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Biomedical subjects

N K Chakravorty

Publications and source records attributed to N K Chakravorty.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

The clinical effects of vitamin C supplementation in elderly hospitalised patients with acute respiratory infections.

A randomised double-blind trial involving vitamin C/placebo supplementation was conducted on 57 elderly patients admitted to hospital with acute respiratory infections (bronchitis and bronchopneumonia). Patients were assessed clinically and biochemically on admission and again at 2 and 4 weeks after admission having received either 200 mg vitamin C per day, or placebo. This relatively modest oral dose led to a significant increase in plasma and white cell vitamin C concentration even in the presence of acute respiratory infection. Using a clinical scoring system based on major symptoms of the respiratory condition, patients supplemented with the vitamin fared significantly better than those on placebo. This was particularly the case for those commencing the trial most severely ill, many of whom had very low plasma and white cell vitamin C concentrations on admission. Various mechanisms by which vitamin C could assist this type of patient are discussed.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1990

Efficacy of sulfalene and pyrimethamine combination drugs alone and with quinine in treatment of P. falciparum cases in chloroquine resistant areas of north east India.

Studies were carried out in some areas of Assam, Nagaland, West Bengal and Mizoram where chloroquine resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum were present during 1983 and 1984, to see the efficacy of treatment of P. falciparum cases with SLP alone or with quinine sulphate. The findings have indicated that SLP in the dosage of sulfalene (1000 mg) + Pyrimethamine (50 mg) is suitable for treatment of P. falciparum cases not responding to chloroquine therapy in N.E. India. Treatment with sulfalene (1500 mg) + Pyrimethamine (75 mg) has no advantage over the SLP (1000 + 50) mg. Combination of quinine (1000 mg x 3 days) + SLP (1000 + 50) mg is better with 100 per cent cure rate. In Karhi Anglong district (Manja PHC) of Assam response to these drug combination is however less.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

The clinical and biochemical effects of vitamin C supplementation in short-stay hospitalized geriatric patients.

A double-blind placebo trial has been undertaken on 199 elderly patients admitted to an "acute" geriatric assessment ward. Clinical and biochemical assessment was made on admission (0) and at 2, 4, 8, 16 and 24 weeks (after admission). Ninety-four patients were supplemented with vitamin C (200 mg per day) and 105 had placebo tablets. Biochemical assessment included estimations of plasma and leucocyte (buffy layer) vitamin C, plasma folate, vitamin B12, cortisol and total white cell count. Plasma and leucocyte vitamin C levels remained low for several weeks in a substantial proportion of the non-supplemented patients, whereas low levels were virtually eliminated in the supplemented group. The results from this study suggest that the leucocyte vitamin C levels may give some indication of prognosis in this category of patients (ie. "acute" geriatric admissions) as evidenced by: i) the significantly higher mortality rate during the trial period of patients who started with low initial leucocyte vitamin C levels compared with those starting with higher levels, despite similar mean initial "severity of illness scores" between the two groups. ii) the marked trend, amongst placebo subjects, for those commencing the study with higher leucocyte vitamin C levels to fare better, in terms of progression to "well", than those starting with low levels. Amongst subjects starting with low leucocyte vitamin C levels, there was a trend for "vitamin C" subjects to have fared better by 8 weeks than "placebo" subjects. This again occurred despite similar mean initial "severity scores" between the two groups. Amongst subjects diagnosed with respiratory infections there was some tendency for supplemented patients to fare better than unsupplemented patients. Low leucocyte vitamin C levels, on admission, appear to be predictive of poor subsequent prognosis in elderly hospitalised patients. Results from this trial suggest that supplementation with a moderate dose of vitamin C may improve this prognosis and larger trials with greater numbers appear to be merited to confirm or deny this hypothesis.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Triradiate deformity of the pelvis in Paget's disease of bone.

Possibly owing to the rather unusual manner of its presentation, there is scant description of triradiate deformity of the pelvis in textbooks. Three cases are now described to illustrate this feature of Paget's disease. Its approximate incidence is indicated.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Fenoprofen in the treatment of osteoarthrosis of hips and knee joints in the elderly.

Twenty-one patients between the ages of 68 and 89 years with osteoarthrosis of hips and/or knee joints wre studied. One group was treated with fenoprofen 300 mg t.d.s. for 5 days, and the other group with 600 mg t.d.s. for 5 days. No therapeutic advantage was found with the higher dose, and the side-effects were minimal on either dosage. Treatment of elderly patients with the smaller dose is recommended.

Aged↗
PubMed1979

Treatment of Paget's disease of bone.

A brief review is given of the use of fluoride, mithramycin, glucagon, actinomycin D, calcitonins and diphosphonates for treatment of Paget's disease of bone. The decision regarding treatment, effectiveness of the drugs, the incidence of side effects and assessment of clinical, biochemical, histological, radiological and thermographic responses are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1978

Some unusual features of Paget's disease of bone.

The usual features of Paget's disease of bone, e.g. large head, deafness due to involvement of the 8th cranial nerve and bowing of the legs are all well described in text books of medicine. However, some features such as platybasia with neurological deficit, involvement of the 2nd, 5th and 7th cranial nerves, hydrocephalus, dementia, dysphasia, corrugation of the skull, bone pain (with or without associated osteo-arthrosis of hips and knees), heart failure, triradiate deformity of the pelvis have either had an inadequate or no description in books. These features are unusual, but it is important to recognise them, as the advances made since the introduction of the very promising new drugs in recent years have not only provided increasing insight into the disease, but also have improved management of patients with Paget's disease of bone.

Aged↗
PubMed1977

Corrugation of the skull in Paget's disease of bone.

Paget's disease of bone has been known for about 100 years and the usual deformities of bone, e.g. bowed tibia, large head, are well described in medical text books. However, there does not appear to have been a description of corrugation of the skull as a recognized deformity in Paget's disease. Three cases are now described to illustrate this deformity as an unusual but valuable sign in this disease.

Aged↗