Acute pancreatitis and diabetic ketoacidosis in non-diabetic person while on treatment with sodium valproate, chlorpromazine and haloperidol.

A nondiabetic young male patient in hypomanic phase of bipolar disorder on maintenance treatment with sodium valproate, developed transient episode of acute pancreatitis and diabetic ketoacidosis after addition of chlorpromazine and halopridol. It subsided completely within six weeks and his blood sugar was normal without any antidiabetic therapy. Simultaneous occurrence of acute pancreatitis and diabetic ketoacidosis is reported as a very rare complication of combination of antipsychotic drugs sodium valproate, chlorpromazine and haloperidol. Blood sugar should be periodically monitored in patients on sodium valproate and antipsychotic medication.

Preliminary observation on drug resistant cases of typhoid fever.

We report here a sudden and marked increase in the occurrence, in a captive population, of typhoid fever cases showing multiple drug resistance. Fifty one cases of typhoid fever were seen from January '90 to June '90 of which 49% showed multiple drug resistance. Comparative figures for resistance in the previous three years were 0% (1987), 5% (1988), 14% (1989). Shared resistance to chloramphenicol, ampicillin, amoxycillin and sensitivity to gentamicin, kanamycin, sisomycin, cephazolin, norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin in most of our cases suggest infection by a common strain with R-factor, mediated resistance. The illness was prolonged and associated with serious complications. Therapy with combination of quinolone derivatives and aminoglycoside antibiotics seemed justified on the basis of the in-vitro tests and clinical response. Efforts to identify the strain and stern public health measures to prevent further development of drug resistant S typhi are urgently indicated.