Some unusual and severe forms of adverse drug reactions: a call for setting adverse drug reaction monitoring centres.

Thirty four patients aged 14 to 65 years (18 males and 16 females) admitted to the University Hospital with various unusual and severe forms of adverse drug reactions were studied. It comprised of toxic epidermal necrolysis in 8 patients, systemic vasculitis in 7 of which 3 patients had gangrene of fingers and/or toes, severe erosive gastritis in 9 patients, Stevens-Johnson syndrome in 7 patients, thrombocytopenic purpura in 2 patients and generalised convulsions in 1 patient. Various drugs responsible for causing these adverse drug reactions included antibacterials, antimalarials, anticonvulsants, antituberculars and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Most of the patients recovered. However, 5 of the 8 patients having toxic epidermal necrolysis died of which 2 patients had developed tetanus as a preterminal event. In view of ongoing addition of newer drugs to the therapeutic armamentarium and an increasing incidence of various unusual and severe forms of adverse drug reactions, it is our contention that a separate adverse drug reaction monitoring cell should be established in every hospital setting.

A pilot study of polyunsaturated phosphatidyl choline in fulminant and subacute hepatic failure.

Present pilot study was conducted to evaluate efficacy and safety of polyunsaturated phosphatidyl choline (PPC) in a phase III clinical trial in patients of fulminant and subacute hepatic failure over one year period in a prospective randomised blinded controlled design. We found that in patients of fulminant hepatic failure, recovery period from encephalopathy was faster and mortality rate lower in the test group of patients who received PPC in a dose of 350 mg thrice daily for 6 to 8 weeks as compared to the control groups who did not receive it. In the patients of subacute hepatic failure, recovery from encephalopathy was faster, mortality rate lower and regression of ascites was significantly higher (P = 0.0022) in test group of patients who received PPC as compared to the control group. However, as the number of patients in the present pilot study is small, we propose that larger clinical trials are warranted in this direction to prove the efficacy and safety of PPC in fulminant and subacute hepatic failure.

The value of sonography for estimation of liver volume by using a simple geometric formula ascertained in cadaveric livers.

Accurate assessment of liver size and its volume are important. However, as the clinical methods do not produce reliable results especially when the liver is shrunken, and the previous attempts to accurately assess liver volume by radio-isotopes, CT scans and computer assisted ultrasonography have not gained popularity due to high cost and complex techniques, the need to devise a simpler technique for estimation of liver volume continues. In doing so, we estimated volume of 10 cadaveric livers by water displacement technique to serve as the reference value. Thereafter, assuming the shape of liver like a right-angled pyramid, we calculated its volume by a simple geometric formula of '1/2 abc'. However, a reduction of 15% was made from this to compensate for depression on the inferior surface of liver. This method was subsequently implemented to assess liver volume of 14 healthy individuals and 20 patients of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) by using ultrasonography. Our findings revealed smaller liver volume in Indians as compared to the reported Western figures, and a significantly smaller liver volume in females as compared to males. The liver volume of 6 FHF patients who died was significantly smaller (696.5 +/- 143.5 cm3) as compared to that of the 14 FHF patients who survived (1083 +/- 365.3 cm3). Moreover, mortality rate was 100 per cent in 3 patients of FHF who showed markedly shrunken globular liver with a liver volume of less than 500 cm3. Thus, a markedly reduced liver size in FHF patients suggests a poor prognosis. However, since the number of FHF patients in the present series is small, it is our contention that a larger series is mandatory to confirm the findings of the present study.