Serum Ferritin as a Marker of Psychiatric Disorders

Serum ferritin, insulin resistance (HOMA), lipid profile and Body Mass Index (BMI) were studied on 44 patients of depression and 38 patients of schizophrenia before any specific treatment was initiated, and compared with 30 healthy controls. All studied schizophrenics showed normal BMI and serum ferritin was significantly decreased (p<0.001) whereas only about 57% of depressive patients had normal BMI and showed decrease in serum ferritin (p<0.001), and rest of the depressive patients had significantly raised BMI (p<0.001) as well as raised serum ferritin level (p<0.001). Depressive patients with raised ferritin level had significantly raised insulin resistance (p<0.001) along with raised serum triglyceride (p<0.007). Serum total cholesterol was increased and HDL cholesterol was decreased in both the conditions.

A double-blind, randomized controlled trial to compare the effectiveness and safety of purified protein derivative of tuberculin antigen with Mycobacterium w vaccine in the treatment of multiple viral warts

Background: Present day therapeutic modalities for viral warts are mostly ablative in nature, limited by high recurrence rates and are unsuitable for numerous lesions. Immunotherapy has the potential to overcome these limitations. Aims: This study aimed at comparing efficacy and safety of and quality of life changes with intradermal purified protein derivative (PPD) of tuberculin antigen and Mycobacterium w (Mw) vaccine in immunotherapy of warts. Methods: Patients with multiple (≥5) warts were randomized (1:1) into two groups (PPDand, Mw vaccine groups). Fortnightly, 0.1 ml of either medicine was injected intradermally over the deltoidregion till complete resolution or a maximum of six doses. Patients were followed-up for another 3 months for recurrence. Results: Sixty-four participants received either PPD or Mw vaccine. The number of warts were comparable at baseline (P = 0.089, Mann–Whitney test), and reduced significantly with treatment in both groups (P < 0.001, Friedman's ANOVA), as seen from the fourth follow-up onwards with Mw and fifth follow-up onwards with PPD (P < 0.05, Post hoc Dunn's test). Intergroup comparison showed significantly more (P < 0.05, Mann–Whitney test) reduction with Mw than PPD at the sixth and seventh follow-up. The size of warts also reduced significantly (P < 0.001) in both groups from the third follow-up onwards. Complete remission was more (P = 0.539, Fischer's exact test) in the Mw group (68.8%) than the PPD group (50%); and was significantly higher (P = 0.049, Mann–Whitney test) in patients having shorter duration of warts. Adverse events were significantly more (P < 0.001) with Mw including ulceration (50%), discharge (15.6%), pain-swelling-induration and scar at the injection site (97% each), whereas some of those receiving PPD noted erythema and scaling at the injection site (18.8%), and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (12.5%). No recurrence was seen till the end of the study. Limitation: Unicentric trial. Conclusion: Intradermal injection of Mw vaccine was more effective but had a higher incidence of adverse effects compared to PPD of tuberculin antigen in patients with warts.

A randomized, double-blind trial of amorolfine 0.25% cream and sertaconazole 2% cream in limited dermatophytosis

Background: Dermatophytosis is becoming increasingly unresponsive to conventional antifungals. Newer topical antifungals may be more effective in these patients. Aims: To evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety of amorolfine 0.25% cream and sertaconazole 2% cream in limited tinea cruris/corporis. Methods: A single-center, randomized (1:1), double-blind, parallel group, active-controlled trial (CTRI/2014/12/005246) was performed. Sixty-six untreated adults with acutely symptomatic tinea cruris/corporis were included in the study. All patients had limited cutaneous involvement and were KOH mount positive. Group A received amorolfine 0.25% cream, and group B received sertaconazole 2% cream twice daily application to the lesions for 4 weeks. After the baseline visit, four follow-up visits were carried out. The outcome measures for effectiveness were clinical and mycological cure. Safety parameters studied were treatment-emergent adverse events and changes in routine laboratory parameters. Results: Both sertaconazole and amorolfine significantly reduced symptoms (P < 0.001) in both groups. However, improvement in symptoms (pruritus, burning sensation, erythema, scaling and crusting) was significantly greater in the sertaconazole group at every follow-up visit. Sertaconazole cream was also more effective than amorolfine cream in reducing the number of lesions (P = 0.002 at 12 weeks) and improving the Dermatology Life Quality Index (P < 0.001) at all the follow-up visits. Adverse events were similar in the two groups (P = 0.117). Fungal cultures became negative in 92.3% of the sertaconazole group as compared to 80% in the amorolfine group (P = 0.010). Limitations: Antifungal susceptibility testing could not be done. Conclusion: Sertaconazole 2% is superior to amorolfine 0.25%, both in terms of effectiveness and tolerability. Improvement can be appreciated from second week onwards.