The efficacy of erythrocytes isolated from blood stored under blood bank conditions.

BACKGROUND: The RBCs storage lesion is most carefully viewed as the sum of all the changes in RBCs occurring during the course of storage and that limit their survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Erythrocytes were isolated from stored blood at regular intervals. Oxidative stress markers were analyzed to determine the changes during the storage. RESULTS: Antioxidant enzymes--(SOD and CAT), and SH showed insignificant variation whereas hemolysis, MDA and AOPP showed significant variations. CONCLUSION: The oxidative stress has not successfully overridden the protection offered by the endogenous antioxidant system. Prolonged storage may result in the onset of erythrocyte deterioration. This clearly indicates that the erythrocytes are capable of attenuating ROS with 2 weeks of storage.

Prospective randomized trial comparing efficacy of alfuzosin and tamsulosin in management of lower ureteral stones.

OBJECTIVES: To study the efficacy of alfuzosin compared with tamsulosin in the management of lower ureteral stones. METHODS: A total of 102 patients with stones <1 cm size and located in the lower ureter were enrolled in the present study and randomized into 3 equal groups. Group 1 patients (n = 34) received 0.4 mg tamsulosin daily, group 2 patients (n = 34) received 10 mg alfuzosin daily, and group 3 patients (n = 34) received placebo (control group). The patients were given 75 mg diclofenac injection intramuscularly on demand and were followed up for 4 weeks. RESULTS: The average stone size for groups 1, 2, and 3 was comparable (6.17, 6.70, and 6.35 mm, respectively). Stone expulsion was observed in 28 of 34 patients (82.3%) in group 1, 24 of 34 patients (70.5%) in group 2, and 12 of 34 patients (35.2%) in group 3. The average expulsion time for groups 1, 2, and 3 was 12.3, 14.5, and 24.5 days, respectively. The results of both study groups (groups 1 and 2) were superior to those in the placebo group (P = .003 and P = .001, respectively), but the study failed to show any statistically significant differences between tamsulosin and alfuzosin (P = .25). Alfuzosin was associated with fewer side effects than tamsulosin, especially in terms of retrograde ejaculation. CONCLUSIONS: Medical treatment of lower ureteral calculi with tamsulosin and alfuzosin resulted in a significantly increased stone expulsion rate, decreased expulsion time, and a reduced need for analgesic therapy.