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Biomedical subjects

A M Pradhan

Publications and source records attributed to A M Pradhan.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Long term survival in Indian childhood cirrhosis treated with D-penicillamine.

Indian childhood cirrhosis (ICC) is an almost uniformly fatal disease whose outcome may be modified with penicillamine if given at a sufficiently early stage. Twenty nine children with ICC seen in Pune, India, in 1980-7, who had survived at least five years from onset of penicillamine treatment, were reviewed aged 6.3 to 13 years. They were assessed clinically, biochemically, histologically, and by duplex Doppler ultrasound examination. None had symptoms suggestive of liver disease. There were no toxic effects of penicillamine other than asymptomatic proteinuria. Hepatosplenomegaly reduced significantly and liver function tests returned to normal in all. In four children, significant hepatosplenomegaly was associated with an abnormal duplex Doppler hepatic vein flow pattern and micronodular cirrhosis on biopsy. Clinical findings, growth and development, and ultrasound examination were normal in the remainder. Review of serial liver biopsy specimens showed a sequence of recovery from ICC through inactive micronodular cirrhosis to virtually normal histological appearances. The four children who still have micronodular cirrhosis beyond four years from onset remain on penicillamine treatment. In the others penicillamine was stopped after 1-7 (mean 3.5) years without relapse, strong evidence that ICC is not due to an inborn error of copper metabolism.

Chelating Agents↗
PubMed1995

Reversal of Indian childhood cirrhosis by D-penicillamine therapy.

Serial liver biopsy changes have been reviewed in 30 patients with Indian childhood cirrhosis (ICC) who were randomly allocated to receive treatment with penicillamine in a dose of 20 mg/kg/day, 10 of whom also received prednisolone, and five receiving placebo. The latter died within 185 (mean, 149) days of starting treatment. Nine receiving penicillamine died within 540 (mean, 338) days, but the remainder are well 5.1-9.3 years after commencing treatment. Initial biopsies showed severe hepatocellular injury, pericellular fibrosis, inflammatory infiltration, and orcein-staining granules. Second biopsies taken within 6 months of starting penicillamine usually showed persistence of inflammation and an increase in nodularity with thick and thin active septae. Subsequently the appearances were of an inactive micronodular cirrhosis, with reduction in septal inflammatory infiltrate, hepatocellular injury, and intensity of orcein staining. This further improved to a stage of incomplete fibrous septae. The last liver biopsies at 6-60 months (in 21 survivors) showed almost normal histology in four, incomplete fibrous septae in five, and inactive micronodular cirrhosis with thin septae in 12. Mean liver copper concentrations decreased from 1,407 (SEM, 121) micrograms/g at presentation to 925 (183), 317 (100), and 127 (35) at 6, 6-18, and > 18 months after starting treatment. By contrast, a second biopsy taken in the 6 months after diagnosis in placebo-treated children showed persistence of ICC with increase in inflammation, fibrosis, and orcein staining.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1987

Clinical trials of penicillamine in Indian childhood cirrhosis.

The outcome in 15 children with advanced Indian childhood cirrhosis (ICC) treated with penicillamine 20 mg/kg/day was not significantly different from that in untreated children. Among children admitted to a further double blind trial who had ICC but who had not yet developed jaundice or ascites 10 treated with penicillamine and 10 treated with penicillamine plus prednisolone had a significantly improved survival. Fourteen of 29 treated cases made a clinical recovery and were alive 489 to 1460 days from the start of treatment. Biopsy specimens in survivors showed a return to normal liver histology in three, residual fibrosis in six, and inactive micronodular cirrhosis in five. Thus penicillamine, while not shown to be beneficial in advanced ICC, lowered mortality from 93% to 52% in preicteric cases of ICC.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed1982

Liver disease in India.

One hundred and twenty-five children with chronic liver disease were seen in Pune in 13 months. Fifty-nine of them, aged 8-39 months, had Indian childhood cirrhosis histologically diagnosed. Their characteristics included an insidious onset of symptoms, a geographical clustering of cases in rural areas north-east of Pune, a high rate of parental consanguinity and affected siblings, and a very high hepatic copper concentration (790-6654 micrograms/g dry weight). Only 8 survived for 6 months, adverse prognostic features being jaundice, ascites, enlargement of the gall bladder, and severe anaemia at presentation. Clinical differentiation from other liver disorders in the same age group was clear in advanced cases but unreliable in earlier cases. Four asymptomatic siblings with hepatomegaly had a benign course. The need for non-invasive methods to diagnose early cases in the community is demonstrated. The other major diagnostic categories were: unresolved hepatitis (12); chronic active hepatitis (7); cryptogenic cirrhosis (6); neonatal hepatitis and biliary atresia (8).

Adolescent↗