderance of small, dense, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles. In addition to their glucose-lowering properties, oral anti-diabetic agents may have effects on lipid levels, especially triglycerides (TGs), HDL-C, LDL-C and total cholesterol levels. Methods: A prospective, open-labeled, randomized, parallel-group study was carried out in sizable number of patients (n=40) of established type 2 diabetes on combined oral anti-diabetic drugs, to investigate the effects of combined oral anti-diabetic on lipid parameters who was not receiving any hypolipidemic agent in addition. Results: Statistically significant mean reduction of triglycerides (TGs) of 25.1mg/dl (a 15.30% reduction from baseline value) and by 13.5 mg/dl (a 8.94% reduction from baseline value) in the SU (sulfonylurea) plus PIO (pioglitazone) and SU plus MET (metformin) group respectively. Present study also shows improvement in HDL cholesterol with SU plus PIO group by 13.18% which is almost twice that observed in SU plus MET group (8.06%). Present study also shows increase in LDL cholesterol with SU plus PIO group by 2.10%, is just opposite to SU plus MET group (4.92 % decrease). With SU plus PIO group, a statistically significant mean reduction of total cholesterol (TC) of 8.33mg/dl (5.14 % decrease) and by 7.62 mg/dl (4.28% decrease) in the SU plus MET group. Conclusions: Pioglitazone, a thiazolidinedione, has been shown to improve the lipid profile in patients with type 2 diabetes by increasing HDL-C levels and by decreasing triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in monotherapy or combination regimens with sulfonylurea. Metformin also has been shown to reduce LDL-C, TC, and TG levels and increase HDL-C levels in monotherapy and in combination regimens with sulfonylurea. In contrast, LDL cholesterol levels mild increase with pioglitazone monotherapy or with SU combination therapy. Thus the results of this study have demonstrated that SU plus pioglitazone is an effective combination regimen for patients insufficiently treated with SU monotherapy and may provide possible positive effects on other coronary risk factors/ dyslipidemias associated with the type 2 diabetes.

Comparative Evaluation of Glycemic Control & Changes in Lipid Profile with Combined Oral Hypoglycemics (A Sulfonylurea Plus Pioglitazone Versus a Sulfonylurea Plus Metformin) in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Emerging datas have shown a high failure rate of longterm monotherapy in preventing the vascular complications of DM II. It establishes the significance of meal time hyperglycemia and the role of post-prandial glucose excursions in the development and progression of vascular complications. This prospective, randomized, open parallel group study was conducted on patients selected from those who were attending O.P.D. of Department of Endocrinology and Human Metabolism of SVBP Hospital, L.L.R.M. Medical College, Meerut. The study have demonstrated that the combination therapy with Sulfonylurea plus Pioglitazone (SUP) is an effective regimen for patients who are insufficiently treated with Sulfonylurea mono-therapy. This regimen may provide a possible positive effect on other coronary risk factors/ dyslipidemias associated with the type 2 Diabetes.

Papillon-Lefevre syndrome: a case report.

Papillon-Lefevre syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder. The clinical manifestations include palmer planter hyperkeratosis with precocious progressive periodontal disease that results in premature exfoliation of primary and permanent dentitions. Patients are often edentulous at an early age. This is a case report of prosthodontic rehabilitation of a 15-year-old girl with Papillon-Lefevre syndrome.

Field evaluation of a mechanical fly catcher in the control of houseflies.

'Fly Catcher', an innovative herbal based mechanical trap was evaluated for its efficacy in reducing fly nuisance in and around messes operating in a large teaching establishment and the adjacent garbage dumps. It is recommended that the 'Fly Catcher' may be used as an adjunct to other routinely followed anti fly measures.

Prospects for the use of ornamental fishes for mosquito control: a laboratory investigation.

Use of larvivorous fishes Gambusia and Poecilia for mosquito control has been a well established option. The study evaluated the larvivorous potential of some ornamental fish vis-a-vis Gambusia and Poecilia in the laboratory settings using standard testing protocol. Gold fish and Blue Gourami were found to be as effective larvivores as Gambusia affinis, the mosquito fish. The study recommends introduction of Goldfish and Blue Gourami in ornamental tanks for control of mosquito breeding as well as providing aesthetic beauty.

Efficacy of synthetic pyrethroid and propoxur aerosol in the control of German cockroaches (Dictyoptera: Blatellidae) in cookhouses.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A field trial was carried out in cookhouses in an urban area to evaluate the efficacy of synthetic pyrethroid (0.02% deltamethrin + 0.13% allethrin) and propoxur aerosols (2%) in the control of German cockroaches (Blatella germanica). METHODS: A total of six cookhouses were selected by simple random sampling method (two each for the two insecticide treatments and two for control). RESULTS: It was observed that 89.36-87.8 and 77.95-59.74% reductions were achieved with propoxur and synthetic pyrethroid treatment respectively by first week post-treatment. The reduction in propoxur treated areas by eight weeks post-treatment was 82.98-76.13%, whereas the reduction in the same time period in synthetic pyrethroid treated areas ranged from 14.36% to an increase in density by a phenomenal 157.86% in one of the treated sites. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION: The study reports the efficacy of propoxur aerosol (2%) treatment over synthetic pyrethroid (0.02% deltamethrin + 0.13% allethrin) in the control of cockroach infestation in cookhouses in urban area.

Assessment of hypertension control in chronic kidney disease patients by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

BACKGROUND: Inadequate control of blood pressure (BP) increases cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and renal transplant patients. 24 hour ambulatory BP was recorded to evaluate the adequacy of BP control in these patients. METHODS: 60 CKD patients (25 conservative therapy, 16 maintenance hemodialysis, 19 renal transplant patients) were studied prospectively. After achieving clinic BP control, 24 hour ambulatory BP was recorded at 1 and 6 months. The patients were followed up for one year. RESULTS: Mean daytime and nighttime systolic blood pressure (SBP) both at 1 month and at 6 month was higher in non-survivors than in survivors. The survivors had better control of their daytime (p=0.018) as well as nighttime SBP levels (p=0.018) at 6 months compared to those at 1 month. Survivors achieved nocturnal dipping of SBP at 1 and 6 months (p=0.047, p=0.025, respectively). Non-survivors failed to achieve lower daytime (p=0.375) or nighttime SBP (p=0.254) at 6 months as compared to SBP at 1 month in spite of optimizing antihypertensive therapy. Daytime (p=0.022) and nighttime (p=0.029) diastolic BP (DBP) in the non-survivors was higher than in survivors. Nocturnal dip in DBP was not seen in either survivors at 1 (p=0.177) and 6 months (p=0.434) or non-survivors at 1 (p=0.408) and at 6 months (p=0.081). Renal transplant patients did not exhibit nocturnal dipping of BP. CONCLUSION: We conclude that, unlike survivors, there was worsening of 24 hour BP control in non-survivors. ABPM has a role in better management of total BP burden in CKD patients.

Efficacy of Fipronil and Propoxur in the control of German cockroaches (Dictyoptera: Blatellidae).

A field trial for comparative evaluation of chemicals Fipronil gel, Propoxur spray and bait was carried out. The results in the Fipronil treated area indicate a reduction of 89%, 100% and 98% in cockroach infestation by days 7, 30 and 60, whereas the reduction in Propoxur spray treated area during the same period was 88%, 91% and 87% respectively. Propoxur bait was not found to be effective in reducing the cockroach infestation; rather a build up of the cockroach infestation was noticed in the treated site. The study reports the efficacy of Fipronil gel treatment over conventional insecticidal formulations in the control of cockroach infestation in cookhouses of urban households.

Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus infection in and around Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is rising rapidly in the eastern Uttar Pradesh; however no data is available regarding its positivity rate. We have screened 1239 cases of various groups. HIV seropositivity rate of 0.28% was noted. These results suggest that HIV infection is spreading rapidly in this part of the country. M. tuberculosis was the commonest co-infection amongst them (29.5%). We recommend routine HIV screening of all patients of tuberculosis, especially if the persons frequent the cities, visit foreign countries where sex tourism is encouraged or stay away from their spouses for long periods as true history of sexual contact with commercial sex workers was difficult to obtain from them.

Acute Duodenal Ulcer Perforation With Carcinoma Stomach.

A 62 year old female who presented with features of acute duodenal perforation and associated carcinoma stomach (Ca-Stomach) is reported. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, biopsy and barium meal showed an adenocarinoma of cat'dia and proximal 1I3rd of stomach. Such an association of pathology is not reported earlier in the literature.

Evaluation of susceptibility status of Culex quinquefasciatus larvae to few organophosphorus insecticides based on logistic regression analysis.

A laboratory trial was carried out at Pune to evaluate the effectiveness of five types of larvicides viz. Malathion, Temephos, Fenthion, Dichlorvos and Fenitrothion against Culex quinquesfasciatus larvae. The expected number of mortality at various dose levels for the five types of insecticides were estimated separately using logistic regression model. Based on the fitted model, the estimated dose level corresponding to the 90 percent mortality (LC90) was obtained for each insecticide. Approximate 95 percent confidence intervals for the LC90 dose, in each case, has been provided. The analysis revealed that out of all the five types of insecticides included in the study, fenthion was the most effective. The estimated value of LC90 in this case was the lowest and is equal to 0.007 mg/L. The effectiveness of temephos, dichlorvos and fenitrothion was found to be approximately same and malathion was the least effective. The results were found to be comparable with that obtained under probit method.

Cyclic vertical squint.

A rare case of cyclic vertical squint which developed after surgery on medial rectus muscle and its subsequent management by the Faden operation is described.