Suicide by poisoning in Pakistan: review of regional trends, toxicity and management of commonly used agents in the past three decades.

BACKGROUND: Suicide is one of the leading mental health crises and takes one life every 40 seconds. Four out of every five suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries. Despite religion being a protective factor against suicide, the estimated number of suicides is rapidly increasing in Pakistan. AIMS: Our review focuses on the trends of suicide and means of self-poisoning in the past three decades, and the management of commonly used poisons. METHOD: We searched two electronic databases (PubMed and PakMediNet) for published English-language studies describing agents used for suicide in different regions of Pakistan. A total of 46 out of 85 papers (N = 54 747 cases) met our inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Suicidal behaviour was more common among individuals younger than 30 years. Females comprised 60% of those who attempted suicide in our study sample, although the ratio of completed suicides favoured males. There were regional trends in the choice of agent for overdose. Organophosphate poisoning was reported across the nation, with a predominance of cases from the agricultural belt of South Punjab and interior Sindh. Aluminium phosphide ('wheat pills') was a preferred agent in North Punjab, whereas paraphenylenediamine ('kala pathar') was implicated in deaths by suicide from South Punjab. Urban areas had other means for suicide, including household chemicals, benzodiazepines, kerosene oil and rat poison. CONCLUSIONS: Urgent steps are needed, including psychoeducational campaigns on mental health and suicide, staff training, medical resources for prompt treatment of self-poisoning and updated governmental policy to regulate pesticide sales.

Medical Complications Of Renal Transplant - 2 Years' Experience At Armed Forces Institute Of Urology.

BACKGROUND: Renal transplant is the renal replacement therapy of choice for all patients of chronic kidney disease. The aim of this study was to analyse the trends of medical complications in renal transplant recipients at our centre. METHODS: it is a prospective cross sectional descriptive study. All the patients undergoing renal transplant at Armed Forces Institute of Urology from September 2013 to September 2015 were included in the study. The patients were followed prospectively till March 2016 and a complete data about their complications and lab investigations was maintained.. RESULTS: This study included a total of 63 patients with a mean duration of follow-up of 14.05 months (SD±4.45). Infective complications as a group are the commonest complication occurring in over 50% of cases followed by haematological complications (17.5%), new onset diabetes after transplant (15.9%) and transplant dysfunction (14.3%) Cardiovascular complications were seen in only 4.8% cases but with high mortality. Gingival hypertrophy was seen in 4.8% cases. CONCLUSIONS: Medical complications are common after renal transplant especially in the early post-operative period. The only way forward is early recognition and aggressive treatment, as delays can cost losses in the form of kidney function, life and higher health care cost.

Tuberculosis versus vasculitis.

Vasculitis (Wegeners Granulomatosis and Microscopic Polyangiitis) and Tuberculosis share many features including constitutional symptoms and respiratory tract involvement. The presence of kidney involvement with new onset azotaemia and active urine sediment support the diagnosis of vasculitis. We describe two cases that were diagnosed to be suffering from tuberculosis and placed on anti-tuberculosis therapy. On further workup they were found to be suffering from pauci- immune glomerulonephritis and recovered well with treatment.

Extremely rare case of primary esophageal mucous associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma.

SJ is a 37-year-old male who presented with one year history of dysphagia, odynophagia and 15 pounds weight loss. He underwent endoscopic evaluation which showed mid esophageal ulcers. It was thought that the cause of the ulcer was the multivitamins and the patient was asked to stop them. Furthermore Esomeprazole therapy was also initiated. Patient's symptoms persisted but he did not seek any medical attention until about one year later. Meanwhile the patient reported additional 15 pounds of weight loss. We repeated upper endoscopy again which showed evidence of two chronic non bleeding irregular friable ulcerations seen in the mid esophagus, 31 cm from the incisors. Biopsies and frozen section were taken and sent for assessment to the Pathology lab. Immunoperoxidase studies on frozen sections showed the presence of IgM and for most plasma cells IgG. The microscopic and histologic findings were consistent with mucous associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma with plasmocytic differentiation. Computed tomographic scan done showed no evidence of spread to adjacent structures. The patient was referred to oncology and several cycles of radiation and Rituximab therapy were initiated which cured the disease. Subsequent endoscopies with blind biopsies were done which were negative for any neoplastic process.

Anti-Xa activity supports using a simple dosing algorithm for tinzaparin for anticoagulation in hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: Unfractionated heparin has been traditionally used for anticoagulation during hemodialysis (HD), but more recently low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) is being used as an alternative. Anti-Xa activity can be measured as a surrogate of LMWH efficacy. We present 52 patients treated with tinzaparin anticoagulation on HD, confirming that fixed dosing is safe and efficacious with sound pharmacodynamic reason in relation to anti-Xa profiling. METHODS: We undertook a prospective audit in a single dialysis unit. All patients were established on a simple anticoagulation protocol for at least 1 month prior to the audit. Blood anti-Xa activity was measured at time 0, 30, 60 and 120 min into and at the end of HD. Efficacy and safety data were collected on the study day and the two sessions before and after it. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients were included in the efficacy and safety analysis with 43 patients undergoing anti-Xa analysis (9 sampling errors). Using current consensus (an end-HD anti-Xa activity of <0.4 IU/ml), our fixed-dose protocol resulted in satisfactory safety in all patients tested. Of 260 HD sessions, 10 (4%) had reduced tinzaparin efficacy. During 105 dialysis sessions (21 patients) using an arteriovenous fistula, 4 patients had one episode of minor bleeding and there were 6 episodes (2 patients) of post-needle-compression time greater than 15 min. CONCLUSION: Tinzaparin administered thrice weekly as a fixed dose has good efficacy and is well tolerated as an anticoagulant during HD when used according to our protocol.

Sporadic ganglioneuromatosis of esophagogastric junction in a patient with gastro-esophageal reflux disorder and intestinal metaplasia.

A 58-year-old female with a recurrent history of upper abdominal pain and intermittent dysphagia underwent endoscopic evaluation that demonstrated an irregular and nodular esophago-gastric (EG) junction and grade I erosive esophagitis. Biopsies showed prominent intestinal metaplasia of Barrett's type without dysplasia, chronic inflammation and multiple aggregates of large cells within the mucosal lamina propria, some with spindle shaped nuclei. Immunohistochemistry stains for keratins AE-1/AE-3 were negative, while S-100 and NSE were positive. This, together with routine stains, was diagnostic for mucosal ganglioneuromatosis. The background of chronic inflammation with intestinal type metaplasia was consistent with long-term reflux esophagitis. No evidence of achalasia was seen. Biopsies of gastric antrum and fundus were unremarkable, without ganglioneural proliferation. Colonoscopy was unremarkable. No genetic syndromes were identified in the patient including familial adenomatous polyposis and multiple endocrine neoplasia type IIb (MEN IIb). Iansoprazole (Prevacid) was started by oral administration each day with partial relief of symptoms. Subsequent esophagogastroscopy repeated at 4 mo showed normal appearing EG junction. Esophageal manometry revealed a mild non-specific lower esophageal motility disorder. Mild motor dysfunction is seen with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) and we feel that the demonstration of localized ganglioneuromatosis was not likely related etiologically. In the absence of findings that might suggest neural hypertrophy, such as achalasia, the nodular mucosal irregularity seen with this instance of ganglioneuromatosis may, however, have exacerbated the patient's reflux.