Background: In biomedical journals, authors are expected to report if the study was carried out in accordance with international and national ethical guidelines and inform readers if approval from ethics committee was obtained and if written informed consent was taken from the participant or legal guardian. Aims: To determine the proportion of research manuscripts in two pediatric journals published from India reporting on ethical clearance, obtaining of informed consent and/or assent. Settings and Design: Retrospective study for analysis of research articles published. Materials and Methods : Research articles published in the issues of Indian Pediatrics and Indian Journal of Pediatrics in 2006 were reviewed for reporting regarding ethical clearance, obtaining written informed consent from guardians or parents, and obtaining assent from research participants. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistics was used. The number of articles according to their types; the number of research designs employed according to their types; and the number of research studies mentioning ethical clearance, consent, and assent were expressed as percentages mentioning ethical clearance, consent and assent were expressed as percentages. Results: Of the 132 manuscripts reporting biomedical research, 39 (29.53%) reported having obtained approval from the ethics committee. Forty-six of the 98 (46.94%) manuscripts reporting on prospective studies indicated that informed consent was obtained from parents or lawful guardians. Neither ethical approval nor informed consent was mentioned in 45 (34.10%) published articles reporting prospective studies. A total of 54/98 (55.1%) studies enrolled children aged 7 years or more and hence were assessed for reporting of assent; eight (14.81%) reported that children's assent was obtained. Only four (7.41%) eligible studies reported ethics committee's approval, informed consent, as well as assent. Conclusions: A significant proportion of research articles published in the two pediatric journals did not provide information regarding ethical approval, written informed consent, and obtaining of assent.

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Background: Helicobacter pylori (HP) have recently emerged as a novel eliciting factor for chronic urticaria (CU). The possible association between HP and CU has enormous potential, as eradicating HP could cure CU. Aims and Objectives: We conducted a study to assess the prevalence of HP infection and effect of bacterium eradication on skin lesions in patients of chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU). Settings and Design: Four hundred sixty patients of CU attending the allergy clinic, SMS hospital, Jaipur during the period February 6, 2004, to February 6, 2006, were screened for possible eliciting factors. Patients with CIU were enrolled and others were excluded. Materials and Methods: Sixty-eight patients of CIU and similar number of age and sex matched controls, attending the allergy clinic, SMS Hospital, Jaipur were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent endoscopy with antral biopsy for urease and histopathology to identify HP-associated gastritis. Infected patients were given HP eradication therapy. Eradication of bacterium was confirmed by fecal antigen assay. Subjective response to treatment was judged using chronic urticaria quality-of-life questionnaire (CU-Q ₂ oL) while objective response to treatment was judged by need for 'rescue medication' (antihistaminics). Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed using Chi square and paired't' test for their level of significance. Results: HP associated gastritis was present in 48 (70.58%) patients, out of which 39 (81.25%) patients responded to eradication therapy. Ten (50.00%) patients without HP associated gastritis showed response to symptomatic therapy. Overall 49 (72.05%) patients responded and 19 (27.94%) showed no response. The value of χ² was 28.571 (P = 0.003), which showed significant association between presence of HP and response to eradication regimen. Conclusion: The response of HP eradication therapy in infected patients of CIU is significant. HP should be included in diagnostic workup of patients with CIU.

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Objectives: The relationships between α-tocopherol, pro-oxidant and antioxidant enzyme status, and radiation toxicity were studied in stage II, III, and IVA oral squamous cell carcinoma patients. The low levels of malondialdehyde and increased activities of antioxidant enzymes were correlated with decreased oxidative stress by α-tocopherol in oral cancer patients treated with radiotherapy. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of α-tocopherol on oxidant-antioxidant enzyme status in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: The study included three groups with histologically confirmed oral squamous cell carcinoma patients (untreated), and they were further divided into two groups, viz., one consisting of patients who underwent radiotherapy alone (radiotherapy was given at the dosage of 6000 cGy in five fractions per week for a period of 6 weeks); and the other group treated with radiotherapy plus α-tocopherol supplementation (α-tocopherol was supplemented at a dosage of 400 IU/day) for the entire period of radiotherapy. Results: A significant decrease ( P < 0.001) in malondialdehyde levels and increase in activities of antioxidant enzymes ( P < 0.001) in hemolysate were noticed in patients treated with radiotherapy and simultaneously supplemented with α-tocopherol when compared to radiation-treated patients. Conclusion: It was seen that α-tocopherol played a role in protecting against the damage caused by irradiation in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with radiotherapy, by enhancing the antioxidant enzyme status and reducing the pro-oxidant status.

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Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common problem in aging men, which is associated with lower urinary tract symptoms. This condition is dependent on the presence of androgens for its progression, and medical therapy is the first-line treatment for BPH patients with moderate-to-severe symptoms and includes the use of either alpha 1-adrenergic blockers or 5α-reductase inhibitors. Adrenergic blocking drugs reduce the dynamic component while the 5α-reductase inhibitors reduce the static component of bladder outlet obstruction in BPH. By inhibiting the generation of active form of testosterone, viz., dihydrotestosterone, the 5α-reductase inhibitors not only reduce the symptoms of BPH but also decrease the need for surgery and further progression of BPH. Besides, prolonged use of combination of 5α-reductase inhibitors and alpha 1-adrenergic blockers has been found to be more beneficial than either of the two drugs given alone. This review gives a brief account of rationale and efficacy of treatment by 5α-reductase inhibitors in the management of BPH.

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Background: Short stature (SS) can be treatable; yet the diagnostic value of a simple test in correctly identifying the two common etiologies in developing countries, viz., growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and normal variant short stature (NVSS), has not been reported in a typical third world population. Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the reliability of clonidine test in differentiating short stature caused by GHD from NVSS. Settings and Design: Data of subjects evaluated for growth hormone deficiency SS at a Saudi Arabian university hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Materials and Methods: Clonidine and insulin tolerance tests (ITT) were conducted on 60 subjects aged 12 years and above with SS, while peak stimulated growth hormone cut off value of <10 µg/l was used to diagnose GHD. Statistical Analysis: Sensitivity and specificity for clonidine test and ITT were computed, while receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed from the results in order to assess the diagnostic usefulness of the two tests. Mann-Whitney test was used to determine level of significance. RESULTS: Clonidine test showed superior sensitivity and specificity, viz., 81% and 82%, as against 65% and 59% for ITT respectively. Overall, the efficiency of clonidine test in correctly differentiating short stature caused by GHD from NVSS was higher, viz., 90%, compared to ITT's 77%. Conclusions: Clonidine test proved to be an excellent test for initial assessment of GHD and may be used as a screening test for short stature in third world countries.

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