Can cardiac pacing prevent neurocardiogenic syncope?
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Bradycardia↗
Biomedical subjects
A K Gupta
Publications and source records attributed to A K Gupta.
Isotretinoin use and reports of sustained dreaming.
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Acne Vulgaris↗
Dissatisfaction with skin appearance among patients with eating disorders and non-clinical controls.
BACKGROUND: We have recently observed that women with the eating disorders (EDs) anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa report a significantly greater (P = 0.002) dissatisfaction with the appearance of their skin than do non-clinical controls. OBJECTIVES: To examine further the nature of the dissatisfaction with skin appearance in women with EDs. METHODS: Several psychosocial and body image parameters, including whether or not the subjects were satisfied with a wide range of attributes associated with non-diseased skin, were surveyed in women aged < or = 30 years. Survey data from 32 women with EDs and 34 randomly selected community-based non-clinical controls were examined. RESULTS: Eighty-one per cent of the patients with EDs vs. 56% of the controls reported dissatisfaction with the appearance of their skin (P = 0.03), particularly with respect to its dryness and roughness. Other attributes that were rated more frequently were 'bags' and 'darkness' under the eyes, freckles, fine wrinkles and patchy hyperpigmentation. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of dissatisfaction with skin appearance among women aged < or = 30 years, which is even higher among patients with EDs.
Adolescent↗
A comparison of remifentanil and fentanyl in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy.
BACKGROUND AND AIM: We investigated the haemodynamic stability and emergence characteristics of isoflurane/nitrous oxide anaesthesia supplemented with remifentanil or fentanyl in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy. METHODS: Anaesthesia was induced with propofol (1-2 mg kg-1) and either remifentanil (0.5 microgram kg-1) or fentanyl (1 microgram kg-1), followed by an infusion of remifentanil (0.2 microgram kg-1 min-1) or fentanyl (2 micrograms kg-1 h-1). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the groups in haemodynamic variables, postoperative pain, nausea or vomiting. After induction there was a significant decrease in mean arterial pressure for both groups (P < 0.001) and a decrease in heart rate (P = 0.001) in the remifentanil group. In both groups these haemodynamic changes continued during maintenance of anaesthesia (P < 0.05). The time to eye opening after surgery was significantly shorter with remifentanil compared with fentanyl (6.62 +/- 3.89 vs. 18.0 +/- 15.18 min, P = 0.015). CONCLUSION: Remifentanil appears to be a comparable opioid to fentanyl when supplementing isoflurane/nitrous oxide anaesthesia for carotid endarterectomy.
Adjuvants, Anesthesia↗
Ciclopirox: an overview.
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Antifungal Agents↗
Uncommon localization or presentation of tinea infection.
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Humans↗
Itraconazole pulse therapy for the treatment of Candida onychomycosis.
In this open label, multicentre trial, 44 patients with clinical and mycological evidence of Candida onychomycosis were treated with itraconazole pulse therapy. Onychomycosis of the toes alone and concomitant disease involving the fingers and toes was treated with three pulses, and onychomycosis of the fingers alone with two pulses. Final evaluation for patients with finger and toe onychomycosis was at 6-9 months and 9-12 months, respectively. There were 29 patients with toe onychomycosis (C. albicans, 27; C. glabrata, one; Candida species, one), 12 patients with finger onychomycosis (C. albicans, two; C. glabrata, one) and three patients had combined toe and finger onychomycosis (C. albicans, two; C. guillermondii, one). In the patients with toe onychomycosis mycological cure was observed in 29 of 32 patients (90.6%). There was complete cure [mycological cure (negative culture and KOH at endpoint evaluation) with clinical cure] or marked improvement (mycological cure with 75% or greater decrease in area of involvement of target nail compared with pretherapy) in 24 of 32 patients (75.0%). All 12 patients with finger onychomycosis alone due to Candida species achieved a mycological cure (100%). In this group of patients complete cure or marked improvement was observed in 11 of 12 patients (91.7%). Itraconazole pulse therapy was well tolerated and no serious adverse events were reported in the patients treated with this triazole. In conclusion, itraconazole pulse therapy is an effective and safe treatment for both finger and toe onychomycosis associated with Candida.
Adult↗
Deficiency of tumor necrosis factor alpha in a subclass of menstrual migraineurs.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine whether differences in urinary proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), exist between migraineurs and nonheadache control subjects, and between nonhormonal migraine and menstrual migraine. Any differences noted would expand and clarify a neuroimmune hypothesis of migraine pathogenesis and lead to future diagnostic markers or therapeutic options or both for the disorder. BACKGROUND: Current theories of migraine pathogenesis focus on biochemical abnormalities in the central nervous system resulting in sterile inflammation of meningeal blood vessels. Vasoactive substances involved in this process may include substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide, neurokinin A, serotonin, and nitric oxide. Immune cell products, such as histamine, leukotrienes, and cytokines, also have vascular inflammatory properties. METHODS: A study of proinflammatory cytokines, IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha, was undertaken in menstrual migraineurs. During and outside of menses, 24-hour urine samples of 19 women with migraine were taken during a menstrual migraine, a nonmenstrual migraine, and a headache-free day, and compared with 24-hour urine samples taken of 10 nonheadache controls during and outside of menses. RESULTS: A neuroimmune mechanism for migraine was tested with expected increases in proinflammatory cytokines tested during a migraine. This hypothesis was not validated. Mean IL-6 levels were increased in all three samples of migraineurs versus controls, but did not achieve statistical significance. No differences were found in IL-1beta levels between samples. Interestingly, marked differences were found in TNF-alpha values in menstrual migraineurs. Twelve (63%) of 19 migraineurs had at least one urine sample with undetectable TNF-alpha levels, whereas none of the 20 samples given by the 10 nonheadache controls in this study had undetectable levels. Thirty-two samples from men with cluster headache and nonheadache control subjects in prior studies had detectable levels. CONCLUSIONS: This deficiency of TNF-alpha levels in women with migraine may signal a disordered neuroimmune communication network and predisposition to migraine.
Female↗
Pediatric extragonadal germ cell tumor of the scalp.
Extragonadal germ cell tumors are relatively rare tumors, accounting for 5% to 10% of all germ cell tumors in adults. In children, approximately two thirds of germ cell tumors are extragonadal. Extragonadal germ cell tumor of the scalp is exceedingly rare. The authors report the case of a 1(1/2)-year-old boy with extragonadal germ cell tumor over the occipital region. Examination of the chest, abdomen, and gonads was normal. Computed tomography scan of the head showed a large, well-defined, lobulated, heterogeneously enhancing soft tissue mass lesion in the occipital region. The underlying bone was normal with no evidence of intracranial extension. Biopsy results of the scalp mass showed features consistent with embroynal carcinoma. Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level was elevated. The child was started on chemotherapy and received 4 cycles of cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin (PEB). There was more than 90% reduction in the size of the mass at the end of the fourth cycle. The residual mass was excised and followed up with 2 cycles of postoperative PEB. Ten months after excision the patient is well, without recurrence, and the AFP level is normal.
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
The subscapular approach in head and neck reconstruction with the pedicled latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap.
We have devised a new approach for transferring the pedicled latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap to the head and neck region, and have applied it successfully in several patients. Our approach is rapid and increases the arc of rotation in order to cover defects of the lower lateral and posterior aspects of the head and neck. The vascular pedicle is protected between the scapula and the rib cage. We have used this approach in 15 patients over the last 9 years with good results.
Adolescent↗
Transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder following exposure to cyclophosphamide in childhood.
With the increasing survival of children with malignancies, the long-term effects of chemotherapies are now becoming important and one of these dreadful long-term complications is the development of a second malignancy. Described here is a case of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder developing 8 years following exposure to cyclophosphamide for the treatment of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma.
Adolescent↗
Single-blind, randomized, prospective study of sequential itraconazole and terbinafine pulse compared with terbinafine pulse for the treatment of toenail onychomycosis.
OBJECTIVE: Efficacy and safety of sequential pulse therapy with itraconazole and terbinafine were compared with pulse terbinafine alone in the treatment of toenail onychomycosis. METHODS: This was a 72-week prospective, single-blind, randomized, multicenter, comparative, parallel group, nonindustry-sponsored trial. A total of 190 patients were recruited from 3 outpatient dermatology offices in North America. Patients were at least 18 years old and had a clinical and mycologic diagnosis of dermatophyte toenail onychomycosis. Patients were randomly assigned to receive sequential pulse therapy (IIT) with 2 pulses of itraconazole followed by 1 or 2 pulses of terbinafine (itraconazole pulse is 200 mg twice daily for 1 week and terbinafine pulse is 250 mg twice daily for 1 week) versus 3 or 4 pulses of terbinafine (TTT). Main outcome measures at week 72 evaluated mycologic cure rate (negative light microscopy and culture), clinical cure (nail appears completely or totally normal), complete cure (clinical and mycologic cure), and effective therapy (mycologic cure and clinical response with at least 5 mm of new, uninvolved nail growth). RESULTS: At week 72, in the IIT versus TTT groups, the mycologic cure rate was 54 of 75 (72.0%) versus 44 of 90 (48.9%), clinical cure rate was 42 of 75 (56.0%) versus 35 of 90 (38.9%), effective therapy 49 of 75 (65.3%) versus 41 of 90 (45.6%), and complete cure 39 of 75 (52.0%) versus 29 of 90 (32.2%), respectively. Both regimens were well tolerated with no new adverse effects being identified. The rate of permanent discontinuation of therapy because of adverse effects was 2 of 81 (2.5%) with IIT and 2 of 95 (2.1%) with TTT. Each of the adverse effects normalized over time. The number of patients who reported an adverse effect in the 2 groups was 12 of 81 (14.8%) versus 22 of 95 (23.2%), respectively. All these adverse effects were reversible and mild to moderate in severity. CONCLUSION: Sequential pulse therapy with itraconazole and terbinafine is effective and safe for the treatment of dermatophyte toenail onychomycosis.
Adult↗
Single-blind, randomized, prospective study on terbinafine and itraconazole for treatment of dermatophyte toenail onychomycosis in the elderly.
BACKGROUND: The 2 most common agents used to treat dermatophyte onychomycosis of the toe are terbinafine (continuous) and itraconazole (pulse). Although comparative studies have been performed evaluating the efficacy of these 2 agents in adults, no such studies have been reported specifically in the elderly subset. OBJECTIVE: This prospective, randomized, single-blind, non--industry-sponsored, comparative study evaluated the efficacy and safety of terbinafine (continuous) and itraconazole (pulse) therapies in the treatment of dermatophyte onychomycosis of the toe in the elderly population. METHODS: Elderly patients (> or =60 years old) with dermatophyte onychomycosis of at least 1 great toe were randomly assigned to receive either terbinafine 250 mg/day for 12 weeks or itraconazole (pulse) 200 mg twice a day for 1 week, given for 3 pulses. At month 6 from the start of therapy, if there was less than 50% reduction in the affected nail plate area compared with baseline, or if there was less than 3 mm outgrowth of unaffected nail plate as measured in midline, then patients who had been administered terbinafine (continuous) therapy were given an extra 4 weeks of the drug (total of 16 weeks of therapy), and those who had received itraconazole (pulse) therapy were given an extra pulse (fourth pulse). Patients were evaluated at 1.5, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months from the start of therapy. The efficacy measures included mycologic cure rate and clinical efficacy (mycologic cure plus clinical cure or clinical improvement so that 10% or less of nail plate was clinically involved). RESULTS: There were 101 elderly patients enrolled in the study with 50 and 51 patients receiving terbinafine and itraconazole, respectively. The terbinafine group consisted of 28 men and 22 women, age (mean +/- standard error [SE]) 68.0 +/- 0.9 years, duration of onychomycosis (mean +/- SE) 18.2 +/- 1.4 years, number of nails involved (mean +/- SE) 5.5 +/- 0.5, and percent baseline nail plate area involved (mean +/- SE) 67.5% +/- 4.2%. The corresponding figures for the itraconazole (pulse) group were 24 men and 27 women, age (mean +/- SE) 68.8 +/- 0.8 years, duration of onychomycosis (mean +/- SE) 16.1 +/- 1.7 years, number of nails involved (mean +/- SE) 6.0 +/- 0.7, and percent baseline nail plate area involved (mean +/- SE) 74.9% +/- 3.8%, respectively, with no significant difference between the groups. At month 6, the number of patients that required an extra 4 weeks of terbinafine in the allylamine group or an extra itraconazole pulse in the triazole group was 13 of 50 and 23 of 51, respectively. The mycologic cure rate and clinical efficacy at 18 months from the start of therapy for the terbinafine group were 64.0% and 62.0%, respectively. The corresponding figures for the itraconazole (pulse) group were 62.7% and 60.8%, respectively, with no significant difference between the 2 groups. There were no dropouts during therapy. For both groups the drug appeared safe with no significant adverse events (AEs) or clinically significant laboratory abnormalities. All the AEs were mild and transient. There was high compliance with both regimens. CONCLUSIONS: In the elderly, for the treatment of dermatophyte toe onychomycosis, both terbinafine (continuous) and itraconazole (pulse) therapies are effective, safe, and associated with high compliance.
Age Factors↗
Hepatic technetium-99m-mebrofenin iminodiacetate scans and serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase levels interpreted in series to differentiate between extrahepatic biliary atresia and neonatal hepatitis.
UNLABELLED: Hepatic technetium-99m-mebrofenin iminodiacetate (99mTc-mebrofenin IDA) scans and serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) have high sensitivity for extrahepatic biliary atresia (EHBA). This study was based on the hypothesis that the interpretation of results of 99mTc-mebrofenin IDA scans and serum GGTP levels in series would result in a reduction of the false positivity observed with these tests individually. The aetiology of neonatal cholestasis in 132 study patients was: 25% (33/132) EHBA, 45.5% (60/132) neonatal hepatitis (NH) with an identifiable cause and 19.7% (26/132) idiopathic NH. Of the various clinical, biochemical and imaging parameters that were significantly different between patient groups, sensitivity for EHBA was: serum GGTP > or = 150 IU l(-1) (100%), 99mTc-mebrofenin IDA scans (100%), pale stools (82.8%) and total serum bilirubin > or = 12 mg dl(-1) (66%). However, specificity ranged from 48.5 to 79%. Of the 63 patients who had non-excreting IDA scans, operative cholangiograms could be avoided on the basis of a specific aetiological diagnosis of NH, made concurrently, in only 9 infants. The rest (54) underwent operative cholangiograms; 21 (39%) of these had patent biliary trees and therefore underwent the procedure unnecessarily. If serum GGTP (< 150 IU l(-1)) had been used as a screen after IDA scanning in these 54 patients, operative cholangiograms could have been avoided in another 12 patients and thereafter only 9/42 (21%) of the operative cholangiograms would have been considered unnecessary. CONCLUSION: A diagnostic algorithm is proposed wherein serum GGTP level (at a cut-off level that maintains 100% sensitivity for EHBA) is used in series with non-excreting 99mTc-mebrofenin IDA scans (for patients with no specific aetiological label). This strategy reduces the false positivity of individual tests.
Algorithms↗
Epidemiology of Malassezia yeasts associated with pityriasis versicolor in Ontario, Canada.
The genus Malassezia was recently revised to include seven species, but the clinical significance of each of these species is not clearly understood. To obtain a better understanding of the contribution of individual Malassezia species to the epidemiology of pityriasis (tinea) versicolor, we used Leeming-Notman medium to culture patient skin specimens showing positive evidence of Malassezia infection in direct microscopy. Isolates were identified on the basis of recently published morphological and physiological tests for distinction of the new species. Identification using recently developed molecular criteria was also carried out for the ambiguous cases. Malassezia species were cultured from 111 cases of pityriasis versicolor in the Canadian province of Ontario. The most frequently isolated species were Malassezia sympodialis, M. globosa and M. furfur which respectively made up 59.4%, 25.2% and 10.8% of the isolated etiological agents. M. globosa was commonly isolated from a small number of pityriasis versicolor specimens obtained from investigators outside Canada. A large number of additional Ontario specimens with positive direct microscopy failed to yield a culture; however, it is suggested that this is consistent with the standard sampling practice of scraping the older portions of pityriasis lesions rather than the margins, where viable fungal cells are most likely to occur.
Canada↗
Quantitative culture of Malassezia species from different body sites of individuals with or without dermatoses.
Quantitative cultures were obtained using contact plates to determine whether the quantity and composition of Malassezia species at a given anatomic site in normal individuals differs from that of patients with various cutaneous dermatoses. The sample included 20 clinically healthy individuals (without any dermatosis) and 110 patients with dermatoses (including 31 with atopic dermatitis [AD], 28 with psoriasis [PS], 28 with seborrheic dermatitis [SD] and 23 with pityriasis versicolor [PV]). Contact plates filled with special culture medium were used to obtain a quantitative culture from five body sites (scalp, forehead, arm, trunk and leg) of every individual. The number of cfu were recorded for every plate that grew Malassezia yeasts, and 3-5 colonies were isolated for identification to species level using microscopic, physiological and molecular characteristics. The mean cfu counts observed among patients with AD, PS and SD was significantly lower than normal control subjects (P < 0.05). The mean cfu counts from PV patients was not different from that of healthy control subjects. Overall, for all conditions considered together, the mean cfu counts in lesional sites were significantly lower than in non-lesional sites (P <0.05). Furthermore, the mean cfu counts from lesional sites in patients with AD and PS were significantly lower than the corresponding value in patients with PV (P <0.05). Six Malassezia species were recovered from the different dermatoses. Malassezia sympodialis was the most common species associated with AD and PV patients and healthy control subjects, while M. globosa was most frequently isolated from PS and SD patients. More than one Malassezia species was recovered at any given anatomic site from both controls as well as individuals with dermatoses. M. globosa was equally likely to be recovered from scalp, forehead and trunk, but less likely to derive from arms and legs. M. restricta and M. slooffiae were recovered more frequently from the upper body (scalp and forehead) than from the lower body. Among normal individuals and for patients with AD and PV, M. sympodialis was significantly more likely to affect the forehead than the legs.
Adult↗
Comparative efficacies of commonly used disinfectants and antifungal pharmaceutical spray preparations against dermatophytic fungi.
Arthroconidia from five fungal strains belonging to three Trichophyton species, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T. raubitschekii and T. tonsurans, were tested against commercial chemical disinfectants and pharmaceutical antifungal agents. The chemical disinfectants included chlorine, phenol, sodium dodecyl sulphate and several quaternary ammonium salts, while the two pharmaceutical preparations contained bifonazole and terbinafine as active agents. Arthroconidia were exposed to the antifungal agent either in a suspension solution for a given period of time and assayed for kill rate, or on a sprayed agar plate and monitored for surviving colonies over a period of 14 days. Chlorine (1%) and terbinafine (0.01%) were found to be high level disinfectants bringing about a rapid inactivation of conidia in all five strains. Phenol was equally effective against T. raubitschekii and T. tonsurans; however, T. mentagrophytes cells were able to survive for up to 1 h in 5% phenol. Quaternary ammonium compounds were less rapid in their action against dermatophytes and were needed at a level of about 0.5% to be completely fungicidal. Three commercial spray formulations with a range of 0.1 to 0.3% quaternary ammonium salts were fungistatic against T. mentagrophytes strains. Bifonazole (1%) was also fungistatic in its action against T. mentagrophytes. Sodium dodecyl sulphate (0.5%) was largely ineffective against Trichophyton arthroconidia.
Antifungal Agents↗
Successful treatment of Acanthamoeba meningitis with combination oral antimicrobials.
Acanthamoeba was implicated as the causative agent of chronic meningitis in three apparently immunocompetent children. Diagnosis was established by cerebrospinal fluid wet mount examination and culture. Two children improved rapidly with combination oral therapy composed of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, rifampin and ketoconazole.
Acanthamoeba↗