ABSTRACT
Background: Iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy is a serious global concern specially in developing country, which is preventable with effective measures. In women who cannot tolerate oral iron or have moderate to severe anemia, parenteral iron in the form of iron sucrose or ferric carboxymaltose can be very much useful. This study aimed to compare efficacy and safety of iron sucrose and ferric carboxymaltose in iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy.Methods: This prospective interventional comparative study was conducted during May 2016 to April 2018 at tertiary care hospital and total 100 antenatal women from 28 to 34 weeks of gestation having moderate to severe anemia were included in this study and all women were divided in to 2 groups randomly and were given either iron sucrose or ferric carboxymaltose according to iron requirement. Rise in haemoglobin and serum ferritin were noted and data analysed statistically.Results: The mean rise of haemoglobin with iron sucrose was 1.8 gm% and with ferric carboxymaltose was 2.6 gm%. The mean rise of serum ferritin with iron sucrose was 82.4 ng/ml and with ferric carboxymaltose was 100.9 ng/ml. Other than minimal local reaction one woman had developed severe anaphylactic reaction after receiving iron sucrose.Conclusions: Intravenous ferric carboxymaltose is better and safe molecule than iron sucrose and it has advantage of ability to administer large dose in single sitting which reduce overall cost of therapy. Hence ferric carboxymaltose is a drug of choice as parenteral iron therapy in iron deficiency anemia during second trimester of pregnancy.
ABSTRACT
Background: Worldwide hypertension during pregnancy is a common cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Effective control of blood pressure is one of the important steps in management of preeclampsia. Few drugs like nifedipine, labetalol, methyldopa, and hydralazine have acceptable high safety profile during pregnancy.Methods: In this study 120 antenatal women with non-severe preeclampsia were compared by giving either nifedipine or labetalol as a single drug therapy for control of blood pressure. Various parameters like control of blood pressure, side effects of drugs, gestational age at the time of delivery, mode of delivery, any complication and perinatal outcome were assessed.Results: In this study authors found that in both group, adequate control of blood pressure was achieved. This study shows slightly higher rate of pre term delivery and LSCS with labetalol and minimal side effects with nifedipine but difference in each group is insignificant.Conclusions: Labetalol and nifedipine both the drugs are equally effective in reducing blood pressure and any of it can safely be used as a first choice of drug for management of hypertension in preeclampsia and it can be decided as per clinician’s experience and familiarity with drug.
ABSTRACT
Background & objectives: Cytoskeletal proteins are deregulated during oxidative stress and cataract formation. However, estrogen which protects against cataract formation and harmful effects of oxidative stress has not been tested on the cytoskeleton of lens epithelial cells (LECs). The current study was undertaken to assess if the protection rendered to LECs by estrogen was mediated by preserving the cytoskeletal proteins. Methods: Oxidative stress was induced by 50 μM of H2O2 in cultured goat LECs (gLECs) and effect of 1 μM 17β-estradiol (E2) was tested. After treatment, morphological analysis of cells was carried out using haematoxylin-eosin staining and cell density was also quantified. Cell viability was determined using Hoechst (Ho), YO-Pro (YP) and propidium iodide (PI). F-actin and vimentin were localized using phalloidin and anti-vimentin antibody, respectively, and viewed under fluorescence microscopy. Vimentin was further analysed at protein level by Western blotting. Results: H2O2 led to increased condensation of nucleus, cell death and apoptosis but these were prevented with pre- and co-treatment of E2 with increase in cell viability (P<0.001). E2 also prevented H2O2 mediated depolymerization of cytoskeleton but was not able to reverse the changes when given after induction of oxidative stress. Interpretation & conclusions: Our findings showed that E2 helped in preventing deteriorating effect of H2O2, inhibited cell death, apoptosis and depolymerisation of cytoskeletal proteins in LECs. However, the exact mechanism by which estrogen renders this protection to cytoskeleton of lens epithelial cells remains to be determined.
ABSTRACT
Specimens of the anterior lens capsule with an attached monolayer of lens epithelial cells (LECs) were obtained from patients (n052) undergoing cataract surgery. Specimens were divided into three groups based on the type of cataract: nuclear cataract, cortical cataract and posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC). Clear lenses (n011) obtained from donor eyes were used as controls. Expression was studied by immunofluorescence, real-time PCR and Western blot. Statistical analysis was done using the student’s t-test. Immunofluorescence results showed punctate localization of Cx43 at the cell boundaries in controls, nuclear cataract and PSC groups. In the cortical cataract group, cytoplasmic pools of Cx43 without any localization at the cell boundaries were observed. Real-time PCR results showed significant up-regulation of Cx43 in nuclear and cortical cataract groups. Western blot results revealed significant increase in protein levels of Cx43 and significant decrease of ZO-1 in all three cataract groups. Protein levels of alpha-catenin were decreased significantly in nuclear and cortical cataract group. There was no significant change in expression of beta-catenin in the cataractous groups. Our findings suggest that ZO-1 and alpha-catenin are important for gap junctions containing Cx43 in the LECs. Alterations in cell junction proteins may play a role during formation of different types of cataract.